[Librem 14] Quick first impressions

Well, lucky you! I have tried both Current stable 4.0.4 and next 4.1 beta1 release. The fan starts and stops. I would love to start using Qubes OS, but from perspective it is not usable on Librem 14 in its current state wit the CPU/Fan/Temperature reporting.

Same issues as described in:

and:

Did you manage to install Librem EC ACPI driver *(corrected) (* firmware deleted) into Qubes?

Could you run “watch sensors” from dom0 while running 6AppVMs and share a screenshot here?

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that’s the Librem EC ACPI driver, not firmware :slight_smile:

PM me if you’d like to test a pre-release EC firmware update which should address the issue

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@MrChromebox So, IF my Librem 14 gets delivered in the next 3 weeks (as last estimated by support), what’s the chance that it will include the EC firmware update?

I’m not sure, there’s a few more things we’d wanted to get into the next version, but will see if I can get the current fixes in an interim one if needed

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@MrChromebox Yes please, and also provide noobs like me with instructions how to flash the EC without bricking the L14, the fan thing is of secondary concern (but of course I take a fix for that too), the main thing I hope the EC update would fix is the laptop crashing when unplugged, see Librem 14 sudden crash when unplugged

I found the newer EC rom https://source.puri.sm/firmware/releases/-/commit/a27df1bb0220e33c918034a1dc0312c5f080e194#6d777e3978752766b2b98e999f4714dd6f8ab934

but not sure how to properly flash it, help is appreciated!

EDIT: Well, went the danger-route and did what’s discussed here [librem 14] how to update EC firmware to ec-2021-06-04_ef9fd3c
Didn’t brick my L14 either, so I did simply sudo ./purism_ectool flash_backup ec-2021-06-04_ef9fd3c.rom

and now sudo ./purism_ectool info shows

board: purism/librem_14 version: 2021-06-04_ef9fd3c

let’s see if anything improves =)

Maybe I can share a few first impressions about the L14 as well (coming over from Apple):

  • Trackpad: Kinda yikes coming from a Mac, laggy, imprecise, not sure if anything can be done about that, pretty sure that’s gonna be my biggest issue long term if there is nothing that can be done to improve the trackpad software, also miss the trackpad gestures I’m so used to from the Mac, any way to add those?
  • Shift keys: Yeah, both are kinda strange, the right one is completely out of reach, always hitting the up arrow instead and would love a way to swap them, IMHO it would have been way better to have the up key where the right shift key is, e.g. in an L-type shape (for all arrow keys). While the right one is too small, the left one is too big, on my mac keyboard there was a key there that I now miss very much…
  • I do like the typing feel of the keyboard, that’s good, but why are the letters on the keys aliged on the top left instead of centered? And i’m kinda worried about replacement keys already, I don’t know what I’m doing but I had to change multiple keys on my old MacBooks, not that they wouldn’t work anymore, but I basically typed “trough” the black layer of the key, so basically the letter would disappear slowly but surely…but as it is Apple it’s quite easy to get replacement keys…how will that be handled for the L14, can one order replacement keys if needed?
  • Keyboard Backlight: it’s kinda strange, but the caps-lock key and tab key are not fully lit, kinda wonky around the edges in general
  • Laptop didn’t charge out of the box, a “regular” user would probably send the device back as defective…so not good. echo '70' | sudo tee -a /sys/class/power_supply/BAT0/charge_control_start_threshold fixes that
  • Laptop crashes when unplugged for no reason (see other thread), not good either
  • Battery life: Can’t really test that because of the above…it crashes long before it’s empty
  • Love the look and feel of the laptop, feels solid and well built so far!
  • Also the hardware is great, love my 64 gigs of memory =)!

Don’t get me wrong, I do love the laptop and want it to work perfectly and for Purism to get the success they deserve for the work they are doing, that’s why I’m here, and no, I’m not discouraged by stuff like this, far from anything close to a linux pro, but I can get around, so digging into stuff and try to find a solution is fine with me, but for a “normal” user stuff like this could break the “linux experience” once and for all I fear, so please see this as constructive criticism and not as ranting about your newest product. If you ever need something like a “user-test” from a Mac perspective, hardware wise, feel free to reach out =)

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How do I install that and what will it change? @MrChromebox

Package id 0: 66C
Core 0 57C
Core 1 59C
Core 2 56C
Core 3 56C
Core 4 58C
Core 5 56C

Fan is currently on at a midstep and just stepped down from a 5 second burst of activity. I am currently using my laptop --gasp-- on my lap so the ventilation is poorer but a better use case than sitting on my desk. It is on par in terms of noise, right now, as the HP EliteBook I was using previously.

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Thanks for that. So you don’t have this showing, do you?

Nope. I have not performed any driver/firmware updates. Stock image currently. Would it help you if I did?

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