Which operating system to use ?

[karlwsx]

Hi !

I have a old laptop for watching movies, schoolwork and browsing in the web.

What is the best operating system for this laptop(specs below).

Should it be 32 bit or 64 bit ?

Will Linux feel faster on this pc than windows ?

 

[Oussebon]

You can get lightweight linux versions like Puppylinux for relatively weak hardware.

Probably will feel faster than Windows, based anecdotally on my experiences with my 2004 laptop.

Will definitely feel light on the wallet than Windows.

 

[ubuysa]

I would opt for a Linux distro too, if you don't have a copy of Windows there is little point in buying one. As to 32 or 64 bit, that CPU is a 64-bit CPU I believe but since you have only 3GB installed RAM there is nothing to be gained by installing a 64-bit OS. I would go for a 32-bit Linux OS....

 

[Stephen M]

You can find a lot of Linux distros and info here: https://distrowatch.com/

I used to run Salent on an old Compaq Presario and that worked very well. There are quite a few lightweight distros about and a lot is just personal taste but Salent worked out of the box and was easy to install.

 

[Tony1044]

Welllll....notwithstanding you might get cheap or even free Windows 10 (either ask your school, or check here: https://onthehub.com/download/free-software/windows-10-education-for-students/ ) being a student.

You might also be eligible for free Office 365 software: https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/education/students/default.aspx

If you are, it makes sense to stick with them.

If not, whilst I'd echo the comments above, I would also just say be careful with compatibility - if your school uses Office heavily, for example, you might miss out some compatibility if you switch to Linux and say Libre Office.