Arch vs Mint on very old laptop (i7-2630QM) for thermals + lightweight use?
Hi everyone,
I’ve got an old laptop running an Intel i7-2630QM. It’s currently on Linux Mint (Cinnamon), but it idles around ~50°C even after a full clean and repaste. I’ve also disabled the NVIDIA GT 540M (Optimus, eek!), since it doesn’t really play nicely on Linux and it is not really need (did help with thermals in case anyone also using a RF511 lol).
I mainly just use this machine for light browsing and video playback when I am in bed.
I was wondering if switching to Arch (with a lightweight DE, taking recommendation) would help at all with thermals (and fan noise!), or if I’m better off staying with Mint.
My thinking is Arch might be more minimal and reduce background overhead, but I’m not sure if that actually translates to lower temps in practice.
If Arch is worth trying, what lightweight DE/WM would you recommend for this kind of setup?
Thanks!