Here’s a list of the best Linux Phones which may become more mainstream in 2023 with their features and price.
Android and iOS smartphones are the most popular ones around the world. However, many of you look for something more “open” and better at privacy. If you use Android, you forfeit your privacy. Apple’s iOS is a little better on that – but again – it’s a “walled garden”.
That’s why Linux phones are becoming popular nowadays because they contain many options for developers and end users. Although various types of Linux phones are currently available, it still becomes confusing to choose the best one. Looking at the trends of 2022, here are some of the Linux Phones which may become more mainstream in 2023.
Table of Contents
Things you should know about Linux Phones
Before you read or even plan to buy one, there are a couple of things you should know about. Here are some of them:
- The Linux phones use a modified version of mainstream Linux distribution with a mobile-friendly desktop environment. This is the same for most of the phones available today.
- You must manage your expectations if you plan to buy a phone and use it for your daily driver. Because the Linux phone operating systems, device features, and app ecosystem is still in the early stages, and it’s not close to the Android or iOS ecosystem,
- However, Linux phones with the operating system provide the best privacy feature, which might be the reason you can make a move.
Best Linux Phones
Librem from Purism
The Librem 5 – Purism is quite a famous brand in the Linux phone market. The Librem 5 model comes with PureOS, an OS designed for Linux Mobiles and not based on the android or iOS platform. It is a natively designed free and open-source OS. PureOS also supports convergence. That means you can plug your phone into a monitor via a USB hub and use it as a desktop OS.
The phone has premium hardware and feels and focuses on security and privacy. However, this impressive smartphone comes with a little higher price tag of $1299.
Key features & specification
- Fully free and open-source Linux-based mobile operating system: PureOS
- Separate modem, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip
- Three dedicated hardware keys to enable and disable – internet, camera, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
- Smart card reader
- SD card reader
- User-replaceable battery
| Specification | Description |
| Screen | 5.7″ (IPS TFT 720×1440) |
| RAM | 3 GB |
| Storage | 32 GB eMMC |
| Battery | 4500mAh |
| CPU | NXP i.MX 8M QUAD CORE Cortex-A53 with 64 bit ARM @max 1.5GHz |
| GPU | Vivante GC7000 Lite |
| Screen | 5.7Inches IPS TFT 720×1440 |
| Camera | 13 Mpx with LED Flash (Rear) and 8 Mpx (Front) |
| USB | USB Type C |
Pinephone
Second on the list is Pinephone, perhaps the most complete and usable Linux phone in the market. Developed by Pine64, it has excellent features and supports multiple Linux ARM distributions for mobile phones.
In addition, PinePhone comes in multiple versions, including a pro version, simultaneously. It is an excellent option for Linux phones as it is also cheaper. PinePhone focuses on the user’s privacy and extensibility and can be a good option if you want to start the first time with Linux phones.
Key features & specification
- Supports KDE Plasma mobile, Manjaro mobile, Sailfish OS, and Ubuntu touch
- It comes with five kill switches for LTE, Cameras, Wifi/BT, and Microphones
- Bootable microSD and 16GB/32GB eMMC
- USB Type C (Power, Data and Video Out)
- Six pogo pins allow custom hardware extensions such as a thermal camera, wireless charging, NFC, an extended battery case, or a keyboard case.
- 3.5 headphone jack
- Supports convergence to extend it as a PC
- Affordable price with starting $149 and $199
| Specification | Description |
| Screen | 5.95 Inches, HD IPS capacitive touchscreen |
| CPU | Allwinner A64 ARM QUAD Core Cortex-A53 and 64bit |
| GPU | Mali-400 MP2 |
| RAM | Two Variants: 2GB and 3GB LPDDR3 SDRAM |
| Storage | Two Variants: 16GB and 32GB eMMC. |
| Camera | Single 5MP, 1/4″, LED Flash (Rear) and Single 2MP, f/2.8, 1/5″ (Front) |
| Battery | Li-ion (capacity 2800mAh) |
| Audio Jack | 3.5 mm |
Pro 1 X – F(X)tec
Note: A few readers informed me about this phone and their refund policy. There seems to be trouble with refunds from the company if you buy this device. So, be cautious before you purchase this phone. You can read a few posts in the official subreddit of this phone: r/fxtec – March 19, 2023
Pro 1 X – F(X)tec is a smartphone that offers various options for operating systems. And it’s arguably the more exciting product in this Linux phone list.
You can use LineageOS, Android, Ubuntu Touch, etc., on the same phone. Moreover, an inbuilt slide-out keyboard makes it more unique and attractive.
Developed by F(x)tec company in London, its new in the market and shows promise. However, it’s not yet out, with planned shipping on December 2022. Hence, you may need to wait a few days for a review.
Key features
- First Linux-based smartphone startup with a sliding QUERTY keyboard
- Supports Ubuntu touch out of the box with an Android option
- Unlocked bootloader
- 3.5 headphone jack
- AMOLED display
- 128GB/6GB (storage and RAM) starting price $829
- 256GB/8GB (storage and RAM) starting price $899
| Specification | Description |
| CPU | Snapdragon 662 Qualcomm |
| GPU | Adreno 610 Qualcomm |
| RAM | Two Variants: 6GB and 8GB LPDDR4 |
| Storage | 128GB (expandable up to 2TB) |
| Screen | 5.99″ with curved edge Corning® Gorilla® Glass 3 ( 2160 x 1080 FHD AMOLED Display) |
| Camera | 12MP Sony IMX363 (Rear) and 8MP (Front) |
| Battery | 3200 mAh |
| Audio Jack | 3.5 mm |
Volla Phone
Volla Phone can operate simultaneously with two operating systems: Ubuntu Touch and VollaOS. Moreover, VollaOS is a modified android that is google-free and simultaneously focuses on the user’s privacy. At the same time, Ubuntu Touch is a popular Linux phone distro.
Key features & specifications
- Free from Google and services
- No cloud dependency
- Encrypted device storage
- Modified Android OS: Volla OS
- Supports Ubuntu Touch, Manjaro, Sailfish OS
- USB C charging
- 3.5 headphone jack
- Fingerprint log in
- Offline maps
| Specification | Description |
| CPU | MediaTek Helio P23 |
| GPU | ARM Mali-G71 MP2 |
| Storage | 64 GB, eMMC |
| RAM | 4 GB DDR3 RAM |
| Screen | 6.3Inches, IPS, 2340×1080 Pixels |
| Camera | 16MP with Flash (Rear) and 16MP (Front) |
| Battery | 4700 mAh |
| USB | Type C & 3.5mm Audio Jack |
Fairphone 4
It comes with PostmarketOS; Fairphone 4 is another smartphone that has modular hardware. You can replace its battery effortlessly. Moreover, not just the battery, you can also replace its display, etc., just with a screwdriver.
Fairphone is another Linux phone which comes with modular hardware. It supports PostmarketOS and uses a modified version of Android: FairPhone OS. The primary selling point of this device is its modularity, where you can replace any part of the mobile phone. That includes the display, battery and other components of this device.
Specifications
| Specification | Description |
| CPU | Octa-Core Kryo 570 |
| RAM | Two variants: 6GB and 8GB |
| Storage | Two variants: 128GB or 256GB |
| GPU | Adreno 619 |
| Screen | 6.3 inch Full HD+ IPS |
| Camera | Dual 48MP (Rear) and 25MP (Front) |
| Battery | 3905 mAh Li-ion |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM7225 Snapdragon 750G |
Are there any mainstream Android phones that support Linux OS?
If you don’t want to buy an off-the-shelf mobile phone as listed above, then you can continue using Linux mobile OS in older branded phones because Android is a modified Linux Kernel-based. Hence these devices should work with Ubuntu Touch or PostmarketOS.
- Supported by Ubuntu Touch OS (full list)
- Google Pixel 3a/3a XL
- Sony Xperia X (F5121 & F5122)
- Google Nexus 5
- OnePlus One
- Supported by PostmarketOS (full list)
- Xiaomi Redmi 2
- Xiaomi Mi Note 2
- OnePlus GT
- OnePlus 6
Closing notes
So, that’s about the best Linux phones available in the market today and will continue in 2023. You can learn more about the above devices from the official website. However, I believe there will be more adoption of Linux phones in the coming days as Privacy becomes a myth every day.
It’s true that to compete with Android and iOS, the device or OS is not sufficient. What is important is the standard, global availability for buying, low entry-level pricing in emerging markets and investment in the app ecosystem. A streamlined vision is required in the phone ecosystem to win. Without it, Linux phones will become more fragmented, as in desktops. The device makers and major FOSS players need to work together to make it successful.
