If you are one of those who have a somewhat old PC and can no longer upgrade to the most modern versions of Windows due to lack of resources, or you have dusted your first computer, you may be looking for a way to bring it back to life. To do this, perhaps the best option is to opt for the Linux operating system, a versatile system that can be installed on both a mobile and a powerful server. But if we have limited hardware, then it is best to make use of some of the best lightweight Linux distributions.
If this is the first time we hear the term “light Linux distribution”, we should know that this term refers to those Linux distributions that have been developed and prepared to work on computers with very few resources . Something that on the other hand, is not at odds with having a complete, stable and secure operating system. Hence they have gained great popularity among all types of users.
In this way, we can resuscitate our old desktop or laptop that we had abandoned because of an outdated version of Windows and the impossibility of updating it since it does not meet the minimum requirements that Microsoft requires.
By installing a lightweight Linux distribution, we will not only have a computer that works smoothly again, but we will also be protected from any vulnerability or security flaw in obsolete versions of Windows due to lack of support.
The best lightweight Linux distributions for your old PC
Xubuntu
Xubuntu is a Linux distro based on Ubuntu, as its name implies, and which uses the XFCE desktop environment. It is designed for users with limited teams of resources that seek to find an efficient environment, since it only requires 512MB of RAM. Xubuntu Download
Lubuntu
A lightweight Linux distribution based on Ubuntu as well as Xubuntu, but in this case it has an LXDE / LXQT desktop environment. Although it is officially recommended to have at least 1GB of RAM, if what we are going to do is navigate and use tools like LibreOffice, it will be enough with 512 MB of memory. As for the processor, it is enough to have a Pentium M or 4, as well as an AMD K8. Lubuntu Download
Linux lite
As the name implies, it is a light distribution. An Ubuntu LTS-based system with an attractive and easy-to-use design and an XFCE desktop environment that can remind Windows XP. The minimum requirements to use this Linux distribution is to have a 1 GHz CPU, 768MB of RAM and 8 GB of disk space. Download Linux Lite .
Zorin OS Lite
It is another one of the distributions that less resources need for its installation and correct operation. With a 700MHz single-core processor (32 or 64 bits), 512 MB of RAM and 8 GB of free space, we can now use Zorin OS Lite without any problem. The minimum screen resolution is only 640 × 480 and in addition to being a very light Linux distro, it offers great security and performance. In addition, it offers an interface very similar to that of Windows, so it is easy to handle. Download Zorin OS Lite .
Linux arch
Another quite light distribution that also allows us to choose which packages we want to install on our PC. To get a good performance of this distro, it is enough to have a PC that has at least 512 MB of RAM and only 800MB free on the hard disk. Download Arch Linux .
Helium
It is a Linux distribution based on Debian 9 that uses the Openbox window manager that offers a high level of desktop customization to create a unique environment. It is available for 32, 64 bit and ARM architectures. It requires at least 256 MB of RAM and 10 GB of available disk space. Helium Download
Porteus
Porteus in a distribution optimized for use as a Live CD to boot from memory drive or CD, although we can also install it on our hard drive. It is one of the distros recommended for older computers because of its great speed and because it only occupies 300 MB of space. Porteus Download
Bodhi Linux
It is a lightweight distro based on Ubuntu LTS and that includes the Moksha desktop. The minimum requirements are 256 MB of RAM, 5 GB of free disk space and a 1 GHz processor or CPU. Download Bodhi Linux .
Trisquel Mini
Trisquel Mini is another distribution of Linux based on Ubuntu TLS and this time it has a desktop environment based on a GNOME 3 Flashback. A distro designed especially for notebooks and PCs with low power. So much so that any PC with only 128MB of RAM or 256MB for the 64-bit version and an AMD K6 and Pentium II processor architecture at a minimum, is capable of offering a great user experience. Download Trisquel Mini.
Puppy Linux
Another distro that could not be missing in this compilation of light distributions is Puppy Linux, since it occupies about 300 megabytes on our disk and it is an easy to use distribution. It offers the possibility of installing on the disk or running as a Live CD. Puppy Linux Download
Macpup Linux
This is another very small distribution, so much that we can even run it in RAM. However, this does not take away so that it is a complete Linux distribution and offers us a great user experience. Macpup download .
SliTaz
One of the lightest is SliTaz, a distro in Live ISO format and only occupies 100 megabytes when we have it already installed. In addition, it has a series of packages and applications that allow us to use the equipment as soon as it is installed without major problems, being able to add the ones we want depending on the resources of the equipment. SliTaz Download
Absolute Linux
Absolute Linux is another quite light distro that this time is based on Slackware and therefore is compatible with the Slackware versions. It has several utilities that simplify system configuration and very popular desktop applications such as Kodi, Inkscape or GIMP, among others. This slight distribution of Linux can be run on computers with Pentium 486 processor and although it supports 64MB of RAM, it is recommended to have 1GB and 5GB of disk space. Absolute Linux Download .
Tiny core
Tiny Core is one of the lightest Linux distributions, it only needs 10MB, and it can run with only 48MB of RAM. Therefore, it is possible to use it on almost any computer. This makes us find a very minimalist operating system, that is, it is basically a basic Linux that has almost no preinstalled application. Tiny Core Download
LXLE
It is another of the light distros based on Lubuntu, so it offers the advantage of being able to access the Ubuntu application repository. In this case, LXLE has certain pre-installed applications of great utility such as LibreOffice or GIMP, among others, and uses the LXDE desktop environment. It only requires a Pentium 3 processor with at least 512 MB of RAM and 8 GB of hard disk space to run correctly. LXLE Download
Antix
One of the fast and light Linux distributions is AntiX. Highly recommended for use on older devices or with few resources, It only requires a minimum of 128MB of RAM, although 256MB is recommended, and a free disk space of 2.7 GB so today it is almost insignificant. Antix Download
Point Linux
Point Linux is a Debian-based distro with the productivity of MATE, the fork of the GNOME 2 desktop environment. It has a minimum of tools and applications necessary to start using the system as soon as it is installed and only requires a processing minus 1 GHz, 512 MB of RAM and 5GB free on disk. Point Linux Download
Elementary OS
It is a distribution of linux that besides being light, it has a really attractive design. It is based on Ubuntu and offers a desktop environment derived from GNOME. Although it does not require the least requirements, the truth is that it can be installed on computers with processors of at least 1 GHz, 512 MB of RAM and 5G of free disk space. Elementary OS Download
Peppermint OS
Peppermint is a fast and lightweight Lubuntu-based system, so it offers the advantage of being able to access the Ubuntu repositories. The minimum recommended requirements for Peppermint are 512 MB of RAM, a processor based on Intel x86 architectures and at least 4 GB of free disk space. Peppermint OS Download
SparkyLinux
SparkyLinux is a fairly light and fast distro based on Debian. Specifically, it is based on the Debian testing version and not on the stable branch and allows you to choose between different desktop environments and window managers such as LXDE, E19, OpenBox, MATE, LXQt, KDE, among others. It only needs 256 MB for LXDE and can work with older 32-bit processors such as the Pentium III and with 5GB of free disk space. SparkyLinux Download
