I like the idea, but believe the performance isn’t good enough for my needs yet. Also, until this issue is fixed.
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I use it as my main computer and really like the possibility to switch from desktop mode to phone mode.
I use for light task : email, browsing, personnel excel file (budgeting…)…
I just use a cooling system found in an other post.
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I’m writing this on a PineBook Pro running Armbian, not so very different specs than a MNT Reform or Liberty phone. I use the PBP more than my other desktop/laptop computers. If convergence worked as well as I’m sure it eventually will, I’d have no problem using the L5 when I needed a big screen.
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I’ve been daily driving the L5 as my phone for a while now and have stretched its capabilities when using it as my work computer for on the go lighter tasks. However, I have just today implemented a swap file as described in this post by @alexmarkley and it’s made such a difference it literally feels as though the phone has leveled up; I’m seeing snappier performance across the board and even higher framerates in streaming video.
I have to do some heavy-duty CAD for work from time to time so for the moment I won’t ever be able to use the L5 as my sole computer, but it is actually bidding fair to become my primary one. Color me astounded.
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One more unexpected benefit of the swap file: it seems the L5 is running cooler!
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On active usage or also on idling system? Could you give some data (usage app temperatures)? Would be nice to get some hard facts about it.
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Here’s temperature data from the L5 running on battery at “idle” with Thunderbird, multiple Firefox tabs (including Discord), and assorted other small-footprint apps open.
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I carry my Librem 5 and lapdock only in short and long trips, but agree with the crowd that it’s too underpowered for being my only device. When programming, it’s too slow to be comfortable. Can’t do Zoom (I never tried with an external webcam though), constantly running out of disk and memory space, and so on. There’s also the thing that the lapdock doesn’t supply enough power so eventually the phone runs out of battery. So I probably would not be able to do long sessions with the lapdock. I tried a dock in between and same story.
Still much closer to a real computer than my old Android phone though! It’s always great to pull out the lapdock and get that full-sized keyboard and screen.
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Yeah to me the Liberty Phone 4gb RAM and 128 GB eMMC should be offered to the OG L5 crowd because that is a far more useful configuration. You would actually have room on the eMMC to make the swap not so vampiric to the remaining storage space.
If the board was under a grand and the instruction for upgrading were clear, I think this would net Purism a significant amount of influx cash as well.
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My L5USA / Oct/21 is my MAIN computer. By choice I do not have residential ISP service; the L5USA is entirely satisfactory for internet access. It’s docked to an Asus PA247CV with a Logi wireless keyboard & mouse and 500Gb USB SSD for backups - no problems. Nonconvergent apps are GIMP and Claws-Mail. It behaves itself most of the time. I do not use the app store. The phone has been mostly reliable with heat and early modem reliability being the biggest issues. Many thanks to the Purism team for their dedication, patience, tough skin, and ongoing tweaks. We’re getting there.
IMHO success of Purism phones will be realized only with adoption of a SOC redesign. FWIW
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