Similar to Linux Lite, Ubuntu MATE is a particularly good choice for users thinking about switching from Windows or even macOS. Absolute Linux is a Slackware-based distro that runs on the iceWM desktop environment and can easily accommodate very old hardware. * You will receive the latest news and updates on everything that's Linux related! Xfce is the default desktop environment in Xubuntu, Linux Lite, Uberstudent, Manjaro Linux and Blackbox. older or embedded hardware) to be used productively. For example, “what can I NOT do with these versions?” Noting that a key reason Windows and OSX have become so slow is due to background tasks that either overwhelm old CPUs or use up RAM, do these Linux alternatives turn off any background services that heavier versions typically use? Lubuntu is exactly what it sounds like, a lightweight version of Ubuntu. It is based on Ubuntu LTS, it’s lightweight and easy to use Linux distributions. The developers have set up a forum where users can talk about their experience with the OS and there’s even a live chat service for those who require technical assistance. It is less user-friendly than MATE and Xfce but comes with all the features you would expect from a modern desktop environment. Right out of the gate you get access to the Mozilla Firefox browser complete with built-in support for Netflix along with the popular VLC media player for running videos and music offline. As you might imagine, there are a couple of drawbacks to using a lightweight distro. Like most other people who grew up using Windows, I always thought of Linux as a very niche operating system that seemed needlessly complicated. All applications have been chosen for the best balance of functionality, size, and speed. 512 mb). It is a Linux system, that uses the minimal desktop LXDE/LXQT, and a selection of light applications. However, over time the open-source project became something a lot bigger and more versatile that can now run directly from a CD or UBS drive, though it’s also possible to install it on a hard drive if needed. One of the best features of this lightweight Linux distro is that it’s being developed by a very dedicated team that usually launches a new version once very year. The interface is familiar to people with experience using Windows 7, Vista, or XP. ExLight Linux distribution sees the light of day again after a long time sleeping with a new major release that promises a pure Debian experience with the latest kernel series and Enlightenment desktop environment. VectorLinux requires at least 1.8 GB of hard drive space, which can be considered a lot when compared to some of the other distros on this list. While some of the other distros on this list can run without problems on fairly old systems, Damn Small Linux can be installed on completely ancient ones. The desktop environment looks great even in its base … Casual users can keep things simple by sticking with the minimalistic version of VectorLinux that comes with a slick desktop environment along with web browsers, email client, instant messaging client, and other useful applications. Next to the desktop names there are numbers (i.e. CorePlus is the only one of the three variants that support wireless installation, with the other two versions requiring a wired network connection. The two work hand in hand to provide users with a clutter-free working environment that not only looks great but is also highly responsive. As far as we’re concerned, we like using distros that come out of the box with most of the basic applications you’ll find on modern systems. In addition, you have plenty of layouts and customization options at your disposal that can make the desktop look even prettier. If you’re looking for distros that can run even on ancient hardware, however, there are few choices better than TinyCore, Damn Small Linux, and even Porteus to some extent. Powered by, Passwordless Login Vs. XFCE is one of the most popular lightweight Linux desktop environments around. DSL has a nearly complete desktop and a small core of command-line tools. But there are times these fancy DEs won’t play nice with your hardware especially for old computers (ones that came with XP). It is highly scriptable, has dozens of excellent features like multi-monitor support, workspace support, theme support, and is the ultimate power-user taskbar for Linux fans. However, you shouldn’t have any problems running the OS on a machine that came out sometime during the last decade. The Cinnamon desktop environment is modern and stylish. Windows-10-Design für Linux: Dark Theme, Light Theme & Icon Theme kostenlos downloaden! The desktop environment looks great even in its base form but you can make it even better by installing one of the many themes supported by Moksha. „Linux Lite“ ist eine auf Ubuntu basierende Linux-Distribution, bei der Programme wie Firefox, der VLC Media Player, GIMP, Thunderbird und LibreOffice bereits vorinstalliert sind. Despite requiring very few system resources, this lightweight Linux distro is very powerful and its Moksha desktop environment looks just as good as those of modern operating systems. Combined with Sway you can build a fine minima workplace. Whether you’re looking for a project helmed by veteran developers or a fresh one that you can watch grow and perhaps even contribute to, there’s bound to be a small distro out there that’s right up your alley. At the same time, advanced users can take advantage of powerful built-in tools that can be used to compile programs or transform the system into a server. you can’t get much lighter than i3, and i3 *can* with some work be configured to assume many tasks traditionally handled by a DE such as volume keys, even backlight levels can be managed. It *works* in the barest sense of the definition, but actually doing anything useful will take way too much time. This feature improves the speed of the system, which only has to worry about the activate applications. If you want a version that’s a bit more modern you’ll need to look into the HWE (Hardware Enablement) release. Unlike DSL, TinyCore is available in three different versions, each with its own features and system requirements. You can revoke your consent any time using the Revoke consent button. Alternatively, you can install a lightweight distro on a modern machine to free up additional system resources. Wow; here’s an article to write… Tuning Linux to match your resources. If you’re looking for a lightweight Linux distro that comes with plenty of helpful tools and features right off the bat, you’re going to love what Ubuntu MATE has to offer. It goes without saying that there’s no shortage of lightweight Linux distros to choose from. iceWM is the default window manager/DE on Absolute Linux and Lightweight Portable Security. We'll assume you're ok with this. Thanks to its modular nature, the OS can be customized to work just as well on both old and modern systems. Do you own an old PC, like the ones that came with Windows XP? XFCE is one of the most popular lightweight Linux desktop environments around. Install a lightweight Linux distro on them and they’re as good as new. Some of the highlights include Google Chrome, Google Earth, LibreOffice, Kodi, GIMP, Inkscape, Calibre, and more. The MATE(MATE Advanced Traditional Environment) desktop environment is a fork of GNOME 2. It is a highly configurable standalone window manager. If XFCE and MATE are considered lightweight, in that case we should also mention KDE which consume only 600MiB of memory. ​LXDE/LXQt. Regardless of which distro catches your eye, don’t forget to check out the official documentation just so you can make sure that your system actually supports the operating system. All of those are included with the base version of Ubuntu Mate but you can access the Software Boutique to download countless other applications in order to customize the OS to your specific needs. In other words, you’re getting pretty much all the basic apps you would expect from a regular operating system but without any of the clutter. However, there’s also an application browser that gives you access to a repository featuring plenty of useful apps you can install manually. The latest version of Absolute Linux takes up a little over 2 GB of space while the image size is just small enough to fill up a standard 700 MB CD. Linux plays an essential part in powering our modern world and can be surprisingly accessible if you know which distros to start with. Here are all of these lightweight Linux desktop environments. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Perhaps even more importantly, the distro has very low system requirements and is lightweight enough to run on systems that are more than a decade old. Consequently, you can expect the operating system to come equipped with everything you need, including a browser, multimedia apps, and office suite, right out of the box. The Standard edition is just what it sounds like and was designed to run on machines that support 64-bit architecture. @2020 - www.linuxandubuntu.com. it can also be used to replace the WM component of XFCE, MATE, and LXQT, at least. It is reaalllyy light and faast manjaro-based mini-linux! While other operating systems can also get the job done pretty well, Linux is a more specialized OS that was…, If you are a fan of using Python programming language, you can make your life easier by using Python Pip. So while the base version of this lightweight Linux distro may not seem too appealing, you can definitely turn it into a proper operating system with a bit of time and effort. One of the most famous lightweight GUIs over there, LXDE (Lightweight X11 Desktop Environment) was first released in 2006, it was programmed to work on Unix-like platforms like Linux & FreeBSD, LXDE is the default GUI for many Linux distributions like Lubuntu, LXLE, Knoppix any many others. Absolute Linux is a lightweight distro designed for desktop use, and as such comes preinstalled with the Firefox browser and LibreOffice suite. DSL can boot from a business card CD as a live Linux … … Moksha is a continuation of the popular Enlightenment 17 environment that introduces new functionality while also removing bugs and unfinished features. Written in the C language with the GTK+ library, LXDE is very good GUI to run on old computers, it is a component of many tools like PC… Fedora Review: Is It the Linux Distro for You? Despite its small size, the distro comes equipped with a pretty impressive array of applications. The installation instructions for Elive are a bit more complicated than those of other lightweight Linux distros but you shouldn’t run into any issues if you follow the steps listed here. LXDE (Lightweight X11 Desktop Environment) has been designed with very low resource usage. That’s because there are a lot of lightweight Linux distros out there that don’t eat up a lot of resources and therefore, work perfectly fine on pretty much any computer. It uses Xfce desktop but is not very light-weight, because it comes with a suite of software. Elive is a small operating system with big ambitions. Alternatively, you can go with Porteus Kiosk if you need a secure operating system that you can take with you wherever you go. Bei der Suche nach einem passenden Linux-System für einen nicht mehr taufrischen Rechner ist die Wahl des Desktops mitentscheidend. This can cause problems … Despite the relatively large size, CorePlus doesn’t come with many apps right off the bat. Where did they come from? Peppermint uses the LXDE desktop environment that is lightweight and easy to use. If you are counting non-DE environments like IceWM, you should also include i3wm. Das Ubuntu-basierte Linux Mint gibt es mit Cinnamon, Mate und XFCE. This project has been in development for over 14 years at this point and has been downloaded over 2 million times so you can bet Elive is as reliable as an operating system can get. And these lightweight Linux desktop environments have been developed with exactly this in mind. How to Properly Set Up and Manage FirewallD on CentOS 7, Ubuntu OS Review – What to Expect When Switching from Windows or macOS. The other catch is that you can only download the distro directly if you’re willing to support the project with a donation, which can be as small as $5. Damn Small Linux is a very versatile 50MB mini desktop oriented Lightweight Linux distribution. The distro also features a built-in software center that allows you to download additional applications free of charge. Meanwhile, the third variant, CorePlus, is quite a bit bigger at 106 MB but comes with a handful of useful tools like wireless support, non-US keyboard support, remastering tool, various window managers, and more. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. It is the default with Linux distributions such as  Knoppix, Lubuntu, LXLE Linux, Peppermint Linux OS. * By using this form you agree with the storage and handling of your data by this website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Where does a lightweight Linux version cut me off from a possible goal? Ok Read More. If you are new to Linux and want to install Linux on your older hardware then Peppermint is a good choice for you. Xfce is light on resources but proves to provide a feature-rich user experience. ​Did I leave out any lightweight distro? Linux Lite makes the transition to a linux based operating system by offering a full, Microsoft compatible Office suite, familiar software like Firefox, Chrome, Teamviewer, VLC as well as full system back up tools, a comprehensive - easy to follow Help Manual to guide you on your journey, Steam so you can keep playing your Windows games and so much more familiar software. This is because it seeks... ​2. Why will you like it? Enlightenment is a very eye-candy Linux desktop environment that is also lightweight resource use. Putting i3 alongside MATE is almost trivial, and I almost forgot I was even on a quad core ARM device. This lightweight Linux distro doesn’t come with the preinstalled software or packages. These two variants are best suited for newer systems, however, they can still run on CPUs as old as Pentium 750. – Some Reasons For Converting To Linux, WhatsApp New Policy And the Backlash From “Common” People Will Cooldown. Web, FTP, and email servers are ready to go out of the box, as are a wide selection of popular desktop environments. Just as its name indicates, this is merely the core of an OS, which you can then build upon by installing additional applications and extensions on top. The operating system comes with more than 2,500 packages with robust integrations, unique designs, and plenty of special features. Thanks for your article. Unlike some of the other operating systems on our list, Linux Lite is particularly useful for Windows users who are preparing to finally switch from XP but aren’t quite ready to take on the more demanding Windows 7, let alone Windows 10. Even a beginner will be able to use it on older computers easily. Meanwhile, the fourth version is the most minimalistic one of all and allows users to only install the app packages they need, without any of the other bells and whistles. The only real drawback of this lightweight Linux distro is that is hasn’t been updated in many years, as the lead developer went to work on a different project. I was able to use my Pi as a keyboard/mouse server with synergy and it worked exceedingly well. It is probably the least lightweight on the list but then, it gives more features and customization than almost all of the others. I’ve been through several Linux CLI/intro trainings, but I haven’t yet tried it for daily use. This lightweight Linux distro even includes access to Steam, which now supports a plethora of Linux-based video games. Your first simple, fast and free stop in the world of Linux. Component-based design. We also give value to other Linux distributions. Cinnamon is the default desktop environment for Linux Mint and it's one of the main reasons why Mint is so popular. MATE has been popularised mainly as an alternative to Cinnamon DE on Linux Mint. Down below you can find a few other examples of small distros that also work very well on older systems. That’s not the case here. Instead, the distro comes with pre-compiled packages that you can freely activate or deactivate depending on your needs. Running XFCE or even MATE on severly constrained hardware (like a Rasberry Pi 2/3) is almost painful. MATE has been... 3. You can use the Live CD for testing purposes. Like most distros, Absolute Linux has a live version that can be installed directly from a CD or flash drive. Your computer should have a 700 MHz single-core processor, 512 MB of RAM, and 8 GB of free storage space for its minimum system requirements. The distro can be seen as both a great stepping stone into modern operating systems and your first foray into the wonderful world of Linux. Bei Fedora heißen die Varianten „ Spins “. A full range of development tools, editors, and current libraries is included for users who wish to develop … Turns out, I was wrong on both accounts. This version comes out of the box with Opera, which can act as your browser, email client and chat client. Arch Linux + Lightweight Desktop environment. Of course, i3 is not for the faint of heart of those afriad to experiment . The lower demands on hardware ideally result in a more responsive machine, and/or allow devices with fewer system resources (e.g. Linux Tails Review: Stay Safe and Anonymous Online, Top 10 Best and Most Accessible Linux Distros for Beginners, A Beginner’s Friendly Review of CentOS Linux, The Best Linux Distros for Laptops, Both Old and New. Can they be turned on? X11 IS old crap. Before you download Absolute Linux make sure that your system is compatible. The developers provide links to compatible package repositories on their website and there’s even a quick start guide for users who want to create their own customized distros. Bodhi Linux is an Ubuntu LTS-based distribution that first launched nearly a decade ago. Tint2 is a simple, lightweight panel for the Linux desktop. If you happen to be on the look for a lightweight Linux distro for old computers, make sure to check out this previous article which looks at some popular lightweight Linux distros. The 5th lightweight Linux for old computers is Peppermint. The base version of Absolute Linux comes with a pretty impressive variety of apps. Zorin OS 15 Lite Desktop. Lubuntu’s interface is based on LXQt, an open-source and lightweight desktop environment that requires far fewer resources than the Genome 3 environment found on regular Ubuntu. The MATE desktop environment is a continuation of Gnome 2 and looks absolutely gorgeous even in its basic form. Here you will find everything ranging from objective reviews about the best distros available to tutorials that will teach you how to make good use of various helpful commands. The operating system was initially developed as an experiment and the goal was to see how many apps would fit onto a 50 MB live CD. These desktop environments are characterized as lightweight because they consume lesser resources than other popular desktop environments with feature-rich experiences. Perfect alternatives to traditional GNOME or KDE/Qt applications. This is because it seeks to a fairly rich user experience that is appealing and easy to use with minimal resource utilization. You can choose what you like. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. In order to keep this list sweet and to the point we only went with 10 of the most popular lightweight Linux distros available at the moment, but there are many more where those came from. MATE. Porteus takes up less than 300 MB of storage space and supports both 32 and 64-bit architectures, which makes it ideal not just for old systems but also for modern ones. XFCE Desktop. You can use it on your less-pricey embedded board or salvaged computer. Linux Lite is a free operating system based on the Ubuntu LTS (Long … But just because your old machine can no longer handle the hardware requirements of a modern OS, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s time to throw it away. During this period, the operating system will continue to receive various small updates. This is the follow-up project of Robert Shingledecker, the developer who also brought us Damn Small Linux a while back. ​​LinuxAndUbuntu.com  focuses on open source projects but specific on Debian based distributions. Desktop users can choose between seven different flavors of Porteus, each of its own desktop environment. Bodhi is an open-source project that gets constantly updated thanks to the continued contributions of its developers and its community. iceWM is not exactly a desktop environment. This makes it an excellent choice for setting up web terminals, especially since Kiosk doesn’t save any passwords or browsing history. A major advantage of Lubuntu is that it can be used just as effectively on both old and modern systems. Bodhi Linux is an Ubuntu LTS-based lightweight release that features Moksha Desktop. Porteus Kiosk restricts access to everything except its web browser, which is locked down by default to prevent users from downloading software or modifying any of its settings. In addition, there’s also a very helpful Wiki page that contains tons of useful information about getting started and getting the most out of Bodhi Linux. However, the installation kit itself comes in at only a little over 600 MB and fits perfectly on a standard CD. Absolute Linux is another lightweight distro that focuses heavily on desktop use. It uses the minimal LXDE desktop environment and the X Window System. Lubuntu is a fast and lightweight operating system with a clean and easy-to-use user interface. You can expect most of the apps that come with regular Ubuntu but as part of a smaller package that doesn’t eat up nearly as many resources. He also loves to write how-to articles, applications reviews and loves to use new Linux distributions. This version comes in at 16 MB and includes not just a command-line interface but also two types of graphical desktop environments to choose from – FLTK and FLWM. If you want to make DSL a bit more versatile, you can use the MyDSL Extension Tool to add extra applications, games, themes, and more. Password Login – Good & Bad, Kali Linux 2020.3 Released With Bluetooth Arsenal in…, Ubuntu 20.04 “Focal Fossa” LTS Available To Download, AntiX – A Lightweight systemd-free Linux distribution for…, Ubuntu 20.04 + Depin — Perfect combination for…, Obarun – An Arch Based Linux Distro Without…, Plataro Master Icon Theme Install In Ubuntu 16.04, Adwaita-Grey 3.14.11 Theme Updated Install In Ubuntu, Nylas N1 – A Premium Email Client For Linux, Why Linux? Get LXDE; Learn More. Lubuntu comes with a PDF reader, multimedia players, office applications, an image editor, and more. Some of the more noteworthy pre-installed applications include Firefox, LibreOffice, Redshift, Plank, Network Manager, Blueman, Magnus, Orca Screen Reader, and more. Kali Linux 2016.1 Light (Xfce 4.12) That's a nice looking Xfce desktop, but it is nowhere near as customized as the Kali Gnome desktop was. The Debian-based distribution is advertised as “maybe the best Linux OS ever made” and “probably the only distro you’ll stay with.” There are quite a few other catchy slogans like that on the distro’s home page, but is there any truth to them? Lubuntu can itself be considered a very modern distro considering it is based on Ubuntu 18.04 and Linux Kernel 5.00. Moksha is a continuation of Enlightenment 17 desktop with … True to its name, this lightweight Linux distro is incredibly small, coming in at only around 50 MB in size. Ubuntu doesn’t come with pre-installed Pip, but here…, “All the best people in life seem to like Linux.” - Steve Wozniak. The developers recommend using USBWriter if you’re a Windows user or Etcher if you’re a Linux or macOS user. Lubuntu, Linux Lite, and Ubuntu MATE are some pretty good examples. The process is fairly simple and involves adding software packages on top of the core files, or removing them if needed. LXDE stands for lightweight X11 desktop environment which is yet another popular desktop environment for Unix-like systems. Bodhi Linux, a popular and lightweight Linux distro, earlier shipped with Enlightenment as the default desktop; now it uses an Enlightenment fork named Moksha desktop. There are also well-known tools like System Monitor, Power Statistics, Disk Usage Analyzer, Dictionary, Pluma, and Engrampa, among others. There are plenty of laptops and desktops that come pre-loaded with Ubuntu MATE but if you don’t want to buy a new system, you can simply download the operating system and create a bootable DVD-ROM or USB flash drive. A few other notable apps and tools include Skype, Kodi, Spotify, TeamViewer, the LibreOffice suite, a password manager, and more. By default, the distro replaces many staple Ubuntu apps with less resource-intensive alternatives to provide better compatibility with older hardware. Is there any app, service, feature, or anything else that can’t be added back in to a lightweight version of Linux? TinyCore is quite possibly the most lightweight Linux distro currently available. These operating systems don’t feature many of the scripts and wizards that you and I take for granted in 2020. Namely, there’s KDE, Xfce, LXDE, LXQt, Cinnamon, MATE, and Openbox. A few notable layouts include Redmond (perfect for Windows users), Cupertino (perfect for MacOS users), Mutiny, Pantheon, and Netbook. This distro takes the popular operating system and slims it down to its core essentials. Linux has for a long time reached and even surpassed the feature quality of Windows and MacOS when it comes to the desktop environments (Unity, GNOME 3 and KDE). Perhaps even more interesting, DSL can even be booted from within a host operating system, including Windows-based ones. Featuring the interface and shortcuts you can easily get used to. Ubuntu MATE supports both 64-bit and 32-bit architectures and is compatible with a wide range of hardware ports, including Raspberry Pi. Despite its name, Linux Lite is very close to a modern operating system in terms of its capabilities. Kindly share in the comments and share this article with your friends. But if you don’t mind working with an old operating system, we wholeheartedly recommend checking out Damn Small Linux. Linux Lite is based on Ubuntu LTS (Long Term Support) releases. 10 Lightweight Linux Distros That Can Revive Your Old Hardware in 2020, The Best and Most Reliable Linux Server Distros of 2020. The first variant is known simply as Core and is the smallest of the three. Moksha is a continuation of the popular Enlightenment 17 environment that introduces new functionality while also removing bugs and unfinished features. It’s probably best to stick with the base version if you’re a beginner but advanced users can modify Absolute Linux to their liking even before installing the OS. Some of the projects we talked about in this article are quite new, despite being aimed at old systems, but most of them have been around for almost as long as the hardware they are supporting.