I'm considering switching to Linux because I've heard it's lighter than Windows, and I'm eager to start coding as well. My laptop is a Lenovo Ideapad 310 from 2017 with an Intel i5 6th generation CPU, 8GB of RAM, 1TB HDD, and a 128GB SATA SSD, which I plan to use for the Linux OS. I would love some suggestions on where to start!
6 Answers
For a comprehensive overview, you can visit distrosea.com to compare different Linux distributions. Just be cautious with partitioning your hard drive while experimenting. Starting with Mint or Pop_OS! is a solid choice!
You might want to explore using a virtual machine initially just to get the hang of things.
By VM, do you mean a virtual machine?
If you're planning to use two SSDs, consider removing your Windows drive to install Linux on the other. Alternatively, if you only have room for one, a good idea could be to use an external drive for Linux, so you don’t accidentally overwrite your Windows installation. You might want to start with Ubuntu, Mint, or Fedora.
Which one would you recommend: Linux Mint, Fedora, or Ubuntu? I'm a bit lost!
Try making a bootable USB with Linux Mint. You can boot from it and test the OS without changing anything on your machine. It's a safe way to get a feel for Linux, and you can dive deeper before fully committing to an installation.
That's the best approach! It gives you a chance to explore without any permanent changes.
Your system is still more than capable! I’ve been using Lubuntu on older hardware, and I can do Python programming just fine. Linux performs well even on modest setups with older CPUs.
Totally agree! I've run Kali on an even older machine without any hiccups. Linux is great for older systems.
Your laptop can run pretty much any Linux distribution without issues! A good place to start is with Linux Mint. Check their website for installation guides; it's user-friendly and has great community support.
I have a similar setup, and I use Xubuntu on it. It runs super fast!
Thanks for the tip! I'll check that out!