DC-ROMA Laptop II packs an octa-core RISC-V processor, 16GB of RAM and Ubuntu Linux – Liliputing
The DC-ROMA was the first first laptop to ship with a RISC-V processor. It first launched in very limited quantities in late 2022, and became more widely available the following year. But with a 1.5 GHz StarFive JH7110 quad-core processor and shipped with support for OpenKylin or Debian Linux opera…….
The DC-ROMA was the first first laptop to ship with a RISC-V processor. It first launched in very limited quantities in late 2022, and became more widely available the following year. But with a 1.5 GHz StarFive JH7110 quad-core processor and shipped with support for OpenKylin or Debian Linux operating systems.
Now the makers of the laptop are preparing to launch the DC-ROMA RISC-V Laptop II with a higher-performance 2 GHz SpacemiT RISC-V K1 octa-core processor, up to 16GB of RAM, and Ubuntu Linux.
According to Ubuntu’s parent company Canonical, compared with the first model, the new version “doubled its overall performance and energy efficiency.”
The new laptop features a 14 inch, 1920 x 1080 pixel IPS LCD display with a 60 Hz refresh rate and an all-metal chassis that measures 323 x 209 x 17mm (12.7″ x 8.2″ x 0.7″). The DC-ROMA II weighs 1.36 kg (3 pounds).
It comes with either 8GB or 16GB of LPDDR4X memory and supports up to 1TB of solid state storage. There’s support for WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2 and a 1080p webcam above the display. The notebook ships with Ubuntu 23.10 Linux pre-installed.
Ports include:
- 2 x USB Type-C (1 is “full function”
- 2 x USB 3.0 Type-A
- 1 x 3.5mm audio
- 1 x microSD card reader
- 1 x 8-pin interface (I2C, GPIO, GND, RX, TX, 3.3V)
There are also fastboot and reset pinholes on the sides of the case.
But the most interesting thing about the DC-ROMA Laptop II is the fact that it will be powered by a processor based on the open standard RISC-V architecture. The chip used in this laptop was developed by a Chinese company called SpacemiT which is also planning to launch its own laptop, single-board computer, and other devices using the K1 processor.
RISC-V is a relatively new architecture that isn’t as well-established as x86_64 or ARM and which generally doesn’t offer the same level of performance as competing chips yet. But it’s generated a lot of buzz in recent years as a possible alternative to those platforms… particularly amongst Chinese companies that are contending with trade restrictions that could affect their supply of chips from companies that do business with the United States.
There’s no word on how much the DC-ROMA Laptop II will cost, but Canonical says it will be available for pre-order beginning June 18th.
The original DC-ROMA, meanwhile, has a list price of $1022, but it’s currently available from the DeepComputing website for $766.
But there are already cheaper ways to get your hands on a computer with the same processor as the upcoming DC-ROMA II. The recently launched Banana Pi BPI-F3 is a single-board computer with a SpacemiT K1 processor that sells for $63 and up (although that starting price is for a model with just 2GB of RAM and 8GB of storage).
via Tom’s Hardware, Canonical, and TechPowerUp
