Top 5 Best Linux Distributions for Old Laptop in 2024

The following are some of the best Linux for an old laptop.

Best Linux Distributions

Let’s take a look at some of the best Linux distributions for laptops:

1. L Ubuntu

Founded by Mario Behling and grown over the years by Julien Lavergne, LUBUNTU was created as a variant of Ubuntu but is lighter, less resource-hungry, and more energy-efficient by using LXDE (Lightweight X11 Desktop Environment) as its default GUI.

Those who are still using old laptops and are having trouble with the old version of Windows like XP can act as a better replacement since it is faster, stable, and secure compared to Windows XP.

Also, for those who are into coding and programming but are facing problems since their laptop is like an old car that cannot cope with the number of resources they require, LUBUNTU is a booster for them to change their game for good. It comes with pre-installed lightweight applications like:

xfce4-task manager
Parcellite
Hard info
Osmo: for managing event, calendar
Language selector
Software-properties(gtk)

The latest version of LUBUNTU (v20.10) was released on 22 Oct 2020. One of the best among best Linux for old laptop.

Minimum Pc requirements for LUBUNTU

CPU: Pentium II or Celeron system
RAM: 128 MB
STORAGE: 2GB

2. Linux Lite

Founded by Jerry Bezenco and released in the year “2013”, Linux Lite is a beginner-friendly Linux distribution for the best Linux for old laptop, powered by a customized XFCE desktop.

It is as secure as any other core operating system but with an advantage to run effectively on any modest hardware and yet retains its user’s friendly awesomeness. It is really easy to install and update and clears the myths that Linux is tough to use the latest version.

Linux lite provides you with a lot of applications installed in it like:

Firefox
Thunderbird,
LibreOffice
Gimp
a full office Suit
Gnome paint
Media players

Apart from these, there is a help section that is overhauled with many topics and solutions if you get stuck while using it. Because it comes up with so many perks and guides and solutions if you have a query, it is a really good package with very few requirements.

The latest version of Linux Lite (v5.2) was released on 1Nov 2020.

Minimum PC requirements for Linux Lite:

CPU: 1Ghz processor
RAM: 768MB
STORAGE: 8GB

3. Puppy Linux

Founded by Barry Kauler and released in the year “2003”, Puppy Linux is a lightweight desktop distribution that is easy to use and can easily run on a very low ram.

This distribution on the best Linux for old laptop list comes with applications like AbiWord, M player, and very lightweight browsers. This is just like Puppy that is small but fast and efficient enough to carry out useful processes easily where older versions of windows get stuck.

It is a great distro for an old computer as it comes with a very simple interface. You can even save your settings and files for Puppy on the external device/media. It is even more secure than UBUNTU. There are multiple variations of puppies available like

Lucid puppy
Slacko puppy
Racy puppy
Wary puppy

It’s up to you what you choose to pet depending on your needs and requirements. The latest version of Puppy Linux (v9.5) released on 21 Sept 2020. It is a great choice on the list of best Linux for old laptop.

Minimum PC requirements for Puppy Linux

CPU: Pentium 900Mhz
RAM: 300MB
STORAGE: 512MB

4. AntiX Linux

Built directly on Debian stable, Anti Linux comes with a solid operating system and is efficient for old laptops. It is superfast even if you run it on Virtual Box and among the best Linux for old laptop.

Provides cutting edge kernels and applications. It also comes with a lightweight ICEWM windows manager, which is very suitable for low-end pc. Updates are easy to install and run. ANTIX comes up with customized tools that make configuring and working on it easier. These include

ANTIX user manager
Chroot rescue scan
CLI Apt-based package manager
Command-line control center
Format USB
Ice WM toolbar icon manager
ISO Snapshot
Live-USB Kernel Updater
Live USB Maker
Personal Menu Editor

The latest version of ANTIX Linux (v19.3) was released on 16Oct 2020.

Minimum PC requirements for ANTIX Linux

CPU: Pentium II
RAM: 256MB
STORAGE: 5GB

5. Trisquel Linux

Created in the year “2004” by the GNU project under Richard Stallman and officially released in “2007”, It is a completely free software operating system derived from another distribution, UBUNTU.

It comes up with an LXDE environment and lightweight X windows. It was specifically built for low-end pc and was widely used by home users, small enterprises, and educational centers because of its user-friendly interface.

You can even run it as a live CD just for testing as it is available for 32-bit and 64-bit versions. It comes up with four basic versions, out of which you can choose based on your requirements.

These areas follow:

Trikel
Trisquel Mini
Trisquel Sugar Toast
Trisquel netinstall

It comes with pre-installed applications that are there to improve the working efficiency of TRISQUEL like the following:

Pidgin IM
LibreOffice
office suite
GIMP image editor
Transmission BitTorrent client
Electrum Bitcoin wallet
VLC media player
Rhythm box music player
Ice dove email client
Life rea RSS client,

The latest version of TRISQUEL LINUX (v9.0) released on 16Oct 2020. One of the best Linux for old laptop.

Minimum PC requirements for TRISQUEL LINUX

CPU: Intel Pentium II and AMD K6 processor
RAM: 128MB (32bit) & 256MB (64bit)
STORAGE: 5GB

Conclusion

So these were our list of best Linux distributions for old laptops. Hope this helped you!

Rahul Gupta

He is a Tech Geek, Gadget Expert, SEO Expert, Web Designer, and a Blogger. Having a technology background gives him a unique perspective!