I'm heading to college soon and I plan on buying a Mac Mini (M4). I want to give my current PC to my parents and revamp it first. Here are the specs: a Core i5-4590 CPU, 4x2 DDR3 RAM, no discrete GPU, a basic 240GB SSD, and a 7200 RPM 1TB HDD, all hooked up to a TN Dell monitor with a 1366x768 resolution. Windows has been okay, but it's starting to slow down due to app bloat, and with Windows 10 losing support, I'm thinking it's the right time to switch to Linux.
I'm looking for a distro that is fast, has clean animations, and allows for some customization. My parents need it for browsing, light gaming (they love shooters like Max Payne), and I want to make things look nice—think a mix of Windows 7, Windows 10, and macOS aesthetics.
I'm also looking for user-friendly GUIs, clear fonts like those on macOS, and the ability to easily rename files while they're open. I'd love to turn this into a family cloud storage for all our pictures, as well as do a bit of light photo editing and productivity tasks. I want a simple setup that won't overwhelm my parents.
Lastly, will switching to Linux hinder compatibility with games or applications I used with Windows 10? Also, any suggestions for browsers that have great aesthetics and run smoothly? Thanks in advance!
4 Answers
Mint is definitely a good call! It's user-friendly and comes with lots of popular applications pre-installed, which can save you time on setup. Plus, it's tailored for folks who are moving from Windows, so your parents will find it familiar and easy to use.
If you haven't used Linux before, I suggest trying it out in a Virtual Machine first. It’ll make a huge difference to get hands-on experience. Just remember, running Windows programs on Linux can require a bit more work. Also, Mint is a great starting point since it comes pre-installed with loads of useful software.
Consider trying out Fedora 42 with the Plasma 6 DE. It's really customizable and intuitive to use, plus it supports various software and gets regular updates. Just keep an eye on the packages you install, and you should be good!
For aesthetics, focus on the Desktop Environment (DE) rather than just the distro. Cinnamon, which comes with Mint, is very visually appealing. Remember, you can always switch DEs if the default one doesn't suit you. Just keep in mind that Adobe products aren't available on Linux, so for games, you might check out ProtonDB to see what's compatible. Firefox is a solid browser choice too!
Yeah, Plasma is super customizable! You can make your desktop look really sleek without much hassle.