I’ve been messing around on the Purism forums for a while, and I rather intend to finally buy one when the next revision of Librem 15 comes out (or heck, I’d love to see a Librem 17, and I just figured it’s not on the table of considerations) if there are some improvements made to it. What I’d like to see are namely a Quad-Core processor and an internal ethernet port. ECC memory would also be cool if you could implement it, but I know that may be iffier.
I mean seriously, a laptop as expensive as the Librem 15 should have more than just a wimpy dual-core clocked at 3.1Ghz. I wouldn’t want a dual-core even if they clocked over 4Ghz, because my current laptop is a quad-core clocked at over 4Ghz (4.2Ghz, and ~4.8Ghz Turbo) and it’s over 6 years old now.
I try to think of why you’d choose this, and I could only think of profit margins and… the design of the chassis. Looking at it, it’s one of those thin notebooks. This is probably the same reason that there’s no built-in ethernet port and one of the reasons lower-grade hardware is used. I see it all the time anymore, and it’s because these thin devices that trend in today’s tech world may be lightweight and cool looking, but they suck when it comes to ventilation and heat dissipation.
Ya know, some of us value performance over having our electronics as thin and quiet as possible. I’d personally love to see a performance-focused desktop replacement laptop from Purism - a Librem 17 if you will, sporting a premium 17" display and performance-grade internals. Quad-Core processor, ethernet port included heck if you could find a way to support proper standalone GPUs without needing proprietary drivers I’d love that (but I do understand that’s probably expecting way too much when your hands are already full trying to deal with Intel alone). You could make it fatter than the rest of the models with high-performance fans inside.
I mean, for all of that I’d be considering to drop a $2000 - $2500 base-price depending on what exactly you go with.
Anyway, at the very least I’d like to see the fourth revision of the Librem 15 bring some better performing hardware to the table. The thing that has me put-off about buying a Purism laptop right now is the price-to-performance ratio. I don’t feel like dropping nearly $3,000 (would put NVMe in it) on a laptop that runs on a dual-core. If that’s how it is I think I’d buy from OriginPC or build my own PC and just try figuring out ME_Cleaner myself - and if I can’t, to heck with it because at least I have a high-performance PC for the money then. I think I’d kinda regret dropping so much money over tinfoil hat stuff honestly. If I could get some better performance out of it then I probably wouldn’t be so hesitant to buy.
Just a few things I wanted to pitch. Guys like me bite for performance hardware and go for “desktop-replacement” systems. If it can’t compete with desktops then I don’t see why I would want a laptop as opposed to a desktop to begin with - the ability to carry around your computer is kinda nice but not huge to me. I mean your workplace always supplies you with a laptop that you have to do all your work on anyway… may as well just carry that around and have a nice desktop waiting for you at home.
Which is my final suggestion: Purism desktops. That would be pretty cool, if you’re willing to think about it.
Later!
PS: Would be really nice to see you get into routers as well. Pre-flash performance routers with pfSense.