GenBook RK3588 is modular Linux laptop with an upgradeable design (crowdfunding)
The GenBook RK3588 is a laptop with a 14.1 inch, 1920 x 1080 pixel display, a Rockchip RK3588 octa-core processor, support for up to 32GB of RAM, and support for Debian, Ubuntu, and other GNU/Linux distributions. It stands out from most laptops not only because of its ARM-based processor, but also its modular design: the processor module can be removed and replaced.
First unveiled this summer, the laptop is basically a modestly updated version of the Cool Pi ARM notebook that launched in 2023, but the new model has faster memory, a slightly brighter display, and a 50-pin FPC connector that gives you additional expansion options. The makers of the GenBook RK3588 have launched a crowdfunding campaign on Crowd Supply and hope to begin shipping the laptop to backers who pay $500 or more by April, 2025.
The $500 starting prices is for a model with 8GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 64GB of eMMC storage. Or you can pay $700 for a model with 32GB of memory and a 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD.
Both models feature Rockchip’s RK3588 processor with four ARM Cortex-A76 CPU cores, four Cortex-A55 cores, Mali-G610 MC4 graphics, and an NPU for up to 6 TOPS of on-device AI performance.
The laptop measures 323 x 220 x 20mm (12.7″ x 8.7″ x 0.8″), weighs 1.5kg (3.3 pounds), and features a 38 Wh battery, HDMI 2.1, USB 3.2. Gen 1 Type-A and Type-C ports, and a 3.5mm audio jack as well as a 2MP webcam, stereo speakers, and an RTL8852BE wireless card with support for WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2.
RAM is soldered to the processor module, so it can only be upgraded by replacing the system-on-a-module that powers the computer. But there’s an M.2 2280 slot for PCIe 3.0 x4 storage and the aforementioned FPC connector, which can be used to add:
- 1 x PCIe 2.0, USB 3.0, or SATA 3.0
- 1 x Gigabit Ethernet
- 2 x USB 2.0 host interfaces
- 1 x SDMMC 3.0
- UART, SPI, I2C, and GPIO
The company behind the GenBook RK3588 have already created a 5G wireless module designed to work with the FPC connector, but the company says it’s also hoping to that “the community will embrace and add to the options available for GenBook RK3588 expansion.”
The company also plans to offer documentation including schematics and operating system images on the Cool Pi Wiki, and you can already find download links for some of those materials at the Crowd Supply crowdfunding page.
One interesting thing to note though? A day after the crowdfunding campaign launched, it has yet to attract any backers toward its $60,000 goal. Make of that what you will.
thanks [Upgrade pi-top [3]!
