What is the Linux equivalent of a MacBook Air? Unless its literally MacBook Air and the virtualization just hasn't come far enough
if you're looking for a nice ultraportable, System76 has you covered
In terms of slim netbooks that are Linux first?
Starbook from Star Labs
Framework 13 from Framework
Slimbook from Slimbook
I would say Framework 13. Maybe a bit thicker but it captures the Linux spirit of having something you can customize.
https://9to5mac.com/2023/02/21/m1-mac-linux/
Actually not what you asked.
Isn't it tho? Altho, are you in turn suggesting MacBook is the best Linux computer with all the problems of Mac but just in a Hypervisor where they have even more control and would theoretically be more unhinged?
What hypervisor? You can entirely replace macOS with linux and run it directly.
You can just put linux on whatever computer you want. You want it on a MacBook? Do it. You want it on a custom built gaming rig? Do it. You want it on your grandpa’s beige monstrosity? You’ll need a light af distro, but you can do it.
Linux isn’t going to be built around or optimized for any specific hardware, because that’s not what it’s for or how the folks who make it operate. That means that if you want the best linux laptop, go find the best laptop you can afford, and load it with the distro you’re interested in. You don’t buy linux like macOS.
If you want a computer built by a linux distro developer, use a system76 computer with popOS
I have a Thinkpad x1 nano that I threw Linux on. Not sure if it counts since it came with Windows installed, but Thinkpads have historically done well with Linux support.
It's tiny, super light, can't upgrade any parts, has minimal ports and I love it
Depending on where you live, but companies producing laptops exclusively for Linux are eg. Tuxedo, System76, Slimbook.
But which is the Apple among[st] those companies in terms of creating the closest experiential and physical analogue so to speak?
Edit: some folks are saying you can run Linux on M1 Macs to such a complete extent that I almost can just stick with that but I feel like I'd like my cake and eat it too by being able to like dual-boot and use whatever situationally.
They’re not. None of them are. If you’re wanting to go from always using apple straight to Linux you’re going to have a really, really bad time.
The Dell XPS Developer Edition, aka Project Sputnik.
I bought a mid 2012 Macbook Pro specifically for Linux, take from that what you will 🫣
Louis Rossmann having 1000s of videos on repairing these also made the decision a no brainer.
Just yesterday I got a dell inspiron for this reason. It’s the “we have a laptop at home” macbook air IMO and I only logged into the OEM windows for the 5 min of checking out what’s new windows 11 before installing my OS of choice.
K here's an example to help illustrate what I'm looking for: pretend I'm a MacBook and this is a dumb fantasy like Thomas the Tank or whatever. Say I want to romance a Linux copy of me? What laptop as a fellow laptop do I want to "Migrate" or upload with?
Edit: I have no viruses to speak of or at all
If you want to use a MacBook with Linux, you put Linux on the MacBook. It really is that easy.
Pinebook Pro is the answer. If you don't agree, reconsider the question.
Listen I love Pine and what they're doing but their hardware is equivalent to a V-Tech children's toy compared to literally anything else. No adult who wants to have an actual daily driver should ever consider Pine unless Pine do some major upgrades.
Bro my old phone is faster than a Pinebook Pro
The thinkpads are probably the closest thing to MacBooks outside of apple, and I guess you could boot Linux on one. Though without knowing what you actually like about MacBooks, I can't really recommend anything in particular
Not looking for a fight 🎰
Well you done come to the wrong neighborhood.
I don't understand what you're asking. A mac is hardware, linux is software. There are no "equivalents" between the two.
Why do you mention virtualization? A VM is by no means the only way to run linux on macs, on x86 machines it should install just fine, and Asahi has come a long way towards fully working on ARM.
If you're asking for apple-like hardware that can run linux, just go with apple hardware.
Or are you asking for laptops that come with linux? I don't get what you're actually after here.
Yeah, thats fine if Asahi totally substitutes or can substitute for MacOS. I need a lot of work on this topic because I've never ventured outside like CrossOver or whatever the thing that lets you run Windows on Mac. Is Asahi like that but on steroids basically?
No. CrossOver only runs windows programs inside OSx, not windows itself. It's basically "just" Wine. BootCamp would be an actual dual-boot utility which made actually installing Windows onto x86 macs a bit easier. As far as I know, there's been no great success with installing Windows on M series macs. But it works just fine on x86 based apple computers.
Asahi is the linux project which is doing work to implement support for all the mac-specific hardware features that apple arm silicon has. Such as the GPU, fingerprint sensor, touch pad, etc.
Linux already works on arm in general, it's the core of android, after all. But apple keeps the way all their stuff works together for themselves. So using apple hardware, especially the new M series SOCs, with something other than their intended operating system, has to be figured out from scratch. That's what Asahi is doing, and they are very far along now.
I'm not sure you understand how operating systems work. They are not part of the hardware, they are only software, as long you have something else that also works on that hardware, you can completely delete what came with it, and put in whatever else you want. With x86 macs you can literally turn them into windows computers, it's not windows running inside OSx, just windows.