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Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite prototype that runs Linux emerges
- rldjbpin 2y agofair assessment about the drivers, but at application level, most developers would be at home if they manage to set up an arm laptop on linux. at least for this niche, there should be enough native support that can show as a better alternative than windows. i'd like to believe that raspberry pi users have helped with adoption of open-source apps on arm64.
- hulitu 2y ago> most developers would be at home if they manage to set up an arm laptop on linux. What has an ARM laptop that an x86 laptop does not have ?
- rldjbpin 2y agocpu-only workloads sure no problems. i was referring to the manufacturers providing a working platform, like the prototype.
- einsteinx2 2y agoWay better battery life?
- xgstation 2y agoto be fair, Qualcomm runs on Linux (Android) all the time
- spcharc 2y agoYeah, you are right. Android is a variant of Linux. Just like MacOS and iPadOS, both run Darwin kernel, but they are very different. Even though iPads have very capable hardware, there are a lot you cannot do on iPadOS. The same applies to Linux. People want a real desktop operating system.
- lcnmrn 2y agoAll that iPadOS needs to do is to be able to run macOS apps.
- Dalewyn 2y agoFound the fervent GNU worshipper. Jokes aside, yes: Android is a Linux. Just like how Xbox is Windows NT, and MacOS (and iOS?) is(/are?) BSD. Delineating along kernels is one useful and objective way of describing OS families.
- surajrmal 2y agoUnfortunately, when people call their os Linux, they typically are referring to its kernel. I wish there was a better term to distinguish Linux distros from the kernel.
- redleader55 2y agoYes, but usually they run on very old kernels, with many of the drivers patched out of tree instead of being upstreamed. Because of that many system components(firmware, bootloader, etc) are either old, unmaintained, buggy, or affected by lots of CVEs. This new SOC, has Qualcomm's commitment to be using the latest kernel - 6.9 and to have better support. We'll see what this means for the future, but it looks better already.
- bfrog 2y agoyeah we'll see... the historical evidence is entirely contrary to this
- deleted 2y ago[deleted]
- jasoneckert 2y agoQualcomm has previously announced their desire to support Linux, and they have an upstream roadmap: https://www.qualcomm.com/developer/blog/2024/05/upstreaming-linux-kernel-support-for-the-snapdragon-x-elite https://www.qualcomm.com/developer/blog/2024/05/upstreaming-...
- walterbell 2y agoHN discussion: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40350408 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40350408 https://www.tomshardware.com/software/linux/qualcomm-goes-where-apple-wont-readies-official-linux-support-for-snapdragon-x-elite https://www.tomshardware.com/software/linux/qualcomm-goes-wh... > Qualcomm has most of the critical functions working inside.. Linux 6.9.. critical functions include UEFI-based boot support along with all the standard bootloaders like Grub and system-d.. Functions that are being worked on for future iterations of Linux include additions to battery support, on-board display connectivity, external DisplayPort connectivity, sleep and wake-up functions on the GPU, camera support, video support, better CPU frequency support, and speaker/mic/headset enablement. These functions are expected to arrive in Linux 6.10 and 6.11. $900 dev kit ships later this month, Mac Mini form factor, 32GB RAM, 512GB SSD, https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40430579 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40430579
- pedalpete 2y agoIsn't the Qualcomm chip just an ARM design? Seeing as Linux can run on ARM, is this new? I always just expected to be able to run an ARM based linux on these devices.
- Dalewyn 2y agoI presume the actual remarkable thing everyone wants, not mentioned anywhere in this article, is a Qualcomm CPU booting into BIOS/UEFI and subsequently into Windows and Linux, aka the x86-ification of ARM and thus the Personal Computerization (IBM-ification?) of ARM.
- walterbell 2y agoQualcomm SDXE Arm UEFI for Linux is a work in progress, https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40422286 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40422286
- wmf 2y agoSure, the CPU is ARM but you need drivers for everything else. Fortunately Qualcomm is providing those drivers.
- bobmcnamara 2y agoNot quite, Oryon is a custom design implementing AArch64 Instruction Set Architecture by Nuvia, a Qualcomm acquisition.
- wyldfire 2y agoThis distinction is important for the sake of performance but not (or only barely) about compatibility. This thread focuses on functionality and the linux support referred to in the title is devices and not the CPU, which -- as you've indicated -- should Just Work because it's implementing the ISA standard. For the laptop to work, it means that the audio, display, camera, storage, external buses will work. As noted in other threads, this is interesting because of Qualcomm's re-invigorated engagement with kernel development.
- daft_pink 2y agoWhat about arch? I use arch, btw. I just want everyone to know that.
- brainless 2y agoLol is this a trend or meme now? I am seeing similar comments pop up. I do not think settled-in users of Arch post these anywhere but maybe I am wrong.
- ashirviskas 2y agoIt's been a meme for a few years already: https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/btw-i-use-arch https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/btw-i-use-arch And obviously, I use arch btw.
- kkoste 2y agoHonestly. Arch is my favorite distro. I've been using arch for years even before it went mainstream.
- alberth 2y agoThe ex-Apple team who started Nuvia (which was acquired by Qualcomm and maker of this chip), is really giving Apple a run for their money - especially given that these chips are fab’ed on 2 gen order nodes than what Apple gets from TSMC.
- cjboco 2y agoWasn’t ARM suing because of this, what ever happened with that?
- wyldfire 2y agoThe lawsuit is still outstanding. Presumably the claimants would not seek to enjoin distribution of the new design, that would be suicide. They probably just want royalties that Qualcomm would ordinarily have negotiated on their own as an architectural licensee. Or perhaps, what they previously paid as an architectural licensee.
- hi-v-rocknroll 2y agoIf there were an almost FOSS personal electronics company that made quality, durable, and repairable devices with clean UX, usability, and long term OS-app compatibility, these would have a wider audience than simply infinitely-upgradeable laptops or laptops that are designed to be vintaged every 7 years. Call me a socialist, but designed to break just after the warranty and planned obsolescence are scourges resulting in higher profits, but suck for the customer, lose goodwill, and are fundamentally uncool for what they do to the planet. It is more ethical and respectable to craft excellent things that are "too durable" that people will treasure for many years because it's better than creating overpriced, pretty, fragile, incompatible e-waste. Similarly, an "Apple for datacenters" like Oxide but larger scale (by the rack as a demo and intermodal container-scale customarily) with integrated, observable, resilient, multi-tenant {bare metal, I, k8s, P, GPU, network, storage}aaS.
- user_7832 2y agoRight now Framework (and System76 if I got the name right) are the best options available.
- moneywoes 2y agoIs it possible to get a Snapdragon X device that runs both Android & Windows on ARM? Imagine a Surface that you undock and becomes an Android tablet
- ciasaG 2y agoSomething similar already existed a while ago. Look up the Asus Transformer Book Trio.
- seltzered_ 2y agoLenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid does this feature in a two-separate systems in one kind of way. Arguably you can just run linux and waydroid which already runs fine for many scenarios on x86.
- prmoustache 2y agoThat would probably be a terrible experience.
- brainless 2y agoIt would be fantastic to have a well performing laptop with Linux that lasts a full day of work and then some. My recent laptops have had so much battery degradation in just a year. I hope the battery management is fantastic. 1.4 Kgs is pretty good weight. It can be higher for a larger screen. On the other hand, I really want to see cheap laptops that can be useful for small businesses. Linux powered POS and other business segments for mom and pop shops would be amazing. Most work is web based anyway, and Linux update cycles are so smooth that I recommend it to even mainstream users.
- petra 2y agoEven if most work is web based anyway, windows and linux laptops are quite similar in price, and there's always some usefull windows app, and people know how to use and maintain windows. So why would a small business buy linux?
- Maakuth 2y agoIn Windows RT (Win8 for Arm) times, the "Designed for Windows" label specification had a requirement for locked down UEFI firmware, that only booted Microsoft signed kernels. That made Surface RTs Windows-only. I wonder if this is still required, or can you boot Linux on these machines. I'm sure there's a hardware exploit possibility to make this a reality, but it's not going to be a mainstream thing to do.
- my123 2y agoThis has nothing to do with Windows RT. Every Windows on ARM64 desktop/laptop device has an unlockable bootloader.
- Maakuth 2y agoWindows on ARM is a direct descendant of Windows RT, so I wouldn't say it has nothing to do with the latter. But it's a good to hear that the bootloader lock is no longer mandated.
- vetinari 2y agoAt the time, it was part of the Windows Hardware Certification requirements. SFLC has details here: https://softwarefreedom.org/blog/2012/jan/12/microsoft-confirms-UEFI-fears-locks-down-ARM/ https://softwarefreedom.org/blog/2012/jan/12/microsoft-confi...
- reacharavindh 2y agoA Linux laptop that lasts long, with a hidpi display, decent CPU, and 5G connectivity would be a great deal. I hope this pans out.
- preisschild 2y agoI hope stuff like this makes AMD more likely to invest in RISC-V. An AMD high-performance RISC-V cpu that is affordable would be awesome.
- snvzz 2y agoAMD can offer distinguishing features, such as x86-64 acceleration. That'd ensure they're the ones picked, for a few years as the world transitions away from the legacy, unclean, proprietary ISAs.
- bfrog 2y agoQualcomm has some work to do to build trust. Step one make the docs as easy to get as say the Intel x86 references without a bunch of horseshit lawyer shite. Step 2, actually document the part well enough for third party implementers. Step 3 don’t threaten to sue everyone and anything that glances at it.
- jimbobthrowawy 2y agoAre we getting x86 emulation, or is that stuck being windows only?
- wmf 2y agoThere are two or three x86 emulators for ARM Linux. The Asahi community has a bunch of Windows/x86 games working on Linux/ARM.