Liberux NEXX is a Linux smartphone powered by a Rockchip RK3588S octa-core Cortex-A76/A55 processor coupled with 32GB LPDDR4x and a 512GB eMMC flash, as well as a 6.34-inch 2400×1080 OLED display.
We’ve seen other Linux smartphones in the past with the most popular likely being the Purism Librem 5 and Pine64’s PinePhone Pro. However, those are showing their age with older NXP i.MX 8M and Rockchip RK3399 SOCs, and the Liberux NEXX brings much-needed performance with a Rockchip RK3588S and 32GB of RAM, enabling mobile/desktop convergence to an extent.
Liberux NEXX specifications:
- SoC – Rockchip RK3588S
- CPU – Octa-core processor with 4x Cortex-A76 cores @ up to 2.4 GHz, 4x Cortex-A55 cores @ up to 1.8 GHz
- GPU – Arm Mali-G610 GPU with OpenGL ES 3.2, OpenCL 2.2, and Vulkan 1.2 support
- VPU – 8Kp60 video decoder for H.265/AVS2/VP9/H.264/AV1 codecs, 8Kp30 H.265/H.264 video encoder
- AI accelerator – 6 TOPS NPU
- System Memory – 32GB LPDDR4x
- Storage
- 512GB eMMC 5.1 flash
- MicroSD card socket up to 2TB
- Display – 6.34-inch OLED with 2400×1080 resolution
- Audio
- 3.5mm headphone jack
- ALC5640-VB-CG codec
- AW8737SCSR amplifier
- Camera
- 32MP rear camera
- 13MP front-facing camera
- Wireless
- WiFi 5 and Bluetooth 5.0 via AW-CM256SM module
- 5G cellular connectivity and GNSS (GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo, QZSS) via Snapdragon X62 modem
- USB – 2x USB 3.1 Type-C ports
- Sensors – IMU
- STK3311-X ambient light and proximity sensors
- MMC3630KJ 3-axis magnetometer
- ICM-42670-P accelerometer and gyroscope
- Fingerprint reader
- Misc – Hardware kill switches for WiFi/Bluetooth, modem, camera/microphone, GNSS, and sensors.
- Power Supply
- 5V charging via USB Type-C port
- 5300mAh removable battery
- Dimensions – Not sure.
- Weight – Don’t know.
The Liberux NEXX will run LiberuxOS based on Debian 13 and Gnome Shell Mobile with most source code available and over 5 years of planned updates. The software will not track its users, and the phone also includes 3 physical kill switches for enhanced privacy. The NEXX will also serve as a mini PC thanks to a dock with a built-in wireless keyboard and RDP support to connect a larger monitor. Finally, we’re told the software is compatible with Android applications, thanks to container-based isolation (like WayDroid).
That’s all good so far. We can now talk about the bad and the ugly…
First, the Rockchip RK3588 Linux smartphone is just at the concept stage, or in other words, it does not exist. What they do have is the Liberux development board with all the main components that will be used in the final phone. Software is being worked on, but there’s no demo so far, even on the development board.
Linux smartphones target a niche audience, so they are expected to be pricier than their Android equivalent, but the Libreux NEXX makes the Librem 5 like a bargain, admittedly with much better specifications, as it’s offered for 1,300 Euros and up on Indiegogo with shipping adding 20 to 35 Euros depending on the destination country. You’ll have to be patient, which is not really surprising considering the stage of development, as deliveries are scheduled to start in July 2026 if the project goes accordingly to plan. Finally, the crowdfunding campaign is bound to fail because the (fixed) funding target is pretty high at €1,434,375, or about 1000 backers. Having said that, it is still lower than the 32 million dollars Canonical asked for the Ubuntu Edge smartphone in 2013… A few more details may also be found on the project’s website.
Via Liliputing.
Jean-Luc started CNX Software in 2010 as a part-time endeavor, before quitting his job as a software engineering manager, and starting to write daily news, and reviews full time later in 2011.
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