Liberux Nexx: New Linux smartphone with 32GB RAM, 2TB storage, 5G and more

Smartphones with Linux are both rare and very common, depending on how you look at it. Android, the most widely used smartphone operating system, is based on open source software, but most Android devices come installed with a suite of proprietary software and Google apps. The Liberux NEXX is a new smartphone that uses LiberuxOS, based on Debian 13, which is said to offer greater optionality in terms of security and privacy. A desktop mode is also promised, meaning that the smartphone can be wirelessly linked to monitors with a mouse and keyboard.

An RK3588s SoC is installed, which is also known from single-board computers. A generous 32GB of LPDDR4X RAM is on board, which is quite a lot by smartphone standards. The built-in eMMC storage is said to be 256GB, which can be further expanded using a microSD memory card. The 6.34-inch OLED display has a resolution of 2,400 x 1,080, a fingerprint sensor and is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass.

A Snapdragon X62 modem is on board, which also enables 5G connectivity. One unusual aspect is the supposedly removable/replaceable 5,300mAh battery. A 32MP main camera is specified, while the front camera is said to have 13MP. Together with the microphone, WiFi and Bluetooth, these have dedicated kill switches on the top.

The Liberux NEXX will be financed as part of a crowdfunding campaign, so information on price is still pending. Buyers looking for an alternative can take a look at smartphones from Purism, but should keep in mind that the latest model (Librem 5) was developed in 2019 and so may well be outdated in terms of hardware.