Linux distro for old laptop
Linux distro for old laptop
Searching for distro recommendations as I’m quite outdated. I usually test them every few years and now feel it’s time to move forward. I’m planning to use an older but still functional laptop that will become obsolete once Windows 10 stops being supported. My main goal is to start learning Linux again, especially compiling and running HPL (a variant of Linpack). If I have to choose between stable and newer versions, I’d lean toward the newer ones. Your specs: CPU i5 460M (2 cores, 4 threads), 2.53 GHz base, 8GB DDR3 RAM, HD 5000 series GPU, Radeon driver doesn’t list model, 1GB VRAM, spare SATA SSDs available for replacement. You asked if it would be nice to have the mouse pointer move linearly without any acceleration in Windows—something I’ve noticed works well there. Previous Linux tries reduced the jerkiness but didn’t fully eliminate it. Bonus: Would you like to experiment with gaming on this setup? The GPU is quite old, so modern titles won’t run, but older games should still work in Windows.
I've tried most Linux distributions, but they usually required using the command line to turn them off. For older machines, Lubuntu is a solid choice—it's lightweight, reliable, and handles most tasks well. If you're after newer features, options like OpenSUSE Tumbleweed and EndeavorOS stand out. The default KDE desktop in those can be heavy, which might not suit older hardware. Arch-based distros offer flexibility but demand more effort to install. For a fresh start, an Arch installation can be the fastest way to get back into Linux.
It looks like you're checking how well Gnome runs on older systems without too much resource strain. You mentioned trying it with a live USB and disabling acceleration to see if it behaves as expected. Your notes suggest it should work fine, though you're cautious due to compatibility issues with certain mice and versions.
I believe SUSE was among the first distributions I experimented with. Perhaps Slackware came before that. I remember from the past having to perform tasks like partitioning the disk via command line before even beginning the installation. How challenging can that be? That’s a good observation. I’ll need to buy an additional USB stick tomorrow to get things started. It’s unclear if any of my current drives have sufficient space.
It seems most information I've encountered portrays Gnome as one of the heaviest desktop environments available, with KDE being heavily customized being even worse. I still prefer using it on laptops because the virtual desktops setup works best for me, though it's not ideal for older machines. It's not terrible, but I wouldn't rely on it regularly. Interestingly, my experience with EndeavorOS is better than Manjaro, where each installation I've tried failed within a week, while EendeavorOS kept running until I wiped the drive.
I'm around 2.5 years old now (based on the birth data). Choosing Manjaro over EndeavourOS was mainly because it includes Dash by default. With my last setup (Antergos), that plugin would stop working after each Gnome update until the team addressed it weeks later. I guess I lean toward tradition, but I have an older laptop—HP EliteBook 8740w with an i5 M560, 8 GB DDR 1333 MHz, and a FirePro M7820 (about HD 5870). It's pretty close to Porina's system. Time to give it a shot myself. I just recall the boot process from USB was a bit tricky last time I tried.
I'm puzzled about my experience with Manjaro—it keeps failing after reboots, lasting only a month or so. After several failed installs, I switched to Fedora for a stable desktop environment. Endeavor has performed well enough for Arch-based needs, though I haven't hit any major problems yet. Those problems were over a year ago, so it might be worth trying again. I'm just like Dash to Dock; it's the first thing I set up when Fedora arrives. Since Fedora is a fixed release, I don't face the same issues where plugins break frequently, except during version updates, after which Dash to Dock usually works again.