I recently took out my old Lenovo G505 and I'm thinking about installing a lightweight Linux distribution on it. My goal is to do some basic web browsing and maybe a bit of light gaming. Windows 10 runs terribly on it, so I want to ditch it. I've already reapplied the thermal paste, cleaned it up, and upgraded the RAM to 8GB DDR3. I'm also getting a SATA SSD soon, although the current hard drive still works (for now). The processor is an AMD E1-2100, which I know isn't powerful at all. What would be the best lightweight Linux distro to use on this old machine?
4 Answers
For your Lenovo’s AMD E1-2100, you'll want something super lightweight. I’d recommend Q4OS Trinity; it’s user-friendly and runs pretty well on low specs. Other options include antiX or Peppermint, but I'd skip anything from the *buntu family as they can be heavier. If you're feeling adventurous and want a challenge, give Void a try, but it can require more setup.
I had the same laptop and installed Linux Mint Cinnamon after upgrading to 8GB RAM and switching to an SSD. It works well for basic tasks; just don't expect blazing performance. Keep an eye on RAM usage; it sits around 1.2GB when idle. Also, make sure to upgrade the BIOS before installation!
Check out Debian! It’s stable and comes with lightweight desktop environments. Lubuntu or Xubuntu are also solid picks if you want something Ubuntu-based but lighter. Don't forget to try out a few live images to find what fits you best before committing to an installation!
I’ve been running Linux Mint Debian Edition with the Cinnamon desktop on an old 2012 PC for five years without issues. It's stable and user-friendly, ideal for beginners. You could try a few distros live on a USB using Ventoy before installing to see what you like best.
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