I found my old 2020 MacBook Air and would like to give it a new life with Linux. It has an Intel i3 processor, 8 GB of RAM, 256 GB of storage, and integrated graphics, so I'm looking for something that runs smoothly without putting unnecessary strain on the hardware. I like modern desktop setups such as Ryoku and Caelestia, though they use Hyprland, which I've heard may be too demanding for this laptop. What lightweight distributions or desktop environments would you recommend? Are there any special driver or compatibility issues I should know about, particularly with the MacBook's Broadcom Wi-Fi or T2 security chip?
4 Answers
You may not need an especially lightweight distribution. A mid-2014 MacBook Pro with an older Intel processor and 8 GB of RAM can run a full Plasma desktop smoothly, so this newer MacBook Air should have plenty of power for options such as Fedora with Plasma. You’ll likely need to install or configure Mac-specific drivers, but performance alone shouldn’t force you to use XFCE or another minimal desktop.
MX Linux would be a solid lightweight choice for this hardware. It’s fairly efficient while still providing a complete desktop and a good selection of tools.
Lubuntu or Xubuntu should run comfortably. The main thing to watch for on Intel MacBooks is Broadcom Wi-Fi support, since it can require additional drivers. Having a USB Wi-Fi adapter or using wired Ethernet can make installation easier.
Hyprland probably won’t be too demanding for an 8 GB 2020 MacBook Air, especially if you use a sensible configuration. CachyOS offers a ready-made Hyprland setup, which may be easier than configuring everything manually. The T2 security chip can complicate installation, so check that your chosen distribution supports the required patches and drivers.
That’s reassuring. I was mostly worried that Hyprland itself would overwhelm the i3, but I’ll pay closer attention to the T2 support and overall setup.