Choose Windows 7 or Linux for your laptop. Both options offer flexibility depending on your needs.
Choose Windows 7 or Linux for your laptop. Both options offer flexibility depending on your needs.
I haven't used my laptop much this year, except when visiting friends or for occasional tasks. It's been with me since 2013 and still functions well, being a Samsung device with an i5 processor (exact model not remembered). It struggles with gaming beyond light activities. When I first got it, Windows 8 was installed, but after Windows 8.1 the system became unstable because Samsung didn't release drivers for it. Now I can't run those newer versions without facing problems. I swapped the hard drive for a 120GB SSD and switched to Ubuntu, which mostly solved the issues. However, the backlight was a persistent problem—only showing when plugged in, not while idle. After installing some scripts, it stopped working properly, so I downloaded a cracked version of 7 Home Premium instead, which ran smoothly thanks to Samsung drivers. Over time, my use of the laptop declined; I rarely took it out except for necessary work. Another concern was the CMOS battery dying. Every time I used it, I had to switch it to legacy mode to boot, and resetting the system clock became a hassle. I couldn't buy new batteries easily since they were specialized. Recently, my SSD in the media center failed, so I replaced it with the SSD from my laptop. I've been considering fixing it again, ordering a replacement CMOS battery. My main dilemma is what OS to choose—Windows 8.1 or 10 are out, and 8 is definitely not. I'm open to Linux but unsure which distro fits. Ubuntu had backlight issues too; do you know a version that avoids that? If none work, I might revert to the cracked 7 Home Premium, though it would be slower with the old HDD. I remember Ubuntu booting much faster than Windows in that case.
Have you experimented with Windows 8 drivers for 8.1 or 10? Why is 8 considered problematic?
Windows 8 seems to be the most solid choice available. Ditch the clutter and move quickly—your mouse will find everything fast. The core components look well-crafted. Still, it misses some features found in Telemetry 10. I’d pick 8, a cracked version of 7, or an Ubuntu release.
I rely on version 7 for my HP DV7 1127 CL (reference link provided), and it functions smoothly. A 32GB SSD costs just $20, while a 64GB model is only $40. Given that I don’t play games much, a 64GB drive should suffice. I run 7 on both my workstation and NAS server, using Server 2008R2. My HTPC still uses Windows 8, and I’m not inclined to switch right now. Ubuntu has been improving rapidly lately, with more support for server operating systems. I’m currently using Ubuntu 16.10 on my Chromebook.
Ubuntu's Unity interface (soon phasing out) offers limited configuration options. It's likely Unity disables backlighting automatically when using battery power and doesn't provide controls for this feature. KDE Plasma gives more access to energy management settings, so you might want to explore alternatives like KDE Neon, Kubuntu 17.04, Manjaro KDE, Fedora KDE or openSUSE. If you prefer staying within the Ubuntu ecosystem, KDE Neon and Kubuntu are viable choices.
You mentioned Unity's future seems stable, didn't you? Where did you hear that?
Ubuntu 17.10 will launch in October with GNOME 3, replacing Unity. Ubuntu 16.04 remains with Unity because it's a long-term support release and changing it would be unnecessary. Ubuntu 18.04 LTS will also adopt GNOME 3 over Unity. The details were confirmed by Ubuntu itself.