isak55/Shutterstock Installing a Linux distro is a great way to breathe new life into an older laptop, but there are a ton of options to choose from, and someone not well-versed with the ecosystem might end up feeling overwhelmed. Google has partnered with a company called Back Market to provide a solid alternative — it's a ChromeOS Flex USB kit that allows you to transform an old or aging laptop into a more stable machine. Google and Back Market's  ChromeOS Flex USB key is only $3 brand new, with no subscriptions or additional purchases needed. It's a pre-loaded USB stick that makes it easy to install ChromeOS Flex on most computers with an Intel or AMD processor. There are some subtle differences between ChromeOS Flex and the version of ChromeOS that you'd find on a Chromebook, but for the most part, this little USB stick can essentially turn your aging laptop into a less resource-heavy ChromeOS machine.…