Pine64 unveiled a Pinebook Pro laptop prototype at FOSDEM 2019 as an update to the original Allwinner A64 powered Pinebook laptop, but instead of just being a toy to play with, Pinebook Pro aimed to be used as a daily driver thanks to a relatively powerful Rockchip RK3399 processor combined with 4GB RAM, and 64/128GB storage, and equipped with a 14″ Full HD display all for a target price of $200.
Last May, we noticed some good progress on the software development side with a demo showcasing Ubuntu & Debian with MATE desktop, 4K video playback, 3D graphics acceleration, and USB-C video output. The good news is that Pinebook Pro has just launched and can be pre-ordered for $199.99 on Pine64 store. [Update: If you are an existing forum member, you may want to redeem your coupon here]
Pinebook Pro laptop specifications:
- SoC – Rockchip RK3399 big.LITTLE hexa-core Arm Cortex A72/A53 SoC with Arm Mali T860MP4 GPU
- System Memory – 4GB dual-channel LPDDR4 RAM
- Storage – 64GB/128GB eMMC 5.0 flash (128GB is a free upgrade for users of Pine64 forum who registered before July 1st, upgradable), microSD card slot, 128Mbit (16MB) SPI flash for bootloader
- Display – 14.1″ 1080p (1920×1080) IPS LCD panel
- Video Output – Via USB-C up to 4K 60hz
- Audio – Headphone jack, microphone, stereo speakers
- Connectivity – 802.11ac WiFi and Bluetooth 5.0
- USB – 1x USB 3.0 port, 1x USB 3.0 Type-C port with data, power, and video, 1x USB 2.0 port
- Camera – 2MP front-facing camera / webcam
- User Input – ISO & ANSI keyboard variants (Note: ANSI keyboard option is not available in the first batch), large multi-touch trackpad
- Debugging – UART access via audio jack
- Expansion – PCIe x4 to M.2 NVMe SSD (optional adapter required)
- Privacy – On/off switches for camera, microphones, and Bluetooth/WiFi via 10 seconds presses on F1, F2 and F3 keys and controlled by the MCU firmware
- Battery – 10,000 mAh LiPo battery
- Power Supply – 5V/3A via barrel port or USB-C
- Dimensions – 329 x 220 x 12mm – Black magnesium alloy body
- Weight – 1.26 kg
Some important notes. Existing forum members will have priority, and the first batch is for enthusiasts and comes with warnings:
- Due to Lithium-ion battery in Pinebook Pro, the shipment of Pinebook Pro orders will be handled differently from other Pine64 products, that’s the reason we didn’t allow to combined Pinebook Pro order with other Pine64 products. Sorry for any inconvenience caused.
- Small numbers (1-3) of stuck or dead pixels are a characteristic of LCD screens. These are normal and should not be considered a defect.
- When fulfilling the purchase, please bear in mind that we are offering the Pinebook Pro at this price as a community service to PINE64, Linux and BSD communities. We make no profit from selling these units. If you think that a minor dissatisfaction, such as a dead pixel, will prompt you to file a PayPal dispute then please do not purchase the Pinebook Pro. Thank you.
- Warranty is valid for 30 days only
The Wiki is not up yet, but thanks to an blog update earlier this month, we know the laptop will ship with Debian by default, and support a variety of other Linux distributions, Chromium OS, and Android 9. Note that *BSD is not quite ready yet, as the display is not working at this stage. On the other end, everything is working on Debian and Ubuntu, and the community is now working on improvements. You can check out the current status with the video below (dated July 16, 2019).
If you want to add an NVMe M.2 SSD to the laptop, you’ll need to purchase the adapter for $6.99. The first batch will be delivered in 4-6 weeks time, and the second batch in 10 weeks time.
Jean-Luc started CNX Software in 2010 as a part-time endeavor, before quitting his job as a software engineering manager, and starting to write daily news, and reviews full time later in 2011.
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