The Pinebook Pro is theoretically the kind of change I want to see in the hardware world, but the USB-C-to-HDMI disappointed me

submitted by ceck from (self.hardware)

In theory, you should be the change you want to see in the world. The Pinebook Pro looks good on paper. I got one. Oddly, I don't enjoy using it nearly as much as I had imagined I would.

The only major flaw I can point to is that it is not easy to plug in an external monitor that actually works. The Pinebook Pro does not have HDMI. I have tried various workarounds but I can't get any monitor to recognize the USB-C interface. So I have wasted some money on a USB-C-to-HDMI adapter. I don't have so much cash that I can splash out for a brand new monitor that is allegedly guaranteed to work.

I will keep fiddling with the Pinebook Pro until I find something worth posting about on this board.

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[–][deleted] 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (4 children)

Its great for a $200 alternative to a chromebook... though what I really want is an ARM/Linux alternative to my Apple silicon laptop. I'd be interested to see them do a higher end setup

[–]Megatron95 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

https://pine64eu.com/product/14-inch-pinebook-pro-linux-laptop-ansi-us-keyboard/

You probably won't get the same level of performance though.

[–][deleted] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

Yeah, the 4GB of RAM would be an issue for me, and it doesn't look like you can put more with that chip. I just need something a little higher end and I could probably make do

[–]Megatron95 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

Yeah, my PC has 16GB and it's contentedly purring along. The difference is quite noticeable when I browse YT with my 4GB ARM CPU Raspberry Pi. But the ARM platform is coming along. Just give it 2-3 years and it'll almost be on par with x86(maybe).

[–][deleted] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I'm using an ARM M1 macbook pro, also 16BG RAM, it is quite capable - longer battery life and wayyy less heat than my x86 macbook on heavy tasks, only downside is its a Mac - invasive OS and poor accessibility for repairs and such. I'll be happy to switch to an ARM/Linux when someone else can do it well enough

[–]Tums_is_Smut_bkwrds 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I like Pine64 and have bought several devices from them. Your comment about the PinebookPro is fair but jeez the design is several years old now and what's more it was never intended to be anything but a hobbist's laptop. I got one also expecting to be making it my daily driver but it just never jelled for me and the thing ended up sitting on my shelf mostly. Then at one point while I was trying the flash the keyboard ROM something went wrong and now it's a boat anchor. But I don't miss it at all, and I'd never buy another. I've amassed a small collection of laptops from various vendors that became too old to be usable under Window but they are mostly fine running Linux. When I needed a laptop for this reason or that I'd always grab one of those, never the PBP.

OTOH I got a lot of use out of the PineTab even though it's quirky as heck and it was a real love-hate thing. The new PineTab2 is very polished and I have high expectations, assuming they finish the OS.

[–]Megatron95 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I like the concept and openness of the Pinebook but that USB-C port seems like a bad design choice. Here's what I could find on the matter:

https://wiki.pine64.org/wiki/Pinebook_Pro_Hardware_Accessory_Compatibility#USB_C_alternate_mode_DP