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Only one RISC-V desktop route is explicitly documented in Canonical’s current material: DeepComputing’s FML13V01 motherboard installed in a Framework laptop, using a vendor-built Ubuntu 24.04 Desktop image. It is a developer preview, not a production-supported Ubuntu release. Canonical’s own images for the listed single-board computers (SBCs) are Server images for headless use, with no supported GPU or Wi-Fi. The practical choice is therefore between a laptop-oriented Desktop preview and SBCs intended for servers, serial-console work, and other headless experiments.
What “Ubuntu on RISC-V” actually means
RISC-V is an open instruction-set architecture, not a single computer model. Boards built around it differ in CPU extensions, firmware, graphics, storage controllers, wireless hardware and boot procedures. An Ubuntu image that boots on one board may not boot on another, and a board listed on Canonical’s RISC-V pages is not automatically a supported Ubuntu Desktop machine.
Canonical separates its RISC-V offerings into two groups:
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Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →- Partner-built images: hardware vendors prepare images for particular products. The reviewed Desktop example is the DeepComputing FML13V01 motherboard.
- Canonical-built images: Canonical publishes images for selected boards, but its download documentation currently describes these as headless-only: “The Ubuntu images described below only support headless mode (no GPU, no WiFi).”
That distinction matters more than the board’s name. A board can have an official Ubuntu installation guide and still lack a supported graphical desktop.
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The one documented Ubuntu Desktop option
DeepComputing FML13V01 in a Framework laptop
Canonical identifies an Ubuntu 24.04 Desktop preinstalled image for DeepComputing’s FML13V01 motherboard. Canonical says the vendor image fully supports a Framework laptop configured with that motherboard. This is the clearest documented path if you specifically need an Ubuntu graphical session on RISC-V.
The image is not equivalent to a normal Canonical-supported Ubuntu PC release. Canonical classifies partner-built images as developer previews: they are not production-ready and do not include Canonical security updates or Canonical support. DeepComputing’s installation instructions are therefore essential for imaging, firmware, boot configuration and device compatibility.
Hardware needed for this path
You need the FML13V01 motherboard and the compatible Framework laptop platform described by Canonical. The available documentation does not establish a universal minimum for RAM, internal storage, display interfaces, Wi-Fi, battery hardware or peripherals for this Desktop preview. Do not treat generic x86 Ubuntu requirements as RISC-V support requirements.
Before buying, verify the exact motherboard revision, the laptop chassis and the vendor image version. Confirm that the display, keyboard, trackpad, networking and storage devices you intend to use are covered by the vendor’s instructions. A component may work electrically yet lack drivers or firmware in the preview image.
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Boards listed for Ubuntu but not documented as Desktop systems
Canonical’s supported-board index includes the following RISC-V hardware:
| Board or family | What the listing establishes | Desktop status in the reviewed documentation |
|---|---|---|
| Allwinner Nezha D1 | An official Ubuntu RISC-V installation path | Not stated as a supported Desktop image; Canonical-built images are headless |
| DeepComputing FML13V01 | Partner hardware with a vendor-built Ubuntu 24.04 Desktop image | Documented Desktop preview for the compatible Framework laptop |
| Microchip PIC64GX1000 Curiosity Kit | An official Ubuntu RISC-V installation path | Not stated as a supported Desktop image |
| Microchip PolarFire SoC Icicle Kit | An official Ubuntu RISC-V installation path | Not stated as a supported Desktop image |
| Milk-V Mars and Mars CM variants | An official Ubuntu RISC-V installation path | Not stated as a supported Desktop image |
| Pine64 Star64 | An official Ubuntu RISC-V installation path | Not stated as a supported Desktop image |
| SiFive HiFive Unmatched | An official Ubuntu RISC-V installation path | Not stated as a supported Desktop image |
| Sipeed LicheeRV Dock | An official Ubuntu RISC-V installation path | Not stated as a supported Desktop image |
| StarFive VisionFive families | An official Ubuntu RISC-V installation path, including a Server guide for VisionFive 2 | Server/headless documentation; no supported graphical Desktop experience established |
“Official installation path” means Canonical documents an image or procedure for the board. It does not mean that GNOME, hardware acceleration, wireless networking or a local monitor are supported.
Can you install Ubuntu Desktop on a VisionFive 2?
The documented VisionFive 2 route is Ubuntu 24.04.5 LTS Server, not Ubuntu Desktop. Canonical’s guide covers booting from a microSD card and using a serial console. It also states that the board’s onboard GPU is unsupported.
The board is useful for Ubuntu RISC-V server work, command-line development and headless experimentation. It is not evidence of a supported Ubuntu graphical workstation. Installing desktop packages yourself may produce an experimental display, but that would be outside the documented support status and would not add GPU enablement.
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VisionFive 2 hardware and limitations
- Boot media: a microSD card containing the appropriate Ubuntu Server image.
- Console: a USB UART adapter connected to the board’s GPIO header for serial access during boot and troubleshooting.
- Graphics: the onboard GPU is unsupported by the documented Ubuntu path.
- PCIe: support is incomplete. Canonical’s guide says an NVMe drive can be used, but not every PCIe device should be expected to work.
- Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi cards do not work in the documented configuration.
- External graphics: external GPUs do not work.
Basic VisionFive 2 Server procedure
- Choose the Ubuntu 24.04.5 LTS Server image for the exact VisionFive 2 variant. Do not substitute an image for another StarFive family member.
- Flash the image to a suitable microSD card using an image-writing utility on another computer. Protect any existing data on the card; flashing overwrites it.
- Insert the card, connect power and attach the USB UART adapter to the GPIO-header pins specified by Canonical’s guide. Use the adapter’s voltage and pinout requirements exactly; an incorrect connection can damage the board.
- Open a serial-terminal program with the console settings from the guide, then power on the board. Watch the boot messages to identify firmware, kernel or storage errors.
- Complete the first-boot account and network configuration from the Server image. Plan to administer the machine over SSH rather than through a local graphical display.
- If you add NVMe storage, check the guide’s PCIe notes and confirm that the drive appears before moving workloads to it. Do not assume a Wi-Fi card or external GPU will enumerate.
Ubuntu release and RISC-V ISA compatibility
Release selection is now an architectural requirement, not just a preference. Canonical says Ubuntu 26.04 LTS raises the required RISC-V ISA profile to RVA23S64. Hardware that is not RVA23-ready remains supported by Ubuntu 24.04.5 LTS.
Check the board’s processor documentation for the ISA profile before purchasing or flashing an image. If a board does not meet RVA23S64, target the 24.04.5 LTS images that Canonical says continue to support non-RVA23 hardware. Recheck the board page and image notes when a new release appears because support can change by release and by board variant.
What hardware do you need for Ubuntu on RISC-V?
There is no single answer because “Ubuntu on RISC-V” covers a Desktop preview and several Server targets.
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For the documented Desktop preview
- DeepComputing FML13V01 motherboard.
- Compatible Framework laptop platform.
- The matching Ubuntu 24.04 Desktop vendor image.
- Any display, storage, networking and input devices confirmed by the vendor instructions.
Canonical’s reviewed page does not publish a generic RAM or storage minimum for this preview. Treat any number copied from a conventional Ubuntu PC guide as a general software recommendation, not as an official FML13V01 compatibility threshold.
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For Canonical-built SBC images
- The exact board and image variant listed by Canonical.
- A supported boot medium, often microSD for development boards.
- A separate computer for downloading and flashing the image.
- Serial-console hardware when the board guide requires it.
- Ethernet or another documented network path for headless administration.
- Storage or expansion hardware only after checking that the board’s controller and Ubuntu driver support it.
Canonical’s statement that these images are headless-only means you should not plan around a monitor, accelerated desktop graphics or onboard Wi-Fi unless the specific board documentation says otherwise.
How to choose a board before you buy
- Start with the workload. Choose the FML13V01/Framework route only if you need the documented Desktop preview. Choose an SBC if a Server, SSH or serial-console workflow is acceptable.
- Verify image type. Read the current Canonical download page for the exact board and confirm whether the image is Desktop, Server or headless-only.
- Match the ISA profile to the release. For Ubuntu 26.04 LTS, check for RVA23S64. For hardware that is not RVA23-ready, use the Ubuntu 24.04.5 LTS support path Canonical describes.
- Audit peripherals. Check GPU, Wi-Fi, storage buses, boot media and console requirements separately. “Supported board” does not imply every onboard device works.
- Check support status. A partner preview lacks Canonical security updates and support; a Canonical-built Server image still may be headless and hardware-limited.
- Confirm the exact variant. Product families often contain several memory, module or connector variants. Flash only the image named for your board.
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
Assuming a board index is a Desktop compatibility list
Canonical’s board index demonstrates that Ubuntu can be installed in some form. It does not promise a graphical session. Always inspect the current image-type documentation.
Using a Server image as proof of GPU support
Server images can boot successfully while the GPU remains unsupported. The VisionFive 2 documentation is an explicit example: Ubuntu Server works through the documented path, but the onboard graphics do not.
Buying peripherals before reading the board guide
Incomplete PCIe support, non-working Wi-Fi cards and unsupported external GPUs can turn an apparently suitable SBC into a poor desktop experiment. Verify each device class first.
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Ignoring preview status
The FML13V01 Desktop image is useful for development and evaluation, but its partner-preview status means you should not treat it as a production workstation with Canonical’s normal security and support commitments.
Applying Ubuntu 26.04 assumptions to older silicon
The RVA23S64 requirement makes the release/CPU match decisive. A board that remains viable on 24.04.5 may not satisfy 26.04’s ISA requirement.
Bottom line for different users
- You need a documented graphical Ubuntu environment: investigate the DeepComputing FML13V01 in the compatible Framework laptop, and accept the developer-preview limitations.
- You want an RISC-V development board or home server: select a board from Canonical’s supported list, use its Server image and plan for headless administration.
- You are considering VisionFive 2 as a desktop PC: reconsider; the documented Ubuntu path is Server, with unsupported onboard graphics, non-working Wi-Fi cards and external GPUs, and incomplete PCIe support.
- You are targeting Ubuntu 26.04 LTS: verify RVA23S64 before purchase. Otherwise, the Ubuntu 24.04.5 LTS compatibility path is the one Canonical identifies for hardware that is not RVA23-ready.
Board and image support can change with new releases. Recheck Canonical’s current RISC-V pages and the vendor instructions for the exact model immediately before ordering hardware or writing an image.
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