Best Lightweight Linux Distro for a Slow Laptop?

If you're open to Arch derivatives, I'd recommend checking out EndeavourOS or CachyOS for a smoother experience. They give you the Arch feel without the steep learning curve that pure Arch can sometimes present. Just make sure to backup your data regularly and try things in a virtual machine before installing directly on your laptop!

Void Linux is another great option that runs pretty fast, but it's not specifically beginner-friendly. If you want something simpler, Linux Mint with the Xfce desktop environment might suit your needs better! It offers a good balance of performance and ease of use.

There are plenty of distributions that run well on 2GB. I'd suggest steering clear of heavier ones like Mint with Cinnamon. Instead, look into lighter alternatives like Xfce versions of Linux Mint or other lightweight distros like Alpine. If there's any chance you can upgrade to 4GB, that opens up many more options for you, but for now, Artix (an Arch derivative) could give you the benefits of Arch without the hassle.

First off, can you share more about your laptop specs? The model and processor details would help. If it's struggling with 2GB of RAM, you'll definitely want a lightweight distro. Consider options like Lubuntu or Artix which are friendly to older hardware. If you’re just doing basic tasks like browsing and email, even something like Puppy Linux could work for you!