I'm looking to breathe some life into my brother's slow and outdated laptop since he doesn't want to spend a lot on a new one just yet. He mainly uses it for browsing and occasionally playing Roblox. Here's what I'm curious about: 1. Will switching to Linux make it run faster in general? 2. Can it improve his Roblox gaming experience? He currently gets around 40-50 fps on the lowest settings and dreams of hitting 60 fps on medium settings. 3. Is Linux user-friendly enough for someone who isn't tech-savvy when it comes to switching apps and browsing files? The laptop specs are i3-6100H and 8 GB of RAM, model # XPS 15 9550. Thanks for your insights!
5 Answers
Roblox performance likely won't improve, as that’s mostly hardware-dependent, but for general use like web browsing and document editing, Linux Mint or MX Linux are solid choices for older computers. Just ensure the laptop has an SSD, that's a game-changer!
1. Yes, you'll likely see some improvement in speed overall. 2. Unfortunately, Roblox performance probably won't get better, even if it works on Linux. 3. On user-friendly distros like Linux Mint, it should be easy for him to switch between apps and browse files without much trouble.
I can vouch for Mint being user-friendly! It’s almost like using Windows, which should make the transition smoother for him.
I've revived older laptops with Linux, and they definitely respond better than Windows for everyday tasks. Just keep in mind that while it can improve general performance, gaming, particularly demanding games like Roblox, won't be significantly better. Also, user-friendly choices like Mint make it easy for non-tech savvy folks.
So true! Linux does a good job sorting out background processes that slow down machines, and it’s a fantastic option for basic tasks.
Switching to Linux could possibly speed up general performance, especially with a lightweight distro. However, gaming performance won't see drastic improvements since it's largely dependent on the hardware. Roblox isn't officially supported on Linux; you might find some workarounds, but it's a hassle. If your brother primarily needs it for browsing, Linux Mint is a great option that’s relatively user-friendly.
Totally agree! Linux Mint definitely does the job nicely for general use, and it's pretty straightforward to navigate.
Very true! A decent lightweight Linux distro can help older machines perform better for tasks outside of gaming. However, for gaming, especially Roblox, the limitations of the hardware will still apply. I recommend starting with Linux Mint or even trying a Live version first to see how it feels before fully committing.
Exactly! Testing it out with a Live USB is a smart move, and it gives you a good idea of the performance without making permanent changes.
Solid advice! Upgrading to an SSD can really boost performance, especially for older laptops with sluggish HDDs.