New Linux kernel patches have been posted adding the necessary Device Tree files so that Linux is able to boot on the Qualcomm Snapdragon X1 powered Dell Inspiron 14 Plus laptop.
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus is the latest Snapdragon X1-powered laptop seeing patches for Linux support. The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus employs the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus X1P-64-100, sports 16GB of LPDDR5X, 256GB SSD, and a 14-inch QHD+ 400 nits display in the starting configuration of $949 USD.
The patches posted by Linaro’s Bryan O’Donoghue get the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus booting Linux, but like other Snapdragon X1 laptops, it’s incomplete functionality. Not yet working under Linux for this Dell ARM laptop is the speaker output, battery handling, cDSP, EVA, and there are various known bugs from the graphics driver to WiFi. For those wanting a fully-working laptop, most Linux users will still be better off feature and performance wise as well as for good battery life by going instead with AMD Ryzen AI 300 series or Intel Core Ultra Series-2 Lunar Lake laptops.
O’Donoghue sums up the current Linux support for the Inspiron 14 Plus with these patches as:
“Working for me included in this series:
– USB
Both Type-C USB ports
Type-A port
Fingerprint reader
– WiFi
– Bluetooth
– RGB Camera
– Toucpad, keyboard
– DisplayWorking for me but not included:
– Audio jack
– IrisNot working:
– Speaker output Still WiP haven’t touched this in a while– Battery
Dell has its own Embedded Controller likely from the x86 platform reused on Qcom which we need to reverse engineer or get some information on to make faster progress on.– cDSP
Haven’t tried to bring this up.– EVA
No driver haven’t tried it.– Bugs
Occasionally when resuming I get a fencing error with hyperlock and freedreno, TBH it looks like something in the GPU or SMMU according to Rob ClarkAth12k has been splatting for me up to 6.14 when removing a SSID. I switched on ath12k debug when going to 6.15 and predictably couldn’t reproduce the bug, either because the timings have changed as a result of Heisenbugging or because a fix has been slipped into ath12k.
Other than those two I’m pretty happy with this system.”
Those interested can check out this patch series for these kernel additions now under review.
