I'm looking for an Intel-based tablet or 2-in-1 that can replace both my Samsung tablet and an aging Lenovo laptop. The Lenovo runs a lightweight version of Linux Mint, but it's painfully slow and I only use it when I specifically need Linux. Samsung tablets have also become much more expensive, so I found an HP OmniBook X Flip 2-in-1 on sale for considerably less than a high-end Galaxy Tab. The main drawback is that it seems quite thick for a tablet.
Has anyone tried running Linux on this model or similar HP 2-in-1 devices? I'm happy to use it like a regular laptop if necessary, provided the touchscreen works reasonably well. Are there likely to be issues with hardware support, such as Wi-Fi, suspend and resume, touchscreen input, or the on-screen keyboard? Also, are there better hardware options for this use case? Do current Linux distributions support Snapdragon-based laptops and tablets well yet?
2 Answers
The main challenge probably won't be finding a suitable distribution, but getting the tablet-focused experience right. A normal desktop distribution should work, especially if you're comfortable using it like a laptop without the physical keyboard. Touchscreen support and an on-screen keyboard are available, though the experience can vary depending on the desktop environment and hardware.
I've used a couple of similar HP 2-in-1 systems with Linux and support was generally quite good. Most hardware worked, with a few minor quirks. One older model had unreliable Realtek Wi-Fi, which I replaced with an Intel adapter. Another initially had trouble waking from suspend, but a later kernel update fixed it. Touch input worked well for taking notes, and KDE Plasma provided a comfortable interface for a convertible device.
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