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What desktop computer would you recommend for maximum freedom? (lemmy.blahaj.zone)

submitted 2 years ago by jorgesumle@lemmy.blahaj.zone to c/hardware@lemmy.ml

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My wishlist:

Disabled Intel ME
Libreboot/Coreboot
From Europe if possible
For running 100% free distro

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[–] CDN 2 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

As far as I'm aware, you can't buy a prebuilt computer that ticks all of those boxes. System76 has Coreboot-supported laptops, but they don't offer it with their desktops because it's nearly impossible. And you can just forget about Libreboot, since it barely runs on anything. Neither is exactly ideal for modern systems, though...

The best you can do is build your own, but even then, it still requires the Intel FSP. Installing your own distro would be as simple as plugging in a flash drive with the installer when you're done.

[–] jorgesumle@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

I found out that Thinkpenguin offers to disable Intel ME for you if you pay $30. I asked another European vendor if they could do that for me if I pay more, because it seems difficult to do that on my own.

[–] CDN 1 points 2 years ago

I don't see any mention of Coreboot or Libreboot, though.

[–] Valmond@lemmy.ml 1 points 2 years ago (1 children)

I don't know but maybe check out pine ( https://www.pine64.org/ )

I have an ARM Linux laptop from them and there are no intel or m$ (even possible?). It's a cheap computer though, not for gaming for example.

[–] CDN 1 points 2 years ago

Neither Coreboot nor Libreboot support the ARM CPUs in the Pinebooks.

[–] setInner234@feddit.de 1 points 2 years ago

It's sort of a shame to think that it's so difficult to have truly free hardware. But at the very least there are many projects working on making it as free as possible. If older hardware is an option, you can get pretty close. ThinkPads with Coreboot come to mind.

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