What are the lightest window managers I can use on an old Chromebook?
Asked by
PixelatedPineapple96
I'm trying to breathe new life into an old Chromebook from 2014 and I'm looking for some advice on lightweight window managers. I've tried i3wm and Falkon but haven't had much luck. I don't need anything fancy, just basic navigation to use sites like Reddit and Wikipedia. I've heard of DWM and SXWM for lightweight setups, but I have no experience with them. What do you recommend as the lightest usable window manager?
Answers
You might want to consider using IceWM. It's really lightweight and has good performance metrics. For example, it can run with just around 23MB of RAM! It's a simple choice for projects like yours that need minimal resource usage.
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I think i3wm is already pretty minimal. If you want to go lighter, DWM might be a good option, but it won't make a huge difference performance-wise. Just keep in mind that it’s all about squeezing out those extra resources for an old device like yours!
OldSchoolNinja: Exactly! Every little bit helps for older hardware.
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JWM is another super lightweight option you might like! If you’re looking for usability, though, I’d recommend sticking with IceWM or even Window Maker (WindowMaker has a newer version called wlmaker that supports Wayland, but it’s still in early stages). Just weigh your needs against performance to find your perfect fit!
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CuriousSquirrel: That sounds awesome! Do you know if it has a lot of customization options?