Hey everyone! I'm currently migrating from Windows 10 to Linux Mint on my Intel 5300U. As far as I know, I'm using the integrated GPU which appears as Intel Graphics 5500 in my device manager. I noticed that my driver date was from October 29th, 2018, and it seems like the Intel 5300U doesn't receive support updates anymore. So, my question is, what drivers do I actually need to install for Linux Mint? I found out that you might not need to install anything, but I'd love to hear your insights!
5 Answers
Generally, you won't need to install any drivers for most hardware when switching to Linux. The majority of drivers come pre-installed with the kernel, so they're automatically up-to-date. The only exceptions tend to be for NVIDIA GPUs or some specific Wi-Fi cards that might require extra steps.
You can actually do a boot test with the Linux Mint live image before fully installing it. That way, if anything isn't working, you can address driver issues afterward. It's pretty straightforward!
Most of the time, drivers are included in the Mint kernel. Just download the latest version, and it should detect and work with your hardware just fine. Easy-peasy!
For hardware that's a couple of years old, it's usually supported right out of the box. I've been using Linux for nearly two decades, and I've rarely had to manually install drivers for things like network or graphics cards. It's a lot simpler and cheaper than Windows!
Unless you're dealing with a Broadcom WiFi card or an NVIDIA GPU, you really shouldn't have to do anything. When you first log in after installation, Mint often offers to install any necessary Wi-Fi drivers automatically, which is super handy!
Related Questions
How To Get Your Domain Unblocked From Facebook
How To Find A String In a Directory of Files Using Linux