5 lightweight operating systems I run on my old laptops

Like the sand in an hourglass, the days of the laptop are drawing to an end. As time and technology advance, it’s inevitable that a laptop or two will become obsolete. But just because a laptop can no longer run Windows 10 or Windows 11 doesn’t mean it’s trash. It may not be a treasure, but your old laptop might still have a fighting chance.

To keep your old laptop working for longer, you’ll need to upgrade your hardware or find more suitable software. Either of these options is much cheaper and easier. Installing a new OS on an old laptop is fine, but you might run into problems before you even install it. What’s the best OS for your situation?

Nearly all distributions of Linux are suitable for most older computers, unless they are from the 2000s or earlier, but there are some distributions that are better than others. These distributions will transport you back to a time before laptops succumbed to the cruel hand of time.

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1 ChromeOS Flex

A lightweight version of Google

You don’t need to buy a Chromebook to use ChromeOS. ChromeOS Flex is a version of ChromeOS that can be installed on almost any system. ChromeOS itself is a very lightweight and very easy to use, cloud-focused operating system optimized for web-based applications. This means that most tasks are handled through Google Chrome, reducing the demand for local resources. Chrome is known to be resource-heavy, but it works well in your own custom environment.

ChromeOS Flex is designed to be easy to install and maintain, requiring minimal technical expertise to set up and operate. While many lightweight Linux distributions can be complicated for the average user to install and maintain, ChromeOS Flex is the simplest option.

For the average user looking to hang on to their older system for a little longer, ChromeOS Flex is probably the best option – it’s simple and handles most activity over the web, but those who need something a little more advanced might want to look elsewhere.

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2 Linux Mint

A lightweight and robust distribution

Linux Mint

Admittedly, Linux Mint is not the lightest Linux distribution you can install on an older computer, but that’s not an issue if the device’s original operating system is Windows 7 or later. If the device can run Windows 7, Linux Mint will run just fine.

You might think that the Cinnamon desktop environment that comes with Linux Mint by default is resource-intensive. However, compared to an actual Windows installation, Linux Mint utilizes your computer’s resources much more efficiently. However, if you prefer a lighter desktop environment, you can download Linux Mint with the much lighter XFCE environment.

One advantage of Linux Mint is that it uses the Debian package management system. Compared to other package managers, Debian has by far the strongest support when it comes to native Linux applications. Linux Mint isn’t the most lightweight option, but it will work fine on most systems under 20 years old. And for those new to Linux, the learning curve isn’t too steep.

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3 CentOS

A good option for those who prefer Red Hat-based distributions

CentOS

If you take a quick look at Linux distributions, you will mostly find distributions that use the Debian package management system or the Red Hat package management system (RPM for short). The choice between using Debian or RPM doesn’t make much difference to most users, but some users have strong preferences for one or the other. For those who side with RPM and are looking for a lightweight distribution, CentOS is probably the best choice.

Sure, CentOS uses YUM instead of RPM, but that’s ultimately a minor issue. For the vast majority of users, this means it will be easier to install software on their systems, which is in itself one of the benefits of using CentOS. The distribution has a long release cycle and extended support, so you can install it on older systems without worrying too much about having to keep up with frequent updates.

A major drawback to using CentOS is the GNOME desktop environment, which is not the most lightweight of the available options. In most cases, the default configuration of CentOS will suffice, but you can also install the distribution with XFCE, MATE, or LXDE instead of GNOME, although this process is a bit cumbersome. If you want to download a Red Hat-based distribution with a lightweight desktop environment out of the box, you can download various versions of Fedora.

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4 Šbundu

The Best of Lightweight Ubuntu

Šbundu

Xubuntu is an alternative version of Ubuntu, where the main difference is in the GUI: instead of Ubuntu’s default GNOME desktop environment, Xubuntu comes with XFCE, which is a much lighter-weight alternative to GNOME, and this shows in the performance you get with Xubuntu.

What makes Xubuntu a particularly good choice is its Ubuntu foundation. Ubuntu is the most user-friendly Linux distribution out there. It’s very intuitive for beginners and has a lot of software compatibility that you won’t get with other distributions. XFCE is not as intuitive as GNOME, but it’s still very easy to get used to. Plus, it’s highly customizable, allowing you to tinker as much as you like.

If you’re a bit wary of Linux and want a lightweight version of the simplest option, Xubuntu is a great way to revive an old laptop.

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5 Manjaro

Enter Arch

Manjaro

Linux distributions often use Debian or RPM, but there are other options. One increasingly popular option is the Pacman package manager, which has become popular primarily through the use of Arch Linux. For those interested in the Pacman package manager but a bit unsure about Arch, Manjaro is the next best option.

While Manjaro offers a simpler experience compared to Arch Linux, it still requires a lot of involvement on the part of the user. Compared to many other Linux distributions, Manjaro requires more maintenance. However, for those who enjoy maintaining their systems, this should not be an issue, especially considering the great community that surrounds Arch Linux and Manjaro.

When it comes to being lightweight, Manjaro is a great option. There is a lot you can do with it without taxing your system. For even more speed, you can also install Manjaro with XFCE.