What’s the best Linux distro for my older Optiplex 9020?

February 9, 2026 2 answers
Asked by TechSavvy42
I have an Optiplex 9020 with an Intel Core i7 4770k CPU, 24 GB of DDR3 RAM, an NVIDIA Quadro K2000 GPU, a 120 GB NVMe SSD, and a 1 TB HDD. I've configured the BIOS to boot from the NVMe drive, and I'm looking for a suitable operating system. I typically use Fedora, but I'm worried that Wayland might not run well on this older hardware and that setting up the GPU drivers could be a hassle. Can anyone suggest a solid OS that works well with this setup? I'm not interested in Linux Mint since I don't like their desktop environment options.

Answers

OldSchoolGamer
You should definitely check out Big Linux if you're a new user; it might work well for you. My son has been running Arch with KDE on a weaker setup than yours without issues!
Reply to this answer
PenguinLover88
Ultramarine is worth a shot! Boot it from a flash drive to see if it fits your needs since it comes with all the proprietary drivers. If it runs well, then you can go ahead and install it!

TechSavvy42: I think I found a winner! Thanks for this recommendation!

Reply to this answer

Add your answer

Answers are reviewed before publication.

Related Discussions