Running Native Linux on M1 Macs: Installation, Performance, and What to Expect

Introduction

Asahi Linux provides a native Linux distribution for Apple Silicon (M1) Macs. The project released an Alpha version that can boot directly on M1 hardware, unlike previous Intel‑based Macs where Linux was installed via partitions or virtual machines.

Preparation

Before installing, users should review the official installation requirements on the Asahi Linux website and use a machine without important data, because a failed installation may render the device unbootable. The installer is custom‑built for Apple Silicon and is not a generic ARM image.

Installation Steps

Download the Asahi Linux installer image from the official site.

Create a bootable USB or use the built‑in recovery mode to launch the installer.

Follow the on‑screen prompts to partition the internal SSD (the installer will shrink the macOS partition and create Linux partitions).

Allow the installer to write the Asahi bootloader (OpenCore‑based) to the EFI partition.

Reboot and select the “Asahi Linux” entry from the boot picker.

After first boot, the system starts a KDE Plasma desktop environment.

Key Technical Observations

Video Playback

Even without GPU acceleration, the KDE Plasma session can play full‑HD YouTube videos without frame drops, and the UI remains responsive.

Network Performance Bug and Fix

Initial testing with iperf showed the 10 Gbps Ethernet controller limited to ~1.5 Gbps because the driver used a single PCIe lane. The issue was reported in the Asahi chat and patched within minutes, restoring full bandwidth.

CPU Load

Enabling the graphical performance monitor increased CPU usage by roughly 25 %. Running htop from the terminal reduced the observed load to about 1 %.

Benchmark Comparison

Re‑compiling the Raspberry Pi Linux kernel was used as a synthetic benchmark. On the M1 Mac mini, Asahi Linux completed the build ~40 % faster than macOS, matching the performance of a higher‑spec Mac Studio running macOS.

Supported Features (Alpha)

CPU frequency scaling

Real‑time clock (RTC) support

KDE Plasma desktop

Missing components include Bluetooth support and GPU acceleration.

Project Background

The Asahi Linux project was launched by Hector Martin in late 2020 after a successful crowdfunding campaign. Martin is known for porting Linux to consoles such as the Wii and PlayStation. The project entered its testing phase in March 2022 and aims to make Linux a daily operating system on all Apple Silicon Macs.

Community Benchmarks

Phoronix benchmarks show macOS still leads in some workloads (e.g., LevelDB), while Asahi Linux outperforms macOS in tasks like WebP image encoding.

References

Video demonstration: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2p_fGuldt0

Alpha release announcement: https://asahilinux.org/2022/03/asahi-linux-alpha-release/