I'm using Linux Mint on my PC, and I'm planning to upgrade both my motherboard and CPU soon. I want to know if Linux will adjust smoothly to these new components when I connect my existing hard drive. My current CPU is an Intel i3-7300, but I'm thinking of switching to an AMD processor. Any recommendations on which AMD CPU I should go for?
3 Answers
Generally, it should work out of the box! Most recent Linux distros have a wide range of drivers included in the initramfs, so you should be able to boot without any major problems. Just double-check a few things afterward: make sure the AMD microcode is loading properly, that Intel microcode is disabled, and that your video driver is configured right for your setup.
You should just be able to hook everything up and maybe update your system afterwards. If you run into issues, you can boot from a live USB, chroot into your HDD and update from there.
If you game, I'd say go for an x3d chip for solid performance. For everyday tasks, Ryzen 5 5600 or any of the Ryzen 5 7000 series will be great. If you want more cores or better multitasking, consider the Ryzen 7 or 9. Most users find Ryzen 5 is more than enough, even for gaming. As for platforms, both AM4 and AM5 are good; AM4 is cheaper and still gets support, while AM5 is the latest and should have better upgrade longevity.
Do you really need to worry about video drivers if you're not changing your graphics card, though?