# How to use a smartphone in place of the mainboard?

**URL:** <https://community.frame.work/t/how-to-use-a-smartphone-in-place-of-the-mainboard/2292>\
**Category:** Framework Laptop 13\
**Created:** [June 11, 2021, 11:18am UTC](https://community.frame.work/t/how-to-use-a-smartphone-in-place-of-the-mainboard/2292 "2021-06-11T11:18:56Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Ryan\_Martens](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/community.frame.work/ryan_martens/32/259_2.png) [@Ryan\_Martens](https://community.frame.work/u/Ryan_Martens)\
**Post date:** [June 11, 2021, 11:18am UTC](https://community.frame.work/t/how-to-use-a-smartphone-in-place-of-the-mainboard/2292/1 "2021-06-11T11:18:56Z")

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Unfortunately I don’t know enough to even ask this question properly, but I am wondering since [the mainboard is upgradeable](http://community.frame.work/t/the-upgradeable-mainboard/156), there are future [plans for an ARM mainboard](http://community.frame.work/t/arm-processor-for-battery-life/999/4), and even a [Framework Laptop without a mainboard](http://community.frame.work/t/framework-laptop-without-a-mainboard/1831) …

So I am curious how hard it would be substitute my phone (or more likely, a future more powerful phone) for the mainboard, hooking it up somehow through USB-C and/or other cables and usb controllers inside?

Then I would run Ubuntu on [Linux Deploy](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ru.meefik.linuxdeploy&hl=en&gl=US) or something similar and finally fulfill my semi-rational dream of computing convergence.

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**Author:** ![Ben\_S](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/community.frame.work/ben_s/32/679_2.png) [@Ben\_S](https://community.frame.work/u/Ben_S)\
**Post date:** [June 11, 2021, 3:32pm UTC](https://community.frame.work/t/how-to-use-a-smartphone-in-place-of-the-mainboard/2292/2 "2021-06-11T15:32:02Z")

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That might be an interesting project, I’d probably start here:

[![](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/uploads/framework3/original/3X/4/3/43b17d63bfc3b4196cefcdff2e6c4fea1fdbdfd8.jpeg "Broken smartphone to working laptop transformation") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mciEZKSvva8)

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**Author:** ![Crazycat\_Gaming](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/community.frame.work/crazycat_gaming/32/733_2.png) [@Crazycat\_Gaming](https://community.frame.work/u/Crazycat_Gaming)\
**Post date:** [June 14, 2021, 6:31pm UTC](https://community.frame.work/t/how-to-use-a-smartphone-in-place-of-the-mainboard/2292/3 "2021-06-14T18:31:20Z")

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Well, technically you could make a custom mainboard for that but according to the video @Ben_S sent it would block the wifi module

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**Author:** ![Ben\_S](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/community.frame.work/ben_s/32/679_2.png) [@Ben\_S](https://community.frame.work/u/Ben_S)\
**Post date:** [July 6, 2021, 11:06am UTC](https://community.frame.work/t/how-to-use-a-smartphone-in-place-of-the-mainboard/2292/4 "2021-07-06T11:06:42Z")

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This might also help @Ryan_Martens

> **[How To Drive Smartphone Screens Over HDMI](https://hackaday.com/2021/07/05/how-to-drive-smartphone-screens-over-hdmi/)**
>
> Compared to most small LCDs sold to makers, smartphone screens boast excellent color, brightness, and insanely high resolution. Unfortunately, driving them is rarely straightforward. In an attempt …