No, android does not count.
Is there anyone who daily drives Linux on apple silicon or other ARM hardware? If so, then how is your experience, would you recommend it?
For at least 3 years, I’ve been wanting to get an apple silicon mac to daily drive Linux on, lately I’ve been seriously considering getting one of these machines, or even other ARM hardware, like the thinkpad x13s or even the new Qualcomm laptops.
I’m pretty much sold on a used macbook air m1 at this point, but I still wish to hear what other people have to say
arm64 != M* hardware
Arm on Linux is fine. Supporting all the other SoC parts will obviously vary by vendor. I believe there are still many things broken with Apple’s M* platform, but I’m pretty sure it boots. If you really want an Arm laptop, get one the new Qualcomm setups.
https://github.com/AsahiLinux/docs/wiki
Things are progressing really fast actually! Take a look at the feature support page
Im using arch linux to respond to you right now from my dualboot Oneplus 6. Yeah linux on phones is cool. Recommended. 4.9 stars
All Raspberry Pis (except even the Pico) are ARM devices so… yes I’ve been using Linux on ARM for years. It’s been smooth sailing both as desktop or 24/7 home servers except for few very rare packages that aren’t build for that architecture and then themselves have dependencies making it hard but overall as time passes and there are ARM processors everywhere it’s only getting easier. I have not tried on Apple Silicon but here also support only seems to get better.
PS: also been using the PineTab 2 nearly daily and less frequently PinePhone and PinePhone Pro, all on ARM, also only Linux, all good.
Actually, the Pico is also an arm device, just the M0 variant which admittedly barely counts as a computer.
Right, thanks, fixed even though I don’t believe one can run Linux on it. Made me curious about FUZIX though https://www.raspberrypi.com/news/how-to-get-started-with-fuzix-on-raspberry-pi-pico/
How has your experience been with Pi as a desktop? I’ve recently ordered a Pi 5 and intend to use it as my desktop, only using my more powerful desktop for heavier games.
Well I’m not. I have a different setup due to working in VR. I did use for myself and others a RPi as a desktop for few tools and as long as you stick within what’s acceptable for its performance, it’s really nice, such a compact setup. The RPi I use at home and at work are headless servers for e.g DLNA, IoT, backups.
If I didn’t work in XR or play (BG3, EldenRing, etc) then I imagine I would find a RPi 4 sufficient for most of my tasks.
For at least 3 years, I’ve been wanting to get an apple silicon mac to daily drive Linux on
Can you tell us why?
Since the first release of apple silicon I was quite a bit impressed with the hardware, of course im not really an apple guy, and so I initially thought “cool, but that’s not for me”
And then came asahi linux, and it changed everything, in a very short period they got the GPU working, and then came vulkan, opengl 4 and 4.2, most stuff seems to be working already, either on the bleeding edge kernel or the mainline; https://github.com/AsahiLinux/docs/wiki Take a look at the feature support page, it’s really impressive.
I started to study more and more the development of Linux on apple silicon, and even more so after my laptop’s hinge has broken(tldr: I don’t have a laptop anymore, it’s just a PC); recently I’ve been wanting to buy a new laptop, so I can actually use it as one, of course, as any Latin American, I wish to buy for the long run, and all the options seem to be:
1 - Qualcomm laptops designed for windows ridden with shitware, useless AI, and a ducking copilot key( also I have terrible experience with the firmware of my current windows first laptop, I do not wish for more)
2 - Recent or older terribly power inefficient X86 laptops(mine is from 2021, the battery life sucked, even in windows, and it just heats up so easily, I don’t think it can even maintain maximum clock for 5 minutes straight)
3 - Apple silicon macs designed for macOS first that have a decent compatibility with linux, that will only get better with time.
Of course, I do believe X86 will get better with time, as it has already gotten, but until then, I either stick with my current deplorable hardware and wait until the improvements get actually mainstream, or buy another older x86 laptop, just to retire it later on.
Linux on Qualcomm laptops really that bad? I’ve been considering a purchase of a 1st gen once the 2nd gen comes out (probably grab an ex display model on the cheap).
I’ve not been following developments closely enough, but I know the battery life (in windows at least) is tiers better than my current 4800hs / 1650 with 65% battery health.
I’ve too considered a MacBook, but their never within my budget for the spec that I want, guess I was too hopeful about Qualcomm laptops 😞
I don’t think its that “bad” current, but I’m sure you will have to wait for a bit, Qualcomm’s Linux kernel work is really not complete, and currently the only laptops you can get working with Linux are the thinkpad x13s and (maybe?) some other older models.
Not sure how unbothered your experience is going to be on any of these, and they’re all just as expensive as macs
Don’t ditch macOS on the m1. Asahi has some critical features missing and you’ll want to be able to switch back.
