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?
True, but it is also completely different use cases and they have different goals.
Windows on a 2-in-1 is also not as good as an iPad. They are desktop OS’s with tablet functionality as a nice to have. They will never be as smooth of an experience as a mobile-first OS.
The trade off is 100x better compatibility with many apps, especially FOSS. inkscape, krita, KiCAD, FreeCAD, coding IDEs, MATLAB/scipy, games, etc… They are all available out of the box without a mediocre mobile port.
The flexibility to functionally use it as a full-blown computer (and not reliant on a monopolized, centralized app store) is the reason you get it and not an iPad. Of course it won’t be as good as a tablet because it wasn’t made for that.
You can also say “the iPad will never be as good of a drawing experience as a dedicated high-end drawing tablet.” Like of course. That isn’t its function and goal.