After spending years producing and selling laptops that come with GNU/Linux-based software and an emphasis on user privacy, Purism unveiled plans in 2017 to make its first smartphone.
Two years later, the company started shipping the first Purism Librem 5 smartphones.
The phone is up for pre-order from Purism for $749, but if you order today you won’t receive a phone for 6 months, as Purism is producing the phone in batches. The basic specs remain the same for all models so far, but the PCB, case, and other hardware elements may vary from batch to batch.
The Librem 5 ships with a version of Purism’s PureOS, a GNU/Linux distribution with a phone shell/user interface called phosh.
You can find out more at the Purism Librem 5 website, product announcement, or in the spec table below.
| Librem 5 | |
| Display | 5.7 inch 1440 x 720 pixel IPS LCD |
| Processor | NXP i.MX8M Quad 4 x ARM Cortex-A53 CPU cores @ 1.5 GHz Vivante GC7000Lite GPU |
| RAM | 3GB |
| Storage | 32GB eMMC microSD |
| Wireless | WiFi 4 (dual-band) Bluetooth 4.0 GPS (Teseo LIV3F GNSS) 4G LTE (Broadmobi BM818 or Gemalto PLS8) |
| Ports | USB-C 3.0 3.5mm audio Smartcard |
| Cameras | 13MP rear 8MP front |
| Battery | 4,500 mAh (removable) |
| Sensors | Accelerometer Gyroscope Proximity Compass/Magnetometer Ambient Light |
| Buttons | Power Volume |
| Hardware kill switches | WiFi/Bluetooth Cellular Baseband Cameras/Mic (Turn off all three to also disable IMU+compass, GNSS, ambient light, and proximity sensors) |
| Dimensions | 153 x 75 x 15.5mm |
| Weight | 263 grams |
| Price | $799 |
Latest Librem 5 news
- Can a Linux phone replace my iPhone or Android device?by Brad Linder on January 10, 2021 at 4:48 pm
- Purism’s Librem 5 Linux smartphone is now shippingby Brad Linder on November 18, 2020 at 5:45 pm
- Purism upgrades the Librem 5 Linux phone battery to 4,500 mAh ahead of shippingby Brad Linder on November 12, 2020 at 5:31 pm