Recently I've gave up Windows for Linux and installed Ubuntu with KDE Plasma desktop on my pc and laptop from 2007. It's an i7 Intel processor with 8gb ddr ram so I thought it would be fine, but it seems quite sluggish. What distro could I use that would be faster and still fully functional? Thanks for your help in advance.
I’d try Xubuntu or Lubuntu, but honestly KDE should run fine on those specs.
I suspect it has an HDD: you’ll get a much more noticeable boost from upgrading to a $35 SSD than any distro choice will give you.
Can confirm. I had a 2007 laptop (Compal FL90) with far worse specs. Core 2 Duo T7100 (I upgraded it to T7500, small difference), Nvidia GeForce 8600M GT, 4GB DDR2 RAM (previously 3GB). Then I replaced the original 80GB Fujitsu HDD made in September 2006 for a cheap SSD. Damn. I started using that laptop most of the time. It felt way faster than my main laptop (with SMR HDD).
I got extra 2 years out of it before it died. I really miss that laptop.
Edit: I ran Linux Mint Cinnamon and Windows 11 on it. Yes, 11.
- I was taking it to school. I didn't really have to worry much about this laptop. I got it for free, it wasn't worth too much, and it was an indestructible brick.
- Storage size. I needed more storage in my main laptop while 128GB was enough for this one.
- Reliability. This was SSD from AliExpress (XrayDisk). Not reliable enough for a main machine. And indeed, 2 years later and it has corrupted sectors.
- Ease of replacement. This old laptop only required unscrewing 1 screw to replace the HDD. Originally it would be 4, but they were missing along with HDD caddy. Meanwhile checking video on how to open my main laptop... I'd probably tear some wires, break the plastic and also destroy the rubber feet which are somehow quite expensive.
You've convinced me. I've just ordered ssd. We'll see how it goes.
If you are an advanced user voidlinux is very good for laptops, in my experience without systemd you have faster boot timings.
+1 Void Linux revived my old ThinkPad very well.
Use the image with XFCE and glibc for the easiest time.
KDE should run fine on those specs, I would try to replace the hard drive, I had one of those slow down a Laptop to a point where I almost threw it away but with a new one everything worked fine again. If it doesn't I would say as a beginner Linux Mint with ether XFCE or Mate should be a great choice but I doubt you need it with those specs tbh!
I've ordered an ssd so hopefully that will do the trick. Meanwhile I installed openSuse and it improved the speed significantly.
I don't think it's a SSD vs HDD situation (both should work perfectly fine with any DE) but rather a case of old and dieing HDD, that's at least what caused my system to fuck up two years ago or somethimg like that. There are systems that work better on far slower than HDD (today only "achived" by dieing HDDs) speed tho so I could imagine that improving the situation, just don't sotre important stuff on that till you got a new drive!
I think Zorin Lite OS will be good distro for a old laptop becuase I also install this distro on my very old computer(16 Years Old and have 2gb ram and Pentium Processor) and It work fine.
