I'm looking for a Linux distribution to recommend for my younger brother. He's not very familiar with Linux, so I need something user-friendly and visually appealing. The PC specs are an Intel i3 5005U, 4 GB of RAM, and Intel HD Graphics 5500 with a traditional HDD. Any suggestions for a distro that will run smoothly and look nice?
5 Answers
MX Linux with XFCE could be a good fit. It's resource-efficient and has a nice balance between functionality and appearance. Plus, it's stable and well-supported.
I suggest going for Linux Mint XFCE. It's lightweight and won't bog down your system. Also, if you can upgrade your HDD to an SSD later on, the performance boost will be amazing!
For real, that upgrade will transform how the system feels!
If you're looking for something attractive and straightforward, Mint Cinnamon could work, but it might be a bit sluggish unless you upgrade to an SSD. Plenty of help is available if you choose Mint.
With just 4 GB of RAM, avoid distros that use GNOME or KDE; those are too heavy. XFCE or Mate are much better for older machines. Linux Mint offers these options!
Linux Mint is a solid recommendation for beginners. It's user-friendly and has a nice interface that makes it less daunting for someone who’s new to Linux. It should work well even with the current specs.
That's a great tip! I didn't think about upgrading to SSD for better speed.