This is Microsoft’s latest annoying addition to Windows.
I installed Linux mint on my Framework laptop because fuck windows.
I had to move back to windows, it didn’t feel ready and couldn’t get it working easily how I like.
Heres some of the issues(any pointers would be great)
- 120hz just wouldn’t work on one monitor, it detects it but won’t apply. (Works fine in W10 and Ubuntu).
- Scrolling on the touchpad is unbelievably fast and makes it unusable.
- Fractional scaling is a joke, my laptop screen needs around 125% but everything becomes a blurred mess.
- The mouse is a bit jittery and can’t explain why (usually using a Logitech gaming mouse when docked).
- Governor cannot be different on battery and AC. Defaults to max turbo.
- Fingerprint sensor doesn’t work (works fine on Ubuntu and w10).
- Unsure how to get hardware accelerated disk encryption working?
Some stuff is better but a combination of these just brings me back to windows. It just loads and works?
I’m also on a Framework 13 with a 144Hz external. These problems do sound like some beginner-level issues you’d run into on a distro that runs behind in updates.
The only officially recommended distros by framework are Fedora and Ubuntu (although I’ve run a wide range and they’ve all worked). They have guides here for all sorts.
Issues 1 and 3, you need to use Wayland on KDE or GNOME and both Wayland and the DE need to be up to date. This is an area where Linux is rapidly getting better.
Issue 2, should be adjustable in any DE settings panel. That’s a really strange one because I’ve never run into touchpad issues in my testing.
Issue 4, no idea. Logitech support is pretty good. Does this happen on all distro? I wonder if this is related to the touchpad issue.
Issue 5, they can be. It depends on your governor program. I strongly recommend setting up TLP. There’s some good guides out there in the FW forums. However, avoid disabling USB ports. For other governor solutions I’m sure there’s a config file laying around somewhere or perhaps it’s saving the last used setting.
Issue 5a, if the issue is fan noise. Check out fw-fanctrl.
Issue 6, this just has to be a Mint thing. I’ve had fingerprint reading working on everything. My guess is that maybe they’re missing the fprint package or the UI/UX is rough. You can set up finger print reading from the terminal.
Issue 7, just select FDE on install if the installer offers it. Linux uses dm-crypt for FDE and it has baked in HWE. I would imagine other Linux encryption programs are hardware accelerated by default as well as support for it is part of the kernel. But I may be wrong about that.
All in all your experience of Linux is going to be very distro dependent and yes it may take some work and troubleshooting. But I think it mostly feels harder because it’s different from what you’re used to.
I run EndeavorOS and like that it’s all basic defaults because then I can build it into what I want. I highly recommend it once you become a little more used to Linux.
See this right here is the reason I haven’t switched. 1, I don’t know what half of those things are. 2, there’s so much “this may work on this but sometimes maybe not that, unless this”, when it should be a matter of changing a setting. Yes, I could figure it all out after a massive amount of research consuming time that I do not have, or I just continue with Windows 10 and it’s stupid menus.
Well all issues except for changing the governor should be fixed by using Ubuntu and Fedora and installing per Framework’s install guide. The Encryption thing is a single toggle on install. The governor/TLP is a little more advanced but it’s only uninstalling like 2 programs, installing 2 programs, and you can configure it via GUI. And fw-fanctrl is optional.
It’s only complicated because I was explaining why.
For me Fedora on the framework worked out if the box and was configurable via GUI (except for non-free media codecs probably). Using a 144Hz external monitor, mixed scaling, Logitech ergo mouse, and thunderbolt dock.
I didn’t think it’s a massive amount of research but yes there is some learning that has to be done. If you switch from Windows to macOS you also have to learn new ways to do things. I don’t think it is unreasonable to expect the same for Linux. Expecting Linux to be a Windows clone with free support will never happen.
But I understand wanting to stick to Windows because it’s comfortable and what you’re used to. It’s how I feel about Linux now that I’m used to it. I’m not trying to proselytize. And I do still use Windows for specific use cases like some class assignments and 2000s era HI8/miniDV video conversion/restoration.
