Close-up view of an old desktop tower with liquid cooling, running Linux on original parts from 2013.

I Keep My Old Desktop with Kubuntu 24.10 and KDE Plasma 6

Bytech-n-design Updated on

My 2013 desktop still feels new because I run Kubuntu 24.10 on an old PC. Windows 11 told me my Intel i7-3930K processor, 16 GB of DDR3 memory, and GTX 760 graphics card were too old.

I booted Kubuntu with KDE Plasma 6 from a USB stick and everything worked. Ten minutes, three quick tweaks, and the machine was faster, quieter, and license-free.

If you haven’t read why I switched from Windows to Linux, I broke down the thinking behind it there.

What’s inside this decade-old tower?

  1. CPU & board: i7-3930K on ASUS P9X79 PRO
  2. RAM: 16 GB DDR3-1600 (Kingston HyperX)
  3. GPU: EVGA GTX 760 SuperClocked, 2 GB
  4. Cooler: Intel Liquid Cooler (AIO unit, stock version)
  5. Storage:
    • Intel SSD 520 Series, 120 GB (OS and apps)
    • WD 500 GB SATA HDD (files and backups)
  6. Power: Corsair CX750, 80 + Bronze
  7. Case: Antec One mid-tower
  8. Optical: Sony AD-7280S DVD±RW
  9. Boot mode: Legacy BIOS, MBR

Old parts. New life.

Interior of a 2013 desktop PC with Intel i7, GTX 760, and Corsair CX750 running Kubuntu 24.10 with KDE Plasma 6.
Image Credit: tech-n-design

Why I picked KDE Plasma 6 over Windows 11

Windows 11 blocks my CPU, needs TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot. Kubuntu 24.10 says yes.
Plasma 6 (updated to 6.1 via backports) runs on old gear, uses less memory, and feels quick. It looks modern yet idles around 900 MB RAM on my setup. No license. No nags.

My 20-minute Kubuntu install plan

  1. Grab the ISO. Download Kubuntu 24.10 from kubuntu.org.
  2. Write USB. Flash with Etcher; verify.
  3. Tweak BIOS. Enable XMP + AHCI, set USB first.
  4. Boot live. Test Wi-Fi, printer, sound, and dual displays.
  5. Install. Pick “Erase SSD, keep HDD” for dual boot. Twenty minutes later Plasma greeted me.

Tip: Keep your Windows drive. Grub lists both systems at startup; zero risk, full fallback.

2013 PC setup with KDE Plasma 6 desktop on screen, showing Kubuntu 24.10 running on legacy hardware.
Image Credit: tech-n-design

What worked right out of the box

  1. Audio jacks & HDMI sound
  2. Dual 1080p displays
  3. USB 3 ports & external drives
  4. Steam + Proton for indie games
  5. LibreOffice, Firefox, and video playback

No drivers to hunt.* No terminal on day one.

*Rare Wi-Fi chipsets or printers may need one click in Discover.

Where I hit snags—and the two-minute fixes

  1. Screen tearing: Enabled Nvidia 470 driver in Discover. One reboot, tear-free.
  2. BIOS clock reset: Swapped the dead CR2032 battery.
  3. DVD playback: Installed libdvd-pkg; discs spin fine.

Each fix beat the time of a single Windows reboot.

Real-world speed checks

TaskWindows 10Kubuntu 24.10
Cold boot to desktop (s)49 s24 s
LibreOffice Writer open (s)6 s< 2 s
1080 p video CPU load (%)28 %16 %

Plasma stays out of the way. Even the aging HDD feels faster thanks to lighter I/O.

Should I upgrade parts or leave them?

  1. SSD swap: Already running on a 120 GB Intel SSD for OS and apps. A used 256 GB SATA SSD (~€40 in NL) gives more room and still cuts load times by 4×. Worth it if you need space.
  2. GPU bump: A used GTX 1660 Ti fits the 750 W PSU (check 8-pin & length) and triples FPS.
  3. Everything else: Leave it. Board, CPU, and RAM stay cool and stable. Plasma won’t bottleneck them.

Rule: if a part costs more than half a new mini-PC, skip it.

Takeaways for anyone reviving old hardware

  1. Keep cash. OS and Office cost €0.
  2. Skip e-waste. One less tower in landfill.
  3. Stay secure. After July 2025 the 24.10 repos close, so security patches stop.
    The fix is simple: run the built-in upgrade tool and hop to the next release (25.04 or the next LTS). It’s a one-command, in-place upgrade that keeps your files and settings.
  4. Feel modern. Floating panels, fractional scaling, HDR tweaks—Plasma 6 adds polish.

Start / boot your computer from a USB stick loaded with Kubuntu. If everything runs fine, click “Install” and give new life to a PC Windows abandoned.

Conclusion

My 2013 desktop didn’t need an upgrade. It just needed the right system. KDE Plasma 6 runs fast, stays out of the way, and doesn’t cost a thing. 

If you’re still unsure, this setup proves it works. Try a live USB. You might find your old PC has plenty left to give.

FAQs

Will Kubuntu work on my 10-year-old desktop?

If your PC runs Windows 10, it’ll likely run Kubuntu. Try it from a USB stick first. If it boots and everything works, you’re good.

Is KDE Plasma too heavy for old hardware?

Plasma 6 is faster than it looks. On my 2013 machine, it idles under 1 GB of RAM and feels smoother than Windows 10 ever did.

What if I don’t want to erase Windows?

You don’t have to. Just install Kubuntu on a second drive or partition. It’ll detect Windows and give you a boot menu every time you power on.

Do I need to use the terminal to fix things?

Not really. I fixed display and sound issues through the software settings. Most things in Kubuntu work out of the box or with one click.

What upgrade gives the biggest speed boost?

Swap in an SSD. Even a cheap 240 GB drive speeds up boot time and app launch by 4×. It’s the only upgrade I’d say is worth doing.

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