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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.

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M1 Macbook Air (sh.itjust.works)

submitted 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

31 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Was looking at getting a macbook air with an m1 chip in it and running Asahi Linux on it. My question is how viable is it for daily life? E.g. browsing, torrenting, uni notes ect. Would it be equivalent to a regular x86 laptop running Linux? Or would I be missing useful features?

Edit: Another question is how it holds up against newer AMD laptops, as it is 3-4 years old at this point.

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[–] [email protected] 9 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (2 children)

the whole apple-bad thing aside, you're getting a non-expandable 8 GB laptop, of which a significant portion goes to graphics. that's pretty low today, and it's gonna be worse down the road. speaking of graphics, although Asahi has basic functionality, the driver isn't 100% yet.

I hope you don't plan on torrenting a buncha stuff, as the SSD is small and non-replaceable and after years of use has an insane TBW number.

the battery longevity is a solid argument but you are buying a 4 year old battery that will show signs of aging.

I am all for repurpose/reuse/recycle, but unless you get it for free, or close to it, this thing s a bad idea. get a similarly aged business-class laptop (thinkpad, ~~yoga~~, latitude, elitebook, etc.) that you can cram full of RAM and storage and replace practically every component if it fails.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 3 months ago (1 children)

I would not even consider it if it was 8GB, but this one is 16GB with 512gb of storage. It is a decent deal for what it is, and I've been looking for a decently powerful arm machine for awhile.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago (1 children)

that's radically different. although the serviceability is still nonexistent, that's a very useable machine. just be prepared to toss the thing if anything breaks.

for me, that would be a deal breaker but I understand the itch to try it out. just make sure it's not icloud locked.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago

Well, when it comes to laptops these days lots of brands can practically only be serviced/repaired by bringing them back to the Apple Store/manufacturer’s repair shop. Especially when it comes to lightweight models.

I miss my old Sager/Clevo gaming laptop where I could replace practically everything, I even upgraded the gfx card.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago

Yeah, i am retiring my XPS 13 only due to it having 8GB of RAM. It is quite an old model with i7-8550U - the speed is still perfectly fine as my daily driver, but I filled the memory to the brim way too often.