Amazing progress as usual. It’s been fun watching just how much a few people can accomplish over the last few years despite working on sometimes unstable sand.
megous · 2026-08-27 00:22:13 UTC
Yeah, you'll find out that va-api is not a good match for v4l2-requests. It does not pass decoded bitstream to the drivers as is, but pre-computes some things for some codecs, while v4l2-requests mostly expects original information parsed from the bitstream.
Fantastic to see the progress and a fascinating detailed write-up.
You have to appreciate the effort Apple puts into security - goes some way to understanding why they won't endorse/support installing an alternative operating system.
Most of those accommodations are for macOS, and make very few (if any) concessions for alternative operating systems. We're talking Qualcomm-tier effort.
Intel and AMD set the standard for "tremendous effort" bringing up support for alternative OSes. Nvidia follows behind, and Apple's support is (somehow) behind Nvidia's foot-dragging.
HDBaseT · 2026-08-27 02:29:05 UTC
This is true, although Apple could of just as easily prevented alternative OSes as a whole if they wanted to.
Rohansi · 2026-08-27 03:03:28 UTC
They already have the ability to prevent alternative operating systems. They use the same or similar SoCs in their other product lines and those do not let you do this.
Yes, Apple put effort into making it possible to install alternative operating systems on Macs, but that is an exception to the design because the chips are designed to be locked down. I expect Apple to remove the option at some point because nobody is using it on any of the recent hardware.
LoganDark · 2026-08-27 04:35:19 UTC
I see a lot of dual-purpose here. Maybe you don't, or maybe you figure it's just a coincidence that Linux can also benefit from this. Apple definitely had it in mind, and designed for it, even if they don't release documentation.
nvme0n1p1 · 2026-08-27 02:59:17 UTC
Are you sure you linked the right page? This looks like a list of workarounds the Asahi team had to figure out.
> Rumours circulating that Apple are actively hostile towards efforts such as Asahi, or that their security must be bypassed or jailbroken to run untrusted code are unfounded and false. In fact, Apple have expended effort and time on improving their security tooling in ways that only improve the execution of non-macOS binaries. An example of this is giving their Boot Policy configuration tool the ability to wrap raw AArch64 code in a proper Mach-O format starting with macOS 12.1. This is only ever required for enrolling a boot object that is not already a macOS kernelcache.
foltik · 2026-08-27 03:27:41 UTC
Absolutely not. They put in the literal bare minimum possible effort short of locking down the platform entirely.
You get a jmp to some arm64 instructions of your choosing, with a bunch of CPU features locked out.
LoganDark · 2026-08-27 03:35:50 UTC
I will admit I am a bit confused by them locking out features like that, especially since they didn't at first. I wouldn't jump to assuming it's hostile, though.
oblio · 2026-08-27 04:19:30 UTC
> tremendous efforts
Tremendous efforts would be to publish reference manuals for all their hardware components.
Apple is doing the bare minimum, which is to not build 10km tall walls around its walled garden.
But in the modern day of walled gardens, that's viewed as generosity.
LoganDark · 2026-08-27 04:26:38 UTC
This is Apple we're talking about. What may be the bare minimum for you was a lot of work for them. Work they could have passed up and we would've all had to simply deal with it. They do that all the time, and there's nothing we can do about it. But here they didn't. Here they did "the bare minimum" to allow custom operating systems on their newer hardware. That should be commended. Yes, we should celebrate that hardware we purchase and own still allows us to run code we wrote. Because the alternative is that it could not. Their non-macOS devices already don't.
To be perfectly clear, Apple is like a lifeline to a lot of people. They are one of the last bastions of quality in the hardware and software world. This is why it's such a disappointment that they've been faltering lately: we had high expectations of them, which hasn't been quite so true for the rest of the industry for a while. So it is a big deal that hidden gems like this continue to crop up from them: it is a sign that some of their core values still remain. And I really hope the new CEO will bring back some of what they lost after Steve Jobs.
foltik · 2026-08-27 07:07:14 UTC
Being able to run “custom” code is the default state of computers, and doesn’t require additional effort on the part of the manufacturer. How do you think they got their own code on there? Apple has just not spent effort in the opposite direction to lock it down in this case. That’s not something to celebrate, we should demand it as the bare minimum, ideally via the law.
LoganDark · 2026-08-27 08:40:34 UTC
It literally takes effort to reach Apple's level of platform security while simultaneously having escape hatches designed to allow custom code without compromising the trust in the first-party code. Even simple, arbitrary decisions like having the secure boot state be per-operating-system rather than platform-wide take effort. Keep in mind Apple designed everything from the ground up including the silicon, so they did not just pull a part off the shelf that already can execute any code and then lock it down, they took their already very locked-down iPhone/iPad SoCs and specifically re-engineered the chain of trust to have these escape hatches while preserving the trust in macOS. Very careful engineering and not the "default state" of anything.
There are a lot of shortcuts they could have taken to leave us with less freedom and they did not take those shortcuts. For that, I am grateful.
JLO64 · 2026-08-27 00:51:14 UTC
> Thanks to the combined efforts of mildsunrise and chaos_princess, we discovered that ACE3 has pretty much the same register set as CD3217, only wrapped in a SPMI interface instead of addressed over I2C. Both the SPMI interface and ACE3 itself are now working in Asahi Linux, bringing USB 3.0 and Thunderbolt support to all M3 series devices.
When I got my M3 Pro MBP, I got it with the intention of eventually installing Linux on it. In hindsight I seriously underestimated the amount of effort needed for even partial Linux compatibility, which makes me all the more grateful for the work Asahi contributors have put in! I'll still be keeping macOS installed for iOS dev work(which I plan on doing soonish), but other than that all I really need is a web browser and Ghostty with good battery life.
IdiotSavage · 2026-08-27 12:19:27 UTC
> other than that all I really need is a web browser and Ghostty with good battery life.
Then why bother installing a different OS?
msto · 2026-08-27 12:48:24 UTC
There might be no reason while the hardware is latest and greatest, but installing a different OS can keep old hardware going for longer. My 2014 Macbook Pro is uncomfortably slow on the last supported MacOS but works perfectly fine when running the latest Fedora.
JLO64 · 2026-08-27 13:38:06 UTC
This exactly sums up my long term feelings. Even now I’m annoyed by all the background bloat/tasks that are running on it, and I’d prefer being able to have more control over what runs on it for battery/performance reasons. Additionally, even though I’ve had it for years at this point, I think I’d still be more comfortable if I could use i3 with it.
astrange · 2026-08-27 18:37:05 UTC
Background processes almost never really use expensive resources on macOS or Linux. Certainly they can cause symptoms sometimes, but it's typically no worse than extra fan noise.
All the wasted resources on most people's machines are going to a) pixel buffers b) browser tabs c) both.
Obscurity4340 · 2026-08-27 21:57:55 UTC
Almost never. But still sometimes
Also computers should run and not run what you choose. Apple should not be able to for e you to run "services" (for themselves) and apps you cant delete
wltr · 2026-08-27 13:58:07 UTC
And mine is as fast as I need, with Sway as my main DE. (With Arch Linux, but I bet Fedora wouldn’t be any worse.) The only reason to switch to M{1,2,3} is battery life. So, as soon as the external Thunderbolt display is going to work, I think I’m making the switch.
flaburgan · 2026-08-27 12:55:09 UTC
Or why bother buying an expensive machine in the first place...
JLO64 · 2026-08-27 13:31:47 UTC
I actually didn’t buy it! It was a gift from a friend who really likes splurging at Micro Center. If it were my money, I probably would’ve gotten an Air.
tjoff · 2026-08-27 14:28:27 UTC
Supporting the most closed option is worth it because...?
The hardware is not even that good. Sure, the CPUs are nice but nice enough to actively support the most closed up system? Not by a longshot.
MBCook · 2026-08-27 13:34:28 UTC
Preference?
You can dual boot Asahi when the time comes.
jjtheblunt · 2026-08-27 15:43:57 UTC
you overlooked the UTM.app (also buildable from open source) on the App Store, which allows installation from an ISO of arm-native linux builds, directly run via the Apple hypervisor.framework, _not_ using Qemu emulation.
it's fast as greased lightning and fantastic. I've used it two or so years on M1, M2, M2 Max, and M5 and it's what I think you too will love.
giancarlostoro · 2026-08-27 15:56:36 UTC
The only reason is because M2 to M3 was a dramatic shift in how everything works, M1 and M2 were both compatible with one another, I'm not sure if after M3 its been stable, but I sure hope so, there's value in my opinion in being backwards compatible with older CPUs.
LoganDark · 2026-08-27 01:03:07 UTC
I'm extremely excited to hear that the hypervisor now works on M4! Can't wait to try out Asahi in a year or two.
owaislone · 2026-08-27 02:01:11 UTC
This project has been so impressive and exciting. I hope power management is a serious concern once they nail all the reverse engineering and functionality. Battery life would be a huge differentiator for the day to day macbook usage and traditionally Linux has been terrible at that due to lack of proprietary & highly tuned drivers
paulryanrogers · 2026-08-27 03:21:35 UTC
How likely is such tuning to happen within the practical lifetime of these devices? It's already been years and Linux isn't even feature complete on newer models.
Apple's indifference to OSS does not give me much hope.
LoganDark · 2026-08-27 03:45:05 UTC
I would assume that once you have fully functional support for entire historical SoCs, the effort stops being "get most things working on most chips" and starts becoming "adapt already-working things to the newest chips". Yes, it's been years, but there's still so much hardware that Asahi doesn't have good support for yet, and that's dividing the efforts to support the newest chips. I'm sure that once all the existing chips are well-supported, new chips will be fairly quick to bring up.
paulryanrogers · 2026-08-27 19:36:06 UTC
I've daily driven Linux for years, even on laptops. Yet they're always plugged in because I've yet to see Linux out perform battery life of native OS's. Well, except for very niche and pared down Linux's.
Rather it seems that as time goes on Linux just outgrows old devices entirely, again excluding very niche distros. Not that it makes them increasingly efficient.
Have you seen Linux getting more efficient over time? What's your use case?
LoganDark · 2026-08-28 05:23:38 UTC
I'm definitely not the one to ask, I use laptops as movable workstations, always plugged in.
superb_dev · 2026-08-27 03:45:24 UTC
Given the enormous lifetime of these devices, I’d say chances are pretty good! The only thing that’s going to make an M series Mac obsolete is when Apple stops releasing updates. If you can run Linux on it, that thing is going to last forever.
paulryanrogers · 2026-08-27 19:31:31 UTC
My concern is for the devices I have, which are usually newer, and for battery life. Linux doesn't even have full hardware support, much less efficient battery life on these now several year old devices.
Maybe things will unlock soon and stay that way long enough for it to be viable for me. I'm just not holding my breath.
Of course it's great to have a supported OS for retired hardware--regardless of battery performance. That's a different use case. And I salute all those who work to keep old devices out of landfills.
GeekyBear · 2026-08-27 13:59:11 UTC
The new project leadership team prioritized upstreaming the existing work first.
Once the upstreaming was largely done, they first mentioned beginning the work of adding M3 support in the February progress report.
Now we have this:
> With all of this progress coming on top of milestones already reached on M3, we are pleased to announce that we are almost ready to cut an official release! We will have more to say about this in the coming weeks, so stay tuned!
I'm not seeing any reason for gloom or doom.
tiahura · 2026-08-27 02:44:05 UTC
macOS is so terrible. Godspeed!
LoganDark · 2026-08-27 03:39:46 UTC
To downvoters: historically, a decent number of Windows and Linux users would run the operating systems on Apple hardware. I myself ran a triple-boot between macOS, Windows and Linux for years (although I still mainly used the machine for macOS). Apple Silicon demolished that market, and Asahi Linux is like a light at the end of the tunnel for those users who were entirely left behind by the ARM transition.
kmeisthax · 2026-08-27 03:04:53 UTC
I was seriously worried the various incompatibilities the M3 bootloader had with Asahi's debugging setup would mean way slower bring-up than M1 and M2 had. Seems like that wasn't the case - or, at least, won't be the case anymore.
MBCook · 2026-08-27 03:11:28 UTC
Seems like once they got past that things weren’t too bad. Could have been way more incompatibilities waiting on the other side.
timschumi · 2026-08-27 05:23:51 UTC
The processor version with the debugging incompstibilities was M4, I think.
dgunay · 2026-08-27 03:38:09 UTC
I have immense respect for the incredible work that the Asahi team does, but at the rate that Intel and AMD have been catching up on power efficiency I wonder whether anyone will really _have_ to run Linux on M series laptops. There was a clear case for it back when Apple silicon absolutely dominated anything else you could buy but with Panther Lake I'm not so sure that Apple's lead will continue to be big enough to justify needing to wait several years for full Linux hardware compatibility to be reverse engineered.
benoau · 2026-08-27 03:48:01 UTC
It depends on how long Apple want to support the devices, if the support matches the longevity of the devices maybe nobody really needs Asahi. I believe all Intel Macs have received their final macOS version now so it is almost time for Apple to make that decision for the M1 generation. I think an M1 Pro, Max or Ultra (or even an M1 with 16GB of RAM) still has many good years left.
selfhoster1312 · 2026-08-27 06:55:49 UTC
OS LTS support barely matters when planned obsolescence is baked in at the hardware level. Wearing parts (eg. SSD) are soldered on newer macs and there's intensive efforts to make sure even if you have the tools you can't repair it.
Overall, i wouldn't count on "many good years left".
kalleboo · 2026-08-27 07:43:16 UTC
My MacBook Pro M1 is 5 years old now and the SSD wear level is at 4%. SSD wear is not a problem for normal users.
Meanwhile Apple's standard OS support period is 7 years, that's a much more imminent limit.
Not saying that I support non-user-replaceable SSDs, but if your goal is reducing e-waste, there are more impactful changes to make.
selfhoster1312 · 2026-08-27 08:05:04 UTC
Thanks, that's a fair data point. Although i'm sure it depends on actual user workloads.
I'm not saying that I support closed-source firmware, locked bootloaders, or even that replacing SSDs is the one true path to sustainability.
I believe it's a whole field and we shouldn't tolerate compromises on any level. It should be 100% illegal in any civilized country to sell the kind of lame hardware we have today. It should be 100% repairable, 100% open bootloader & free firmware, 100% public tech docs/datasheets. Original manufacturer OS support is not insignificant, but i believe it's only significant because we have so little control/understanding of the hardware/software stack.
hnaccount_rng · 2026-08-27 08:32:11 UTC
You have trade offs though. Both with added effort during the development but also just physical limits with the amount of additional losses you have over clicked vs soldered connections
selfhoster1312 · 2026-08-27 09:45:11 UTC
That's true. I can't say i'm 100% against soldering parts, that would be silly. What concerns me is that undocumented parts that are unavailable to buy as spare parts are soldered and have firmware that enforces pairing with a specific other part.
It would be reasonable if all components on a motherboard had to be sold as spare parts by law (not just the entire board that costs the same as the entire device, that's malicious compliance) and all spec sheets were made available. That might just make the economy of a repair shop work again.
kalleboo · 2026-08-27 12:27:27 UTC
Totally agree that lawmakers need to crack down on locked-down hardware.
The DMA crap that the EU passed even seems to go in the wrong direction, allowing Apple to audit the financials of anyone who makes an iOS app.
I was mostly just reacting to your "barely matters" wording :)
a96 · 2026-08-27 09:46:29 UTC
The thing about SSD failures is that in normal use, you can't wear one out. But in perfectly normal use, some of the units just die after N years (for very small number N in some cases). They don't warn. They don't show increased fault or wear counters. They just die and completely disappear from the bus and stop accepting any commands. There is no recovery and, I repeat, no warning.
That's why you have backups and drives are easy to replace, though reinstall/restore can be tedious.
Unless it's a soldered in one.
ryandrake · 2026-08-27 16:26:29 UTC
Every piece of Apple hardware I own has outlasted its software support by at least 2X. Or, as I'd rather put it: The software support has been prematurely cut off at best at 50% of devices' lifetimes.
euio757 · 2026-08-27 03:48:29 UTC
But, power efficiency isn't the primary reason I'd like Apple hardware with linux software.
Display quality, trackpad quality, overall form factor, and very high RAM space in a laptop would be the primary reasons I'd go with Asahi Linux.
rowanG077 · 2026-08-27 06:30:22 UTC
This is exactly why I run asahi. There really is not a laptop that comes close to the hardware quality of an apple laptop. I have even sacrificed x86 at the altar which is a much bigger step than battery life imo.
Gud · 2026-08-27 09:27:24 UTC
I agree.
I’ve been a big Lenovo fan, settled on the X1 carbon. I’ve had three of them, G5, G6 and G9. The USB-C port broke on both G6 and G9 models. Apparently it’s a common problem. Unfortunately the ports are soldered directly on the motherboard making it difficult to fix(should be a small separate board for easy replacement). I was going to desolder and replace the ports, but haven’t gotten around to it.
I’m now using a MacBook Pro M2.
danw1979 · 2026-08-27 09:38:45 UTC
Ummm if repairability is a concern, I’ve got some news to share about your new Macbook.
nicce · 2026-08-27 10:23:36 UTC
> I’ve got some news to share about your new Macbook.
As long as you pay for Apple Care, not a problem. But maybe not the point…
mschuster91 · 2026-08-27 10:40:09 UTC
Apple saves itself a lot of the trouble with superior build quality. With Samsung devices (so no cheap crap), USB ports last me about three years of heavy use.
With my old iPhone 12, 2019 16-inch MBP or my 2022 MBA? Not a single issue. The housing is simply constructed so tight and, being made of solid metal, rigid that the housing bears the torsion load and not the tiny PCB solder pads.
The only problem I have with my new USB-C iPhone 15 is that it is hard to clean pocket lint out of the socket, compared to the old Lightning connector.
spankibalt · 2026-08-27 12:08:51 UTC
> With Samsung devices (so no cheap crap), USB ports last me about three years of heavy use.
What are you doing to these machines?! I work in the safety and security biz, including in the field, and my trusty HP EliteBook 2730p is still rocking along on its first USB ports. That machine is over 15 bloody years old!
centizen · 2026-08-27 12:45:33 UTC
That is a convertible laptop that meets MIL-STD-810F standards on vibration resistance, it’s not really a fair comparison. Also, the change from dedicated charge ports to USB-C charging increased USB port usage considerably.
spankibalt · 2026-08-27 13:02:26 UTC
> Also, the change from dedicated charge ports to USB-C charging increased USB port usage considerably.
I never needed one, but a good USB-C adapter (or maybe even small dock) with power passthrough should solve this. Burning through whole machines because a single USB-C port cakes out after just three years is an awful lot of waste.
mschuster91 · 2026-08-27 15:02:14 UTC
> What are you doing to these machines?
Mostly, keeping them in my pocket with a USB cable attached to a power bank. Places an awful lot of torsion force on the connector. I tend to go through 2-3 charges a day.
Another issue is that I have cats that like to play with everything being too close to a table corner.
simonh · 2026-08-27 10:59:35 UTC
If the ports don't effing break in the first place, who cares?
Gud · 2026-08-27 12:27:11 UTC
No, repair ability is only important if it’s crappy quality to begin with.
psd1 · 2026-08-27 18:00:09 UTC
I try to buy good hardware for practical reasons. I insist on repairability for emotional reasons around ownership and independence. You do not have to value the same things as me, of course.
Gud · 2026-08-27 21:35:14 UTC
No actually, I do value that as well.
tacticalturtle · 2026-08-27 13:22:04 UTC
I replaced some parts on my M1 MacBook Air.
For 90% of the parts it’s honestly pretty easy to work with. You just need a few screwdrivers. And I sourced all my parts from eBay.
The only thing that’s egregious is the batteries.
They tape the batteries to the case, and to remove them you have to do this complex twirling motion with tweezers to pull the tape out from under the battery. If the tape snaps during this then the documentation basically says get a new case.
DrScientist · 2026-08-27 10:20:53 UTC
> trackpad quality
This
aucisson_masque · 2026-08-27 10:41:27 UTC
Yeah, people miss that about apple laptop.
Find me another laptop that has everything, even if it's more expensive ! You can't, some have keyboard as good, some it's the display. In best case you got 2 or 3 things but then it goes downhill on the other, like the trackpad.
spankibalt · 2026-08-27 12:02:37 UTC
> Display quality, trackpad quality, overall form factor, and very high RAM space in a laptop would be the primary reasons I'd go with [an Apple].
Heh, that's precisely one grouping of reasons I avoid Apple, especially with regards to trackpads and form factor (and, to a lesser degree, displays).
thiht · 2026-08-27 19:43:07 UTC
You’re making no sense
spankibalt · 2026-08-27 20:26:43 UTC
Let me help you with that:
1. Trackpads. I hate 'em. Keyboard-integrated trackpoints and/or trackballs is what I need. Detachables with a trackpad are acceptable as one can bring a Bluetooth substitute (that's how I do it on my HP x2 G4); on a non-detachable only a trackpoint, in addition to the trackpad, is acceptable (on my HP 2730p or my workplace ThinkPads I only use the trackpoint, the trackpad is turned off).
2. Form factor. Not counting their "castrated" tablets, Apple doesn't build 2-in-1 or 3-in-1 detachables (the best general-purpose mobile computing form factor) or convertibles (T-hinge models represent the second best form factor). The last orthodox-chassis laptop purchase I made took place in 1999. Outside of a vintage or retro machine I might entertain (which itself loses out to wedge-style keyboard computer cases), that form factor is dead to me.
3. Apple is not the only outfit that ships with good displays. Et cetera.
SalariedSlave · 2026-08-27 20:23:25 UTC
Exactly. As a lifelong linux user, I bought a Neo on release for my SO and was blown away by the quality at that price point.
I've had high-end laptops from all the big vendors, and even at the highest price tier, other vendors don't deliver such build quality. I hate how all non-Apple laptops feel. The case, the hinge, the materials, everything. If I coud reliably use linux on Apple hardware, I'd never buy another laptop brand again.
dmitrygr · 2026-08-27 03:56:17 UTC
> but at the rate that Intel and AMD have been catching up on power efficiency
Have they? What AMD or Intel laptop with Linux on it can hold a candle to and M4 air or an M4max pro? Genuinely curious, cause I found none...
oblio · 2026-08-27 04:03:55 UTC
AMD Strix Halo?
dmitrygr · 2026-08-27 05:09:18 UTC
"up to 9 hours for light web browsing or everyday tasks"
that is 1/3 the battery life of a macbook in the same use case. seems completely incomparable
prmoustache · 2026-08-27 07:05:41 UTC
Who works 27h straight far away from a power or usb outlet?
pmontra · 2026-08-27 07:17:57 UTC
Probably nobody and I remember when a phone battery lasted one week: nevertheless sometimes we forgot to charge and we run out of battery. So a long lasting battery is good, too long lasting is a waste, which maybe it's your point.
However nowadays it could mean running some agents all day long (remote models) and plug in to power only at the end of the day.
cosmic_cheese · 2026-08-27 15:42:56 UTC
It’s more about not having to drag a cable + brick around everywhere and not needing to care about the location of the nearest power outlet, potentially for multiple days depending on usage patterns. You can instead leave the charging bits at home or the hotel and charge overnight.
This also means that battery cycles accumulate more slowly and the battery’s lifetime is stretched further.
Also, generally more efficient chips don’t get hot as easily which makes the laptop more comfortable to use and prevents fans from becoming audible unless you’re really pushing the system.
darkwater · 2026-08-27 07:06:45 UTC
I have a M1 Pro from work and it surely won't last that while working. Throw some video calls at it and working outside (so, screen at the brightest level) and at the end of the work day I have to plug it in
maccard · 2026-08-27 08:34:10 UTC
Your M1 Pro is 5 years old presumably?
darkwater · 2026-08-27 17:35:09 UTC
Indeed it is, but batteries don't degrade 60% over 5 years.
hobo123 · 2026-08-27 15:49:11 UTC
With load on it and a bright room (= display reasonably bright as well) my M3 also doesn't always last 8h. But it gets very close. Intel machines are more like 3h in that case.
izacus · 2026-08-27 08:55:17 UTC
No MacBook runs for 27 hours even if it says so in spec sheet. My 16" doesn't come close to apple claims.
(Did we really forget how inflated Apple battery claims really are?)
cosmic_cheese · 2026-08-27 15:43:58 UTC
It can get pretty close if avoiding Chrome and Chromium wrappers, especially in airplane mode.
jaimex2 · 2026-08-27 05:43:56 UTC
No idea but my Framework 12 goes for days without charging. I really haven't seen any real world need for M chips.
Granted Im not compiling large projects on a train all day but who is.
zakisaad · 2026-08-27 06:51:12 UTC
raises hand, but point taken when painting with broad strokes
porridgeraisin · 2026-08-27 07:31:14 UTC
> Framework 12 ... days without charging
I don't see how? it is a 50Wh battery. Even at 6W that is about 8h of usage? On what OS + workload on x86 are you seeing just 6W usage? Or is it that each day your usage is only 2 hours?
delamon · 2026-08-27 08:04:45 UTC
My amd thinkpad idles at 3w, watching youtube is about 4.5-5w.
Comments
https://xff.cz/git/libva-v4l2_request/
You have to appreciate the effort Apple puts into security - goes some way to understanding why they won't endorse/support installing an alternative operating system.
Intel and AMD set the standard for "tremendous effort" bringing up support for alternative OSes. Nvidia follows behind, and Apple's support is (somehow) behind Nvidia's foot-dragging.
Yes, Apple put effort into making it possible to install alternative operating systems on Macs, but that is an exception to the design because the chips are designed to be locked down. I expect Apple to remove the option at some point because nobody is using it on any of the recent hardware.
> Rumours circulating that Apple are actively hostile towards efforts such as Asahi, or that their security must be bypassed or jailbroken to run untrusted code are unfounded and false. In fact, Apple have expended effort and time on improving their security tooling in ways that only improve the execution of non-macOS binaries. An example of this is giving their Boot Policy configuration tool the ability to wrap raw AArch64 code in a proper Mach-O format starting with macOS 12.1. This is only ever required for enrolling a boot object that is not already a macOS kernelcache.
You get a jmp to some arm64 instructions of your choosing, with a bunch of CPU features locked out.
Tremendous efforts would be to publish reference manuals for all their hardware components.
Apple is doing the bare minimum, which is to not build 10km tall walls around its walled garden.
But in the modern day of walled gardens, that's viewed as generosity.
To be perfectly clear, Apple is like a lifeline to a lot of people. They are one of the last bastions of quality in the hardware and software world. This is why it's such a disappointment that they've been faltering lately: we had high expectations of them, which hasn't been quite so true for the rest of the industry for a while. So it is a big deal that hidden gems like this continue to crop up from them: it is a sign that some of their core values still remain. And I really hope the new CEO will bring back some of what they lost after Steve Jobs.
There are a lot of shortcuts they could have taken to leave us with less freedom and they did not take those shortcuts. For that, I am grateful.
When I got my M3 Pro MBP, I got it with the intention of eventually installing Linux on it. In hindsight I seriously underestimated the amount of effort needed for even partial Linux compatibility, which makes me all the more grateful for the work Asahi contributors have put in! I'll still be keeping macOS installed for iOS dev work(which I plan on doing soonish), but other than that all I really need is a web browser and Ghostty with good battery life.
Then why bother installing a different OS?
All the wasted resources on most people's machines are going to a) pixel buffers b) browser tabs c) both.
Also computers should run and not run what you choose. Apple should not be able to for e you to run "services" (for themselves) and apps you cant delete
The hardware is not even that good. Sure, the CPUs are nice but nice enough to actively support the most closed up system? Not by a longshot.
You can dual boot Asahi when the time comes.
it's fast as greased lightning and fantastic. I've used it two or so years on M1, M2, M2 Max, and M5 and it's what I think you too will love.
Apple's indifference to OSS does not give me much hope.
Rather it seems that as time goes on Linux just outgrows old devices entirely, again excluding very niche distros. Not that it makes them increasingly efficient.
Have you seen Linux getting more efficient over time? What's your use case?
Maybe things will unlock soon and stay that way long enough for it to be viable for me. I'm just not holding my breath.
Of course it's great to have a supported OS for retired hardware--regardless of battery performance. That's a different use case. And I salute all those who work to keep old devices out of landfills.
Once the upstreaming was largely done, they first mentioned beginning the work of adding M3 support in the February progress report.
Now we have this:
> With all of this progress coming on top of milestones already reached on M3, we are pleased to announce that we are almost ready to cut an official release! We will have more to say about this in the coming weeks, so stay tuned!
I'm not seeing any reason for gloom or doom.
Parts aren't available but if you get your hands on there's cryptographic parts pairing so it more or less can't be replaced: https://rossmanngroup.com/services/ssd-data-recovery/macbook...
Overall, i wouldn't count on "many good years left".
Meanwhile Apple's standard OS support period is 7 years, that's a much more imminent limit.
Not saying that I support non-user-replaceable SSDs, but if your goal is reducing e-waste, there are more impactful changes to make.
I'm not saying that I support closed-source firmware, locked bootloaders, or even that replacing SSDs is the one true path to sustainability.
I believe it's a whole field and we shouldn't tolerate compromises on any level. It should be 100% illegal in any civilized country to sell the kind of lame hardware we have today. It should be 100% repairable, 100% open bootloader & free firmware, 100% public tech docs/datasheets. Original manufacturer OS support is not insignificant, but i believe it's only significant because we have so little control/understanding of the hardware/software stack.
It would be reasonable if all components on a motherboard had to be sold as spare parts by law (not just the entire board that costs the same as the entire device, that's malicious compliance) and all spec sheets were made available. That might just make the economy of a repair shop work again.
The DMA crap that the EU passed even seems to go in the wrong direction, allowing Apple to audit the financials of anyone who makes an iOS app.
I was mostly just reacting to your "barely matters" wording :)
That's why you have backups and drives are easy to replace, though reinstall/restore can be tedious.
Unless it's a soldered in one.
Display quality, trackpad quality, overall form factor, and very high RAM space in a laptop would be the primary reasons I'd go with Asahi Linux.
I’ve been a big Lenovo fan, settled on the X1 carbon. I’ve had three of them, G5, G6 and G9. The USB-C port broke on both G6 and G9 models. Apparently it’s a common problem. Unfortunately the ports are soldered directly on the motherboard making it difficult to fix(should be a small separate board for easy replacement). I was going to desolder and replace the ports, but haven’t gotten around to it.
I’m now using a MacBook Pro M2.
As long as you pay for Apple Care, not a problem. But maybe not the point…
With my old iPhone 12, 2019 16-inch MBP or my 2022 MBA? Not a single issue. The housing is simply constructed so tight and, being made of solid metal, rigid that the housing bears the torsion load and not the tiny PCB solder pads.
The only problem I have with my new USB-C iPhone 15 is that it is hard to clean pocket lint out of the socket, compared to the old Lightning connector.
What are you doing to these machines?! I work in the safety and security biz, including in the field, and my trusty HP EliteBook 2730p is still rocking along on its first USB ports. That machine is over 15 bloody years old!
I never needed one, but a good USB-C adapter (or maybe even small dock) with power passthrough should solve this. Burning through whole machines because a single USB-C port cakes out after just three years is an awful lot of waste.
Mostly, keeping them in my pocket with a USB cable attached to a power bank. Places an awful lot of torsion force on the connector. I tend to go through 2-3 charges a day.
Another issue is that I have cats that like to play with everything being too close to a table corner.
For 90% of the parts it’s honestly pretty easy to work with. You just need a few screwdrivers. And I sourced all my parts from eBay.
The documentation is excellent:
https://support.apple.com/en-us/100586
The only thing that’s egregious is the batteries. They tape the batteries to the case, and to remove them you have to do this complex twirling motion with tweezers to pull the tape out from under the battery. If the tape snaps during this then the documentation basically says get a new case.
This
Find me another laptop that has everything, even if it's more expensive ! You can't, some have keyboard as good, some it's the display. In best case you got 2 or 3 things but then it goes downhill on the other, like the trackpad.
Heh, that's precisely one grouping of reasons I avoid Apple, especially with regards to trackpads and form factor (and, to a lesser degree, displays).
1. Trackpads. I hate 'em. Keyboard-integrated trackpoints and/or trackballs is what I need. Detachables with a trackpad are acceptable as one can bring a Bluetooth substitute (that's how I do it on my HP x2 G4); on a non-detachable only a trackpoint, in addition to the trackpad, is acceptable (on my HP 2730p or my workplace ThinkPads I only use the trackpoint, the trackpad is turned off).
2. Form factor. Not counting their "castrated" tablets, Apple doesn't build 2-in-1 or 3-in-1 detachables (the best general-purpose mobile computing form factor) or convertibles (T-hinge models represent the second best form factor). The last orthodox-chassis laptop purchase I made took place in 1999. Outside of a vintage or retro machine I might entertain (which itself loses out to wedge-style keyboard computer cases), that form factor is dead to me.
3. Apple is not the only outfit that ships with good displays. Et cetera.
I've had high-end laptops from all the big vendors, and even at the highest price tier, other vendors don't deliver such build quality. I hate how all non-Apple laptops feel. The case, the hinge, the materials, everything. If I coud reliably use linux on Apple hardware, I'd never buy another laptop brand again.
Have they? What AMD or Intel laptop with Linux on it can hold a candle to and M4 air or an M4max pro? Genuinely curious, cause I found none...
that is 1/3 the battery life of a macbook in the same use case. seems completely incomparable
However nowadays it could mean running some agents all day long (remote models) and plug in to power only at the end of the day.
This also means that battery cycles accumulate more slowly and the battery’s lifetime is stretched further.
Also, generally more efficient chips don’t get hot as easily which makes the laptop more comfortable to use and prevents fans from becoming audible unless you’re really pushing the system.
(Did we really forget how inflated Apple battery claims really are?)
Granted Im not compiling large projects on a train all day but who is.
I don't see how? it is a 50Wh battery. Even at 6W that is about 8h of usage? On what OS + workload on x86 are you seeing just 6W usage? Or is it that each day your usage is only 2 hours?