Is Linux Mint the Best Option for an Old Laptop?

Linux generally performs better on older hardware compared to Windows. Just remember, not all games might work perfectly; however, tools like Proton from Steam have been doing wonders. There are also options like Heroic Games Launcher and Lutris for running various game platforms. For video editing, I've had great success with Kdenlive and OBS Studio for recording—both should suit your son's needs.

For an old laptop, I'd recommend looking at alternatives like Antix Linux or Ubuntu MATE if it has around 8GB of RAM. I personally run Ubuntu MATE on my older Acer laptop, and it performs better than my newer Windows system! I tried Linux Mint before, but I find Ubuntu works better for my setup now.

Before anything, consider swapping out the hard disk drive for a solid-state drive (SSD). It makes a huge difference in speed!

It would be helpful to know the specs of your laptop. However, I'd suggest upgrading to an SSD if you can. Also, consider increasing the RAM if possible. Linux Mint XFCE is minimalistic and user-friendly. If you want something more straightforward, you could try Linux Mint with the Cinnamon interface, but it's a bit heavier. Another option could be MX Linux for a balance between performance and ease of use.

Linux Mint is what saved my old laptop that was crawling on Windows 10! Just keep in mind that if you're doing video editing, older hardware might struggle. Make sure the specs are decent enough to handle video tasks comfortably.

Linux Mint, especially the XFCE version, can really revitalize old computers that struggle with Windows. It's simple to use for beginners. Just keep in mind that gaming performance can vary depending on the laptop's hardware—particularly the graphics card—so it will depend on which games he's looking to record and edit.