Linux

7782 readers

12 users here now

Welcome to c/linux!

Welcome to our thriving Linux community! Whether you're a seasoned Linux enthusiast or just starting your journey, we're excited to have you here. Explore, learn, and collaborate with like-minded individuals who share a passion for open-source software and the endless possibilities it offers. Together, let's dive into the world of Linux and embrace the power of freedom, customization, and innovation. Enjoy your stay and feel free to join the vibrant discussions that await you!

Rules:

Stay on topic: Posts and discussions should be related to Linux, open source software, and related technologies.
Be respectful: Treat fellow community members with respect and courtesy.
Quality over quantity: Share informative and thought-provoking content.
No spam or self-promotion: Avoid excessive self-promotion or spamming.
No NSFW adult content
Follow general lemmy guidelines.

founded 1 year ago

MODERATORS

MigratingtoLemmy@lemmy.world

Linux on Microsoft Copilot+ PCs? (lemmy.world)

submitted 3 months ago by ricdeh@lemmy.world to c/linux@lemmy.world

4 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Do you think it will be possible to run GNU/Linux operating systems on Microsoft's brand new "Copilot+ PCs"? The latter ones were unveiled just yesterday, and honestly, the sales pitch is quite impressive! A Verge article on them: Link

top 4 comments

sorted by: hot top controversial new old

[–] simple@lemm.ee 0 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Yes, Linux actually does already run on ARM chips, and Qualcomm themselves pledged support for Linux for the new chips within the next 6 months.

There is one big issue though: most applications won't be available since they have to work specifically for ARM. This is a big deal because I don't think Linux has a proper x86 --> ARM translation layer. That means most of your apps and games won't work.

I'd wait at least a couple of months to see how the ecosystem is before buying one. It's likely going to be a very bumpy ride for the next ~2 years until everything you'd need is supported.

[–] h3ndrik@feddit.de 0 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 children)

Wow. That settles the discussion pretty quickly...

I'm not sure with the transition layer... Isn't there things like qemu and box64... And multiarch support is part of most of the Linux distributions as of today? I always thought it's just a few commands to make your system execute foreign binaries. I mean I've only ever tried cross-compiling for arm and running 32bit games on amd64 architecture so I don't know that much. In the end I don't use that much proprietary software, so it's not really any issue for me. >99% of Linux software I use is available for ARM. But I can see how that'd be an issue for a gamer, regardless of the operating system being Windows or Linux or MacOS.

And I'm not really interested in the AI coprocessor itself. The real question for me is: Can it do LLM inference as fast as a M2/M3 Macbook? For that it'd need RAM that's connected via a wide bus. And then there's the question what does a machine with 64GB of RAM cost. That's the major drawback with a Macbook because they get super expensive if you want a decent amount of RAM.

[–] simple@lemm.ee 0 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Isn’t there things like qemu and box64…

Yeah, but they're experimental and probably very buggy. I've used box64 on my phone, it doesn't play well with everything.

Can it do LLM inference as fast as a M2/M3 Macbook?

It should be better at AI stuff than M series laptops, allegedly. Many manufacturers actually started listing their prices for the new laptops, the new Microsoft ones start at 16GB of RAM at $1000. I know the Lenovo one can reach 64GB of RAM but not sure about the pricing.

[–] h3ndrik@feddit.de 0 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

Hmmh. I can't really make an informed statement. I can't fathom qemu being experimental. That's like a 20 year old project and used by lots of people. I'm not sure. And I've yet to try Box64.

I looked it up. The Snapdragin X Elite "Supports up to 64GB LPDDR5, with 136 GB/s memory bandwidth" while the Apple M2/M3 have anywhere from 100 GB/s memory bandwith to 150/300 or 400. (800 in the Ultra). And a graphics card has like ~300 to ~1000GB/s)

(Of course that's only relevant for running large language models.)