Explanation - Replace linux-firmware with core/linux-firmware-meta?

No - it is your responsibility - you do it your way…

It is a simple yes-no question.

Upstream Arch split the linux-firmware into vendor specific packages - which required the user to manually intervene and install the system specific packages.

Manjaro took another approach - linux-firmware-meta is an umbrella for all firmware packages.

This was done to provide an easier transition for the individual user.

So answering yes will replace the old linux-firmware with all available firmware packages.

You you know what firmware packages are applicable for your system you can remove the umbralla

sudo pacman -R linux-firmware-meta

Then you can list firmware packages

 $ pamac search linux-firmware- --no-aur  | grep Installed
linux-firmware-whence  20250708-1 [Installed]                               core
linux-firmware-realtek  20250708-1 [Installed]                              core
linux-firmware-radeon  20250708-1 [Installed]                               core
linux-firmware-other  20250708-1 [Installed]                                core
linux-firmware-nvidia  20250708-1 [Installed]                               core
linux-firmware-mediatek  20250708-1 [Installed]                             core
linux-firmware-intel  20250708-1 [Installed]                                core
linux-firmware-cirrus  20250708-1 [Installed]                               core
linux-firmware-broadcom  20250708-1 [Installed]                             core
linux-firmware-atheros  20250708-1 [Installed]                              core
linux-firmware-amdgpu  20250708-1 [Installed]                               core

Remove those you know you don’t need

Manjaro Linux is for people taking the deliberate choice to use Linux.

If you don’t want to update your system - that is deliberate choice - a choice I don’t condone - but will respect.

Unlike Windows - you can actually choose to do just that…

Install - disable update nagging - and be done with it.

But with the choice not to update also comes the inability to sync new applications because such action requires an up-to-date system.

To help users which want it that way, I wrote this guide some time ago

[root tip] [How To] Create and use a portable Manjaro mirror

Afterthought - you can use flatpak - although not by guarantee - they should run no matter the the underlying system.

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