Linux on Snapdragon X Elite Laptop with Tim Benton at the Linaro booth at Embedded World 2024

At the Linaro booth during Embedded World 2024, Tim Benton, Vice President of Engineering at Linaro, discussed the integration of Linux with Snapdragon X1 Elite laptops. This collaboration between Linaro and Qualcomm has resulted in a full Linux experience on Snapdragon chips, with Benton highlighting excellent performance comparable to Apple's chips. Unlike the closed ecosystem of Apple, Linaro and Qualcomm worked closely to upstream all necessary components for Linux compatibility, ensuring out-of-the-box functionality without the need for custom kernel builds.
Able, who worked on bringing up the Linux platform, emphasized the rapid progress achieved, with full Debian support and necessary patches prepared even before the official announcement of the X1 Elite. While some adjustments were needed for drivers and device trees, much of the software could be ported over seamlessly, showcasing the interoperability of ARM-based systems and the potential for powerful, commercially available laptops by the end of the year.
Comparisons were drawn with Apple's M-series chips, with Benton suggesting that the Snapdragon X1 Elite's performance rivals or surpasses even the latest M3 chip in certain aspects, particularly in multi-threaded tasks. Discussions veered towards speculation about Apple's strategies, including the possibility of combining multiple chips for increased power, although Qualcomm hasn't ventured into similar approaches yet.
The conversation shifted to Linaro's evolution over the years, transitioning from solving specific technology problems to delivering end-to-end solutions. Collaborative engineering remains central, with Linaro's role extending beyond open-source contributions to optimizing entire product ecosystems, as demonstrated by their involvement in custom distributions and power optimization for Snapdragon-based laptops.
Benton highlighted Linaro's collaboration with individual companies, such as Remarkable, in optimizing software stacks for specific hardware, ensuring efficient power management and performance enhancements. The discussion also touched upon the growing interest in ARM-based servers, with Linaro's efforts focused on enabling SBSA compliance and supporting initiatives like AWS's Graviton.
Further conversations delved into Linaro's role in facilitating the adoption of ARM architecture across various industries, including automotive and cloud computing. The company's involvement in ensuring compatibility with Microsoft Windows on ARM highlighted their commitment to open-source enablement and interoperability.
At the Linaro booth, demonstrations showcased advancements in cloud-based testing using LAVA-managed services, emphasizing continuous automated testing for ARM-based systems across different standards and platforms. Benton also discussed Linaro Connect, an event attracting around 600 participants, serving as a platform for collaboration and networking within the ARM ecosystem.
Overall, Linaro's presence at Embedded World 2024 underscored its pivotal role in driving innovation and standardization within the ARM ecosystem, from enabling Linux on Snapdragon laptops to advancing cloud-based testing and interoperability across diverse hardware platforms and industries.
Description by Chatgpt.
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