I Installed Ubuntu on My Old MacBook Air and I Wish I'd Done it Sooner
If you’re eyeing a shiny new Apple silicon Mac but don’t know what to do with your old one, installing Linux can transform what you thought was obsolete tech into a capable machine.
Why I Installed Ubuntu on My 2014 MacBook Air
Back in 2014, during my first stint at How-To Geek, I bought a MacBook Air for writing Mac-related articles. It had an Intel Core i5, 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD—a fairly powerful workhorse for its time. In 2022, I upgraded to a refurbished M1 Pro MacBook Pro, and the MacBook Air was relegated to a drawer, collecting dust like a forgotten Toy Story character.
Despite its age, however, this Mac still works. Sure, it has a big ding in the bottom right corner from when I accidentally knocked it on the floor. I've replaced the battery twice. The hinge is loose and tightening it is not fun. Still, it powers on and it works without fail. The problem? macOS updates have bogged it down. What was once snappy now feels sluggish; app icons bounce endlessly while applications open, and spinning beach balls are a common occurrence.