You can display GrapheneOS phones that are Pixel 8 and later, onto an external monitor. It will have a desktop-like view, and you can use GrapheneOS like a desktop operating system.
Why I think this tool should be added
I don’t think this should be recommended right now due to current GrapheneOS and AOSP uncertainties; also, Linux VMs are still experimental. However, I think this could be a really good option once those uncertainties are cleared up and Linux VMs have reached an adequate state.
Desktop Mode brings mobile OS security for desktop use, and once Linux VMs are ready, Desktop Mode will have nearly every feature you need from a desktop OS. It can also help for those on a budget, because you don’t need to buy an extra laptop or PC. Instead, you can just use your GOS phone with something like a NexDock.
It’s not a dedicated desktop OS, but it may soon be suited to replace desktop OSs. But I understand that it would still be important to emphasize that GrapheneOS desktop mode is vastly different from traditional PC setups
I would think the VM would be sandboxed, sort of like ChromeOS’s Crostini. Running on an Android phone, it would also have a more secure bootloader and hardware.
Still, you could just use Android apps instead of Linux apps, like Feeder instead of NewsFlash.
If it’s actually usable and can replace a PC then that would be amazing. I can do most of everything on the web and there are some great FOSS out there. Android and Graphene just need to implement it well.
I personally think this should probably be marked as waiting for the time being. These features are still fairly far from being mature. We should at least wait until Android 16 QPR1 arrives with the overhauled desktop mode.
If and when Desktop Mode gets added, I believe it could be suitable to be one of the recommended OSs for beginners. Android is easier to use than GNU/Linux, and using a typical distro in GrapheneOS involves VMs, making it harder for beginners to mess up their system.
Fedora Workstation is accessible on far more devices, so it would still have its place.
It is really nice but one thing to keep in mind is that it still will not replace something like my x86 desktop due to gaming
Yes, it can play some of the mobile games but not it will not play steam games properly yet, not to mention mobile counterparts being different from desktop (eg. Zenless has unlimited framerate, set that with V-sync and it’s smooth, High Global Illumination, etc. Things that are not present on the Mobile version).
I am not saying it can’t replace it nor is it viable but unless something happens we should be mindful of that.
I don’t agree that gaming should be a consideration, that being said it’s already possible to run desktop Minecraft within the new terminal app. Desktop games are often extremely invasive and platform specific so you should either use a console or a dedicated Windows PC.