Star Labs reveal their new StarLite, a Surface-like Linux tablet

2880x1920 resolution at 276 pixels per inch
16:10 aspect ratio

That isn't 16:10, that's 3:2.

Looks like a fun machine, though, and it's always good to see hardware with Linux pre-installed.


Last edited by CatKiller on 18 August 2023 at 1:00 pm UTC

Looks like an interesting machine. That's a nice screen and I love that it has Coreboot support. My only concern is that the wi-fi wouldn't work with the libre kernel but that can be worked around if so.

This really tickles my fancy... but I need a better excuse to purchase it. Maybe I should shell my T480s?

How easy would it be to install other distros on it? The available selection is not really up my alley :/


Last edited by Arehandoro on 18 August 2023 at 11:31 am UTC

This looks really good.

I've recently been trying Linux on a few Surface devices but it's really hit and miss (depending on the specific model you have) as to what hardware is supported and despite the herculean efforts of the linux-surface team stuff does seem to break, often.

Given the rumour is that the new Microsoft Surface Go 4 is probably using the N200 processor and tech sites suggest it's more powerful than an i3 10100Y suggests this should be a good choice for a low end linux device.

Really tempted by one.

This is looking interesting, unfortunately it's not something I can see myself using much. Maybe if it had a better iGPU it would be interesting as small/cheap notebooks for the kids.
I see the N200 is a cut-down N300 where Intel disabled half the cores and reduced the clockspeed of the iGPU by 40%. That would have made this notably more capable as an office machine.

On a different topic, I'm still waiting for my Byte preorder from them. Does anyone have an idea when they will start shipping those?

a puny N200 lugging around a ~4K screen... what a weird choice regarding performance

12" screen? sigh... great to use with a stand, a bit cramped with a keyboard, too big to use on the go

I can imagine how a 12" makes it far easier to work with the full range plain desktop linux distros, but I'd love if they pack a FullHD screen in 8" size with those specks and let me take the new Gnome and KDE convergence UIs for a spin in a x86 device

I also do think the full chip (The N300) would have been a better choice.
I suspect full N300's are just much more expensive as they are top-bin dies. Also since it has more cores, it probably has a higher effective TDP. Maybe the reason the price is so reasonable is because Intel has low yields on the full chips and the N200 bin is extremely common.

The size of the device is about right for a chromebook replacement, and the price is about right as well.
I mean £500 for a 12" 3K system with ½Gig of storage and keyboard is very decent.

...but I'd love if they pack a FullHD screen in 8" size with those specks and let me take the new Gnome and KDE convergence UIs for a spin in a x86 device

Not quite so sure about 8" (I'm getting old and my eyes are knackered) but a 10" screen like the Surface Go would be great imho.

I tried a Surface Go with Linux but Gnome struggled on the anaemic Pentium Gold processor, so these specs would be a nice bump (plus, not having to deal with Microsofts convoluted and non-natively-linux friendly hardware).

I ended up getting it to take advantage of the discount xD. The discount was also the same with or without the keyboard, so didn't get it as to not paying so much now, hoping they will eventually sell it separately.

great seeing gnu/linux oem hardware like this around, but that about using intel cpu seems very terrible choice (intel chips are more efficient as home heaters than cpu) - would be really great if they came with amd cpu, or even better, arm cpu (just like apple is doing now)

great seeing gnu/linux oem hardware like this around, but that about using intel cpu seems very terrible choice (intel chips are more efficient as home heaters than cpu) - would be really great if they came with amd cpu, or even better, arm cpu (just like apple is doing now)

This might be the case for the desktop CPU's. But the mobile chips are quite efficient afaik.

Would be interesting to see if a slightly smaller 8" device like this could come with a Sim card + decent camera and then maybe we could have an X86 Hybrid Linux desktop computer smart phone.

this seems like a bad idea for many reasons...
i mean, what is the use case?
3:2 would be bad for media consumption, not that i care that much about black bars, but it isnt ideal for 16:9 nor 4:3 content, and the ones who produce 16:10 content deserve to be arrest! (just kidding)
other than that, the main issue with this aspect ration is that some old games might not adapt well but i guess we can solve that using... i forgot the tech name...

as for production, well i wouldnt like to produce on a different aspect ratio than i would conume media... unless i want use the extra space for the user interface of the program.

no info about the camera, mic and speakers (not that i expect then to be usefull, users will probably use something else better anyway.

the base processor speed (1ghz) is too low even for linux, the boost of 3.2ghz might be good, but it will waste battery at an unknow speed (they only said what to expect at minimum clock)
12 hours of battery? not even the deck can have it, and it has 2watt/hours more than this.
x86 instead of arm is a double edge sword, its good for compatibility (especially steam) but this dont seem to be a good option for gaming but bad for battery... not that it will make a difference if you use 1ghz most of the time...

yes it has first class linux support, but i never heard of this brand dont know their build quality or end user support, if they are realiable, and an incomplete support on other devices like the surface might have an better performance than this anyway...

anyway, wish then luck , i cant bet money on purchases right now, i hope i bite my toungue.
looks beautyfull on picture and its good to see an vendor who bet on linux.


forgot one important thing:
the touchscreen might be good for designers, but then i need info about the sensibility for different pressure levels... or people use the pen and the presure is on the pen?

fanless sound good on theory, but i hope that dont fry the processor and i dont have to replace the termal paste too often, if i use the turbo speed i know i would need.


12" is great for coding (im using an 14" so it wont be too much different) and probably 3D modeling or drawing, but it makes it less portable as an tablet, never used one that size.

i dont know the price of surface, ipad or other tablets but at least it sound cheap.

it would be nice if i can use it as an second screen


Last edited by elmapul on 18 August 2023 at 10:35 pm UTC

I love that more linux tablets are coming out, but I still feel the ui is not ready yet when compared to ipad or samsung oneui. Maui shell and the gnome mobile shell seem promising (even if still a little lacking in some areas).

I like the aspect ratio, but with no pen and still developing apps, I can't think of much i'd use this for besides laptop stuff, which this isn't.

It still has a lot going for it though, so I see things getting really good in the future

I still feel the ui is not ready yet when compared to ipad or samsung oneui

Keep in mind that on one side, the UI might not be so well adapted to touchscreens, but on the other hand you'll get by far the closest thing to actual convergence there is out there!

By actual convergence I mean you get a small formfactor app on your device screen but if you plug it to a big monitor screen and drag the app to the monitor, it instantly changes into its full-sized desktop layout without loosing what it's doing.

That and a truckload of productivity-oriented features of a full desktop OS that one would only dream of in Android and iOS

Purism's Librem 5 demonstration videos are pretty nice to get a sense of what makes linux awesome and uniquely interesting in a mobile device:
https://puri.sm/posts/true-convergence-is-here-pureos-10-is-released-for-all-librem-products/
https://puri.sm/posts/investing-in-real-convergence/

You mentioned Maui and Gnome but there is also KDE for mobile... while not perfect, it is the oldest convergence effort and while it moved slower than Gnome it is also reasonably far along that it can be used

Not to mention Ubuntu Touch, PostmarketOS and other mobile-centric linux OSs

great seeing gnu/linux oem hardware like this around, but that about using intel cpu seems very terrible choice (intel chips are more efficient as home heaters than cpu) - would be really great if they came with amd cpu, or even better, arm cpu (just like apple is doing now)

True, I would prefer AMD, although considering it's running coreboot and System76 offerings on AMD and a open firmware have been lacking in the past it's hard to not be open to it.

Would be interesting to see if a slightly smaller 8" device like this could come with a Sim card + decent camera and then maybe we could have an X86 Hybrid Linux desktop computer smart phone.

Absolutely. In fact -- it's literally possible to modify the SteamDeck to do just this, and with a CPU that can run laps around PinePhone / Librem5 -- although I'm not sure that the touch or screen resolution is as optimal as it could be. My eyes and ears are open for other contenders in this space. To speed up development and save developer time I think it's a good idea for devs to test drive higher power devices at a similar form factor when possible.

--

I saw someone complaining about 3:2 and then ask to make it a second monitor -- makes me laugh because 3:2 is a great aspect ratio for additional monitors in multi-monitor setups -- 16:9 on the other hand _ is _ not _ .

I would be curious to find a way to use SteamDeck and other SBC style devices like the one in this post as additional monitors -- it would be really cool to have 4 of these things all mounted to 3D printed arms with touch controls like the Matrix 1, or even 6 small steam decks next to a big monitor all working as one computer.

--

Back to the StarLabs device though -- there's typically a threshold where I vet new brands and check them out -- I have no knowledge of their Ethos -- where System76 and even Purism (albeit criticized) have declared their missions and values.

It has key features I value, I imagine the battery time and cpu power are matched, and put off less heat. Nice aluminum chassis. sd card slot -- nice. volume buttons, good. magnetic keyboard attachment -- respectable. small enough form factor it could be carried around for work like a clipboard -- nice.

Not really sure about the webcam quality -- if they are fairly good I would consider using this as a sort of "VOIP / Video Phone" or whatever. I would have liked a hardware kill switch for the cameras and mic.

Additionally I would be interested in a SIM slot and card or the ability to connect to cellular phone or satellite phone networks -- as I do intend to completely go 100% Linux on the phone at some future date and am looking for devices to replace proprietary garbage.

You couldn't give me a stack of 50 surface pros -- I would give them away or dump them in the trash -- this really does offer a lot of promise and breaks ground in the Linux space.

Along with System76 and Frame.work there are some really awesome choices for portables depending on your use-case for us right now.

Edit:

I forgot to mention I am not particularly fond of HDMI since it's proprietary. I'm trying to phase it out as much as possible in favor of display port. I realize I am not the average consumer who just wants things to work -- but in my perspective as long as hardware is proprietary we will always suffer at the hands of a behemoth who chooses winners and looser and can give their favor to whoever lines their pockets. Just my 2 cents. (Like ok monitor brands, can you please stop shoving G-Force logos on the startup screens and boxes -- I have ZERO interest, and infact the inclusion of that technology makes me leery to buy -- looking @ you ASUS)


Last edited by ElectricPrism on 21 August 2023 at 9:14 am UTC

Would be interesting to see if a slightly smaller 8" device like this could come with a Sim card + decent camera and then maybe we could have an X86 Hybrid Linux desktop computer smart phone.

Absolutely. In fact -- it's literally possible to modify the SteamDeck to do just this, and with a CPU that can run laps around PinePhone / Librem5 -- although I'm not sure that the touch or screen resolution is as optimal as it could be. My eyes and ears are open for other contenders in this space. To speed up development and save developer time I think it's a good idea for devs to test drive higher power devices at a similar form factor when possible.

Its only a matter of time before some company offers a SIM expansion for one of these x86 tablets and with the right network & call software (that probably already exists) we can make a Linux phone without having to wait years for some other company try to match a current andriod / ios device, which is not what we need we just need the ABILITY, to make calls and we can sort the rest of the experience from then on in.

the software stack for calls is being sorted out mainly by Purism and Pine64

they don't offer x86 devices but it'sat least it will be easy to port over, recompile, whatnot