I have an ASUS X540BA laptop from 2018, featuring an AMD A9-9425 dual-core processor (3.1 GHz, boost up to 3.7 GHz), 8 GB of DDR4 RAM, a 480 GB SSD, and integrated AMD Radeon R5 graphics. I'm curious about which lightweight Linux distro would be best for my setup. I got some suggestions from ChatGPT, saying LXQt or XFCE might be ideal due to their desktop environments. However, I'm unsure if my laptop's specs are too outdated or limited for this.
5 Answers
I'd say try Mint with the MATE desktop. I’ve got a setup with just 2GB of RAM, and it runs perfectly fine for me. Mint is a solid choice for beginners.
Check out the distro selection page in the wiki for more options! Regular backups are a must, and trying out a distro in a VM can save you a lot of headaches. Just remember to know your commands before hitting Enter!
I've been using Linux Mint 22.1 with the Cinnamon desktop on an HP Probook and it runs smoothly. You might have a good experience with Mint, especially if you're looking for ease of use.
Your CPU isn't the strongest, kind of on par with the low-end Intel Celerons. I'd recommend going with XFCE as it feels more polished, even though it's a bit heavier compared to others.
Honestly, anything that's not GNOME should work fine with your specs. There are plenty of lightweight options out there that won't bog down your machine.
What makes XFCE better than LXQt?