Hey folks,
I'm trying to breathe new life into an older PC with some pretty limited specs:
* **CPU:** Intel Core 2 Duo
* **RAM:** 2 GB DDR2
* **Storage:** Old HDD (not SSD)
* **OS:** Fresh install of Lubuntu 22.04 LTS
I picked Lubuntu because I've heard it's lightweight, but to my surprise, it feels even slower than before. Basic tasks like opening the file manager or browsing the web are lagging a lot more than they did on an older version of Windows.
I'm curious about a few things:
* Are there lighter distros that might perform better on such low-spec machines?
* Would boosting the swap space actually make a difference, or is that just a band-aid?
* How can I slim down Lubuntu further (like turning off services or animations)?
* Would switching to something like AntiX, Puppy Linux, or using a tiling window manager like i3 significantly improve performance?
I'm open to either reinstalling a different distro or tweaking this one if it makes sense. I primarily want this machine for simple stuff: browsing, file management, and playing local media.
Any insights or experiences would be super helpful! Thanks a lot! 🙏
3 Answers
Is upgrading your hardware an option? Just swapping in an SSD can make a huge difference, and they’re pretty affordable nowadays.
I agree, an SSD would be a solid upgrade! But since it's an all-in-one PC and my girlfriend needs it while saving for a new laptop, we’re trying to avoid extra costs. Do you think it can still be usable with just an SSD for basic tasks in 2025?
What desktop environment are you using? Is it Gnome, KDE, XFCE, or just running console?
I downloaded it fresh from the Lubuntu site, and it says it's using **LXQt**.
AntiX is probably your best bet! I did the same thing with a P3 laptop a few years ago, and it breathed new life into it.
Awesome, I'll give AntiX a shot, thanks!
Absolutely! With an SSD, it could still function well for web browsing and office tasks, even in 2025.