These of you who personal a Framework Laptop computer 13 —think about me jealous, btw— or are contemplating shopping for one within the close to future, you might have an interest to know {that a} RISC-V motherboard possibility is within the works.
DeepComputing, the corporate behind the recently-announced Ubuntu RISC-V laptop computer, is working with Framework Pc Inc, the corporate behind the favored, modular, and Linux-friendly Framework laptops, on a RISC-V mainboard.
It is a new announcement; the element itself is in early growth, and there’s no tentative price ticket or pre-order date pencilled in.
However we do know the board can be based mostly across the StarFive JH7110, which makes use of the RV64GC Instruction Set Structure (ISA), i.e., it’s a 64-bit processor. It has a quad-core U74 processor working at as much as 1.5 GHz, plus an built-in GPU working uptown 600 MHz.
If the title sounds acquainted it’s as a result of this is similar SoC utilized in Pine64’s PineTab-V pill, and in its Star64 single-board pc.
Followers of Framework laptops have come to anticipate performant chips from the likes of Intel and AMD, however the StarFive JH7110 is way from hat — it’s a reasonably sluggish, unpowered chip for driving a full-fledged desktop computing or working any significantly intensive workloads.
And in contrast to the octa-core SpacemiT K1 getting used within the new Ubuntu RISC-V laptop computer, it lacks an onboard NPU for AI/ML makes use of which.
The efficiency (or lack thereof) within the StarFive JH7110 chip is one thing Framework point out of their weblog announcement, explaining:
We need to be clear that on this technology, it’s targeted totally on enabling builders, tinkerers, and hobbyists to begin testing and creating on RISC-V. The peripheral set and efficiency aren’t but aggressive with our Intel and AMD-powered Framework Laptop computer Mainboards
Nirav Patel, Framework Pc Inc
Moreover, the Framework RISC-V mainboard will use soldered reminiscence and non-upgradeable eMMC storage (although it could actually boot from microSD playing cards). It should ‘drop into’ any Framework Laptop computer 13 chassis (or Cooler Grasp Mainboard Case), per Framework’s modular ethos.
However {hardware} is simply half the equation — what’s the software program aspect like?
Effectively, Framework point out DeepComputing is “working intently with the groups at Canonical and Crimson Hat to make sure Linux help is strong by Ubuntu and Fedora”, which is nice information, and cements Canonical’s seriousness to supporting Ubuntu on RISC-V.
Framework homeowners keen on experimenting with this rising various to Intel, AMD, and ARM chips, and are in a position to afford the money and time to indulge, are positive to seek out the addition of Framework RISC-V motherboard interesting.
