So about 2 months ago I made this post about looking for an iPad replacement that runs Linux. I said I wasn’t in a rush, but after thinking about it ever since and seeing the Minisforum V3 go on sale for just $1000, I pulled the trigger.

My impressions are still very new (I have used it for a total of 2 hours at this point), but I’m super happy so far. Installed Fedora 40 and almost everything works out of the box (including a Wacom MPP stylus). As mudkip mentioned in this blog, the volume buttons don’t work when the keyboard is detached and auto-rotation doesn’t work. The former isn’t a big deal and the latter doesn’t affect me in the slightest, but I can confirm those issues are still present on a stock Fedora install.

Anyway, there’s not a lot of information about this tablet running Linux out there, is there anything anyone wants me to test or any questions I can answer?

  • fart_pickle@lemmy.world
    01·
    5 months ago

    I wrote it several times and I will write it again. Linux on a tablet is at best average. However, after recent release of KDE 6, plasma mobile got really good. In tablet mode it feels almost like a real thing. I’ve been using it for some time now and I like the experience.

    • RandomLegend [He/Him]@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
      0·
      5 months ago

      i used Fedora with Gnome on Lenovo Yoga and regularly flipped the keyboard around and used it in Tablet mode.

      It’s not average, it’s pretty good if you ask me. Never had any issues and it was absolutely usabale.

      • fart_pickle@lemmy.world
        01·
        5 months ago

        It is usable but I’ve been using iPad for years before trying Linux on a tablet and it’s way behind iPadOS in terms of ux and ease of use. The latest plasma mobile makes it more tablety but it still feels like a desktop with touch support. Having said that, I’m pretty happy with plasma mobile and can’t wait for further improvements.

        • youmaynotknow@lemmy.ml
          0·
          5 months ago

          That’s to be expected. Linux distros are barely just getting their feet wet in the tablet/mobile world.

          I have no use for tablets, but if I did, I’d certainly go the Linux way and deal with whatever I have to before ever thinking to use Apple, Microsoft or any Google OS.

          • fart_pickle@lemmy.world
            01·
            5 months ago

            Linux distros are barely just getting their feet wet in the tablet/mobile world. I would say “barely just getting their toe wet” :)

            Getting back to the point. I loved the way iPad was integrated with the stylus (Apple Pencil). My use case for a tablet back then was to write/draw stuff I did “remotely” and export all my, let’s call it drawings, to mac and work on that. Today’s example. I was planning a garden layout. It took me way too much time to get the stylus working the way I expected and when it did I had more issues trying to export the drawings to a usable format* I would be better off with a good old pen and paper.

            • I’m not a pro Linux user so there’s a good chance I missed something
    • atmur@lemmy.worldOPEnglish
      0·
      5 months ago

      I am super tempted to switch to KDE on this thing. KDE has always looked cool, but I’m too happy with Gnome on my main desktop to justify fully switching. This is seeming like a perfect opportunity for some variety…