Which Linux distro for an old computer?
23 of 58 distros in our directory are suggested for machines with 2 GB of RAM or less, and 12 of them default to a lightweight desktop: Alpine Linux, antiX, Puppy Linux, MX Linux, Void Linux and Lubuntu. The lowest tier, 1 GB, holds Alpine Linux, Raspberry Pi OS, antiX, Puppy Linux and Q4OS.
1 GB of RAM
5 distros · 9%Lightest tier: the oldest machines and small boards.
2 GB of RAM
18 distros · 31%Suits most older laptops when paired with a light desktop.
4 GB of RAM
26 distros · 45%
UbuntuGNOME
Linux MintCinnamon
Kali LinuxXfceCaCachyOSKDE Plasma
NixOSGNOME
Zorin OSGNOME
ManjaroKDE PlasmaPoPop!_OSCOSMIC
KubuntuKDE Plasma
openSUSE TumbleweedKDE Plasma
EndeavourOSKDE Plasma
elementary OSPantheon
FedoraGNOME
TailsGNOME
Parrot OSKDE Plasma
deepinDeepin Desktop (DDE)
SolusBudgiePCPCLinuxOSKDE PlasmaMaMageiaKDE PlasmaKaKaOSniriEnEndless OSGNOMEFedora SilverblueGNOMERaRakuOSKDE PlasmaopenSUSE LeapKDE PlasmaLMDECinnamonVaVanilla OSGNOME8 GB of RAM
7 distros · 12%
16 GB of RAM
2 distros · 3%
What the data shows
- 1 GB: 5 distros (9%), led by Alpine Linux, Raspberry Pi OS and antiX.
- 2 GB: 18 distros (31%), led by Debian, Arch Linux and MX Linux.
- 4 GB: 26 distros (45%), led by Ubuntu, Linux Mint and Kali Linux.
- 8 GB: 7 distros (12%), led by Omarchy, Bazzite and Garuda Linux.
- 16 GB: 2 distros (3%), led by SteamOS and Qubes OS.
- Lightweight defaults (Xfce, LXQt, MATE, Moksha, Trinity or a window manager) among the 2 GB and under group: Alpine Linux (Xfce), antiX (Lightweight window managers), Puppy Linux (Lightweight window managers), MX Linux (Xfce), Void Linux (Xfce), Lubuntu (LXQt), Devuan (Xfce), Xubuntu (Xfce), Peppermint OS (Xfce), Bodhi Linux (Moksha), Linux Lite (Xfce) and SparkyLinux (LXQt).
How this infographic is made
The RAM figure is the amount distro.watch suggests for a comfortable desktop with the default setup. It is an editorial suggestion, not an official minimum and not a benchmark, and distros with several desktops can need more or less depending on the one you pick. The small label on each chip is the default (first-listed) desktop. A distro counts as light by default when that desktop is Xfce, LXQt, MATE, Moksha, Trinity or a window manager. Order within a band follows the current distro.watch ranking.
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Which Linux distro is best for an old computer?
Of the distros we suggest for 2 GB of RAM or less, those with a lightweight default desktop are the usual starting point: Alpine Linux, antiX, Puppy Linux, MX Linux and Void Linux. Check the distro’s own page for its current requirements before installing.
How much RAM do I need to run Linux?
It depends on the distro and desktop. In our directory, 23 of 58 distros are suggested for 2 GB or less and 49 for 4 GB or less. These are our suggestions, not official minimums.
Can I put Linux on a computer that cannot run Windows 11?
Often yes: most distros here run on hardware that Windows 11 rejects. Our Windows 10 to Linux guide covers backing up, trying a live USB and switching.