A smartphone running a full-on Linux operating system, not just some jazzed-up Android skin, feels like a middle finger to the iOS-Android stranglehold. Meet the Liberux NEXX, a bold project from a scrappy Spanish crew aiming to win over privacy geeks and open-source diehards. But with a crowdfunding campaign that didn’t hit its sky-high $1.7 million mark, the NEXX’s story is as gripping as it is shaky.
The Liberux NEXX’s hardware reads like a mini PC you can slip in your pocket. It’s powered by the Rockchip RK3588S, an eight-core beast with four Cortex-A76 cores cranking up to 2.4 GHz and four Cortex-A55 cores. Pair that with up to 32GB of LPDDR4x RAM—yep, you heard that right—and this phone laughs in the face of most flagship memory limits. Storage is just as beefy, with 512GB of eMMC flash, expandable via a microSDXC slot that handles up to 2TB. A 6.34-inch OLED screen with 2400 x 1080 resolution pops with vibrant colors, while a 5,300 mAh swappable battery and dual USB-C 3.1 ports keep power users happy. Toss in a 32MP rear camera, a 13MP selfie cam, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a Qualcomm Snapdragon X62 5G modem, and you’ve got a phone that’s borderline over-the-top for a Linux device.
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LiberuxOS, a custom spin on Debian 13, is what makes the NEXX stand out. Built with GNOME Shell’s mobile interface, it flips from a touch-friendly phone vibe to a full-on desktop setup when you plug in a monitor, keyboard, and mouse. Want Android apps? They run in a Waydroid container. Plus, hardware kill switches for the camera, mic, and wireless connections provide total control.
NEXX’s Indiegogo campaign first launched in June 2025 with a $1,485 price for the top model. Liberux then pivoted by rolling out cheaper options starting at €790 (~$900) for an 8GB RAM, 128GB storage, 4G LTE version. Even so, the campaign crawled to just 10% of its $1.7 million goal with only 120 backers. But Liberux isn’t throwing in the towel—they’re gearing up for a second crowdfunding round, this time with a working prototype to win trust. They’re even sweetening the deal with a “special edition”, complete with unique serial numbering and a signed thank-you note for existing supporters.
July 2026 is the hopeful shipping date, if the next campaign lands. That’s a long haul for a phone that’s still just a plan, so backers will need serious patience. Can a small team with big ideas beat the logistical and cash hurdles that have tanked other projects? The Linux crowd’s got its fingers crossed, hopeful but keeping it real.
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