Linus Torvalds Ditches Intel for Arm-Powered MacBook Air Running Asahi Linux

In a surprising turn of events, Linus Torvalds, the creator of the Linux kernel, has made the switch from Intel-powered machines to an Arm-based laptop. Specifically, he's now using an M2-powered MacBook Air running Asahi Linux. This move marks a significant milestone in the development of Linux on Apple silicon devices.

As reported by Asahi contributor Hector Martin, having Torvalds on board with this new setup is a huge boost for the project. 'We've had arm64 hardware around running Linux for a long time, but none of it has really been usable as a development platform until now,' he notes. The Asahi team's goal is to send all their work upstream into the main Linux kernel, benefiting all distributions.

Torvalds himself expressed his excitement about this new setup, stating, 'It's something I've been waiting for for a long time, and it's finally reality, thanks to the Asahi team.' Phoronix and OMG! Ubuntu! provide in-depth overviews of the changes brought by kernel version 5.19.

What's notable about this release is that the Linux kernel update is being released using an Arm-powered laptop, specifically the M2-powered MacBook Air running Asahi Linux. This marks a significant shift away from Intel-based machines and towards Apple silicon devices. Any given Linux kernel update resolves some bugs, improves support for existing hardware, and makes forward-looking changes in anticipation of new hardware.

Torvalds' switch to an Arm-powered laptop is a testament to the progress made by the Asahi team in reverse-engineering Apple's hardware. With this release, developers can now work on Linux-based projects on their M2 MacBook Airs with ease. For those interested in learning more about the changes brought by kernel version 5.19, we recommend checking out Phoronix and OMG! Ubuntu!'s articles.

As for what this means for the future of Linux on Apple silicon devices, it's an exciting time to be a part of the community. With Asahi Linux making strides in supporting new Apple chips like the M2 or the M1 Ultra, it's clear that we can expect more innovative developments in the pipeline.

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