I have a Monster Abra A5 laptop from around the 2010s with an Intel Core i7 processor, 8 GB of RAM, and what I believe is an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050. Windows 11 is currently installed, and I want to dual-boot Linux alongside it. I have around 30 GB of unallocated space available, although I can shrink the Windows partition further if necessary, and I have a 10 GB USB drive for creating the installer. The laptop is currently configured for Legacy BIOS rather than UEFI, and I previously had trouble installing Pop!_OS after trying to switch boot modes. Which Linux distribution and desktop environment would be a good choice for this hardware, especially considering the NVIDIA graphics card? I cannot afford to replace the computer right now.
4 Answers
Fedora should also run well with 8 GB of RAM, and Fedora KDE is a reasonable option if you want a more modern desktop. Download the x86_64 ISO, use Fedora Media Writer to put it on the USB drive, then boot from the USB using your laptop's boot-device key. You can test the live environment before installing anything.
Linux Mint would be a solid choice, especially with the XFCE desktop. It is fairly light, beginner-friendly, and should run comfortably with 8 GB of RAM. Check which NVIDIA driver is recommended for your exact GTX 1050, and avoid replacing it with a newer driver unless the hardware is still supported and you have a reason to upgrade.
Before installing, make sure Linux and Windows use the same boot mode. Windows 11 normally uses UEFI with a GPT disk, so check the firmware settings rather than forcing Legacy mode. Disable CSM or Legacy boot if appropriate, turn off Secure Boot only if your chosen installer requires it, and confirm that Windows is using AHCI rather than a RAID or RST storage mode. Thirty gigabytes is enough for a basic Linux installation, but 50 GB or more will give you much more room for updates, applications, and personal files. Back up important data before changing partitions.
MX Linux with XFCE, Linux Mint XFCE, or a lightweight Ubuntu-based distribution would all be suitable alternatives. The desktop environment matters more than the distribution name on older hardware, so XFCE or LXQt may feel smoother than a heavier desktop. Your GTX 1050 should work, but check the available proprietary driver through the distribution's driver tool.
I am planning to dual-boot with Windows 11. The 30 GB is the unallocated space created by shrinking the Windows partition, but I can make it larger if needed.
I have 8 GB of RAM, so Fedora sounds like it should work. Thanks for the installation steps!