I've got a pretty old small form factor PC with these specs: Intel i3 4th gen processor, 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD. I'm thinking about trying out Linux Mint, and I'm a fan of the Cinnamon desktop, but I'm worried it might be too heavy for my machine. I've heard some users say that Cinnamon is more suited for modern PCs, so I'm looking for advice on whether it's a suitable choice or if I should go for a lighter flavor like Xfce or MATE instead.
5 Answers
I’ve been using the Cinnamon desktop on a setup similar to yours, just with an i5 instead of an i3. I recommend trying both Cinnamon and Xfce; Xfce is a bit lighter and might be better suited for your older hardware.
Cinnamon should run fine on your PC! It's not super resource-heavy, so you might not have any issues.
You can check the distro selection page for more options! It's a good resource to figure out what's best for your specs. Just remember to take regular backups and maybe test in a VM before you decide!
Is that even a potato? With today's standards, some distros might struggle on your setup, but I definitely think you could make it work. It’s not top-of-the-line, but it’s not the worst either!
Cinnamon does need some GPU support, but it’s not excessively demanding. The lighter alternatives like Xfce and MATE are both great if you're looking to conserve resources. You could try them out and see which one you like better!
Considering the current OS requirements, it's definitely pushing it, but calling it a potato isn’t fair! You might find a few distros that work surprisingly well.