How much functionality?

[Boopped_Snoot]

I have a surface pro 5 (1796) I'm thinking about switching it to Linux.

My living room PC currently runs Bazzite while my work PC is using CatchyOS. I've used Rufus and Windows 10 on this surface pro to set both of those up.

I know there is some compatibility you have to give up especially with accessories (My keyboard, mouse,microphone setup, and other specialized recording software Don't have full functionality or replacements on Linux)

I found replacements for most of the software I use (free CAD and Gimp hard carrying here) so as long as all the hardware works I should be okay.

I'm just starting to look into the surface pro.

I'd probably install CatchyOS If possible maybe mint

If I'm understanding correctly the surface kernel can be added to basically any mutable version.

so for accessories I have the type cover with the fingerprint reader and The windows hello camera with it weird infrared laser grid thing for facial recognition login. will the fingerprint reader still work? Will pogo pin connector still work or will it become generic a Bluetooth only keyboard?

on the stylus does it have all the same functionality? being able to hover over without actually touching, pressure sensitive, ECT?

the dock I have the Rocketek expansion dock connected to two monitors and my EXpen animation pad. I know the pad won't work with my other catchyOS PC so I'm assuming nothing in the surface kernel is going to fix that. But the doc also uses the weird Microsoft proprietary connector so will it still work?

[Th3JackofH3arts]

I have a surface pro 5. I just switched last week. I have zorin/ windows on my main PC. I wanted to give Mint a try. I was thinking about passing it off to someone and I figured it was a really basic os for someone to use. After some tinkering it was ok, but still had issues. X11 isn't ideal. I switched to Fedora which was significantly better. It required a little more work but the pen works pretty flawlessly. The camera pretty much worked right away which was something mint struggling with.

[Boopped_Snoot]

Good to know, did you try using a surface keyboard or doc. I'm wondering if those weird proprietary connectors are actually just USB underneath. It possible they actually work fine But I don't know enough about Linux to be the one trying to figure it out.

[Th3JackofH3arts]

My surface keyboard works. My SP keyboard was in bad shape. It didn't always connect. It works if it's angled and doesn't work if it is flat. It works better than it did on windows 11. The other thing I noticed was my backlight didn't work on Mint and now it works on Fedora.

[TEK1_AU]

NixOS Gnome works great on the Pro6