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"But my friend runs a PinePhone as a daily driver" (lemmy.ml)
submitted 8 months ago by pH3ra@lemmy.ml to c/linuxmemes@lemmy.world
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[-] HerbalGamer@sh.itjust.works 18 points 8 months ago

How much did it cost, how long have you had it and what are the most obvious pros and cons?

[-] lemmeee@sh.itjust.works 5 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

In the US store it costs 200$ for the original PinePhone and 400$ for the Pro version. The EU store is a little more expensive.

I'm not the person you asked, but I've had mine for 2 years.

Pros:

  • free software and freedom (and with that increased privacy and security)
  • runs the same software that you can run on desktop as long as it has an ARM build (a lot of Debian packages do) or you compile it yourself - this includes not just apps, but also terminal programs and servers
  • killswitch to power off the proprietary modem for when you don't want phone carrier tracking you
  • like in other modern phones the modem is isolated (here it's connected over USB)
  • multiple distros to choose from
  • multiple desktop environments to choose from
  • replacable battery
  • headphone jack
  • replacement parts available in case you break something
  • there are some interesting addons that you can buy (https://pine64.org/devices/pinephone/#accessories)
  • microSD card slot
  • you can boot from the microSD card, so distro hopping is easy
  • can run Android apps through Waydroid

Cons:

  • slow - you are running modern software on an old SoC (the Pro version is faster, but still slow compared to modern phones)
  • not all GNU/Linux apps have a responsive UI that works well on mobile
  • some old apps might not have touch support
  • short battery life - the SoC is not very energy efficient. Possible workarounds: get the keyboard addon with builtin battery (but it makes the phone bigger and heavier), carry spare batteries with you, or buy/3D print a bigger case and use a bigger battery
  • runs hot
  • GPS isn't super accurate
  • audio quality during phone calls isn't great
  • the non-pro version might not be able to run a mainline kernel, so you might not be able to install a desktop distro on it
  • the Pro version should be able to run a mainline kernel, but there might be things that don't work
  • experience with GNU/Linux is required
  • sometimes workarounds are needed - for me, on Mobian stable sometimes the modem or wifi don't wake up from suspend and I have to reset it with a script (I added it to the apps menu for quick access, but it's still annoying)
  • [on original PinePhone] bad camera and the default app can only take pictures - there is a script for recording video, but then there is no preview
  • I'm not sure if you can use the camera as a webcam in most software
  • [might depend on the model] video playback is not GPU accelerated, so it makes the CPU hot and drains battery and you might be limited to 1080p@30fps or 720p
  • you can run a stable distro with old software and old bugs (and sometimes things change very fast) or a less stable one with current software, but then things will sometimes break after update and you will have to fix it (probably more than on desktop)
  • on Mobian stable (old software) the proximity sensor acts weird during a call and sometimes you can't see the screen
  • no Xbox gamepad support in Mobian stable (but Playstation gamepads work)
  • they keyboard addon isn't perfect and requires some setup
  • with the keyboard addon I can't plug in any USB devices to the phone and I don't know why - charging works though
  • support for emergency broadcast is only just now being introduced in Phosh (https://phosh.mobi/posts/cellbroadcast)
  • [original PinePhone] uses micro SIM standard instead of nano SIM
  • sometimes there is screen flickering in non-pro version
  • killswitches could be a bit easier to flip (they are very small)
  • [on original PinePhone] poor 3D performance (even SuperTuxKart doesn't run smoothly), WebGL doesn't seem to work (at least for 3D)
  • not a lot of RAM, so you can't run too many apps at once or have too many browser tabs open - you can still run Electron apps, though (just not too many at once)
  • no push notifications, so if you want to be notified when you get a message in some app, while the phone is suspended, you would have to setup a script to wake the phone up periodically

Edit: I corrected a mistake with the SIM card. I turns out that PinePhone Pro uses nano SIM and it's only the original PinePhone that uses micro SIM

[-] HerbalGamer@sh.itjust.works 3 points 8 months ago

Very thorough list, thank you!

[-] haui_lemmy@lemmy.giftedmc.com 2 points 8 months ago

Awesome list indeed! In case I buy one I‘ll probably start a lemmy community for it.

[-] lemmeee@sh.itjust.works 2 points 8 months ago

There is already one: /c/pinephone@lemmy.ml. But not a lot of activity there.

[-] haui_lemmy@lemmy.giftedmc.com 2 points 8 months ago

Youre a treasure trove of information my friend. One of those lemmings that really keeps this place running with content and helpful stuff at that. Thanks mate! :)

this post was submitted on 22 Feb 2024
1110 points (96.1% liked)

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