Recommend Lightweight Linux Distro for Old Laptop

SGraf

@Flying_Chinaman said:
Clean Debian 11 + Xfce
Work well on my 5 years old shitty DELL laptop

Xfce is nice LXDE is also a good option.

root

I use Linux Mint MATE on a somewhat similar laptop. It works like a charm.

One could also use: Linux Mint XFCE, other distributions with XFCE (such as Debian), LUbuntu (based on LXQT), or for the lightest solution (yet quite comfortable): DietPi with LXDE installed from DietPi repository (dietpi-software).

bikegremlin

@root said:
I use Linux Mint MATE on a somewhat similar laptop. It works like a charm.

One could also use: Linux Mint XFCE, other distributions with XFCE (such as Debian), LUbuntu (based on LXQT), or for the lightest solution (yet quite comfortable): DietPi with LXDE installed from DietPi repository (dietpi-software).

I've heard Mint XFCE recommended for low-end hardware, but haven't had much luck with it when I tried it on a weak, old laptop.

So, if it doesn't run Mint MATE, I'd go with Antix.

Your experience may differ.

mee2

Linux mint mate or mint xfce work pretty well on old hardware. Plus everything works just like that without much of fiddling.

greybeard

Debian & lxqt

shallow

https://distrowatch.com/?newsid=11753

New version of Sparky Linux.

SparkyLinux is a lightweight, fast and simple Linux distribution designed for both old and new computers featuring customised Enlightenment and LXDE desktops. It has been built on the "testing" branch of Debian GNU/Linux.