Installing Arch Linux on the Lenovo ThinkPad P14s (AMD) Gen 5
If you’re setting up Arch Linux on the Lenovo ThinkPad P14s (AMD) Gen 5 laptop, this guide will help you navigate the process smoothly and effectively.
Hardware Compatibility
The Lenovo ThinkPad P14s (AMD) Gen 5 is fully compatible with fwupd, a Linux utility for upgrading firmware on Linux systems.
Detecting System Components
To detect the components of your system, you should run the necessary terminal command. This will give insights into the hardware specifics, which is essential for optimal configuration and troubleshooting.
Power Management and Performance
With the kernel 6.5, the AMD P-State EPP driver activates the “Active” profile by default. Ensure that the amd-ucode is appropriately added during the system installation phase to benefit from this.
In case you face intermittent screen flickering or terminal performance issues, a specific kernel parameter might be needed for adjustments.
Display and Input Features
For those without touchscreens, note that this particular model lacks this feature. However, other variants that include a touchscreen typically function without the need for additional configuration.
Audio Configuration
While the built-in speakers operate immediately, the default audio quality might not meet expectations due to the absence of Dolby Atmos Convolver. Sound quality can be significantly enhanced by using EasyEffects with a convolver effect tailored for this hardware.
If you encounter issues with the internal microphone where it gets recognized by ALSA but produces silent recordings, refer to forum solutions specifically suited to your model.
Networking and Wi-Fi
The introduction of kernel 6.12 revealed a potential issue where Wi-Fi may not function post-resumption from suspend or hibernation. If you experience this, it is suggested to manage the module by unloading it before sleep and reloading it upon resume. Alternatively, using suspend-to-disk (hibernate) may resolve the connectivity issue if suspend-to-RAM does not.
Power Consumption Observations
Power usage during sleep can vary based on the operating system and peripheral management settings. To analyze and debug the power consumption on the CPU, one of AMD’s Linux-specific debug tools might be beneficial.
Battery Management Tools
For managing power profiles, TLP provides an integrated, user-friendly configuration, especially when paired with the graphical interface TLPUI. While GNOME’s and KDE’s integrated power-profiles-daemon offers simpler management, TLP provides more advanced customization options.
This guide should provide a comprehensive overview for setting up Arch Linux on the Lenovo ThinkPad P14s (AMD) Gen 5, enabling users to harness its full potential with optimized configurations.
