My assumption is purely based on when the Librem 14 was announced with the same footprint as the Librem 13, but with smaller bezels: https://puri.sm/posts/purism-launches-librem-14-successor-to-security-focused-librem-13-product-line/
The most distinctive feature of the Librem 14 is the new 14″ 1080p IPS matte display which, due to the smaller bezel, fits within the same footprint as the Librem 13.
A 16" laptop seems uncommon to 15" and 17" laptop sizes.
Of course! And so would I. But more because I love Purism products and I now want a faster gen 13/14 core to replace my L15; and not really because I find the format convenient.
So the poll’s question should have been: if it is a 16" display, would you find this format convenient?
The poll question has been changed, so feel free to (re)vote.
I agree with your assumption. If they can fit a 16" LCD inside a bezel the size of the Librem 15, that would be the best choice marketing wise. It would not scare people off, thinking of a big bulky and heavy laptop.
At System76 I have actually seen more of their 15" laptops be replaced with 16" laptops. I am curious if they are following a trend, if its dame footprint through smaller bezels, or both.
Librem 16 has a normal right Shift key adjacent to /?. The arrow keys are reduced height to fit below it.
Yes this is the direction, it’s about the same size as a Librem 15 with a larger screen and smaller bezel.
Here it is back-to-back with a Librem 15v4. Librem 16 is a bit narrower and just a little taller.
Looks nice!! What is that mini square inside the touchpad?
Looks like a fingerprint reader 
It is a fingerprint reader in this prototype, but the touchpad will probably change, the fingerprint reader might not be there in production.
Will L16 an Ultra i9 cpu?
In the first photo, the hardware kill switches are near the top left instead of centre, a dedicated power button exists on the top right, and speaker grilles are present on the left and right side of the keyboard. In the second photo, there also seems to be two additional sensors at the top of the bezel, with no in-built webcam, instead being replaced by another sensor.
I want a Librem 14 v2 codenamed: Marvell
Unlocked ultra i9, ARC GPU, Monitor 1080p 90hz plus Purism features. Compatible with GNU OS
Beautiful! Same slim design as the L15.
Yes, unfortunately fingerprint biometrics have been a security concern right since it started appearing on laptops. Might be an option for those who still believe this is a safe technology, but my opinion is that a false sense of security is worse than no security…
I forgot to mention something important:
The Librem 11 does not actually support PCIe 4.0, even though it uses the Kingston KC3000, which is a PCIe 4.0 M.2 NVMe drive. There is still a very real possibility that the Librem 16 may use a CPU that supports up to PCIe 3.0 instead of 4.0 or above.
@jonathon.hall Thanks for sharing the L16 preview! A few points of feedback before you make a full BOM commitment to the factory:
That keyboard is a disaster if it’s the same chiclet design as L15 (can’t tell from the photos). It cost me an entire L15. (Maybe I could have just replaced the keyboard, but water usually finds its way around, once inside.) Realistically, between drinks and citrus fruits, liquid spray is going to find its way into the chiclet gaps. In the early stages of keyboard disease, the trackpad experiences spurious wake events 24/7 (which might wake you in the middle of the night). In the later stages, it induces increasingly frequent key repeats at random, making typing all but impossible. I almost lost my current L15 due to a major spill, but I was quick enough to unscrew the whole thing and hang the boards in front of a fan all night long with the dehumidifier on. Yeah, I could just not eat or drink anywhere nearby, but that’s not a realistic constraint for most people who are glued to their machine all day. And the stray light from the gaps is quite annoying. There are better solutions, ideally a fully sealed water-resistant keyboard. Does it add $100 to the BOM as an upgrade option? Fine. Anything but another destroyed laptop!
Please put in a firmware menu option to disable the battery etc. LEDs. (I assume the keyboard LEDs can be dimmed or shut off with Fn+F3.) There’s nothing more annoying than extraneous light sources when working in the dark, especially when they’re a different color than the keyboard itself.
The keyboard layout is better, notably the conventional right shift. I do wonder, though, if removing those speaker panels would buy enough space for a number pad. If so, I think more people would want the latter. What privacy-conscious customer is going to blare their audio through speakers as opposed to a headset? Not a show-stopper but worth considering.
At least as an option, a CPU with more cores and lower GHz would be preferable. Nobody is fooled by GHz anymore; GPU won the compute war years ago. It just wastes battery, heats up your lap, and makes fan noise. At minimum, maybe add a firmware menu option to disable Turbo mode so we don’t have to listen to the noise (How to reduce annoying fan noise).
DDR5 would be highly desirable, especially considering that many of us run Qubes which utilizes memory-intensive VMs.
I presume that the 16" diagonal is necessary because that’s the smallest form factor that will provide 3840x2160 (4K) with a matte finish. Seems like most people would prefer smaller, as would I, but any lower resolution or a reflective screen would be a deal breaker. Perhaps those who don’t care can opt for the next L14 spin instead.
If I’m not mistaken, that’s a plastic case. Hopefully it doesn’t have the L15 metal bottom panel, which just flexes and induces trace stress, fan misalignment and grinding, and popping screws over time. Metal is a nonstarter unless it’s got the integrity of a Macbook Air.
It would be nice to have smaller and larger battery options for the same reason you support 30W and 100W chargers. Granted, maybe this is moot if I can plug a power bank into the USBC(?) charging port.
I agree with others who consider the fingerprint scanner to be nothing more than an annoyance.
Nevertheless congrats to the team on the very substantial progress!
Yes, although it looks like you will need to contact Purism support for an out-of-warranty repair, as the shop listing for a refurbished keyboard no longer exists.
I do, but I am fine with the speakers being on the bottom of the laptop again in exchange for a number pad.
Still machined aluminum.
you will need to contact Purism support for an out-of-warranty repair, as the shop listing for a refurbished keyboard no longer exists.
Thanks but…
Dear Purism: this just underscores why “do it right the first time” with a waterproof keyboard is the way to go, at least as an upgrade option. Nobody is buying your devices to save money.
Still machined aluminum.
Hopefully not the same flimsy thickness. I literally can’t travel with my L15 anymore because the screws will pop out and the hinge will get stressed. They really need to drill down on mechanical integrity.
Just for the record, i dont like aluminumed machines.
Or alternatively, do not consume drinks and/or citrus fruits near electronics for your own safety.
