12mo ago

Linux tablet?

What's the best tablet to install Linux on? I am looking for something affordable (under $200) and light just to use a PDF reader with MEGA sync.

43 comments

You might be better off getting an Android tablet and installing Linux on top of Android.
- Wow, that sounds really cool. I don't have a tablet, but if I did, I'd definitely try this out.
- Do you know if this is possible in Onyx line of ereaders ?
  
  I've never owned one, so I can't say for certain, sorry

It's usually pretty easy to find secondhand Microsoft Surface devices for that price point (check craigslist, FB marketplace, and the like), and they absolutely rock when using a Gnome-based distro (like Fedora).
There's a great project that works on Linux compatibility for Surface devices, you can check it out here: https://github.com/linux-surface/linux-surface/wiki/Supported-Devices-and-Features#feature-matrix
- Just make sure about what you're getting yourself into: features such as IR facial detection and stylus input isn't supported on all models OOTB by the surface kernel. Also, it is a bit messy with how surface handles booting.
  Linux on surface works (I got Ubuntu on both my Go gen 1 and pro 7) but expect to put in time to tinker and manage unexpected issues.
- I just installed Fedora with KDE plasma and Wayland last weekend using the surface kernel. Was pretty painless, after abandoning a couple other distros that did not play nice.
  The instructions on the GitHub are also very good, though obviously every years surface has its challenges I'm sure.

https://pine64.com/product/pinetab2-10-1-4gb-64gb-linux-tablet-with-detached-backlit-keyboard/
It's still very much a beta in a lot of ways, but PineTab could maybe handle PDFs
- The pine note might be a better pick if colors not important in the pdfs
  
  I agree, but I was trying to fit their budget.
  PineTab 4GB RAM / 64GB eMMC is $159 and PineNote is $399
  
  Out of stock and Linux support is quite experimental.
  PS: they both can handle PDFs, tried on mines.
- Just putting this in to warn people, pinetab 2 has no functional WiFi drivers so you need a dongle
- I own all the pinephones and as much as I'll go to bat and speak well if them... The tab support is super early. Lots of stuff doesnt work (wifi for one). That's not to say that won't change with time as the pinephone pro did

I have tried with a couple myself and come to the conclusion that right now you're probably better off buying an android tablet, putting a de-googled version of android on it and running termux if you need Linux on it

I don’t know anything about MEGA sync, but a used Surface Go 1 with 8gb if ram and the 128gb ssd is my daily driver and works really well with Fedora.
- Was it an easy install?
  
  When I installed ubuntu on my surface go 2 it was as easy as there is good known documentation on it. Only thing is you want to pick up a usb c dock to plug a keyboard along with the installation media. https://github.com/linux-surface/linux-surface/wiki/Surface-Go-2
  
  The install was really easy even if sometimes the Surface is a bit difficult to boot on an usb drive. I don’t know why but the Usb drive is easier to boot when using ventoy on it with multiple bootable iso’s on it.
  Otherwise everything is easy and I had nothing to do to make it work fine on Fedora.
  I just don’t know how the installation process would have been without the typecover (keyboard).
  Lately I’ve installed the Linux Surface kernel to improve the mouse bluetooth also.
  
  You want everything just handed to you or what? You're asking for cheap, best, and easy. At some point you need to decide what your goal is and accept that you're going to have to compromise.

https://us.starlabs.systems/pages/starlite
- This looks awesome. Does anyone have experience with it?
  
  I've not used that tablet, but I have a Star Labs laptop and it's an excellent bit of kit. Would heartily recommend them as a company.
  Can't vouch for the Star Lite tablet specifically, though.
  
  I've ordered one (October) but they haven't shipped any yet...

I've been enjoying ubuntu on my surface go 2. You can pick one up used for less than $200. Go for an 8gb model. Everything worked for me except the webcam.

At that price range, be sure to carefully check compatibility for your favorite distribution and for any hardware that you intend to use.
For what it's worth, I have an old HP Stream 7 that currently runs Debian Bookworm. I think that it cost about $100 new. I can use it as a pdf reader and to sync files, but there are plenty of tradeoffs due to the 1gb of RAM, the weak Atom processor, the small amount of built-in storage, the mediocre touchscreen, and the general poor quality of touchscreen interfaces among low-resource window managers. Neither camera works and several distributions can't support the built-in audio. Screen rotation is a crapshoot. Forget about low-power standby. Some of these issues are unique to my tablet, but some of them are problems that people tend to run into when they try to shoehorn linux into a tablet that wasn't built with linux in mind. Something like a Pinetab would be a better bet.
I saw another person suggest an aftermarket Surface. If you go this route, carefully research the exact model number to verify that the hardware supports linux and that there is a clean way of installing your preferred distribution.
Another thing worth mentioning. Installing linux can be a special kind of hell. Most distributions don't have a touchscreen-friendly installer. For my cheap tablet, this meant cobbling together a flash drive, a powered USB hub, a USB keyboard, a USB ethernet adapter, and a USB-OTG cable for the single micro-usb port on the tablet. Then, I had to race the decade-old tablet battery to the finish line during the install process. Plus something about a 32-bit EFI bootloader combined with a 64-bit processor.

Hijacking your question, is it possible to install Linux on Samsung tablets?
- yes you can. but not for recent released tablets. you can find more on devices page of pmos wiki
- You can't replace Android because those devices are locked down and have no open source driver available, but you can install various Linux distribution on top of Android. Check out UserLAnd or Termux.
  
  You can replace Android with PostmarketOS on some Samsung Galaxy tablets

android tablet have many way to run a linux user land . but most of them are still using downstream android kernel. which means you wont get any 3d acceleration in your "linux" environment. so i would suggest you some sbc based tablet or some chromebook (then install linux on it manually)

Can I be ridiculous here and say that a nook e-reader or kobo e-reader, and a steamdeck would suffice?
Maybe just a kobo?
I know it's not Linux and that's what you asked for, but at the end of 2022 when I looked into this I had a hard time finding Linux tablet with a good UX.
- What would you need the Steam Deck for?
  E-reader sounds like good advice though, unless they really need colour (e.g. are planning to mainly read comics). MEGA sync probably won't work, but Pocket might be good enough?
  Kobo's are basically Linux, and have quite a few customisation options.
  
  I had reasoning for the steam deck when I wrote that but I'm struggling to recall why. There was some niche with Linux for it since it has good support for Linux applications but I can't remember how I thought it would fit
  Anyhow nook and especially kobo are solid.

I got a dell 2 in 1.
- A decade ago (almost!) I had one of those HP swivel-screen jobs - a Compaq TC4200. Replaceable battery, dock, external attachable battery, resistive touch screen, fully user-serviceable... it was the best laptop I've ever had, in terms of feature set.
  People often claim they don't make 'em like they used to, but it's true. Framework is a step in the right direction with servicability, but they still have a way to go to get to everything laptops of a decade ago.

Not sure if the PineTab would be a good choice

Used Surface with the custom kernel?

If the main thing is PDF reading, buy an Android tablet. Of course research which one.

Kindle fires can be found on sale for under $200. Autosync app works great. Lots of good apps to read comics. No reason to mess with linux. Plus it is easy enough to install the Play Store.

43 comments