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Ask HN: How ready for daily driving is Asahi Linux?

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Ask HN: How ready for daily driving is Asahi Linux?

#1

Post by capableweb »

Been lurking the GitHub issues, Twitter and blog but haven't really gained a full perspective.

I'm in the market for a new laptop, currently using a Carbon X1 which I'm generally very happy with. I'm only interested in laptops that I'd run Linux on, but been trying some of the late Apple MacBooks and like the hardware, just the software seems to get in the way sometimes.

So came across Asahi Linux project, which seems to be usable for daily work, minus some missing things.

But does anyone use Asahi Linux daily here and can talk about their experience?

Re: Ask HN: How ready for daily driving is Asahi Linux?

#2

Post by worldsavior »

In my opinion, not ready enough, but usable. Speakers are still not safe to use, no use of security components, no Touch-ID, no GPU support, no mics and many more[1].

Though its still very impressive what they got so far, and hope in the near future it will become a full functioning OS.

[1] https://github.com/AsahiLinux/docs/wiki/Feature-Support

Re: Ask HN: How ready for daily driving is Asahi Linux?

#4

Post by bestouff »

Hint: it's not.

I'm not asking much though: I just need a linux laptop which is fast (lots of rust compilations) and can stay for a whole day unplugged. Thunderbolt connectivity to dock it at home (and use bigger screens) would be perfect. I don't need the GPU, I'm mainly using the terminal and the CPU in fast enough for that.

But it's not even there: the CPU is heating even when doing nothing, the laptop doesn't sleep when closed (so the battery is draining too fast) , and thunderbolt is still far away.

But under some conditions it's nice, even nicer than the XPS 15 i9 I had before. I'm giving some undisclosed amount to marcan monthly, and I hope it'll be "usable" (for me) soon.

Re: Ask HN: How ready for daily driving is Asahi Linux?

#6

Post by m00dy »

worldsavior wrote: post #2

In my opinion, not ready enough, but usable. Speakers are still not safe to use, no use of security components, no Touch-ID, no GPU support, no mics and many more[1]. Though its still very impressive what they got so far, and hope in the near future it will become a full functioning OS. [1] https://github.com/AsahiLinux/docs/wiki/Feature-Support

there's a gpu support. We all have watched how it was built on youtube by a Japanese anime character.

Re: Ask HN: How ready for daily driving is Asahi Linux?

#7

Post by notpushkin »

m00dy wrote: post #6
worldsavior wrote: post #2

In my opinion, not ready enough, but usable. Speakers are still not safe to use, no use of security components, no Touch-ID, no GPU support, no mics and many more[1]. Though its still very impressive what they got so far, and hope in the near future it will become a full functioning OS. [1] https://github.com/AsahiLinux/docs/wiki/Feature-Support

there's a gpu support. We all have watched how it was built on youtube by a Japanese anime character.

Yeah, but it's still in the works, right? Gambatte, Lina-san!!

Re: Ask HN: How ready for daily driving is Asahi Linux?

#8

Post by reacharavindh »

jnk345u8dfg9hjk wrote: post #5

Can anyone comment on battery life in the current state of things?

I'm interested in this as well. I don't have a personal M* MacBook to test it myself(Writing this on a M1 Pro MacBook Pro provided by work, but I'm obviously not trying to boot Asahi Linux on a work machine). I'm thinking about getting a laptop for personal use, and I'd love for a M1 machine if it runs Linux decently. 1. It needs to be able to sleep/resume like a Mac (shut the lid, and it goes to sleep without sucking the battery, and open the lid, it should wake up within a second or two allowing me to continue what I was doing before sleep), and 2. Needs to last at least 8 hours on battery. The Mac lasts more than 14 hours for my use (very light). Wifi needs to work reliably.

I don't care if the GPU lays there unused, I don't care if bluetooth doesn't work.

I hope Asahi Linux gets there someday soon.

Re: Ask HN: How ready for daily driving is Asahi Linux?

#10

Post by notpushkin »

No GPU means it gets pretty hot sometimes (don't even try watching videos, I've literally burned myself :'). Otherwise I'd say I could use it as a daily driver: a bit clunky, needs some tinkering, but everything I personally need (VSCodium, Firefox, Docker, wifi, audio in the headphones) already works and works well.

If you already have a MacBook you could use, just give it a try – you can dual-boot, so if it doesn't work you can go back to macOS and try it out again in a couple months.

UPD: and of course, don't forget to sponsor the developers! Every little bit counts.

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