Hey everyone! I'm a 14-year-old who got into Linux at 9. My grandpa fixed up his old laptop for me, but it's running on pirated Windows, and it's super slow. Here are the specs:
- Intel® Core™ i5-5200U Processor
- Integrated graphics
- 4GB DDR3 RAM
I tried running a Debian 12 VM with XFCE, and it did okay. On idle, my CPU usage is around 9%, and RAM usage is 2.6GB. But with just one Chrome tab open, the CPU shoots up to 70-80%, using about 2.8GB RAM. When I had the Debian VM running, the CPU went to 15% and used 3GB of RAM.
I'm used to Debian-based distros and comfortable with the command line, but I'm open to learning about other systems. I'm looking for something lightweight that still looks decent—sort of like Zorin OS. Customizing it is fine too. Thanks in advance!
5 Answers
You might want to check out Linux Mint or, if you want something super lightweight, Arch Linux can give you a pretty look with some customization. It might take a bit of effort, though!
I recommend MX Linux! It runs well on older hardware and has different desktop environments to choose from, like XFCE and KDE Plasma. Other great options are Q4OS, Bodhi, or Antix—check them out on Distrowatch for more details.
Sounds good, thanks! I'll take a look!
Considering your hardware, Tiny Core Linux might be a good trade-off for functionality and aesthetics. It has a lightweight desktop and a great software center! Alternatively, Damn Small Linux is super low on resources with decent options for software management. You may lose some eye candy, but overall functionality will improve a lot.
Thanks, I think I might try Arch next, wish me luck!
I personally use Bodhi Linux, and it's been great for performance on lower specs.
Mint with the Cinnamon desktop is a solid choice! It's user-friendly and visually appealing; plus, it's lightweight enough for your specs.
Is there an Arch-based distro that’s easy to customize without using the CLI? I don't want to mess anything up!