I'm currently using Linux Mint Xfce on my really old notebook (about 13 years old) that still manages to run a decent number of games like Minecraft, MiSide, Goat Simulator, and TF2. I've been curious about trying out Zorin, but I'm not sure if it's a good idea given my laptop's age. Should I take the plunge and switch to Zorin, or is it better to stick with Mint?
5 Answers
You might want to try Zorin in live USB mode first. It lets you check how it runs without installing it. As you become more experienced, you’ll notice that the choice of distro matters less since you can usually achieve similar results on any of them. Mint and Zorin are both great for beginners, so it shouldn't hurt to test it out!
I would steer clear of Zorin because I find the marketing for the Pro version a bit dodgy. They hype it up with terms like 'professional-grade suite' without getting into specifics. You could always install the free applications yourself!
Honestly, Zorin isn't known for being lightweight since it uses a modified Gnome desktop. If you're looking for something that won't tax your old hardware, I'd stick with Xfce, which Mint uses. If you're curious, though, consider creating a separate partition to give it a test run!
I’ve used Zorin Lite on older machines, and it worked fine! I've got some netbooks from 2011 that handle it relatively well. It might be worth a shot, especially if you keep your expectations in check regarding performance.
So Zorin Lite is actually okay for older hardware? That encourages me to try it!
I've found that Mint with the Cinnamon desktop is generally more stable. I wouldn’t rush into Zorin just yet if you're already comfortable with Mint. Stability might be key, especially on older hardware.
But I’ve heard some say that Mint Cinnamon has its bugs too. It's good to get a balanced view!
I've already tried Zorin this way, and it ran okay on my laptop, but I’m still concerned about how it handles gaming.