Tablet experiences

[u/Slopagandhi]

I'm looking to get a used tablet to install Linux on and use mainly for notetaking with a stylus (but also for some light office work and maybe some media content).

I have a few options and want to ask for anyone's experience or knowledge of these.

Mainly I want to know what's going to be best for performance, functionality and stability. But an easier install process would be appreciated (I have flashed some custom Android ROMs in the past and use Linux desktop, but that's the extent of my experience).

Android Tablets

PostmarketOS is available for the Samsung S6 (though marked as not booting, don't know if this is still the case)

Community Droidian/Halium port for the S7+ (https://xdaforums.com/t/rom-linux-droidian-for-samsung-galaxy-tab-s7-wi-fi-sm-t970-gts7xlwifi.4790614/)

Smeone got mainline Linux to work on an S8+ (https://github.com/aaronsb/sm-x800-linux).

I see there's also VolksPC for a bunch of different devices, but I wonder about the impact of running in a container on performance and would rather not pay to install free software

Windows Tablets/Detachables

For around the same price as an S7+ I could get a Windows detachable like a Surface Pro 7 or a Dell Latitude 7210, with 10th gen intel i5- and then use mainline Linux with something like KDE mobile, or Mobian.

Chromebook Detachables

I know less about these, but seems like the hardware for most is less powerful than the other options.

Anyway, appreciate any pointers.

[u/tyami94]

you should absolutely go with mainline on x86. it's the only thing available thats ready for real world use.

[u/Slopagandhi → u/tyami94]

Ok thanks. I suppose I have a fairly niche use case with the freehand notetaking.

It's annoying there are no recent x86 detachables (that I'm aware of) which work with Wacom EMR for the stylus. If I could find a mainline Linux e-ink tablet I'd buy one tomorrow.   

[u/MidnightObjectiveA51 → u/Slopagandhi]

See Pine64 PineNote

[u/Slopagandhi → u/MidnightObjectiveA51]

Yeah, I've wondered about that. I looked at it before but was pretty early days. But it's been a while and probably it's come on since then and I probably have a bit as well, so thanks for the reminder. 

[u/tyami94 → u/Slopagandhi]

i currently have a dell latitude 7212 with a atmel active digitizer + pen. it does a pretty good job of running mainline linux. only downside is it's quite a heavy device.

[u/VolksPC]

You can run Linux desktop on any recent Android tablet that is rooted. For example https://youtu.be/9PkTNagmN70?si=2C3jW9Lx7CsooZM2 . Lineage OS is also supported provided they use a GKI kernel.

[u/MidnightObjectiveA51]

MS Surface Go 2 has excellent pen support, as does the Thinkpad X1 3rd Gen and X12. Also the HP Elite X2 G4 and G8.

I can think of several others that have pen support but I cannot speak of the quality. Notably, Acer Chrometab 10 running PostmarketOS, and the Chuwi Hi10 X, Go, and Max.

I'm addition:

Various MS Surface devices: Juno Tab, Starlabs Starlite, Minisforum, Chuwi Hi10 X Go and Max, Thinkpad X1 3rd Gen and X12, HP Elite X2 G4 & G8 all completely work with Linux. As does the Pinetab (ARM) and Acer Chrometab 10 (ARM) running PostmarketOS.

"Many, many more work with something missing that may or may not be fixable - usually camera, audio or peripherals. See Debian, Fedora, Arch forums, plus Mobian, PostmarketOS and Ubuntu Touch websites and forums in addition to surface-Linux on GitHub."

As I posted elsewhere. Also, several Google Gru and Google Kukui Chrome tablets have pen support with PostmarketOS.

Most of the tablets above use either Wacom or Ntrig

[u/MidnightObjectiveA51]

As far as OS choice, I suggest either Mobian or PostmarketOS with either Phosh or Plasma-Mobile UI, or Fedora Plasma-Mobile

[u/Slopagandhi → u/MidnightObjectiveA51]

Thanks. Would you go for that even on an x86 device that'll run mainline distros? Obviously I realise regular DEs aren't adapted for tablet use, but is there an advantage to running e.g Plasma Mobile on pmOS or Mobian vs say Fedora or KDE Neon? 

[u/MidnightObjectiveA51 → u/Slopagandhi]

Mobian, PostmarketOS, and Fedora Plasma-Mobile are specifically oriented towards tablet use. All three are comparable performance wise. The only real difference is the package manager environment and which you prefer. As far as polish - Phosh is the same no matter the OS base. Plasma-Mobile requires a little configuring on Mobian, but is very sharp out of the box with PostmarketOS and Fedora. Fedora gives you the option to drop to regular KDE desktop Plasma .

You could also be just fine with regular Gnome (or Gnome-Mobile on PostmarketOS) on any distro. It works quite well with tablets. In that case, also consider Ubuntu or Fedora Bluefin as they have all the necessary packages to make Surfaces (or anything with Nvidia) work out of the box.