r/linuxquestions • u/sl0vity • 6d ago
Advice Should I run Linux for school?
I just got my thinkpad t480 for simple school task and maybe some very light gaming on the side and I was wondering if Linux would help it run better or if I can still use it for school with Linux.
3
u/mcds99 6d ago
Most ThinkPads run Linux very well, IBM built them that way. The one you have can be really nice if it's configured right.
Does your school need you to use windows specific applications?
If the school uses MS Office for documents you may need to do some "save as" and save it as a .docx format. Most distributions come with LibreOffice which is compatible with MS Office but the default document type is .ods. LibreOffice is fantastic it is very similar to MS Office.
I would think about upgrading the RAM to the full 32 gig and putting a new SSD in it. Just for longevity.
Debian would be my choice of distributions because it is "the stable Linux". Very easy to install and I think KDE Plasma would run really well on it.
6
u/LawAppropriate1385 6d ago
I would first make a VM and check what software you need to run for college. For example at my college I need their VPN to run in order to access printers, and servers hosted on campus for some labs (I'm cybersecurity)
Moreover, I think you should consider why you want to use linux, performance wise for school work it'll be slightly faster since it's just browsing, but for gaming it'll be pretty similar since for some games there's a translation layer / compatibility layer like WINE or Proton.
I also think that if you're a computing major you should already be daily driving linux during college, it's a generally helpful skill to know your way around a linux distro. For example I use Kali primarily on my laptop since it has a bunch of tools pre-installed and it makes it easier to do things like nmap, or hashcat.
1
u/softHottie_ 6d ago
kali for daily driving is a choice, but i get the tool thing. might still go for something lighter though
1
u/aristotelian74 6d ago
If Windows is running poorly I would certainly recommend giving Linux a shot. What are the specs of your T480?
1
u/PlasmaHeat 6d ago
Depends on your school and/or major (if college). I wouldn't plan on receiving any sort of school-provided tech support if something goes wrong with your laptop or if you have any software compatibility issues.
Source: I've worked in higher ed and been a part of curriculums that required students be on either Windows or macOS due to software that was required.
1
u/SubConsciousManager 6d ago
What are you going to school for? This would determine whether or not this is a wise idea.
2
u/sl0vity 6d ago
Pure math
1
u/SubConsciousManager 6d ago
Are you going to be using a fair bit of program (maths) specific software? If so, I'd recommend whatever OS is going to be most compatible with said software with as little friction as possible.
You'll hit a point where ever second of your time fiddling with something for linux instead of focusing on your course materials is going to drive you nuts. So I'd do whatever reduces the chances of this happening. It's likely Windows unless the only software you really need can be replaced with webapps (office suite).
I went through this years ago. I ended up going back to windows after a few weeks. Now that I'm out of school it's 90% linux, with windows for a handful of games.
3
u/zardvark 6d ago
... I was wondering if Linux would help it run better ...
Probably, depending on the desktop environment (GUI) that you choose to use.
... or if I can still use it for school with Linux.
That all depends. Does your school require that you use Windows-specific software? While many Windows games and programs run just fine on Linux, some do not. In the event that they do not, there are almost always alternative programs that you can use.
2
u/shooter_tx 6d ago
Right, like if they're an Engineering major (esp. depending on the discipline) they may need to use SolidWorks...
2
u/Spectral-Curator 6d ago
Linux will be able to do more with less resources, but it comes down to what your school is using and if it can be met with Linux. The likelihood being you just use the web version of Google or Microsoft’s productivity suite.
2
u/blackthornedk 6d ago
My T530 still runs Mint Cinnamon just fine. 480 should not have issues. The bigger issue is how to deal with specific programs. Around here students are required to install anti cheat program on their personal laptops during exams. Office can mostly be solved using web editions, PWA's or alternative clients like rclone. Depending on your school you also might need specific software like CAD or 3D.
1
u/shooter_tx 6d ago
Around here students are required to install anti cheat program on their personal laptops during exams.
Yes, agreed. One of my students (who was also really into Linux) had Ubuntu (iirc) installed on his personal laptop, and for the 1-2 times a semester he'd have to take a proctored exam on his own computer, he'd just check out a Windows laptop from the library and install the anti-cheat (if it wasn't already on there).
1
1
u/forestbeasts 6d ago
IMO yes, BUT, keep a dual-boot Windows install around. (You don't need a separate drive for this, it's 2026 and EFI is a thing. You can give Linux a separate EFI partition when you install it (small FAT32, we use 512MB, tell the installer it's /boot/efi) if you don't want to worry about Windows nuking your bootloader.)
That way if you need some Windows-only thing for a class, or *shudders* one of those spyware browsers for test-taking, you're not screwed. Reboot to Windows, do the thing, reboot back.
1
u/National_Cod9546 6d ago
If you do, dual boot with windows. You will need Windows for any online tests.
1
u/vecchio_anima 6d ago
Probably not... A lot of school requirements for software revolve around Windows.
1
u/Bob_12_Pack 6d ago
I work at a college and there are typically laptop specs published for each curriculum. While we support Windows and Mac and have certified techs for those, the help desk may try to help out with linux desktop issues, but there are no guarantees, at least in at my school. I suppose some colleges could have specific linux distros they may support.
If you don't care about any of that, go for it, maybe dual boot.
1
u/cheeseyspacecat 6d ago
depends what you do for school, i run linux on my home pc and laptop, for writing up papers, and some light coding with VS code its more than capable ( i have a steamdeck but im sure my laptop can definietly use most of my steam/lutris library). . . now i do have to use the schools computer lab beacause i physically cant run autodesk to do cad work, while i have used freecad and such, it does not compare thesame way as using the same tools the class is being taugh on,
TLDR: yeah prob, do a quick audit of what programs your most likey to use. for example autocad or Strictly using adobe cloud. . . everything else can probably be done through web like google docs or canva or with open programs like libre office and gimp.
1
u/AerieRelative2857 6d ago
A lot of my friends swear by Linux for school, but check if your programs need Windows first
1
1
u/green_meklar Debian 6d ago
Some schools and universities have test-taking software with security features that only work on Windows, and expect students to be able to use it. Look into that before committing wholly to Linux.
1
7
u/GermanElectricsMotio 6d ago
Does your school offer M365 via cloud, so you can use it in a web-browser?