I'm looking for recommendations on a lightweight Linux distribution for my 2018 ASUS X540BA laptop. It features an AMD A9-9425 dual-core processor, 8 GB of DDR4 RAM, a 480 GB SSD, and is equipped with an integrated AMD Radeon R5 graphics card. I heard that LXQt or XFCE would be suitable options due to their desktop environments, but I'm unsure if my laptop really qualifies as old or limited. Any suggestions?
5 Answers
I recommend Linux Mint with the MATE desktop. It's lightweight and my experience on other machines has been smooth even with less RAM. Mint is user-friendly and getting started is straightforward. You might enjoy trying out Mint to see if it meets your needs without any issues.
Considering your hardware specs, XFCE is a solid choice. It strikes a good balance between functionality and performance without overwhelming your system. While LXQt is lighter, XFCE has a more polished interface and is user-friendly, making it a great option for general use. You’ll probably find it works well with your laptop!
Avoid anything with GNOME for sure; it tends to use more resources. LXQt and XFCE are both really popular and well-supported, and they should run nicely on your machine. Given your specs, either option would be effective depending on what you prefer in terms of usability and layout.
I have an older laptop with similar specs and Ubuntu has worked fine for me. It’s not exactly lightweight, but if it’s running smoothly for me, it should do the same for you. Just keep an eye on your resource usage, especially with multiple apps running.
Honestly, you can't go wrong with Lubuntu. It's easy to set up, beginner-friendly, and runs well on older hardware. Plus, the latest version just came out, so you’ll be using up-to-date software. If you prefer XFCE, Xubuntu is great too!
What about LXQt? Is it not a good fit?