Armbian, a popular Linux distribution for single-board computers (SBCs), has released its latest version, Armbian 23.11, with several improvements and additions. The new update aims to provide better support and functionality for a wide range of SBCs, as well as new features and options for users.
Armbian 23.11 is based on Debian or Ubuntu, depending on the user’s preference. It offers a lightweight and customizable environment for running various applications and services on SBCs, such as the Raspberry Pi, Orange Pi, Hikey 960, NanoPi R6S/R6C, Texas Instruments TDA4VM, Xiaomi Pad 5 Pro, Khadas VIM1S/VIM4, Xiaomi-elish, and many more.
Some of the key highlights of Armbian 23.11 are:
- Enhanced board support: Armbian has added four new boards to its standard support tier: Khadas VIM1S/VIM4, Texas Instruments TDA4VM, Xiaomi Pad 5 Pro, and Hikey 960. These boards will receive full and consistent support from Armbian.
- Kernel updates: Armbian has updated its edge kernel to v6.5, which offers better performance and compatibility with newer hardware. It has also introduced a new build config for OrangePi3b, which supports up to 8GB of RAM.
- Display manager fixes: Armbian has fixed some issues with the display managers across all desktops, such as fixing the login screen flickering on some devices.
- Mainline kernel support: Armbian has added experimental support for the mainline kernel for Rockchip RK3588, which is used by devices such as Banana Pi CM4 and Pine64 Pro+. This allows users to boot into the mainline kernel instead of the stock kernel.
- EDK2/UEFI support: Armbian has added experimental EDK2/UEFI booting for Rockchip RK3588-powered boards, which enables users to boot into UEFI mode instead of legacy mode.
- New wallpapers: Armbian has added new wallpapers to its edge kernel offering, which are based on the official Ubuntu Mantic Minotaur theme.
- Bug fixes: Armbian has fixed some bugs that affected hardware support for existing boards, display output issues, compilation issues for various kernels, and more.
Armbian 23.11 is available to download from the official website. Users can also try out two new daily builds based on Ubuntu Mantic Minotaur or Debian Trixie. These builds are updated every day with the latest software packages and security fixes.
Armbian 23.11 is a significant update that showcases the versatility and flexibility of Armbian as a Linux distribution for SBCs. It provides better support and functionality for a wide range of devices, as well as new features and options for users who want to customize their SBC experience.