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.

  • HumanPerson@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    71·
    2 months ago

    It’s not great. I have one, and I am able to use it, but there are some issues. Battery life is the main one. It will probably get 6 hours or so of active use, but they don’t have good idle power management, so you don’t get much more by turning it off.

    Their performance isn’t bad. It wasn’t ever all that great though. It was mainly ppw that people liked, and you wouldn’t really get that benefit with asahi because of the previously mentioned power management issues. Newer AMD laptops will absolutely outperform it.

    Another issue that you didn’t ask about, but I feel is worth mentioning: apple’s build quality is bad. On mine, the display flashes pink sometimes. It did this before I ever put asahi on it. There are many reports of other users with the same issue. When I fist noticed it, it only happened once a month or so. Now I notice it 5-10 times a day, and I don’t use it that much (maybe an hour or so a day).

    Also, according to Louis Rossmann, there is a data line next to a power line on the motherboard that can easily be shorted out in humidity. He has pointed out many design issues, and usually they persist for quite some time before apple does anything, if they ever do.

    I know I am coming across as very biased against apple, but keep in mind that I bought one. I thought that M1 was a large step forward in the quality of their products, and thought it was worth it to get one. I was wrong.