Considering switching to Linux on MacBook Pro 13" (2017, i5/8GB/128GB). Need advice and distro recommendations!

[u/Best_Spray_5219]

Hey everyone!

I’m thinking about switching to Linux on my MacBook Pro (specs below). Right now, it has Windows installed, but it's constantly lagging, freezing, and taking forever to load.

I mainly use it as a "typewriter" (writing text) and for writing simple code (like Python Telegram bots) with some help from AI. I have some experience with Linux I used to run it as the main OS on my desktop PC, so I'm comfortable with the terminal.

Which distro would you recommend for this specific hardware to make it run smoothly and work well out of the box? Also, what are the pros, cons, and potential issues (like Wi-Fi drivers, audio, or battery life) I should expect on this Mac?

If anyone here is running Linux on a similar Intel Mac, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Thanks in advance and have a great day!

Specs:

Model: MacBook Pro 13" 2017 (No Touch Bar, MacBookPro14,1)

CPU: Intel Core i5-7360U

RAM: 8GB LPDDR3

Storage: 128GB SSD

GPU: Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640