Hey everyone! I have a ThinkPad E15 from 2020, and lately, it's been feeling really sluggish with frequent lag and unexpected shutdowns in Edge. My RAM usage is sitting at 50% even when idle, and honestly, Windows Search seems to be getting worse over time. I'm seriously considering switching to Linux mainly for a speed boost and to escape the clutches of Microsoft. Here are a few questions I have:
1. If I switch to Linux and don't like it, can I go back to Windows 11?
2. Will I be able to use all my essential apps (like Word, Excel, WhatsApp, email, VSCode, browser, Minecraft, and War Thunder) on Linux?
3. I want a visually appealing GUI; which Linux distribution is best for that?
4. Is there anything else I should know about making the switch to Linux?
Thanks for your help!
3 Answers
Remember to choose your desktop environment wisely since it can affect how pretty your GUI will be. Distributions like KDE Plasma offer a lot of customization options. And, it might take some time to get used to the fact that Linux is not Windows—be open to a different way of doing things!
1. Yep, you can definitely switch back to Windows 11 if Linux doesn’t work out for you. Just create a bootable USB with Windows before you start—much easier from Windows!
2. If you have a Microsoft 365 subscription, you can use Word and Excel in the browser. Otherwise, LibreOffice is a solid alternative, and the other apps you mentioned should work fine on Linux.
For your apps, Word and Excel can be replaced by WPS Office or LibreOffice, which work fine for most tasks. War Thunder should have decent support on Linux, and for browsing, you can stick with Firefox or use Chrome and Edge if you prefer them.
Yeah, War Thunder has a good amount of support for Linux, so you should be set there!