Linux on laptop

cavedog

cavedog

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So I have a basic laptop that I installed a ssd in but it's still pretty basic with only 4GB RAM and slowish cpu windows 10 was just slowing it down too much.

I rarely use it mainly because windows would slow it down but last weekend I installed Manjaro onto it and felt like a bran new laptop. The RAM usage went down from 2.5GB constantly in use to 600mb RAM usage on Manjaro.

This week though I realized why I liked windows more. Install software and everything has a gui where as with Linux it's not always as simple.

I also been looking at Distrowatch a while now and there are a couple of distros on the top of that list always.

Mx Linux
Manjaro
Linix Mint
Ubuntu

And then I saw a lot of recommendations for OrinOS I think it was.

Should I stick with Manjaro or do anyone have any other suggestions? I'm using it to watch netflix and streaming now and then and then I want to use it for my plex server and torrents.
 
MX is my go to for old hardware

Have just fixed up a bunch of old pc's for a community centre where they need machines to browse internet, send/receive emails and create documents and spreadsheets.
Bunch of old i3's are running perfectly with MX Linux + LibreOffice + they will be less likely to get trashed by viruses/malware :-)
 
MX is good.

Ubuntu will be a bit heavy, so will Mint.
Elementary is also pretty light for a Deb based Linux.
Manjaro, with Pamac and set up with full access to AUR - it is one of the more difficult distros because of the package manager and updating applications, but with XFCE is excellent.
 
Last edited:
CT_Biker said:
Ubuntu will be a bit heavy, so will Mint.
Click to expand...
There are other "flavours" of Ubuntu:
ubuntu.com

Ubuntu flavors | Ubuntu

Ubuntu flavors are different installations of Ubuntu - each with a choice of packages and applications included by default. Here you are able to choose and download the officially recognised flavor that would best suit your particular industry and unique needs.
ubuntu.com ubuntu.com

Either Ubuntu MATE or Lubuntu would be good choices for older hardware.
Edit: Xubuntu too.
 
ginggs said:
There are other "flavours" of Ubuntu:
ubuntu.com

Ubuntu flavors | Ubuntu

Ubuntu flavors are different installations of Ubuntu - each with a choice of packages and applications included by default. Here you are able to choose and download the officially recognised flavor that would best suit your particular industry and unique needs.
ubuntu.com ubuntu.com

Either Ubuntu MATE or Lubuntu would be good choices for older hardware.
Edit: Xubuntu too.
Click to expand...

Oh yes, I forget about this - If I am honest, I am not a fan of the other flavors. They lack the polish Ubuntu has.
 
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Tried installing a torrent client and it was not so easy. You usually have to install it in bits to get the gui or deamon or whatever running.... frustrating but really like the way it's running on this laptop. Very very snappy
 
cavedog said:
Tried installing a torrent client and it was not so easy. You usually have to install it in bits to get the gui or deamon or whatever running.... frustrating but really like the way it's running on this laptop. Very very snappy
Click to expand...

Manjaro?
 
www.ubuntubuzz.com

Comparison of Memory Usages of Ubuntu 19.04 and Flavors in 2019

Continuing my previous Mem. Comparison 2018 , here's my 2019 comparison with all editions of Ubuntu 19.04 "Disco Dingo". The operating s...
www.ubuntubuzz.com www.ubuntubuzz.com
mem2019-sorted.png
 
cavedog said:
Should I stick with Manjaro or do anyone have any other suggestions? I'm using it to watch netflix and streaming now and then and then I want to use it for my plex server and torrents.
Click to expand...

Best to try as many distros as you can. I have KDE neon installed on a Celeron NUC & a Celeron laptop and it performs well on both. Tried many distros before settling on it though.
 
There's also Mint Xfce. Should be lightweight enough to run on any hardware.
 
Thanks guys. I'm testing the top 4 on distrowatch and see how they work out. Manjaro and Ubuntu is my fav so far. Damn ubuntu has come a long way since I last tested it. Wow
 
What do you want to do on the laptop? Have you considered Cloudready ("Chrome OS")
I've installed it on an old laptop of mine, gave it to my daughter that's in high school. She use google docs, youtube and netflix, mainly. Depends on what you want to do, I guess.
 
beans100 said:
What do you want to do on the laptop? Have you considered Cloudready ("Chrome OS")
I've installed it on an old laptop of mine, gave it to my daughter that's in high school. She use google docs, youtube and netflix, mainly. Depends on what you want to do, I guess.
Click to expand...

It's basically just a backup laptop to watch dstv now when gaming, maybe watch streams and listen music when laying in bed so basic stuff. Some torrents now and then.

I went through a couple and tested them but Manjaro xfce is just perfect. Looks good. Runs very well I think I will stay with it for now.
 
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To be honest you can’t go wrong with Ubuntu especially if you want a similar level of GUI based software support to Windows.

Most of the modern apps are there if they are available on Linux at all.

It runs on anything and everything with the least hassle.

Your example of a torrent client : Transmission is right there pre-loaded and auto updates as well.
 
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Manjaro

Ubuntu is bloated as fck. Will slow your pc down more than windows 10.
 
Thor said:
Manjaro

Ubuntu is bloated as fck. Will slow your pc down more than windows 10.
Click to expand...

And here I am running it in a VM with lesser specs than OP posted, inside Windows 10 and it works perfectly fine.

The supposed bloat is where all the benefit and functionality lies.

But you probably haven’t used it in years and therefore the default dislike and misinformation.
 
I use Ubuntu 18 as my daily driver.

Its kak.

At work I'm running manjaro now hence the urge to change to it.
 
Used to run Ubuntu until about a year ago. Switched to Manjaro and I am happy
 
I removed my DVD reader/writer and installed an SSD in its place. I have tried about 20 different distros from Suse to MX to Manjaro and practically all flavours of Ubuntu, even KDE Neon. Right now I'm on Kubuntu 18.04.3.
 
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