How Well Does Ubuntu 20.04 Run on The Dell XPS 15 2020 (9570)

So you’re interesting in installing the latest Ubuntu LTS on your shiny new Dell XPS. We’ll you’ve come to the right place and in fact, are in a bit of luck, as Ubuntu’s 20.04 boot media now supports AX200 wifi cards out the box!

However, there are still a few issues plaguing XPS 9570 users who have chosen to run the latest Ubuntu, and I thought I’d let you know what they are before you dive in headfirst.

The out the box experience is quiet good, compared to 19.10 it feels faster, has less crashes and as we mentioned the wifi — just works.

What doesn’t work out the box, but can be fixed using this guide:

• OLED screen brightness controls
• Hibernate when closing lid (to avoid excessive battery drain)
• Great battery life (2–3 hours, but can be improved to ~5 hours)
• Good CPU Fan management (the fans spin up very early with stock Ubuntu, this can be improved significantly and didn’t notice any difference when comparing to Windows on the same hardware!)
• System crashes when running out of battery [fixed] AskUbuntu post

What doesn’t work at all, and is my secret reason for making this guide in hope that people will suggest fixes for:

• Microphone input via combo hack i.e. using Apple earphones
• Output video to external screen with lid closed
• Fingerprint reader (support coming soon)

Installing Ubuntu 20.04

Now given this laptop comes with Windows 10 pre-installed; there is currently no developer edition XPS 15 available. So I’m going to assume you want to keep Windows and make this a dual boot system.

Installing Ubuntu alongside Windows 10

1. Create USB stick. Guide here if needed
2. Press F12 on boot to select your removable media
3. Go through install following this guide (skip to step 6)

Function keys won’t adjust screen brightness (OLED only)

1. Install gnome tweak tools from Ubuntu Software Centre
2. Run `sudo apt-get install chrome-gnome-shell` (even if you don’t have or use chrome)
3. Install OLED dimmer extension
4. Reboot and now the keys should work.

Enabling Hibernate

1. Install gparted from Ubuntu Software Centre
2. Find the partition with the file system linux-swap
3. Right click > Swapon (if not already on)
4. Right click > Information
5. Copy the UUID=14cee2ec-9d37–4ac0-b594-eae0e55814aa (for example)
6. Add this UUID to /etc/default/grub file by running sudo gedit /etc/default/grub and editing the line

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash"

to

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash resume=UUID=14cee2ec-9d37-4ac0-b594-eae0e55814aa"

7. Run sudo update-grub

8. Add the UUID again, to `/etc/initramfs-tools/conf.d/resume` file by running sudo gedit /etc/initramfs-tools/conf.d/resume

and pasting in the following:

RESUME=UUID=14cee2ec-9d37-4ac0-b594-eae0e55814aa

9. Run `sudo gedit /etc/polkit-1/localauthority/50-local.d/com.ubuntu.enable-hibernate.pkla`

and paste in the following:

[Re-enable hibernate by default in upower]
Identity=unix-user:*
Action=org.freedesktop.upower.hibernate
ResultActive=yes

[Re-enable hibernate by default in logind]
Identity=unix-user:*
Action=org.freedesktop.login1.hibernate;org.freedesktop.login1.handle-hibernate-key;org.freedesktop.login1;org.freedesktop.login1.hibernate-multiple-sessions;org.freedesktop.login1.hibernate-ignore-inhibit
ResultActive=yes

10. Run `sudo gedit /etc/systemd/logind.conf`

and change the following line:

#HandleLidSwitch=poweroff

to

HandleLidSwitch=hibernate

And . . . . reboot

Improving Battery Life

1. Run sudo prime-select on-demand (for nvidia graphics)
2. Run sudo apt install powertop (for intel cpu)
3. Run sudo gedit /etc/rc.local

and paste in the following (before the exit 0 line)

powertop --auto-tune

CPU Fan Management

1. Download and install gnome extension cpufreq

2. Ensure you have the following setting under power events (batt is a custom profile, do the same by creating a profile or choose build in one)

— —

Extra:

The biggest disappointment with this laptop has to be it’s audio issues. The combo audio jack just cannot seem to reliably change from the build mic/speaker to the external one. In the end I opted for a audio jack to usb converter -> (which solved the problem) https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07RRZYZFV/ref=emc_b_5_t

If you would like to setup trackpad gestures checkout my other guide here.

Sources:

[1] https://outhereinthefield.wordpress.com/2019/05/21/enabling-hibernate-on-ubuntu-19-04-disco-dingo/
[2] http://www.linuxandubuntu.com/home/how-to-enable-hibernate-in-ubuntu-linux