Consider using a compatible Linux distribution for your 2009 laptops.
Consider using a compatible Linux distribution for your 2009 laptops.
They both use AMD dual-core chips. One runs at 1 GHz, the other at 1.3 GHz. One has 4 GB of RAM while the other uses 2 GB DDR3. All have sufficient storage for any Linux system. I was considering Ubuntu, but I believe it might be too demanding given the slower processors.
He could use any of these options for either laptop. Picking the suitable desktop manager is what matters, the underlying OS has minimal impact on speed.
I'm focusing on Linux Mint as the least ideal laptop option and Xubuntu for the alternative one.
I use Mint on my laptop and it works perfectly. The startup is fast thanks to the SSD upgrade, and it handles everything I require. I prefer Mint over Ubuntu more. Manjaro didn’t perform as well as Mint does, possibly because the old HDD was failing (which is why we switched to SSD).
Debian installation provides a minimal base system. I steer clear of Gnome and KDE desktops on machines lacking an SSD. They work fine on 4GB systems, but these sophisticated interfaces feel sluggish on a 5400rpm hard drive. True tech enthusiasts don’t require a desktop environment.
I recommend Mint for both of them. My preference would be the MATE edition. It performs exceptionally on older systems.