Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

coreboot VS Clover EFI bootloader

Compare coreboot VS Clover EFI bootloader and see what are their differences

coreboot logo coreboot

coreboot is an extended firmware platform that delivers a lightning fast and secure boot experience...

Clover EFI bootloader logo Clover EFI bootloader

This is EFI-based bootloader for BIOS-based computers created as a replacement to EDK2/Duet...
  • coreboot Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-07-24
  • Clover EFI bootloader Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-17

coreboot features and specs

  • Open Source
    Coreboot is fully open-source, which means anyone can view, modify, and distribute the code. This transparency allows for better security audits and customization to meet specific needs.
  • Fast Boot Times
    Coreboot is designed to initialize hardware quickly and boot the operating system efficiently, leading to reduced boot times compared to traditional BIOS/UEFI systems.
  • Customization
    Coreboot allows developers to strip away unnecessary features and add specific functionalities, making it highly adaptable for different hardware configurations and use cases.
  • Security
    Being open-source, potential vulnerabilities can be identified and patched by the community. It also supports various security features like verified boot processes.
  • Hardware Support
    Coreboot supports a wide range of hardware, especially in environments where standard firmware might be lacking, providing flexibility for embedded systems and different computing environments.

Possible disadvantages of coreboot

  • Limited Vendor Support
    Major hardware vendors may not officially support Coreboot, which can lead to compatibility issues or lack of driver support for some components.
  • Complex Setup
    Installing and configuring Coreboot can be complex and requires technical expertise, which could be challenging for users who are not familiar with low-level firmware processes.
  • Hardware Compatibility
    Despite wide-ranging support, not all hardware is compatible with Coreboot, requiring users to verify compatibility for each individual component.
  • Limited Features
    Compared to UEFI/BIOS systems, Coreboot may lack some advanced features, requiring additional work to implement functionalities that are standard in other firmware solutions.
  • Risk of Bricking
    Incorrect installation or firmware flashing of Coreboot can lead to bricking a device, making it unusable without hardware intervention to recover.

Clover EFI bootloader features and specs

  • Customizability
    Clover EFI Bootloader offers extensive customization options, allowing users to tweak the bootloader's theme, drivers, and other settings to best suit their system's needs.
  • MacOS Booting
    Clover is particularly popular among Hackintosh users, as it supports booting macOS on non-Apple hardware, handling the necessary patches and drivers to enable compatibility.
  • Cross-Platform Support
    In addition to macOS, Clover supports booting other operating systems like Windows and Linux, making it versatile for users with dual-boot systems.
  • Legacy and UEFI Support
    Clover can handle both legacy BIOS and newer UEFI systems, providing flexibility for a wide range of hardware configurations.

Possible disadvantages of Clover EFI bootloader

  • Complex Setup
    Setting up Clover EFI Bootloader can be complex and intimidating for beginners due to its technical nature and the detailed configuration required.
  • Maintenance Requirement
    Clover often requires regular updates and maintenance, especially with changes in operating systems or hardware, which can be cumbersome for some users.
  • Incompatibility Issues
    While Clover aims for broad compatibility, certain hardware or software configurations may still face issues, requiring additional troubleshooting and adjustments.
  • Community Support
    As Clover is a community-driven project, support primarily comes from forums and user communities, which may not always provide immediate or comprehensive assistance.

coreboot videos

My experience with Coreboot

More videos:

  • Review - Unboxing the 2019 System76 Galago Pro with Coreboot
  • Review - Checking out the System76 Galago Pro 2019 Laptop with Coreboot

Clover EFI bootloader videos

Clover EFI Bootloader Manual Installation via Ubuntu (UEFI)

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to coreboot and Clover EFI bootloader)
IT Automation
40 40%
60% 60
Developer Tools
39 39%
61% 61
Cloud Computing
52 52%
48% 48
OS & Utilities
18 18%
82% 82

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, coreboot seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 5 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

coreboot mentions (5)

  • /tpg/ Thinkpads are sustainable
    BIOS replacement: Https://coreboot.org - T440p, X131e, X1C1, and xx30 series (no 61) or older Https://libreboot.org - similar to coreboot as of 20221214 release. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Best chromebook supported by coreboot
    All of that code is also in the upstream coreboot.org sources, although these sources are less-well tested, generally speaking. Tested binaries (including a tested "more regular" payload like SeaBIOS or Tianocore instead of Chrome OS' "depthcharge" payload) based on that code can be obtained at https://mrchromebox.tech/. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Open source projects
    Coreboot is great if you would like to enjoy working with the BIOS. https://coreboot.org/ r/coreboot. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Are there any modern preformance cpus being manufactured that dont have an intel managment engine type of vunurability to them
    Support guys like this: Https://system76.com/ & https://coreboot.org/ that do their best to remove everything proprietary at as low level as possible for Intel and AMD. You can also hack some older thinkpads that I think completely disable IME. Source: almost 4 years ago
  • Should I buy a new laptop?
    If it is a mac, buy a similarly spec'd non-apple laptop, install coreboot, and then copy over your old drive's user data. https://coreboot.org. Source: about 4 years ago

Clover EFI bootloader mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Clover EFI bootloader yet. Tracking of Clover EFI bootloader recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing coreboot and Clover EFI bootloader, you can also consider the following products

GRUB - Multiboot boot loader

U-Boot - Das U-Boot (the Universal Bootloader) and Embedded Linux

Systemd-Boot - Systemd-Boot, formerly known as Gummiboot, is one of the simplest UEFI boot managers that lets you boot Linux and Windows in EFI mode even if the system is BIOS only supported.

Libreboot - Libreboot is a distribution of ...

Grub2Win - Safely dual boot Windows and Linux without touching the Windows MBR.

EasyUEFI - Manage EFI/UEFI Boot Options & Manage EFI System Partitions & Fix EFI/UEFI Boot Issues