Suitable OS

Really need more hardware information, but see no limitation simply based on Sandy Bridge CPU itself. It uses EFI.
To keep it simple and away from systemd, there are few choices -- antiX (Debian) or Slackware and derivatives like Salix or Slackel.

Also, could use more info regarding yourself to make a more tailored recommendation -- Linux newbie or what? What is the intended usage for new OS,_ et cetera_.