We tried a lot of them and whittled them down to our five recommended distributions.
The OptiPlex 790 was released in 2011, and our computer was built in that year.
We installed each distribution in turn.
gg3po, Iwan Gabovitch/ GNOME /Apple
We applied all available updates and finished any post-install configuration steps.
We didnt wait for the bootloader or other menu options to time out.
As soon as a menu appeared, we made a selection as quickly as we could.
We also timed the duration from hitting Enter on the login screen to arriving at a usable desktop.
These timings are for comparisons between the distributions under test on our hardware.
Timings on other hardware will be different.
Its been around since 2012, so the project is almost as old as our test hardware.
Linux Lite makes a point of trying to support novice Linux users and migrants from the Windows world.
It follows Ubuntus philosophy of providing all the standard software they think a user will want.
Because of that, the download file is 2.4GB in size.
Most lightweight distributions achieve their light touch by dispensing with GNOME or KDE and using an alternative desktop environment.
Linux lite uses a customized version of theXfce desktopand the xfwm4 window manager.
The crisp and modern desktop looks great, and its fast and responsive.
All the usual software was preinstalled, including Thunderbird, GIMP, VLC Media Player, and LibreOffice.
Having these preinstalled makes life a bit easier for the first-time user.
Linux Lite was impressive.
The attention to detail throughout makes for a cohesive and professional user experience.
Linux Lite Timings
Bodhi Linux
Bodhi Linuxwas launched back in 2011.
Like Linux Lite, it is built on the latest Ubuntu LTS version, Jammy Jellyfish.
Its emphasis used to be on providing a lightweight, lean distribution.
The installation provided the basic essentials only, other applications were installed by the end user to suit themselves.
Nowadays, you could download a couple of different ISOs.
One of them is theApp PackISO.
We downloaded theStandardISO, which is the minimalist version of Bodhi Linux.
It was a 1.2GB download.
The minimum specifications are a 1GHz processor, 768MB RAM, and a 10GB hard drive.
Bodhi Linux uses theMoksha desktop environmentand window manager.
Its based on theEnlightenmentdesktop environment and looks vibrant and polished.
Being based on Ubuntu, it was a simple matter to use the apt command to install extra applications.
Interestingly, Neofetch identified the OS as Ubuntu.
Bodhi Linux Timings
BunsenLabs Linux
TheBunsenLabs Linuxdistribution grew out of the demise ofCrunchBang Linux, in 2015.
We installed the latest version, Beryllium, which is based onDebian 11 Bullseye stable.
It was a 1.5GB download.
The minimum requirements are 2GB RAM and a 20GB hard drive.
There is no listed requirement for the processor.
Dont be put off by the woefully drab default desktop wallpaper, it can be changed easily.
The icons, color schemes, and other desktop elements are easily tweaked.
In use, the BunsenLabs Linux desktop was both impressively fast, hardware notwithstanding, and intuitive.
Its a distribution best suited to someone who knows their way, at least slightly, around Linux.
BunsenLabs Linux Timings
Q4OS
It may have a strange name, butQ4OSis a Linux distribution nonetheless.
The latest version of Q4OS, Aquarius, is based onDebian Linux 12.2 Bookworm.
Trinity is the more lightweight of the two, so thats the version we tried.
The downloaded file was 1.1GB in size.
The minimum hardware requirements are a 350MHz CPU, just 256MB RAM, and a 3GB disk.
The Trinity desktop is somewhat retro.
Its perfectly serviceable and feels fast and nimble, but it looks like the computing of yesteryear.
I liked it, it reminded me of usingSUN workstationsin the mid-1980s.
The system menu is accessed from the left-hand end of the taskbar at the bottom of the screen.
Q4OS comes preloaded with packages like VLC Media Player, Thunderbird, and LibreOffice.
Its quirky in appearance but surprisingly pleasurable to use.
Because its Debian-based, you get a stable and well-supported installation.
The Debian inside Q4OS isnt smothered by layers of obfuscation.
Neofetch identifies Q4OS as Debian.
Its based on the latest Ubuntu LTS release 22.04, Jammy Jellyfish.
Xubuntu gives you the full Ubuntu treatment but with a lighter desktop.
The minimum requirements are 1GB of RAM and an 8.6GB hard drive.
A 2023 report predicts that, as a result,240 million PCs and laptopscould end up in landfills.
Itd be kinder to the planet to repurpose those devices and install Linux on them.
