RISC-V Laptop On The Horizon (Dc-roma by Alibaba)

So we're one step closer to getting a RISC-V laptop ! That is good news. Meet the Dc-roma by Alibaba.

https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/DC-ROMA-RISC-V-Development-Laptop_1600610157163.html

I would be lying if I didn't see some glaring red flags though. The fact that it's made by a Chinese company is off putting. I know most electronics are manufactured in China but usually the company you're buying from isn't a Chinese company itself. I am also not a fan of the tiered pricing of the laptop being based around gifts. I also don't like how you can't choose different storage options. I also don't like how the battery capacity isn't listed.

I like that it has a backlit keyboard. I like the size at 14". I like that it has a 1080P screen. I also like that it has 16GB RAM.

Overall I guess you have to start somehwhere, i'd still rather buy this than something with the Intel ME; AMD PSP; ARM Trustzone; or Pluton.

The price itself, $1500 for the basic model, doesn't bother me. If I want a laptop with any kind of privacy or security these days then i'm looking at a similar price point. A T440P with Coreboot is around $1100 CAD if I customize it to my liking. A Librem 14 is $1488 USD if I customize it to my liking. Even a Librebooted T400 is going to cost me $520 USD.