build VS mbp-ubuntu-kernel

https://github.com/armbian/build

There isn't any hypervisor running on that and still no SVE

The number of boards supported by these two distros is astonishing:

https://www.armbian.com/download/

https://dietpi.com/#download

The NanoPC-T6 is already supported by Armbian build system:

https://github.com/armbian/build/tree/main/config/boards

It's my understanding that https://www.armbian.com/ has quite broad hardware support, and there are boards from Orange Pi and Pine64 that boast actual mainline kernel support, so this is more a case of a fragmented ecosystem than there being zero competitors that can meet or exceed pis.

The normal Raspberry Pi OS Lite is pretty okay.

https://www.armbian.com/ is also pretty awesome and also supports bunch of other RaspberryPi clones for cheaper price.

git clone https://github.com/armbian/build cd build ./compile.sh BOARD=orangepi5-plus RELEASE=jammy BUILD_MINIMAL=yes KERNEL_GIT=full BUILD_DESKTOP=no BUILD_ONLY="u-boot,kernel,armbian-config,armbian-zsh,bootstrap" KERNEL_CONFIGURE=no

If the SBC is supported by Armbian then the software support is usually pretty good.

https://www.armbian.com/

I use an old Android media player, repurposed with Ubuntu OS instead of Android (https://www.armbian.com/). Works fine, cost me nothing ($40 originally AFAIK, but it was being retired anyway). It has low power consumption, good reliability, more-than-adequate performance for HA and Plex media server. Equipped with multiple USB ports, ethernet, WiFi, HDMI.

Download the .deb files from here (try the “alt” ones first) https://github.com/marcosfad/mbp-ubuntu-kernel/releases/tag/v5.7.19 and use sudo apt install FILENAMEHERE.deb.

You can use the mbp-ubuntu kernel, although it has not yet been updated with newer patches that are in mbp-arch, but you can build a kernel with those parches as described here. That keyboard/trackpad driver, apple-bce, is not in the main kernel yet. There are instructions for installing it as a dkms module here. In general, the t2linux wiki and the t2 linux discord server (linked to in the wiki a lot) are where the most up to date info on running linux on t2 macs is.

You’ll need to install an efi bootloader, i.e. grub, on a fat32 partition. If there’s an efi system partition on your external drive, then use that You probably will also want this patched kernel and keyboard trackpad audio and touchbar drivers, as described here.

If I remember correctly on my 2019 13” everything was working quite well except for the audio which would only output to the speakers and the wifi/Bluetooth not working. Battery was fine for me I can’t remember having to charge it more often than usual. Ubuntu on Touchbar Mac