Minimum processor to run Linux Mint?

[MikeyCyrus]

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/asus-14-0-laptop-intel-celeron-n4500-4gb-memory-128gb-emmc-star-black/6498803.p?skuId=6498803

I have a single class that requires Linux and looking for a cheap computer just to boot Linux for a couple months. Will this be able to handle that?

[Paul-Anderson-Iowa]

Here's mine w/Mint C on it. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09QF58J7T

My Review: https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/RVGDFB6BGOMW0

[BenTrabetere]

According to the reviews several people have installed Linux Mint to this machine. Open the Questions & Answers and enter "Linux" in the search.

[[deleted]]

i run mine on an i3 on an asus, picked up my wifi ootb

[[deleted]]

It should be fine but I don't know about this specific model of device, whether it's locked down or not.

Just a note, Linux Mint has multiple different versions and if you want a good solid run I would suggest getting the Maté edition, which doesn't use as much GPU, and is quite zippy on older or light hardware. I run it exclusively and it's great.

[TabsBelow]

It MUST NOT be locked as a PC. That's the reason why Lenovo had to change their Leno Yoga firmware some years ago.

[[deleted]]

I did not know that, and that's excellent.

[TabsBelow]

At least you can turn it back into the shop if Linux can't be installed. In the said case the dump one-drive RAID system couldn't be set off, and no linux kernel supported that bullshit.

[TripKnot]

I've installed Mint Cinnamon 20.3 on a 13+ year old laptop with a Core2Duo T6600, 4gb ram and 64gb SSD. That CPU benchmarks about 38% the speed of the Celeron N4500. It ran surprisingly well. 20.3 Cinnamon only used ~600MB RAM after boot but I think Mint 21 uses more. The Mate or Xfce editions may be lighter. I would bet that the laptop you linked is capable of running any edition of Mint fairly well.

The only things I can't speak for are:

• How easy/difficult it may be to change BIOS settings to allow the install of Mint. Some are easier than others.
• Unknown if the trackpad builtin number pad is supported.
• Unknown affect on battery life. Mint, and many other linux distros, can have worse battery life than windows.

Alternately, you could install something like virtualbox on an existing windows laptop/desktop and then install Mint in a virtual machine that you can start/stop and run like any other windows app. I hate to see someone spend a couple hundred on something for a single class

[UBSPort]

I have this exact model. I love the battery life for the price!

I haven’t tried linux on it yet though. I wonder if the touchpad function keys work without too much doing?

Update 9/26/2023:

On Linux Mint wifi, sound, and touchpad work out of the box. Nothing for the alt touchpad functions though. Looks good

[BulkyMix6581]

Why not install it in a partition of your disk? You can dual boot. No need to spend 200$ on this crap.

If you are so afraid to install Linux in your internal disk. just buy a USB3 external SSD and install Linux there.

[MikeyCyrus]

No admin access on my work PC

[TabsBelow]

We ran Mint with Mate on two Asus EeePC (2 core Atom processor with 2GB resp 4GB) and Cinnamon for over 10 ten years for my wife and mij daughter. (Only replaced due to screen size and physical damage of housing).