I want phones running traditional Linux distributions to succeed. Android already uses the Linux kernel, but I would love more alternatives built around the broader desktop Linux ecosystem. A phone that puts user control first is something I can absolutely get behind, although supporting an idea does not mean pretending its price makes sense.
Purism is asking $1,599 to back its Librem 5 v2. Its production delivery target is roughly May 2028, based on a schedule calling for shipment 15 months after the campaign closes in February 2027. That is about a year and a half from now, assuming everything goes according to plan.
Almost $1,600 today for a phone targeting 2028 is an absurd proposition to me. In smartphone terms, that feels like an eternity, especially when you are paying before you can judge the finished product.
There are things to like here. The proposed phone runs PureOS and features an eight-core SpacemiT K1 RISC-V processor, hardware kill switches, a removable 4500mAh battery, and a headphone jack. Those are meaningful reasons for a Linux enthusiast to pay attention.
Unfortunately, the specifications also include a 5.7-inch 720 × 1440 display, 8GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage. Those numbers are a tough sell at this price today, never mind for a device expected to arrive in 2028.
A phone running PureOS does not need to win every benchmark or take the best vacation photos to interest me. I could accept some compromises for an operating system I prefer and hardware that gives me more control. The problem is how much money Purism expects people to spend while accepting those compromises.
There is also unfinished engineering behind the pitch. Purism acknowledges remaining work involving graphics, peripheral drivers, ARM64 app emulation, and power management. These are areas that can affect whether a phone is pleasant and practical to use every day.
I appreciate the company spelling out those challenges. That transparency helps prospective backers understand the project, but it also makes the purchase harder to justify. Before handing over this much money, I would want to see how the finished phone handles the basics.
Does it last through my day? Can I depend on it for calls, messages, navigation, and the services I actually use? I would need those questions answered through testing, and enthusiasm for Linux would not make the answers any less necessary.
Yes, crowdfunding means helping fund development. I understand that a small company building a niche phone faces a different economic reality than a manufacturer selling millions of devices. That can explain a high price without making it reasonable for the person being asked to pay it.
There is a difference between wanting a product to exist and wanting to finance its creation. Someone with enough disposable income might happily support this as an open source project and consider the eventual phone a bonus. For someone shopping for their next everyday handset, the calculation is much less forgiving.
The wait makes that calculation worse. I can decide whether a phone available today meets my needs, read reviews, and look at actual battery testing. With a 2028 target, I am being asked to make a purchasing decision around a future product while my money leaves my account in the present.
I would love for Purism to deliver a phone that makes me reconsider what I carry. More choice is welcome, and I do not want the smartphone market permanently reduced to choosing between the Apple and Google ecosystems.
But $1,599 and a 2028 delivery target are too much to swallow. I like the idea of the Librem 5 v2, but I would keep my money until there is a finished phone that can prove it deserves that price.
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