I Saved A Doomed Windows Laptop By Embracing Linux

But that’s not bully enough. This ThinkPad — for illustration millions of different PCs successful nan aforesaid vessel — is still perfectly functional. Its hardware is much than tin of mundane tasks. I’ve been utilizing it for web browsing, penning successful Google Docs, talking to my Verge colleagues connected Slack, and moreover immoderate gaming connected Steam. Not bad for a laptop that’s expected to beryllium retired.

All you person to do is cull Microsoft’s framing. It’s not safe to time off it connected Windows 10, since Microsoft chose to extremity offering information updates, and Windows 11 isn’t supported. But who says this laptop needs to tally Windows astatine all? There’s different operating strategy that runs awesome connected older hardware, is still actively maintained, and tin forestall millions of computers from being scrapped earlier their time.

That’s right: The concealed to redeeming this laptop, and possibly yours too, is Linux.

This communicative was written connected a Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 5 pinch 16GB of RAM, 512GB of storage, and a 7th-gen Intel Core i7-7600U processor. It’s a much powerful type of a laptop The Verge reviewed when it came out successful 2017. At nan time, it was considered a high-end, ultra-portable workhorse of a laptop, offering upwards of 8 hours of artillery life successful a amazingly lightweight package. It started astatine $1,100 erstwhile it was released, but my configuration would person costs $2,100. I recovered this 1 utilized connected eBay for conscionable $250.

When it arrived, nan ThinkPad was successful almost caller information without immoderate noticeable deterioration and tear. It moreover came pinch a caller charger. It booted into nan setup process for a cleanable installation of Windows 10 without immoderate issues. After utilizing it connected Windows 10 for a fewer days, I had a difficult clip remembering it was a laptop from astir a decade ago. It surely didn’t consciousness for illustration a instrumentality that was fresh for nan laptop graveyard.

It seems for illustration this laptop should beryllium capable to tally Windows 11, but it can’t. Microsoft’s base requirements for Windows 11 see astatine slightest 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, a TPM 2.0 information chip, UEFI Secure Boot, and a 64-bit processor pinch astatine slightest 2 cores moving astatine 1GHz aliases faster. My ThinkPad has each of that — isolated from its processor is 1 procreation excessively old. Windows 11 requires a processor that’s an Intel 8th procreation aliases AMD Ryzen 2000, aliases newer.

Technically it still works, but continuing to usage it connected Windows 10 without information updates could beryllium risky. Even if I decided to opt successful to Microsoft’s Windows 10 Extended Security Updates (ESU) program, that would only get maine 1 other twelvemonth of updates, which ends connected October 13th, 2026. So, whether now aliases later this year, this laptop is losing support from Microsoft.

Sure, you could usage a instrumentality for illustration Rufus aliases FlyOOBE to upgrade to Windows 11 anyway, but that’s still only kicking nan tin down nan road. Bypassing information requirements could origin problems pinch early updates. But also, who needs Windows?

I’ve been utilizing Fedora Linux connected my gaming PC for complete a twelvemonth now, but decided to spell pinch Linux Mint for nan ThinkPad. It’s 1 of nan astir beginner-friendly Linux distributions acknowledgment to its stability, easy setup, and default Cinnamon desktop environment, which looks and feels a batch for illustration Windows 10. It’s based connected Ubuntu — nan astir celebrated Linux distribution — which intends that conscionable astir immoderate app that useful successful Linux will activity correct disconnected nan bat. It besides useful good connected older hardware.

The Mint installer was easy to use, pinch conscionable a fewer steps and clear explanations for each one. After astir 10 minutes, Windows 10 was gone and a Linux instrumentality was born.

Mint greeted maine pinch a small invited model offering to thief maine get started by customizing my desktop theme, checking for updates, aliases visiting nan package head to hunt for apps. Plenty of basal apps were besides preinstalled, including Firefox and nan full LibreOffice suite, which is simply a free, open-source replacement to Microsoft Office.

I took my clip searching for themes and customizing Cinnamon successful betwixt getting Slack and Steam installed. I had to instal Steam done nan bid line, a process that will astir apt look beautiful progressive for anyone utilized to Windows aliases macOS. Linux doesn’t person a cardinal app shop for illustration those operating systems do, though location are a mates platforms for illustration Flathub and nan Snap Store that mimic app stores. So, astir apps person to beryllium installed utilizing nan bid line, often by conscionable copy-pasting a bid from nan app’s download page.

Steam is disposable successful Linux Mint’s default repository, truthful I could get it pinch a speedy “sudo apt-get instal steam” successful nan terminal. I didn’t request nan bid statement for Slack, though. I conscionable downloaded nan .deb record from Slack’s website past installed it utilizing Mint’s built-in GUI tool.

Getting everything group up nan measurement I for illustration only took astir an hour. After that, I benched my MacBook for nan week and turned my attraction to nan ThinkPad.

A nine-year-old laptop tin still astonishment you.

When I took nan ThinkPad retired of nan box, I was legitimately shocked by really lightweight it is. According to our original review, nan ThinkPad weighs 2.9 pounds, astir nan aforesaid arsenic my 13-inch M4 MacBook Air, which weighs 2.7 pounds. The ThinkPad someway feels for illustration nan lighter laptop to me, partially because of its integrative chassis. It mightiness not look arsenic premium arsenic nan MacBook, but it doesn’t consciousness cheap, either — it’s reinforced pinch c fiber. I didn’t announcement immoderate flexing aliases bending pinch nan ThinkPad’s chassis during my clip utilizing it.

It besides thumps my MacBook connected ports: 2 USB-C ports pinch Thunderbolt 3, 2 USB-A, 1 HDMI, and a headphone jack. There’s moreover a operation SIM tray / microSD paper slot hidden successful nan backmost separator of nan keyboard deck, beside 1 of nan hinges. I was capable to plug successful nan USB-A dongle for my favourite wireless Razer rodent directly, alternatively of needing a USB-C hub like I usage for my MacBook. My favourite Bluetooth headphones worked perfectly pinch Linux, without immoderate driver aliases companion app issues.

This ThinkPad besides has 1 of nan astir satisfying laptop keyboards I’ve ever used, and I’ve tried dozens. You tin really consciousness nan cardinal recreation erstwhile you’re typing. All of nan media keys and moreover nan iconic trackpoint activity arsenic intended successful Linux arsenic well.

The webcam and mic activity good successful Mint, though you tin really show they’re from 2017. Video is washed-out and grainy, and nan mic audio is mediocre and picks up inheritance sound a spot much than I’d like. But nan webcam and mic are still clear capable to beryllium perfectly functional for thing for illustration a Google Meet aliases Zoom call. Likewise, nan speakers are a acold outcry from my MacBook’s, but they’re large and clear capable to get nan occupation done.

Linux Mint itself performed awesome connected nan ThinkPad. It besides has immoderate quality-of-life features preinstalled that make it perfect for Linux beginners, for illustration a graphical interface for moving updates, which you different would person to do done nan terminal. The Cinnamon desktop situation isn’t nan astir cutting-edge successful position of design, but it useful smoothly and reliably without draining artillery life immoderate faster than Windows 10. And it looks a batch for illustration Windows, truthful it’s very approachable for caller users. Customizing Cinnamon is easy, too. Through nan strategy settings, you tin adhd and region various themes different users person made aliases download them and adhd nan taxable files to your “.themes” folder.

This ThinkPad is nary gaming laptop, but I was capable to get a fistful of lightweight games moving connected it done Steam, including Wildfrost, Dead Cells, Hollow Knight, Fields of Mistria, and Rogue Heroes: Ruins of Tasos. They each ran amazingly smoothly, but it helps that nary of them person demanding graphics.

Luckily, crippled compatibility wasn’t an issue. Valve’s Proton compatibility layer, which is baked into nan Linux type of Steam, allows astir Windows games to tally connected Linux, pinch nan objection of definite games that require kernel-level anti-cheat. The artillery life connected nan ThinkPad vanished whenever it was moving Steam aliases a crippled and not plugged into its charger, but gaming will drain nan artillery connected immoderate laptop.

Unfortunately, location were a fewer drawbacks compared to a modern laptop, particularly erstwhile it comes to artillery life. The ThinkPad typically lasted astir 4 hours per complaint connected some Linux and Windows 10, springiness aliases return an hour. For comparison, erstwhile The Verge primitively reviewed this laptop, it was getting upwards of 8 hours per charge. So, this is 1 area wherever this laptop’s property — and its 400-plus artillery cycles — really shows.

While we didn’t switch it out, we were capable to find a replacement battery for astir $70, truthful it’s bully to spot that this is still repairable moreover aft each these years. The screws connected nan bottommost of nan ThinkPad are besides easy accessible, which makes replacing nan artillery — aliases nan SSD, aliases nan Wi-Fi paper — that overmuch easier.

A mates of insignificant issues came up, too. Mint didn’t admit nan ThinkPad’s fingerprint scholar retired of nan box. I was capable to find a guideline to hole this, but it required utilizing nan terminal to switch nan fingerprint scholar drivers.

Thanks to its overmuch slower storage, loading times for games and apps are besides noticeably longer than what I acquisition connected my MacBook. The ThinkPad besides slowed down a spot erstwhile I had much than 10 aliases truthful browser tabs unfastened astatine once. Additionally, nan bottommost of nan keyboard platform sewage noticeably lukewarm from clip to clip erstwhile nan ThinkPad was being pushed to its limits.

Those drawbacks aren’t deal-breakers for me, though, and were a comparatively mini value to salary to get nan ThinkPad moving connected an operating strategy that still supports it.

Microsoft’s determination to extremity support for Windows 10 made millions of moving devices conscionable for illustration this 2017 ThinkPad obsolete. According to Microsoft, users should move to Windows 11 for its superior security features; it includes support for virtualization-based information and makes nan Trusted Platform Module (TPM) and UEFI Secure Boot mandatory, some of which make booting up and logging successful much reliable and secure. While those are bully features to have, they don’t needfully warrant buying a caller machine for astir users.

Discontinuing support for Windows 10 has near millions of devices less unafraid than they were before, and galore group whitethorn not moreover recognize that their perfectly functional Windows 10 laptop is simply a cybersecurity consequence now.

If you person 1 of these devices and can’t aliases don’t want to switch it, Linux could beryllium nan solution. Linux has go importantly easier to study and usage arsenic a regular driver complete caller years, particularly much beginner-friendly distributions for illustration Mint. It’s besides much robust than ChromeOS, which is 1 of nan astir communal alternatives if you’re looking for a laptop nether $500, though location are besides galore Windows 11 laptops disposable astatine this price. Plus, Linux is free.

Linux isn’t for everyone, though. It’s still much analyzable to usage than Windows aliases macOS, and app compatibility tin beryllium a deal-breaker for immoderate people. I didn’t person immoderate issues moving connected my aging ThinkPad for a week, but I don’t request immoderate apps that aren’t disposable connected Linux, for illustration Adobe apps, Microsoft Office, accessory companion apps for illustration Razer Synapse, aliases taxation apps for illustration H&R Block.

There are ways astir this, for illustration moving Windows apps done a compatibility programme for illustration Wine, but capacity tin alteration from 1 app to another. There are besides alternatives to galore apps that aren’t natively disposable connected Linux. For instance, you could usage nan web versions of Microsoft Office apps aliases effort LibreOffice instead. Similarly, GIMP, Darktable, RawTherapee, Kdenlive, Inkscape, and LibreOffice Draw tin each beryllium alternatives to immoderate Adobe apps. They mightiness not beryllium a viable solution for everyone, but they’re worthy considering.

If you don’t person immoderate app barriers that would make Linux a no-go and you don’t request a peculiarly powerful laptop, an older, erstwhile Windows laptop moving Linux could get nan occupation done, prevention a laptop from nan landfill, and prevention you money astatine nan aforesaid time.

I urge looking for a Lenovo laptop, since they person nan champion way grounds of moving good connected Linux. Used business laptops for illustration this ThinkPad X1 Carbon tin often beryllium a peculiarly bully choice, though a much modern exemplary would astir apt beryllium a bully idea, for illustration thing from nan ThinkPad T14 aliases P14 lineups. Used Dell and HP business laptops tin besides beryllium bully options.

If you’re caller to Linux, you mightiness find nan wide assortment of versions, known arsenic distributions aliases “distros,” a small overwhelming astatine first. For astir caller Linux users, it’s champion to commencement pinch thing celebrated and easy to group up, for illustration Mint. Ubuntu, Fedora, Zorin, and Pop tin besides beryllium bully distros for beginners.

But nan bully point astir having truthful galore options is that if you ever want a different look connected your laptop aliases different features, you tin conscionable instal a caller distribution. You’re not locked into 1 operating strategy controlled by 1 company.

Even if you don’t scheme connected trying Linux, buying a utilized laptop complete a caller 1 could still beryllium a much cost-effective option, particularly if you’re connected a budget. There are plentifulness of modern Windows 11 laptops and Chromebooks disposable for nether $500. Unfortunately, 1 large drawback pinch these is that you’re astir apt going to get overmuch little retention and RAM than you mightiness beryllium capable to get pinch a utilized laptop, particularly pinch RAM and retention prices connected nan rise.

An older laptop for illustration this ThinkPad X1 Carbon could beryllium a viable action if you’re trying to find a laptop connected a sub-$500 budget, but you person to beryllium alert of what you’re signing up for. You tin get plentifulness of RAM and retention astatine a bargain value connected an older laptop, but you’ll beryllium sacrificing immoderate capacity since these laptops besides person older processors, though it depends what your alternatives are. The capacity spread isn’t arsenic important arsenic you mightiness expect compared to likewise priced modern laptops.

I ran Geekbench 6 a fewer times connected nan ThinkPad, and its Intel Core i7-7600U processor averaged 1260 connected nan single-core trial and 2322 connected nan multi-core test. Its single-core capacity keeps up amazingly good compared to nan processors successful modern laptops astir nan aforesaid value point. For instance, nan Intel Core i3-N305 successful nan Acer Spin 14 has a single-core people of 1142 connected Geekbench 6 and nan AMD Ryzen 5 7520U successful nan Acer Aspire 3 has a people of 1169, some little than what nan Core i7-7600U averaged.

Unfortunately, nan Core i7-7600U lags overmuch much connected multi-core performance, since it only has 2 cores. This is wherever nan Geekbench results show a overmuch wider gap: 4192 for nan eight-core Intel Core i3-N305 and 3679 for nan Ryzen 5 7520U, compared to conscionable 2322 for nan Core i7-7600U.

So you’re not sacrificing much, if anything, successful position of single-core capacity by going for an older laptop for illustration nan ThinkPad complete a modern fund laptop. However, you will beryllium giving up immoderate multi-core performance. If you’re conscionable doing web browsing aliases moving successful Google Docs, that astir apt won’t beryllium an issue.

For galore group nan accrued RAM and retention successful an older laptop is worthy much than a small other earthy performance. Modern fund laptops, for illustration nan Acer models mentioned above, whitethorn person faster CPUs, but they’ll almost ever person half arsenic overmuch RAM and retention arsenic thing for illustration our utilized ThinkPad, which tin person a much nonstop effect connected mundane usage than processing power.

Before joining The Verge precocious past year, I didn’t person a laptop that could tally Windows 11 aliases macOS. All I had, too my desktop PC, was a 2017 HP laptop moving Windows 10. I’d logged countless hours penning connected that laptop, spent agelong nights playing Minecraft connected it pinch my friends, brought it on pinch maine done assemblage and aggregate internships. But it was getting old, and I could show — nan artillery life was getting atrocious (two to 3 hours max), it was moving noticeably hot, and it wasn’t going to beryllium eligible for Windows 11.

I couldn’t spend a caller laptop astatine nan time, but acknowledgment to Linux, I didn’t request to. I spent an day replacing my laptop’s artillery and installing Fedora connected it. When I booted it backmost up, it was moving overmuch cooler and smoother and getting astir 5 hours of artillery life. Putting Linux connected that laptop gave it a 2nd life, saved maine hundreds of dollars, and allowed maine to support utilizing a laptop that had travel a agelong measurement pinch maine complete nan years. The aforesaid attack besides saved this ThinkPad from unnecessary obsolescence.

Microsoft will pass you successful your device’s updates paper if you’re not eligible for Windows 11, but what it won’t show you is that Windows isn’t your only option. Linux mightiness beryllium a spot much analyzable to study and use, but it tin besides springiness you nan state to determine for yourself erstwhile it’s clip to upgrade your laptop.

My ThinkPad mightiness not beryllium capable to tally Windows 11, but it’s acold from obsolete.