If I want to maintain my Windows computer, do I need a new computer?
You don’t need a new computer, but Microsoft’s influence in the industry made it really inconvenient to run any other operating system alongside Windows on the same PC.
When you start, you need to change some BIOS settings to be compatible with both Windows and Linux. More annoyingly, every time you switch between them you’ll have to change tbe Secure Boot option. Turn it off before booting into Linux and turn it back on before booting into Windows. There are workarounds to that, but they’re not beginner friendly.
You also can’t install both Windows and Linux on the same drive. Windows likes to “repair” itself from time to time, which ends up breaking the Linux boot loader.
If I was already looking for a laptop, do I just buy the cheapest one and reformat? Does Distro utilize Touch Screen?
ThinkPads have a good track record with Linux support.
Hardware with niche features (like multiple screens on a laptop) will be less likely to have drivers for those features on Linux.
Touch screens don’t have a standardized way of connecting to a computer, so support will vary and you’ll need to Google it to find out if some laptop model is supported. If it is, pick any distro that uses KDE Plasma or GNOME for its desktop environment and you’ll be fine. If you’re coming from Windows, I would recommend Plasma over GNOME.
You don’t need a new computer, but Microsoft’s influence in the industry made it really inconvenient to run any other operating system alongside Windows on the same PC.
When you start, you need to change some BIOS settings to be compatible with both Windows and Linux. More annoyingly, every time you switch between them you’ll have to change tbe Secure Boot option. Turn it off before booting into Linux and turn it back on before booting into Windows. There are workarounds to that, but they’re not beginner friendly.
You also can’t install both Windows and Linux on the same drive. Windows likes to “repair” itself from time to time, which ends up breaking the Linux boot loader.
ThinkPads have a good track record with Linux support.
Hardware with niche features (like multiple screens on a laptop) will be less likely to have drivers for those features on Linux.
Touch screens don’t have a standardized way of connecting to a computer, so support will vary and you’ll need to Google it to find out if some laptop model is supported. If it is, pick any distro that uses KDE Plasma or GNOME for its desktop environment and you’ll be fine. If you’re coming from Windows, I would recommend Plasma over GNOME.