Linux on Snapdragon X Elite: Linaro and Tuxedo Pave the Way for ARM64 Laptops

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

State of Linux on Snapdragon / ARM64 Laptops

  • Kernel support is improving, but “supported” often means “boots” rather than “all peripherals work.”
  • Major gaps on some Snapdragon-based laptops: touchpads, touchscreens, audio, external display via USB‑C/HDMI, Wi‑Fi, and power management.
  • Some users report that GPU support has recently arrived and that Snapdragon X should be “quite usable” within ~a year; others say they’re still “waiting” on devices like Yoga 7x.
  • Qualcomm is widely blamed for slow upstreaming and low Linux priority.

Real-World Device Experiences

  • ThinkPad X13s (Snapdragon): Several users say Linux runs fast and stable with good battery (around ~8 hours reported), but there are still rough edges (quiet speakers, limited DisplayPort lanes).
  • Surface Pro X: “Meh but usable” for a secondary machine; main issues are external display and audio, plus Widevine/DRM pain.
  • x86 laptops (ThinkPad T‑series, X1 Carbon, HP EliteBook, etc.) are repeatedly cited as “flawless” or near‑flawless with Linux, in stark contrast to many ARM devices.
  • Some report excellent long-term ThinkPad experiences; others had fragile Dell XPS hardware despite Linux working.

Tuxedo Computers: Mixed Reputation

  • Criticisms:
    • Drivers historically out-of-tree and not upstreamed; kernel tainting and licensing issues.
    • Required proprietary/Electron control app; volunteers built an alternative and are now frustrated.
    • Poor repairability, expensive service, no parts or manuals; comparisons unfavourable to Framework/Lenovo.
    • Some ARM plans with Qualcomm did not materialize as announced.
  • Defenses/Praise:
    • Several users had positive multi‑year experiences, responsive support, and affordable spare parts.
    • For some, everything works under stock distros once Tuxedo’s driver packages are installed.
    • Seen as “cheap hardware for advanced users,” with better thermals/battery on some models versus ThinkPads.
  • Ongoing debate whether to avoid Tuxedo in favour of Framework, System76, Lenovo, or other European Linux OEMs.

Battery Life & Power Management

  • Many comments say ARM Linux laptops suffer from poor power management: running hot, weak suspend, short battery life.
  • Others counter with good results on Framework, ThinkPads, and newer Intel/AMD (Ryzen AI, Lunar Lake) achieving near‑Mac‑level endurance under Linux.
  • Several users note Asahi Linux on Apple Silicon as a strong option, though still behind macOS in battery life and some hardware features.

x86 Compatibility / “Rosetta for Linux”

  • Tools mentioned: Box86/Box64/Box32, FEX‑EMU, qemu user mode, plus Wine on top of these for Windows apps.
  • These can transparently run many x86/x86‑64 binaries (including games), but the integration is not as seamless as Rosetta 2; usually some manual setup is required.
  • Linux kernel can support transparent handlers for foreign binaries, but there’s no standard userland equivalent to Apple’s “just works” experience yet.

Broader Sentiment

  • Some are excited by Linux‑first ARM laptops and Raspberry Pi–style progress; others are fatigued by years of driver chasing and brittle support.
  • Several advocate sticking with well‑supported x86 ThinkPads/Frameworks or even macOS/Asahi until ARM laptop support on Linux matures.