I have an older PC with an i5 7500 processor and a GTX 1060 6GB graphics card that I want to set up with Linux. I'm mainly looking to use it for some older games, Netflix, email, and YouTube. My only experience with Linux so far has been with Linux Mint. What distro would be the best choice for my needs? This computer was previously running Windows 10.
3 Answers
You should be just fine with any distro. I'm currently using Kubuntu, which is Ubuntu with a KDE desktop. It's stable, widely supported, and very compatible. Just make sure to check the box to install third-party software during the setup. It's quite popular for good reasons, especially the latest version 25.10.
Your PC should handle pretty much any Linux distro without issues, even more cutting-edge ones like Tumbleweed. It has the horsepower to run modern environments smoothly! Plus, it’s great for tasks like the ones you mentioned. Just ensure you check for support on Nvidia drivers if you want to play games smoothly.
If you want solid third-party driver support, I’d suggest either Pop!_OS, Linux Mint, or Nobara. But there are also good options like MX Linux, Zorin, and Manjaro. Your choice depends on how comfortable you are tinkering with the system and what you're looking for in terms of user responsibility. Some distros handle driver installations automatically, while others require a bit more hands-on effort.
Thanks! How complicated is it to install the Nvidia drivers on Tumbleweed?