Best version for low end pc

While your computer is fairly low-spec, it looks like you've got 2.5 GHz on a couple of cores, and 4 GB of RAM. That means, and not all performance is equal, you can probably run any distro and desktop you want - with some compromises.

So, in these situations, I like to toss this link into the mixing bowl:


Now, if asked what distro I'd run on that hardware, I'd suggest Lubuntu - but I'm pretty heavily biased. But, I'd say try a variety of 'em. They'll cost you nothing but time. Then, you can decide what's right for you, what fills your needs best.
 


Red Hat isn't a Linux distribution but a company that make a Linux distribution, Red Hat Enterprise Linux(RHEL). Go with Linux Mint or Ubuntu since you are a beginner, more people that will be able to help you if you run into something.
 
I'm running Linux Mint Cinnamon 20.1 on my Laptop that has 4GB of RAM and 2.5Ghz CPU with no problems...Linux Lite runs great too.
m1213.gif
 
Would you like to have LO Writer loaded + Ffox with four tabs open - three of them running web page videos - simultaneously o_O on a 2008 laptop with 3GiB RAM - so easy?
Sys-Info-01.jpg
 
on a 2008 laptop with 3GiB RAM - so easy?
Basically the same spec as my old dell Lappy, except I have 4gb ram, and often have 6 or 7 windows open when online [also FF user] the only difference is I disable the onboard 11g wireless and use either a N300 0r N600 USB Wi-Fi adaptor to speed up internet working
 
Hey Wiz - I got an old Dell Latitude E6420 i7 8GiB RAM about 2008? It is running ZorinOS Gnome - does everything pretty quickly but has become a little boring. It used to run Trisquel-mini loaded with every heavy app I could use just to see if I could break it - no chance - so fast :cool: I christened it miniMAX; mini footprint MAX performance. I am now running my miniMAX on the old HP Lappy using a lightweight Debian distro with LXDE.
Got an old XP-Pro 3D-CAD-CAM workstation from same era looking for something to break land speed record - Haha :cool:
 
I got an old Dell Latitude E6420 i7
That's not old, it's only just middle-aged,
I will post the inxi on my spare lappy later [its not kept in the workshop]
 
this is the inxi on my OLD acer she will be 23 in January, and retireing in about 3 yrs when linux 32 bit support ends.


System: Host: peppermint Kernel: 5.0.0-37-generic i686 bits: 32 gcc: 7.4.0
Desktop: N/A Distro: Peppermint Ten
Machine: Device: laptop System: Acer product: TravelMate 2410 v: 0100 serial: N/A
Mobo: Acer model: Morar v: Rev serial: N/A
BIOS: Phoenix v: V1.07 date: 09/26/2005
Battery BAT0: charge: 0.0 Wh 0.0% condition: 11.3/77.0 Wh (15%)
model: Acer Bat 8Cell status: Charging
CPU: Single core Intel Celeron M (-UP-) arch: Dothan rev.8 cache: 1024 KB
flags: (nx pae sse sse2) bmips: 2992 speed: 1496 MHz (max)
Graphics: Card: Intel Mobile 915GM/GMS/910GML Express Graphics Controller
bus-ID: 00:02.0
Display Server: x11 (X.Org 1.20.4 )
drivers: intel (unloaded: modesetting,fbdev,vesa)
Resolution: [email protected]
OpenGL: renderer: Mesa DRI Intel 915GM x86/MMX/SSE2
version: 1.4 Mesa 19.0.8 Direct Render: Yes
Audio: Card Intel 82801FB/FBM/FR/FW/FRW (ICH6 Family) AC'97 Audio Controller
driver: snd_intel8x0 ports: 1c00 18c0 bus-ID: 00:1e.2
Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k5.0.0-37-generic
Network: Card-1: Realtek RTL-8100/8101L/8139 PCI Fast Ethernet Adapter
driver: 8139too v: 0.9.28 port: 3000 bus-ID: 06:07.0
IF: enp6s7 state: down mac: <filter>
Card-2: Realtek RTL8188CUS 802.11n WLAN Adapter usb-ID: 001-002
IF: N/A state: N/A mac: N/A
Drives: HDD Total Size: 40.0GB (7.7% used)
ID-1: /dev/sda model: ST9402113A size: 40.0GB temp: 28C
Partition: ID-1: / size: 965M used: 35M (4%) fs: overlay dev: N/A
ID-2: swap-1 size: 2.20GB used: 0.00GB (0%) fs: swap dev: /dev/sda1
ID-3: swap-2 size: 1.01GB used: 0.00GB (0%) fs: swap dev: /dev/zram0
RAID: No RAID devices: /proc/mdstat, md_mod kernel module present
Sensors: None detected - is lm-sensors installed and configured?
Info: Processes: 143 Uptime: 8 min Memory: 212.7/1928.9MB
Init: systemd runlevel: 5 Gcc sys: 7.4.0
Client: Shell (bash 4.4.201) inxi: 2.3.56
 
Great to see that like me you are doing something to help reduce the eWaste mountain that's killing our planet :eek: and having a load of fun in the meantime - Greta loves you :)
 
Talking about eWaste, last week I revive an old friend HP AIO, 3G RAM, 1920x1080 monitor.
The hard drive is apparently shot, so I threw in a 65G USB, put Bionicpup on it, now it run like new.:)
The guy wanted to throw it away. Now he is convinced of the superiority of Linux !
 
Quite Right :rolleyes: I'm the old git here.... :)
The old XP-Pro CAD-CAM box ....
View attachment 14194View attachment 14195
I'm right there with ya. (2010) ;)
Notice the massive amount of memory.
Notice the massive size of the hard drive.
Code:
sparkylinux@sparkylinux:~$ inxi -Fxz
System:    Kernel: 5.10.0-19-amd64 x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 10.2.1 Desktop: LXQt 0.16.1
           Distro: SparkyLinux 6.5 (Po-Tolo) base: Debian bullseye/sid
Machine:   Type: Desktop System: Dell product: OptiPlex 380 v: N/A serial: <filter>
           Mobo: Dell model: 0HN7XN v: A01 serial: <filter> BIOS: Dell v: A02 date: 08/27/2010
CPU:       Info: Dual Core model: Intel Core2 Duo E7500 bits: 64 type: MCP arch: Penryn rev: A
           L2 cache: 3 MiB
           flags: lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 ssse3 vmx bogomips: 11705
           Speed: 1596 MHz min/max: 1600/2933 MHz Core speeds (MHz): 1: 1596 2: 1596
Graphics:  Device-1: Intel 4 Series Integrated Graphics vendor: Dell driver: i915 v: kernel
           bus ID: 00:02.0
           Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.20.11 driver: loaded: modesetting unloaded: fbdev,vesa
           resolution: 1024x768~75Hz
           OpenGL: renderer: Mesa DRI Intel G41 (ELK) v: 2.1 Mesa 20.3.5 direct render: Yes
Audio:     Device-1: Intel NM10/ICH7 Family High Definition Audio vendor: Dell
           driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel bus ID: 00:1b.0
           Sound Server: ALSA v: k5.10.0-19-amd64
Network:   Device-1: Broadcom NetLink BCM57780 Gigabit Ethernet PCIe vendor: Dell driver: tg3
           v: kernel port: ece0 bus ID: 02:00.0
           IF: eth0 state: up speed: 1000 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter>                        
Drives:    Local Storage: total: 37.25 GiB used: 7.63 GiB (20.5%)                                
           ID-1: /dev/sda vendor: Western Digital model: WD400BD-75JMA0 size: 37.25 GiB          
Partition: ID-1: / size: 36.37 GiB used: 7.63 GiB (21.0%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda1                
Swap:      ID-1: swap-1 type: file size: 512 MiB used: 0 KiB (0.0%) file: /swapfile              
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 35.0 C mobo: N/A                                            
           Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A                                                                 
Info:      Processes: 148 Uptime: 3h 03m Memory: 3.74 GiB used: 1.14 GiB (30.4%) Init: systemd   
           runlevel: 5 Compilers: gcc: 10.2.1 Packages: 1798 Shell: Bash v: 5.1.4 inxi: 3.3.01   
sparkylinux@sparkylinux:~$
 
Yo Bart – It's WinXP-Pro so dropped MX DVD into tray so I could extract info for you.

SolidWorks 3D CAD files can get fairly large. They need to be kept offline even if deleted just in case I get hacked – there is always a trace…

Even the power supply is Corsair and at 400W is way OTT :)

Thinking about replacing 3.5” HDD with a 2.5” SSD out of my HP Laptop to see how fast and efficient..? Then use Wi-Fi and internet for first time. :cool:
 


Top