The announcement of DeepComputing's DC-ROMA RISC-V mainboard for Framework Laptop 13 has ignited discussions within the developer community about the current state of RISC-V hardware and its practical applications. While the initiative represents a significant step toward diversifying laptop architecture options, community reactions highlight both opportunities and limitations of this early-access offering.
Price-Performance Considerations
The $199 mainboard featuring the StarFive JH7110 SoC has drawn mixed reactions regarding its value proposition. Community members point out that while the price includes a 64GB microSD card and case, the JH7110's performance - comparable to a Raspberry Pi 3 - makes it a relatively expensive proposition for its computing capabilities. Alternative RISC-V development boards like the Pine64 Star64 ($90) and Milk-V Mars ($69) offer similar specifications at lower price points, though without the laptop form factor.
Current Hardware Specifications:
- CPU: StarFive JH7110 SoC with SiFive U74 cores
- CPU Core Frequency: 1.5 GHz
- Maximum RAM Support: 8GB
- Price: $199 (base configuration)
Alternative RISC-V Options:
- Pine64 Star64: $90
- Milk-V Mars 8GB: $68.99
Development Timeline and Technical Limitations
The JH7110's architecture, based on SiFive U74 cores announced in 2018, reflects the extended timeline between RISC-V core design and mass-market availability. The absence of newer features like the Vector extension and RVA23 support has sparked discussion about the board's relevance for future development needs. However, experts in the community note that this represents a necessary first step in establishing third-party mainboard support for Framework laptops.
An N100 running QEMU will be slower. A machine that is faster running QEMU will cost a lot more... If you want to run a whole emulated OS then qemu-system is a lot slower than qemu-user.
Software Ecosystem Compatibility
The development environment compatibility has emerged as a key discussion point. While proprietary development tools like JetBrains IDEs and VS Code may face limitations, the open-source development ecosystem appears well-supported. The platform comes with Ubuntu Desktop 24.04 and Fedora 41 support options, making it suitable for developers working with open-source tools and languages.
Future Prospects
DeepComputing's hints at a next-generation mainboard in 2025 suggest more powerful options are on the horizon. Community speculation points to potential inclusion of RVA22+V support and improved performance characteristics, though current political challenges around chip sanctions may impact development timelines.
The DC-ROMA RISC-V mainboard represents an important milestone in Framework's ecosystem expansion, despite its current limitations. While it may not satisfy all performance requirements, it establishes a foundation for future RISC-V development in a modular laptop platform, potentially paving the way for more diverse mainboard options beyond traditional x86 offerings.
Source Citations: DeepComputing Launches Early Access Program for DC-ROMA RISC-V Mainboard for Framework Laptop 13