PINEBOOK 64 - An Affordable 64-bit ARM Open Source Notebook

2017-01-06 | By Maker.io Staff

If you’re looking for a cheap hackable Linux computer that is portable, then you’ll love the Pinebook Notebook from Pine64. The Pinebook is a 11.6” or 14” notebook computer powered by the same Quad-core ARM Cortex A53 64-bit processor used in the popular PINE A64 single board computer which launched on Kickstarter in December 2015 for only $15.

The Pinebook is lightweight and comes with a full-size keyboard and a large multi-touch touchpad designed for students and makers alike.

Pinebook Dimensions

The Pinebook comes with all the features you would expect on a notebook, such as an external display port in the form of an HDMI port which allows it to be connected to a larger display or TV for presentations. The HDMI output is not up to full HD specification but still offers and impressive 720p output. The built-in display is also an IPS display as opposed to the usual LCD, which offers a much better picture quality when viewing.

External HDMI Output

The Pinebook also comes with built-in 16GB of storage in from of eMMC. However, there is also a built-in MicroSD card slot to allow users to expand their storage needs up to 256GB. You can also connect any external USB storage drive to the Pinebook using one of two USB 2.0 ports.

MicroSD Slot

Specifications

• CPU – 64-Bit Quad-Core ARM Cortex A53
• RAM – 2GB LPDDR3
• Flash – 16GB eMMC
• Wireless – 802.11b/g/n WiFi & Bluetooth 4.0
• USB – 2x 2.0 Ports
• MicroSD card Slot
• Mini HDMI Port
• 3.5mm Headphone Jack
• Built-in Microphone
• Power – 10000mAH Lithium Polymer Battery
• Camera – Front Facing 1.2 MP
• Weight – 1.2 kg

The Pinbook supports a number of Linux distributions supported by the Pine A64 OS images. These include Debain Jesse, Ubuntu 16.04, Android 5/6/7, Remix OS 2.0 and now just recently supports Windows IoT platform. At the moment it is unclear which OS is shipped with the Pinebook.

This laptop is not available yet to buy, but Pine64 is letting those that are interested to register to be notified when it is released. The specs of the Pinebook are not going to be competitive with that of the Chromebook with a similar specification but a much lower price point at $89. The combination of price, form factor and the ability to run Linux OS makes this laptop an interesting proposition between a hackable laptop and a genuine useful laptop.