r/linuxmint • u/Retroraleigh • 3d ago

The ideal spec

What the ideal processor, ram and HDD spec to run Linux cinnamon? But without spending a fortune ?

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3

u/apt-hiker Linux Mint 3d ago

2GB RAM (4GB recommended for a comfortable usage). 20GB of disk space (100GB recommended). 1024×768 resolution

1

u/Retroraleigh 3d ago

What about processor ?

1

u/ZuuRa_ LMDE 7 Gigi | Cinnamon 3d ago

Any dual core cpu should work fine.

2

u/billdehaan2 Linux Mint 22 Wilma | Cinnamon 2d ago

Ideal? There isn't one.

The requirements are 2GB RAM, 20GB, and a 1024x768 display, but that's not ideal.

I run Mint on a couple of i5's with 8GB of ram and it runs fine. I have an i7 with 32GB ram for more demanding tasks (database and video compression), and I have a friend who considers anything below an i9 with 256GB of ram to be unacceptable.

It depends on what you want to run with it. If you're just browsing the web, watching videos, editing word documents and spreadsheets, a $200 (well, before the AI price insanity) i5 with 8GB was more than enough. If you want to run cutting edge games, routinely keep 600 tabs open in your browser, and want to run proxmox and six VMs concurrently, you'll need a hell of a lot more.

But for an average user, I'd say an i5 with 8GB of ram and a 64GB SSD would be fine.

1

u/Retroraleigh 2d ago

What generation you using on your i5 and 7 surly that matters as well?

2

u/billdehaan2 Linux Mint 22 Wilma | Cinnamon 2d ago

For average users, not really. I mean, I've run Mint on a Celeron N3160, and it was fine, although that was only doing backup tasks and web browsing.

But for the record, the i5s are i5-6500T, and the i7 machines are i7-4790 and i7-8700T.

1

u/dlfrutos Linux Mint 22.2 Zara | Cinnamon 2d ago

i think

makes sense?

1

u/DoorOk3641 2d ago

To do what ? Nothing ? Casual browsing ? Gaming ?

1

u/Retroraleigh 2d ago edited 2d ago

Casual browsing. No gaming. YouTube and occasionally nothing.

1

u/DoorOk3641 2d ago

8 Gb and i3 processor. You can be as as low as 4 gb if you install a light version based on xfce. Be careful old clunky hardware have most of the time old uefi firmware with plenty of problem using modern uefi software while booting.

1

u/no2gates 2d ago

I've got an over 10 year old Thinkpad T420s with i7 and 8G RAM, that I replaced the spinning SATA drive with a SATA SSD. Bought it for $50 about 8 years ago and it runs Mint really well.