How do I find out which version and derivative of Ubuntu is right for my hardware in terms of minimal system...











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For a given hardware configuration, how do I find out if Ubuntu will run on it? What considerations should I take into account when choosing an Ubuntu version and flavour such as:





  • Xubuntu with a lighter desktop than the usual Gnome and Unity


  • Lubuntu with the even lighter LXDE desktop


Obviously Ubuntu does not run on some processor architectures. So how do I go about choosing the right version and derivate. How can I find out the minmal system requirements?










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  • This question is meant to be as a collection of most of the various old system requirement questions that pop up every once in a while. Such as: askubuntu.com/questions/206364/… askubuntu.com/questions/125280/… askubuntu.com/questions/11771/… askubuntu.com/questions/11771/… . So future questions of this type can be closed as exact duplicates.
    – con-f-use
    Oct 25 '12 at 19:46






  • 4




    I don't think this line is correctly laid out [Obviously Ubuntu does not run on some processor architectures.]. Ubuntu runs on x86 processors, x86-64 processors, PowerPC processors and ARM (ARMv7 and up) SoC.
    – Uri Herrera
    Oct 25 '12 at 19:59








  • 5




    Related: What are the system requirements for each flavor of Ubuntu Desktop?
    – Aditya
    Nov 12 '13 at 7:33










  • You could also try Bodhi Linux which is based on the latest Ubuntu LTS. Current version is 3.2.1. You are also able to look at it first by running from a Live CD like it did right now with an old Fujitsu LifeBook with Windows XP installed on hard disk. bodhilinux.com/w/selecting-the-correct-iso-image
    – Sedat Kilinc
    Jul 16 '16 at 17:22










  • Useful infos here
    – Stphane
    Aug 27 '16 at 11:41

















up vote
131
down vote

favorite
43












For a given hardware configuration, how do I find out if Ubuntu will run on it? What considerations should I take into account when choosing an Ubuntu version and flavour such as:





  • Xubuntu with a lighter desktop than the usual Gnome and Unity


  • Lubuntu with the even lighter LXDE desktop


Obviously Ubuntu does not run on some processor architectures. So how do I go about choosing the right version and derivate. How can I find out the minmal system requirements?










share|improve this question
























  • This question is meant to be as a collection of most of the various old system requirement questions that pop up every once in a while. Such as: askubuntu.com/questions/206364/… askubuntu.com/questions/125280/… askubuntu.com/questions/11771/… askubuntu.com/questions/11771/… . So future questions of this type can be closed as exact duplicates.
    – con-f-use
    Oct 25 '12 at 19:46






  • 4




    I don't think this line is correctly laid out [Obviously Ubuntu does not run on some processor architectures.]. Ubuntu runs on x86 processors, x86-64 processors, PowerPC processors and ARM (ARMv7 and up) SoC.
    – Uri Herrera
    Oct 25 '12 at 19:59








  • 5




    Related: What are the system requirements for each flavor of Ubuntu Desktop?
    – Aditya
    Nov 12 '13 at 7:33










  • You could also try Bodhi Linux which is based on the latest Ubuntu LTS. Current version is 3.2.1. You are also able to look at it first by running from a Live CD like it did right now with an old Fujitsu LifeBook with Windows XP installed on hard disk. bodhilinux.com/w/selecting-the-correct-iso-image
    – Sedat Kilinc
    Jul 16 '16 at 17:22










  • Useful infos here
    – Stphane
    Aug 27 '16 at 11:41















up vote
131
down vote

favorite
43









up vote
131
down vote

favorite
43






43





For a given hardware configuration, how do I find out if Ubuntu will run on it? What considerations should I take into account when choosing an Ubuntu version and flavour such as:





  • Xubuntu with a lighter desktop than the usual Gnome and Unity


  • Lubuntu with the even lighter LXDE desktop


Obviously Ubuntu does not run on some processor architectures. So how do I go about choosing the right version and derivate. How can I find out the minmal system requirements?










share|improve this question















For a given hardware configuration, how do I find out if Ubuntu will run on it? What considerations should I take into account when choosing an Ubuntu version and flavour such as:





  • Xubuntu with a lighter desktop than the usual Gnome and Unity


  • Lubuntu with the even lighter LXDE desktop


Obviously Ubuntu does not run on some processor architectures. So how do I go about choosing the right version and derivate. How can I find out the minmal system requirements?







hardware versions compatibility system-requirements distro-recommendation






share|improve this question















share|improve this question













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share|improve this question








edited Jul 22 at 8:09









DJCrashdummy

1,50231327




1,50231327










asked Oct 25 '12 at 18:45









con-f-use

12.6k1773133




12.6k1773133












  • This question is meant to be as a collection of most of the various old system requirement questions that pop up every once in a while. Such as: askubuntu.com/questions/206364/… askubuntu.com/questions/125280/… askubuntu.com/questions/11771/… askubuntu.com/questions/11771/… . So future questions of this type can be closed as exact duplicates.
    – con-f-use
    Oct 25 '12 at 19:46






  • 4




    I don't think this line is correctly laid out [Obviously Ubuntu does not run on some processor architectures.]. Ubuntu runs on x86 processors, x86-64 processors, PowerPC processors and ARM (ARMv7 and up) SoC.
    – Uri Herrera
    Oct 25 '12 at 19:59








  • 5




    Related: What are the system requirements for each flavor of Ubuntu Desktop?
    – Aditya
    Nov 12 '13 at 7:33










  • You could also try Bodhi Linux which is based on the latest Ubuntu LTS. Current version is 3.2.1. You are also able to look at it first by running from a Live CD like it did right now with an old Fujitsu LifeBook with Windows XP installed on hard disk. bodhilinux.com/w/selecting-the-correct-iso-image
    – Sedat Kilinc
    Jul 16 '16 at 17:22










  • Useful infos here
    – Stphane
    Aug 27 '16 at 11:41




















  • This question is meant to be as a collection of most of the various old system requirement questions that pop up every once in a while. Such as: askubuntu.com/questions/206364/… askubuntu.com/questions/125280/… askubuntu.com/questions/11771/… askubuntu.com/questions/11771/… . So future questions of this type can be closed as exact duplicates.
    – con-f-use
    Oct 25 '12 at 19:46






  • 4




    I don't think this line is correctly laid out [Obviously Ubuntu does not run on some processor architectures.]. Ubuntu runs on x86 processors, x86-64 processors, PowerPC processors and ARM (ARMv7 and up) SoC.
    – Uri Herrera
    Oct 25 '12 at 19:59








  • 5




    Related: What are the system requirements for each flavor of Ubuntu Desktop?
    – Aditya
    Nov 12 '13 at 7:33










  • You could also try Bodhi Linux which is based on the latest Ubuntu LTS. Current version is 3.2.1. You are also able to look at it first by running from a Live CD like it did right now with an old Fujitsu LifeBook with Windows XP installed on hard disk. bodhilinux.com/w/selecting-the-correct-iso-image
    – Sedat Kilinc
    Jul 16 '16 at 17:22










  • Useful infos here
    – Stphane
    Aug 27 '16 at 11:41


















This question is meant to be as a collection of most of the various old system requirement questions that pop up every once in a while. Such as: askubuntu.com/questions/206364/… askubuntu.com/questions/125280/… askubuntu.com/questions/11771/… askubuntu.com/questions/11771/… . So future questions of this type can be closed as exact duplicates.
– con-f-use
Oct 25 '12 at 19:46




This question is meant to be as a collection of most of the various old system requirement questions that pop up every once in a while. Such as: askubuntu.com/questions/206364/… askubuntu.com/questions/125280/… askubuntu.com/questions/11771/… askubuntu.com/questions/11771/… . So future questions of this type can be closed as exact duplicates.
– con-f-use
Oct 25 '12 at 19:46




4




4




I don't think this line is correctly laid out [Obviously Ubuntu does not run on some processor architectures.]. Ubuntu runs on x86 processors, x86-64 processors, PowerPC processors and ARM (ARMv7 and up) SoC.
– Uri Herrera
Oct 25 '12 at 19:59






I don't think this line is correctly laid out [Obviously Ubuntu does not run on some processor architectures.]. Ubuntu runs on x86 processors, x86-64 processors, PowerPC processors and ARM (ARMv7 and up) SoC.
– Uri Herrera
Oct 25 '12 at 19:59






5




5




Related: What are the system requirements for each flavor of Ubuntu Desktop?
– Aditya
Nov 12 '13 at 7:33




Related: What are the system requirements for each flavor of Ubuntu Desktop?
– Aditya
Nov 12 '13 at 7:33












You could also try Bodhi Linux which is based on the latest Ubuntu LTS. Current version is 3.2.1. You are also able to look at it first by running from a Live CD like it did right now with an old Fujitsu LifeBook with Windows XP installed on hard disk. bodhilinux.com/w/selecting-the-correct-iso-image
– Sedat Kilinc
Jul 16 '16 at 17:22




You could also try Bodhi Linux which is based on the latest Ubuntu LTS. Current version is 3.2.1. You are also able to look at it first by running from a Live CD like it did right now with an old Fujitsu LifeBook with Windows XP installed on hard disk. bodhilinux.com/w/selecting-the-correct-iso-image
– Sedat Kilinc
Jul 16 '16 at 17:22












Useful infos here
– Stphane
Aug 27 '16 at 11:41






Useful infos here
– Stphane
Aug 27 '16 at 11:41












8 Answers
8






active

oldest

votes

















up vote
88
down vote



accepted










Preliminary notes





First of all it makes no sense to install versions of Ubuntu that are no longer supported with updates. The reasoning is discussed at the bottom of this answer.



This answer will concentrate on currently supported versions of Ubuntu and its official derivatives.



If your hardware never connects to the internet and if you will never use software newer than is included on the respective install media, only then might it be prudent to use outdated versions. But who can be sure of that for all eternity?



You don't have to install Ubuntu to see if it works on your hardware. It is always a good idea to boot from live DVD/USB and see if the system runs okay (although slowly) on the given hardware.



Even if it seems not to work, you might be just one boot option away from a working system. See My computer boots to a black screen, what options do I have to fix it? For example the nomodeset option might help.





Currently supported versions and their minimal requirements



The community wiki usually offers an up-to-date list of currently supported versions. Minimal system requirements for Ubuntu can be found there in the tech specs. The Lists of Ubuntu certified hardware might also be of use to you.



Information on the derivatives is scarce but their requirements are less than what is listed here. Generally 32-bit versions take up less memory and tend to be faster on older systems, than their 64-bit counterparts. However, allot of software nowadays assumes 64-bit architecture. If you are unsure, install the 64-bit versions.



Supported versions of Ubuntu





  • 14.04 Desktop




    In order to run Unity the system needs a more capable graphics adapter.




    • 1000 ΜHz processor (about Intel Celeron or better)


    • 1024 MiB RAM (system memory)


    • Graphics processor and display capable of at least 1024x768


    • 6 GB of disk space





    From experience, we all know that it is recommended to have 2GB RAM to properly run Ubuntu day-to-day. A good start should be with minimum 1GB and recommended 2GB RAM.




  • 16.04 Desktop recommended system requirements




    In order to run Unity the system needs a more capable graphics adapter.






    • 2GHz dual core processor or better


    • 2GB RAM


    • 25GB of disk space


    • Graphics processor and display capable of at least 1024x768


    • Either a DVD drive or a USB port for the installation media


    • Internet access is helpful






  • 16.04 Desktop minimal




    In order to run Unity the system needs a more capable graphics adapter.






    • Intel Pentium 4 processor or better


    • 1GB RAM


    • Graphics processor and display capable of at least 1024x768


    • 10 GB of disk space






  • 17.10 and 18.04 Desktop recommended system requirements





    • 64-bit 2GHz dual core processor or better


    • 2GB RAM


    • 25GB of disk space


    • Graphics processor and display capable of at least 1024x768


    • Either a DVD drive or a USB port for the installation media


    • Internet access is helpful






  • 17.10, 18.04 and 18.10 Desktop minimal





    • 64-bit processor for iso, Intel Pentium 4 processor or better for installation using the Ubuntu minimal CD. The Ubuntu minimal CD supports installation of Ubuntu on computers that have a 32-bit processor.


    • 1GB RAM


    • Graphics processor and display capable of at least 1024x768


    • 10 GB of disk space





    Updates will be provided for Ubuntu 18.04 for 5 years until April, 2023. Ubuntu 17.10 will be supported for 9 months until July 2018. If you need Long Term Support, it is recommended you use Ubuntu 18.04 instead.




  • 14.04, 16.04 and 18.04 Server installation standard





    • Ubuntu Server supports 3 major architectures: Intel x86, AMD64 and ARM.

    • 1 GHz processor

    • 512 MB of system memory (RAM)

    • 1 GB of disk space (base system)

    • 1.75 GB of disk space (all tasks installed)

    • Graphics card and monitor capable of 640x480





  • 14.04, 16.04 and 18.04 Server installation minimal





    • Ubuntu Server supports 3 major architectures: Intel x86, AMD64 and ARM.

    • 300 MHz processor

    • 256 MB of system memory (RAM) 64-bit, 192 MB RAM 32-bit

    • 700 MB of disk space (base system)

    • 1.4 GB of disk space (all tasks installed)

    • Graphics card and monitor capable of 640x480




    Security and maintenance updates will be provided for Ubuntu Server 14.04 until April, 2019, for Ubuntu Server 16.04 until April, 2021, and for Ubuntu Server 18.04 until April, 2023.




Supported versions of Xubuntu



See Xubuntu help page.





  • 14.04




    Minimum systems requirements

    To install or try Xubuntu within the Desktop/Live CD, you need 512MB
    of memory and 5GB of free space on your hard disk. Security and maintenance



    Recommended systems requirements

    To get a smooth experience when running multiple applications in parallel on the desktop, it is recommended to have at least 1GB of memory. It is recommended to have at least 20GB of free space. This allows new application installations as well as saving your personal data on the hard disk in addition to the core system.

    Updates will be provided for this release for 3 Years until April, 2017.





  • 16.04-18.10




    Minimum systems requirements

    To install or try Xubuntu within the Desktop/Live CD, you need 512MB
    of memory and 7.5GB of free space on your hard disk.



    Recommended systems requirements

    To get a smooth experience when running multiple applications in parallel on the desktop, it is recommended to have at least 1GB of memory. It is recommended to have at least 20GB of free disk space. This allows new application installations as well as saving your personal data on the hard disk in addition to the core system.




    Updates will be provided for Xubuntu 18.04 for 3 years until April, 2021. Xubuntu 17.10 will be supported for 9 months until July 2018. If you need Long Term Support, it is recommended you use Xubuntu 18.04 instead.




Supported versions of Lubuntu





  • 14.04




    A Pentium II or Celeron system with 128 MB of RAM and 5 GB of disk space for Lubuntu Desktop.




    Security and maintenance updates will be provided for this release for 3 Years until April, 2017.




  • 16.04-17.10




    Processor (CPU)

    The minimum specification for CPU is Pentium 4 or Pentium M or AMD K8. Older processors are too slow and AMD K7 has problems with flash video.



    Memory (RAM)

    For advanced internet services like Google+, YouTube, Google Docs and Facebook, your computer needs at least 1GB RAM.



    For local programs like LibreOffice and simple browsing habits, your computer needs at least 512MB RAM.





  • 18.04 and later




    Processor (CPU)

    The minimum specification for CPU is Pentium 4 or Pentium M or AMD K8. Older processors are too slow and AMD K7 has problems with flash video.



    Memory (RAM)

    For advanced internet services like Google+, YouTube, Google Docs and Facebook, your computer needs at least 2GB RAM.



    For local programs like LibreOffice and simple browsing habits, your computer needs at least 1GMB RAM.




    Lubuntu Alternate ISOs are for low-RAM PCs. Computers with less than 700 MB of RAM are considered low-RAM computers. Instructions are here.



    Updates will be provided for Lubuntu 18.04 for 3 years until April, 2023. Lubuntu 17.10 will be supported for 9 months until July 2018. If you need Long Term Support, it is recommended you use Lubuntu 18.04 instead.




Supported versions of Ubuntu Core





  • 15.04 and 15.10




    Processor – 600MHz processor (ARMv7 or greater, or x86)

    System Memory – 128MB RAM or greater

    Storage – 4GB flash / storage for factory reset and system rollback





  • 16.04 and 18.04




    Ubuntu Core 16.04/18.04 is supported for 5 years.







enter image description here
RAM Usage of different flavors of 18.04 under baseline conditions  (Click image to enlarge)





Why you shouldn't use versions when their support has ended





  • Security risks: Eventually there will be an exploit that compromises security or system integrity of old Ubuntu versions


  • Software incompatibilities: Versions that are no longer supported will have increasing problems with this. Due to the lack of updates one will no longer be able to open the most recent LibreOffice documents or compile programs that need more recent libraries. Hardware drivers of recent devices will not be included in older kernels.


  • Decreasing availability of repositories: It might become very difficult to download software that does not already ship with the outdated version. Hosting repositories for very old versions cease to be economically viable at one point.






share|improve this answer



















  • 2




    When you say a live system runs slowly, you mean just for booting and for launching programs, right? Cause that's the only slowness I've ever experienced, since the seek time is so high on the boot media.
    – wjandrea
    Sep 10 '17 at 16:26






  • 1




    Correct. Especially the delay when launching a new program can be annoying on some live media. Usually the program is loaded into RAM via the choke-point that is USB. Since most internal hard drives are connected with a faster bus, both boot times and program loading are faster once Ubuntu is properly installed.
    – con-f-use
    Mar 11 at 12:57








  • 1




    Kubuntu use less RAM than Xubuntu? I'm surprised :O
    – damadam
    Aug 23 at 13:02


















up vote
51
down vote













Lubuntu or Xubuntu (Ubuntu with the Xfce desktop environment). Xubuntu is more "user friendly" -- more graphical tools for settings, better looking and better integrated applications and maybe better support (larger community). On the other hand, Lubuntu 14.04 LTS needs less RAM (Lubuntu 14.04 needs 128 MB, Lubuntu 15.04-17.04 needs 512 MB, Lubuntu 18.04 and later needs 1 GB, and Xubuntu 14.04 and later needs 512 MB). For advanced internet services like Google+, YouTube, Google Drive, and Facebook, your computer needs at least 1 GB of RAM. It depends on your skills and preferences, you can try both and then choose. Lubuntu Alternate ISOs are for low-RAM PCs. Computers with less than 700 MB of RAM are considered low-RAM computers. Instructions are here.




  • Lubuntu: https://lubuntu.me

  • Xubuntu: https://xubuntu.org


enter image description here
Lubuntu 18.10 with the LXQt desktop environment  (Click image to enlarge)






share|improve this answer























  • to take into account: the default file manager pcmanfm do not support the trash-bin (or at least last time a tried lxde, some versions ago of ubuntu).
    – enzotib
    Jun 23 '11 at 14:19






  • 2




    +1 I would add that if you can handle not running a full desktop then I suggest using the fluxbox window manager. I don't have the exact numbers but it frees up even more precious RAM.
    – KennyPeanuts
    Jun 23 '11 at 15:52










  • Lubuntu causes a lot more stress on my system than gnome-session-fallback
    – Hellreaver
    Dec 20 '14 at 10:43










  • @KennyPeanuts I have written a complete set of instructions for installing the Ubuntu minimal CD together with the Fluxbux window manager for a very lightweight desktop environment that requires less RAM than the latest version of Lubuntu requires: askubuntu.com/questions/619855/…
    – karel
    Oct 25 '15 at 18:41




















up vote
20
down vote













Xubuntu



Xubuntu is designed to run on lightweight machines. I recently installed it on a machine with 768MB of RAM and other specs close to your machine and it runs without an issue.



enter image description here
Xubuntu 18.10 whisker menu  (Click image to enlarge)



Xubuntu is simply Ubuntu bundled with the Xfce Desktop Environment, a desktop environment designed to be fast and lightweight on lower end systems without compromising performance and visual style. Xubuntu 14.04 is a Long Term Support release for which security and maintenance updates will be provided for 3 years until April, 2017.



Xubuntu 16.04 needs at least 512 MB RAM and 6.1 GB of free space on your hard disk (minimum) and 20 GB free space (recommended). Xubuntu 16.04 is a Long Term Support release for which security and maintenance updates will be provided for 3 years until April, 2019.






share|improve this answer






























    up vote
    14
    down vote













    Ubuntu MATE



    Ubuntu MATE is a stable, easy-to-use operating system with a lightweight configurable desktop environment. The MATE Desktop has a rich history and is the continuation of the GNOME 2 desktop, which was the default desktop environment on many Linux and Unix operating systems for over a decade. High DPI will be supported by default in Ubuntu MATE 18.04 and later. The Ubuntu MATE iso file can be written to either a DVD or a USB flash drive that has at least 2GB.



    There is an Ubuntu MATE release for PowerPC architecture for Ubuntu 16.04 only. PowerPC support will be discontinued on April, 2019.



    Updates will be provided for Ubuntu MATE 18.04 for 3 years until April, 2021. Ubuntu MATE 17.10 will be supported for 9 months until July 2018. If you need Long Term Support, it is recommended you use Ubuntu MATE 18.04 instead.



    Minimal systems requirements (16.04,17.04,17.10)




    • Pentium III 750MHz

    • 512MB of RAM

    • 8GB of available space on the hard disk

    • Bootable DVD-ROM drive

    • Video adapter and monitor capable of 1024 x 768 or higher resolution


    Recommended systems requirements (16.04,17.04,17.10)




    • Core 2 Duo 1.6GHz

    • 2GB RAM

    • 25GB of available space on the hard disk

    • Bootable USB flash drive

    • 3D capable video adapter and wide screen monitor capable of 1366 x 768 or higher resolution


    enter image description hereUbuntu MATE 17.04  (Click image to enlarge)






    share|improve this answer























    • Ubuntu MATE 15.04 ships with the Ubuntu Software Center and the following applications installed by default: Caja, Pluma, Firefox, Thunderbird, LibreOffice, VLC, Rhythmbox, Shotwell, Pidgin, HexChat, Transmission, Cheese, two terminals – MATE Terminal and Tilda, and Eye of Mate.
      – karel
      Mar 11 '15 at 7:18




















    up vote
    9
    down vote













    Ubuntu Budgie



    Ubuntu Budgie 17.04 has been released as a new official Ubuntu flavor. Budgie desktop environment uses many GNOME components and offers a minimalist user interface. Ubuntu Budgie 17.10 will be supported for 9 months until July 2018. Ubuntu Budgie 18.04 will be supported for three years, until April 2021.



    The minimum systems requirements for Ubuntu Budgie are as follows.




    • 1GB RAM

    • 20GB disk space

    • 1.5GHz processor


    The recommended system requirements are:




    • 2GB RAM

    • 60GB disk space


    enter image description here
    Ubuntu Budgie 18.10  (Click image to enlarge)






    share|improve this answer























    • 2GB OF RAM? It seems to me that it has less eye candy than MATE!
      – Zinux
      Apr 13 '17 at 22:21


















    up vote
    8
    down vote













    I can disagree on the system requirements for the Linux distros.



    On a:




    • Intel Pentium 4 1.8Ghz

    • 1GB DDR RAM

    • 64MB graphics card capable of 1024x768


    The only Ubuntu flavour which worked good was Lubuntu.



    On a:




    • AMD Athlon dual-core 3.20Ghz(OC'ed from 2.80Ghz),

    • 2GB DDR3 RAM

    • AMD HD 3000 IGP with Catalyst installed.


    Ubuntu is really slow (I can work properly with Unity 2D), Gnome Shell is also slow (plus for me Gnome Shell is awful in multitasking). KDE worked quite nice and I'm really impressed by it.



    About which flavour to choose I can say this:




    • What do you want, better Looks or better Performance?

    • XFCE(Xubuntu) looks nicer and its environment has more
      functionality, you can personalize it and change it in any way you want it (at
      the cost of high memory use but still you need a good graphic card).

    • LXDE(Lubuntu) is faster overall but it lacks the looks.


    I suggest to try Xubuntu and if it feels slower go for Lubuntu.



    You can try Live-CDs to see how they look but you can test performance only after you installed them.



    Have to say that even tough Linux system requirements are really low the desktop environment graphic requirements are high in my opinion.






    share|improve this answer



















    • 2




      You can customize LXDE just as you can customize XFCE, no difference. Of course if you are strictly speaking of the stock software then yes, XFCE is more customizable.
      – Uri Herrera
      Oct 26 '12 at 8:06




















    up vote
    1
    down vote













    Well your PC isn't that much hopeless.
    I would suggest you to try installing normal Ubuntu AND Unity 2D desktop environment.



    Of course, if you don't like Unity, this won't be a good solution. However, if you will try that, you will get full Ubuntu support.



    I've tried Lubuntu before (installed it via Software manager). It's very basic DE and had some problems. It might be good, but I still suggest you to give Unity 2D a try.






    share|improve this answer




























      up vote
      0
      down vote













      There is also CrunchEee which is a Ubuntu lighter derivate OS, specially made for tiny portable computer with really low performance (notably the EeePC range of Asus).



      I had test it last year on my old EeePc of 2009 (which had Windows 7 Starter edition before, really really slow, 1 Go of RAM and a little core i3), and the performance were good but there is a main problem :



      This OS was in Chinese language by default, on the desktop even if I installed language pack with installation manager or after. I didn't find some documentation about this distribution for language issues, and I select Xubuntu (which work pretty good).



      I don't know if question about this type of OS will be on-topic 1 day on AskUbuntu, because there are Ubuntu based distribution which can be optimized for some computer range.






      share|improve this answer




















        protected by jokerdino Dec 2 '13 at 18:19



        Thank you for your interest in this question.
        Because it has attracted low-quality or spam answers that had to be removed, posting an answer now requires 10 reputation on this site (the association bonus does not count).



        Would you like to answer one of these unanswered questions instead?














        8 Answers
        8






        active

        oldest

        votes








        8 Answers
        8






        active

        oldest

        votes









        active

        oldest

        votes






        active

        oldest

        votes








        up vote
        88
        down vote



        accepted










        Preliminary notes





        First of all it makes no sense to install versions of Ubuntu that are no longer supported with updates. The reasoning is discussed at the bottom of this answer.



        This answer will concentrate on currently supported versions of Ubuntu and its official derivatives.



        If your hardware never connects to the internet and if you will never use software newer than is included on the respective install media, only then might it be prudent to use outdated versions. But who can be sure of that for all eternity?



        You don't have to install Ubuntu to see if it works on your hardware. It is always a good idea to boot from live DVD/USB and see if the system runs okay (although slowly) on the given hardware.



        Even if it seems not to work, you might be just one boot option away from a working system. See My computer boots to a black screen, what options do I have to fix it? For example the nomodeset option might help.





        Currently supported versions and their minimal requirements



        The community wiki usually offers an up-to-date list of currently supported versions. Minimal system requirements for Ubuntu can be found there in the tech specs. The Lists of Ubuntu certified hardware might also be of use to you.



        Information on the derivatives is scarce but their requirements are less than what is listed here. Generally 32-bit versions take up less memory and tend to be faster on older systems, than their 64-bit counterparts. However, allot of software nowadays assumes 64-bit architecture. If you are unsure, install the 64-bit versions.



        Supported versions of Ubuntu





        • 14.04 Desktop




          In order to run Unity the system needs a more capable graphics adapter.




          • 1000 ΜHz processor (about Intel Celeron or better)


          • 1024 MiB RAM (system memory)


          • Graphics processor and display capable of at least 1024x768


          • 6 GB of disk space





          From experience, we all know that it is recommended to have 2GB RAM to properly run Ubuntu day-to-day. A good start should be with minimum 1GB and recommended 2GB RAM.




        • 16.04 Desktop recommended system requirements




          In order to run Unity the system needs a more capable graphics adapter.






          • 2GHz dual core processor or better


          • 2GB RAM


          • 25GB of disk space


          • Graphics processor and display capable of at least 1024x768


          • Either a DVD drive or a USB port for the installation media


          • Internet access is helpful






        • 16.04 Desktop minimal




          In order to run Unity the system needs a more capable graphics adapter.






          • Intel Pentium 4 processor or better


          • 1GB RAM


          • Graphics processor and display capable of at least 1024x768


          • 10 GB of disk space






        • 17.10 and 18.04 Desktop recommended system requirements





          • 64-bit 2GHz dual core processor or better


          • 2GB RAM


          • 25GB of disk space


          • Graphics processor and display capable of at least 1024x768


          • Either a DVD drive or a USB port for the installation media


          • Internet access is helpful






        • 17.10, 18.04 and 18.10 Desktop minimal





          • 64-bit processor for iso, Intel Pentium 4 processor or better for installation using the Ubuntu minimal CD. The Ubuntu minimal CD supports installation of Ubuntu on computers that have a 32-bit processor.


          • 1GB RAM


          • Graphics processor and display capable of at least 1024x768


          • 10 GB of disk space





          Updates will be provided for Ubuntu 18.04 for 5 years until April, 2023. Ubuntu 17.10 will be supported for 9 months until July 2018. If you need Long Term Support, it is recommended you use Ubuntu 18.04 instead.




        • 14.04, 16.04 and 18.04 Server installation standard





          • Ubuntu Server supports 3 major architectures: Intel x86, AMD64 and ARM.

          • 1 GHz processor

          • 512 MB of system memory (RAM)

          • 1 GB of disk space (base system)

          • 1.75 GB of disk space (all tasks installed)

          • Graphics card and monitor capable of 640x480





        • 14.04, 16.04 and 18.04 Server installation minimal





          • Ubuntu Server supports 3 major architectures: Intel x86, AMD64 and ARM.

          • 300 MHz processor

          • 256 MB of system memory (RAM) 64-bit, 192 MB RAM 32-bit

          • 700 MB of disk space (base system)

          • 1.4 GB of disk space (all tasks installed)

          • Graphics card and monitor capable of 640x480




          Security and maintenance updates will be provided for Ubuntu Server 14.04 until April, 2019, for Ubuntu Server 16.04 until April, 2021, and for Ubuntu Server 18.04 until April, 2023.




        Supported versions of Xubuntu



        See Xubuntu help page.





        • 14.04




          Minimum systems requirements

          To install or try Xubuntu within the Desktop/Live CD, you need 512MB
          of memory and 5GB of free space on your hard disk. Security and maintenance



          Recommended systems requirements

          To get a smooth experience when running multiple applications in parallel on the desktop, it is recommended to have at least 1GB of memory. It is recommended to have at least 20GB of free space. This allows new application installations as well as saving your personal data on the hard disk in addition to the core system.

          Updates will be provided for this release for 3 Years until April, 2017.





        • 16.04-18.10




          Minimum systems requirements

          To install or try Xubuntu within the Desktop/Live CD, you need 512MB
          of memory and 7.5GB of free space on your hard disk.



          Recommended systems requirements

          To get a smooth experience when running multiple applications in parallel on the desktop, it is recommended to have at least 1GB of memory. It is recommended to have at least 20GB of free disk space. This allows new application installations as well as saving your personal data on the hard disk in addition to the core system.




          Updates will be provided for Xubuntu 18.04 for 3 years until April, 2021. Xubuntu 17.10 will be supported for 9 months until July 2018. If you need Long Term Support, it is recommended you use Xubuntu 18.04 instead.




        Supported versions of Lubuntu





        • 14.04




          A Pentium II or Celeron system with 128 MB of RAM and 5 GB of disk space for Lubuntu Desktop.




          Security and maintenance updates will be provided for this release for 3 Years until April, 2017.




        • 16.04-17.10




          Processor (CPU)

          The minimum specification for CPU is Pentium 4 or Pentium M or AMD K8. Older processors are too slow and AMD K7 has problems with flash video.



          Memory (RAM)

          For advanced internet services like Google+, YouTube, Google Docs and Facebook, your computer needs at least 1GB RAM.



          For local programs like LibreOffice and simple browsing habits, your computer needs at least 512MB RAM.





        • 18.04 and later




          Processor (CPU)

          The minimum specification for CPU is Pentium 4 or Pentium M or AMD K8. Older processors are too slow and AMD K7 has problems with flash video.



          Memory (RAM)

          For advanced internet services like Google+, YouTube, Google Docs and Facebook, your computer needs at least 2GB RAM.



          For local programs like LibreOffice and simple browsing habits, your computer needs at least 1GMB RAM.




          Lubuntu Alternate ISOs are for low-RAM PCs. Computers with less than 700 MB of RAM are considered low-RAM computers. Instructions are here.



          Updates will be provided for Lubuntu 18.04 for 3 years until April, 2023. Lubuntu 17.10 will be supported for 9 months until July 2018. If you need Long Term Support, it is recommended you use Lubuntu 18.04 instead.




        Supported versions of Ubuntu Core





        • 15.04 and 15.10




          Processor – 600MHz processor (ARMv7 or greater, or x86)

          System Memory – 128MB RAM or greater

          Storage – 4GB flash / storage for factory reset and system rollback





        • 16.04 and 18.04




          Ubuntu Core 16.04/18.04 is supported for 5 years.







        enter image description here
        RAM Usage of different flavors of 18.04 under baseline conditions  (Click image to enlarge)





        Why you shouldn't use versions when their support has ended





        • Security risks: Eventually there will be an exploit that compromises security or system integrity of old Ubuntu versions


        • Software incompatibilities: Versions that are no longer supported will have increasing problems with this. Due to the lack of updates one will no longer be able to open the most recent LibreOffice documents or compile programs that need more recent libraries. Hardware drivers of recent devices will not be included in older kernels.


        • Decreasing availability of repositories: It might become very difficult to download software that does not already ship with the outdated version. Hosting repositories for very old versions cease to be economically viable at one point.






        share|improve this answer



















        • 2




          When you say a live system runs slowly, you mean just for booting and for launching programs, right? Cause that's the only slowness I've ever experienced, since the seek time is so high on the boot media.
          – wjandrea
          Sep 10 '17 at 16:26






        • 1




          Correct. Especially the delay when launching a new program can be annoying on some live media. Usually the program is loaded into RAM via the choke-point that is USB. Since most internal hard drives are connected with a faster bus, both boot times and program loading are faster once Ubuntu is properly installed.
          – con-f-use
          Mar 11 at 12:57








        • 1




          Kubuntu use less RAM than Xubuntu? I'm surprised :O
          – damadam
          Aug 23 at 13:02















        up vote
        88
        down vote



        accepted










        Preliminary notes





        First of all it makes no sense to install versions of Ubuntu that are no longer supported with updates. The reasoning is discussed at the bottom of this answer.



        This answer will concentrate on currently supported versions of Ubuntu and its official derivatives.



        If your hardware never connects to the internet and if you will never use software newer than is included on the respective install media, only then might it be prudent to use outdated versions. But who can be sure of that for all eternity?



        You don't have to install Ubuntu to see if it works on your hardware. It is always a good idea to boot from live DVD/USB and see if the system runs okay (although slowly) on the given hardware.



        Even if it seems not to work, you might be just one boot option away from a working system. See My computer boots to a black screen, what options do I have to fix it? For example the nomodeset option might help.





        Currently supported versions and their minimal requirements



        The community wiki usually offers an up-to-date list of currently supported versions. Minimal system requirements for Ubuntu can be found there in the tech specs. The Lists of Ubuntu certified hardware might also be of use to you.



        Information on the derivatives is scarce but their requirements are less than what is listed here. Generally 32-bit versions take up less memory and tend to be faster on older systems, than their 64-bit counterparts. However, allot of software nowadays assumes 64-bit architecture. If you are unsure, install the 64-bit versions.



        Supported versions of Ubuntu





        • 14.04 Desktop




          In order to run Unity the system needs a more capable graphics adapter.




          • 1000 ΜHz processor (about Intel Celeron or better)


          • 1024 MiB RAM (system memory)


          • Graphics processor and display capable of at least 1024x768


          • 6 GB of disk space





          From experience, we all know that it is recommended to have 2GB RAM to properly run Ubuntu day-to-day. A good start should be with minimum 1GB and recommended 2GB RAM.




        • 16.04 Desktop recommended system requirements




          In order to run Unity the system needs a more capable graphics adapter.






          • 2GHz dual core processor or better


          • 2GB RAM


          • 25GB of disk space


          • Graphics processor and display capable of at least 1024x768


          • Either a DVD drive or a USB port for the installation media


          • Internet access is helpful






        • 16.04 Desktop minimal




          In order to run Unity the system needs a more capable graphics adapter.






          • Intel Pentium 4 processor or better


          • 1GB RAM


          • Graphics processor and display capable of at least 1024x768


          • 10 GB of disk space






        • 17.10 and 18.04 Desktop recommended system requirements





          • 64-bit 2GHz dual core processor or better


          • 2GB RAM


          • 25GB of disk space


          • Graphics processor and display capable of at least 1024x768


          • Either a DVD drive or a USB port for the installation media


          • Internet access is helpful






        • 17.10, 18.04 and 18.10 Desktop minimal





          • 64-bit processor for iso, Intel Pentium 4 processor or better for installation using the Ubuntu minimal CD. The Ubuntu minimal CD supports installation of Ubuntu on computers that have a 32-bit processor.


          • 1GB RAM


          • Graphics processor and display capable of at least 1024x768


          • 10 GB of disk space





          Updates will be provided for Ubuntu 18.04 for 5 years until April, 2023. Ubuntu 17.10 will be supported for 9 months until July 2018. If you need Long Term Support, it is recommended you use Ubuntu 18.04 instead.




        • 14.04, 16.04 and 18.04 Server installation standard





          • Ubuntu Server supports 3 major architectures: Intel x86, AMD64 and ARM.

          • 1 GHz processor

          • 512 MB of system memory (RAM)

          • 1 GB of disk space (base system)

          • 1.75 GB of disk space (all tasks installed)

          • Graphics card and monitor capable of 640x480





        • 14.04, 16.04 and 18.04 Server installation minimal





          • Ubuntu Server supports 3 major architectures: Intel x86, AMD64 and ARM.

          • 300 MHz processor

          • 256 MB of system memory (RAM) 64-bit, 192 MB RAM 32-bit

          • 700 MB of disk space (base system)

          • 1.4 GB of disk space (all tasks installed)

          • Graphics card and monitor capable of 640x480




          Security and maintenance updates will be provided for Ubuntu Server 14.04 until April, 2019, for Ubuntu Server 16.04 until April, 2021, and for Ubuntu Server 18.04 until April, 2023.




        Supported versions of Xubuntu



        See Xubuntu help page.





        • 14.04




          Minimum systems requirements

          To install or try Xubuntu within the Desktop/Live CD, you need 512MB
          of memory and 5GB of free space on your hard disk. Security and maintenance



          Recommended systems requirements

          To get a smooth experience when running multiple applications in parallel on the desktop, it is recommended to have at least 1GB of memory. It is recommended to have at least 20GB of free space. This allows new application installations as well as saving your personal data on the hard disk in addition to the core system.

          Updates will be provided for this release for 3 Years until April, 2017.





        • 16.04-18.10




          Minimum systems requirements

          To install or try Xubuntu within the Desktop/Live CD, you need 512MB
          of memory and 7.5GB of free space on your hard disk.



          Recommended systems requirements

          To get a smooth experience when running multiple applications in parallel on the desktop, it is recommended to have at least 1GB of memory. It is recommended to have at least 20GB of free disk space. This allows new application installations as well as saving your personal data on the hard disk in addition to the core system.




          Updates will be provided for Xubuntu 18.04 for 3 years until April, 2021. Xubuntu 17.10 will be supported for 9 months until July 2018. If you need Long Term Support, it is recommended you use Xubuntu 18.04 instead.




        Supported versions of Lubuntu





        • 14.04




          A Pentium II or Celeron system with 128 MB of RAM and 5 GB of disk space for Lubuntu Desktop.




          Security and maintenance updates will be provided for this release for 3 Years until April, 2017.




        • 16.04-17.10




          Processor (CPU)

          The minimum specification for CPU is Pentium 4 or Pentium M or AMD K8. Older processors are too slow and AMD K7 has problems with flash video.



          Memory (RAM)

          For advanced internet services like Google+, YouTube, Google Docs and Facebook, your computer needs at least 1GB RAM.



          For local programs like LibreOffice and simple browsing habits, your computer needs at least 512MB RAM.





        • 18.04 and later




          Processor (CPU)

          The minimum specification for CPU is Pentium 4 or Pentium M or AMD K8. Older processors are too slow and AMD K7 has problems with flash video.



          Memory (RAM)

          For advanced internet services like Google+, YouTube, Google Docs and Facebook, your computer needs at least 2GB RAM.



          For local programs like LibreOffice and simple browsing habits, your computer needs at least 1GMB RAM.




          Lubuntu Alternate ISOs are for low-RAM PCs. Computers with less than 700 MB of RAM are considered low-RAM computers. Instructions are here.



          Updates will be provided for Lubuntu 18.04 for 3 years until April, 2023. Lubuntu 17.10 will be supported for 9 months until July 2018. If you need Long Term Support, it is recommended you use Lubuntu 18.04 instead.




        Supported versions of Ubuntu Core





        • 15.04 and 15.10




          Processor – 600MHz processor (ARMv7 or greater, or x86)

          System Memory – 128MB RAM or greater

          Storage – 4GB flash / storage for factory reset and system rollback





        • 16.04 and 18.04




          Ubuntu Core 16.04/18.04 is supported for 5 years.







        enter image description here
        RAM Usage of different flavors of 18.04 under baseline conditions  (Click image to enlarge)





        Why you shouldn't use versions when their support has ended





        • Security risks: Eventually there will be an exploit that compromises security or system integrity of old Ubuntu versions


        • Software incompatibilities: Versions that are no longer supported will have increasing problems with this. Due to the lack of updates one will no longer be able to open the most recent LibreOffice documents or compile programs that need more recent libraries. Hardware drivers of recent devices will not be included in older kernels.


        • Decreasing availability of repositories: It might become very difficult to download software that does not already ship with the outdated version. Hosting repositories for very old versions cease to be economically viable at one point.






        share|improve this answer



















        • 2




          When you say a live system runs slowly, you mean just for booting and for launching programs, right? Cause that's the only slowness I've ever experienced, since the seek time is so high on the boot media.
          – wjandrea
          Sep 10 '17 at 16:26






        • 1




          Correct. Especially the delay when launching a new program can be annoying on some live media. Usually the program is loaded into RAM via the choke-point that is USB. Since most internal hard drives are connected with a faster bus, both boot times and program loading are faster once Ubuntu is properly installed.
          – con-f-use
          Mar 11 at 12:57








        • 1




          Kubuntu use less RAM than Xubuntu? I'm surprised :O
          – damadam
          Aug 23 at 13:02













        up vote
        88
        down vote



        accepted







        up vote
        88
        down vote



        accepted






        Preliminary notes





        First of all it makes no sense to install versions of Ubuntu that are no longer supported with updates. The reasoning is discussed at the bottom of this answer.



        This answer will concentrate on currently supported versions of Ubuntu and its official derivatives.



        If your hardware never connects to the internet and if you will never use software newer than is included on the respective install media, only then might it be prudent to use outdated versions. But who can be sure of that for all eternity?



        You don't have to install Ubuntu to see if it works on your hardware. It is always a good idea to boot from live DVD/USB and see if the system runs okay (although slowly) on the given hardware.



        Even if it seems not to work, you might be just one boot option away from a working system. See My computer boots to a black screen, what options do I have to fix it? For example the nomodeset option might help.





        Currently supported versions and their minimal requirements



        The community wiki usually offers an up-to-date list of currently supported versions. Minimal system requirements for Ubuntu can be found there in the tech specs. The Lists of Ubuntu certified hardware might also be of use to you.



        Information on the derivatives is scarce but their requirements are less than what is listed here. Generally 32-bit versions take up less memory and tend to be faster on older systems, than their 64-bit counterparts. However, allot of software nowadays assumes 64-bit architecture. If you are unsure, install the 64-bit versions.



        Supported versions of Ubuntu





        • 14.04 Desktop




          In order to run Unity the system needs a more capable graphics adapter.




          • 1000 ΜHz processor (about Intel Celeron or better)


          • 1024 MiB RAM (system memory)


          • Graphics processor and display capable of at least 1024x768


          • 6 GB of disk space





          From experience, we all know that it is recommended to have 2GB RAM to properly run Ubuntu day-to-day. A good start should be with minimum 1GB and recommended 2GB RAM.




        • 16.04 Desktop recommended system requirements




          In order to run Unity the system needs a more capable graphics adapter.






          • 2GHz dual core processor or better


          • 2GB RAM


          • 25GB of disk space


          • Graphics processor and display capable of at least 1024x768


          • Either a DVD drive or a USB port for the installation media


          • Internet access is helpful






        • 16.04 Desktop minimal




          In order to run Unity the system needs a more capable graphics adapter.






          • Intel Pentium 4 processor or better


          • 1GB RAM


          • Graphics processor and display capable of at least 1024x768


          • 10 GB of disk space






        • 17.10 and 18.04 Desktop recommended system requirements





          • 64-bit 2GHz dual core processor or better


          • 2GB RAM


          • 25GB of disk space


          • Graphics processor and display capable of at least 1024x768


          • Either a DVD drive or a USB port for the installation media


          • Internet access is helpful






        • 17.10, 18.04 and 18.10 Desktop minimal





          • 64-bit processor for iso, Intel Pentium 4 processor or better for installation using the Ubuntu minimal CD. The Ubuntu minimal CD supports installation of Ubuntu on computers that have a 32-bit processor.


          • 1GB RAM


          • Graphics processor and display capable of at least 1024x768


          • 10 GB of disk space





          Updates will be provided for Ubuntu 18.04 for 5 years until April, 2023. Ubuntu 17.10 will be supported for 9 months until July 2018. If you need Long Term Support, it is recommended you use Ubuntu 18.04 instead.




        • 14.04, 16.04 and 18.04 Server installation standard





          • Ubuntu Server supports 3 major architectures: Intel x86, AMD64 and ARM.

          • 1 GHz processor

          • 512 MB of system memory (RAM)

          • 1 GB of disk space (base system)

          • 1.75 GB of disk space (all tasks installed)

          • Graphics card and monitor capable of 640x480





        • 14.04, 16.04 and 18.04 Server installation minimal





          • Ubuntu Server supports 3 major architectures: Intel x86, AMD64 and ARM.

          • 300 MHz processor

          • 256 MB of system memory (RAM) 64-bit, 192 MB RAM 32-bit

          • 700 MB of disk space (base system)

          • 1.4 GB of disk space (all tasks installed)

          • Graphics card and monitor capable of 640x480




          Security and maintenance updates will be provided for Ubuntu Server 14.04 until April, 2019, for Ubuntu Server 16.04 until April, 2021, and for Ubuntu Server 18.04 until April, 2023.




        Supported versions of Xubuntu



        See Xubuntu help page.





        • 14.04




          Minimum systems requirements

          To install or try Xubuntu within the Desktop/Live CD, you need 512MB
          of memory and 5GB of free space on your hard disk. Security and maintenance



          Recommended systems requirements

          To get a smooth experience when running multiple applications in parallel on the desktop, it is recommended to have at least 1GB of memory. It is recommended to have at least 20GB of free space. This allows new application installations as well as saving your personal data on the hard disk in addition to the core system.

          Updates will be provided for this release for 3 Years until April, 2017.





        • 16.04-18.10




          Minimum systems requirements

          To install or try Xubuntu within the Desktop/Live CD, you need 512MB
          of memory and 7.5GB of free space on your hard disk.



          Recommended systems requirements

          To get a smooth experience when running multiple applications in parallel on the desktop, it is recommended to have at least 1GB of memory. It is recommended to have at least 20GB of free disk space. This allows new application installations as well as saving your personal data on the hard disk in addition to the core system.




          Updates will be provided for Xubuntu 18.04 for 3 years until April, 2021. Xubuntu 17.10 will be supported for 9 months until July 2018. If you need Long Term Support, it is recommended you use Xubuntu 18.04 instead.




        Supported versions of Lubuntu





        • 14.04




          A Pentium II or Celeron system with 128 MB of RAM and 5 GB of disk space for Lubuntu Desktop.




          Security and maintenance updates will be provided for this release for 3 Years until April, 2017.




        • 16.04-17.10




          Processor (CPU)

          The minimum specification for CPU is Pentium 4 or Pentium M or AMD K8. Older processors are too slow and AMD K7 has problems with flash video.



          Memory (RAM)

          For advanced internet services like Google+, YouTube, Google Docs and Facebook, your computer needs at least 1GB RAM.



          For local programs like LibreOffice and simple browsing habits, your computer needs at least 512MB RAM.





        • 18.04 and later




          Processor (CPU)

          The minimum specification for CPU is Pentium 4 or Pentium M or AMD K8. Older processors are too slow and AMD K7 has problems with flash video.



          Memory (RAM)

          For advanced internet services like Google+, YouTube, Google Docs and Facebook, your computer needs at least 2GB RAM.



          For local programs like LibreOffice and simple browsing habits, your computer needs at least 1GMB RAM.




          Lubuntu Alternate ISOs are for low-RAM PCs. Computers with less than 700 MB of RAM are considered low-RAM computers. Instructions are here.



          Updates will be provided for Lubuntu 18.04 for 3 years until April, 2023. Lubuntu 17.10 will be supported for 9 months until July 2018. If you need Long Term Support, it is recommended you use Lubuntu 18.04 instead.




        Supported versions of Ubuntu Core





        • 15.04 and 15.10




          Processor – 600MHz processor (ARMv7 or greater, or x86)

          System Memory – 128MB RAM or greater

          Storage – 4GB flash / storage for factory reset and system rollback





        • 16.04 and 18.04




          Ubuntu Core 16.04/18.04 is supported for 5 years.







        enter image description here
        RAM Usage of different flavors of 18.04 under baseline conditions  (Click image to enlarge)





        Why you shouldn't use versions when their support has ended





        • Security risks: Eventually there will be an exploit that compromises security or system integrity of old Ubuntu versions


        • Software incompatibilities: Versions that are no longer supported will have increasing problems with this. Due to the lack of updates one will no longer be able to open the most recent LibreOffice documents or compile programs that need more recent libraries. Hardware drivers of recent devices will not be included in older kernels.


        • Decreasing availability of repositories: It might become very difficult to download software that does not already ship with the outdated version. Hosting repositories for very old versions cease to be economically viable at one point.






        share|improve this answer














        Preliminary notes





        First of all it makes no sense to install versions of Ubuntu that are no longer supported with updates. The reasoning is discussed at the bottom of this answer.



        This answer will concentrate on currently supported versions of Ubuntu and its official derivatives.



        If your hardware never connects to the internet and if you will never use software newer than is included on the respective install media, only then might it be prudent to use outdated versions. But who can be sure of that for all eternity?



        You don't have to install Ubuntu to see if it works on your hardware. It is always a good idea to boot from live DVD/USB and see if the system runs okay (although slowly) on the given hardware.



        Even if it seems not to work, you might be just one boot option away from a working system. See My computer boots to a black screen, what options do I have to fix it? For example the nomodeset option might help.





        Currently supported versions and their minimal requirements



        The community wiki usually offers an up-to-date list of currently supported versions. Minimal system requirements for Ubuntu can be found there in the tech specs. The Lists of Ubuntu certified hardware might also be of use to you.



        Information on the derivatives is scarce but their requirements are less than what is listed here. Generally 32-bit versions take up less memory and tend to be faster on older systems, than their 64-bit counterparts. However, allot of software nowadays assumes 64-bit architecture. If you are unsure, install the 64-bit versions.



        Supported versions of Ubuntu





        • 14.04 Desktop




          In order to run Unity the system needs a more capable graphics adapter.




          • 1000 ΜHz processor (about Intel Celeron or better)


          • 1024 MiB RAM (system memory)


          • Graphics processor and display capable of at least 1024x768


          • 6 GB of disk space





          From experience, we all know that it is recommended to have 2GB RAM to properly run Ubuntu day-to-day. A good start should be with minimum 1GB and recommended 2GB RAM.




        • 16.04 Desktop recommended system requirements




          In order to run Unity the system needs a more capable graphics adapter.






          • 2GHz dual core processor or better


          • 2GB RAM


          • 25GB of disk space


          • Graphics processor and display capable of at least 1024x768


          • Either a DVD drive or a USB port for the installation media


          • Internet access is helpful






        • 16.04 Desktop minimal




          In order to run Unity the system needs a more capable graphics adapter.






          • Intel Pentium 4 processor or better


          • 1GB RAM


          • Graphics processor and display capable of at least 1024x768


          • 10 GB of disk space






        • 17.10 and 18.04 Desktop recommended system requirements





          • 64-bit 2GHz dual core processor or better


          • 2GB RAM


          • 25GB of disk space


          • Graphics processor and display capable of at least 1024x768


          • Either a DVD drive or a USB port for the installation media


          • Internet access is helpful






        • 17.10, 18.04 and 18.10 Desktop minimal





          • 64-bit processor for iso, Intel Pentium 4 processor or better for installation using the Ubuntu minimal CD. The Ubuntu minimal CD supports installation of Ubuntu on computers that have a 32-bit processor.


          • 1GB RAM


          • Graphics processor and display capable of at least 1024x768


          • 10 GB of disk space





          Updates will be provided for Ubuntu 18.04 for 5 years until April, 2023. Ubuntu 17.10 will be supported for 9 months until July 2018. If you need Long Term Support, it is recommended you use Ubuntu 18.04 instead.




        • 14.04, 16.04 and 18.04 Server installation standard





          • Ubuntu Server supports 3 major architectures: Intel x86, AMD64 and ARM.

          • 1 GHz processor

          • 512 MB of system memory (RAM)

          • 1 GB of disk space (base system)

          • 1.75 GB of disk space (all tasks installed)

          • Graphics card and monitor capable of 640x480





        • 14.04, 16.04 and 18.04 Server installation minimal





          • Ubuntu Server supports 3 major architectures: Intel x86, AMD64 and ARM.

          • 300 MHz processor

          • 256 MB of system memory (RAM) 64-bit, 192 MB RAM 32-bit

          • 700 MB of disk space (base system)

          • 1.4 GB of disk space (all tasks installed)

          • Graphics card and monitor capable of 640x480




          Security and maintenance updates will be provided for Ubuntu Server 14.04 until April, 2019, for Ubuntu Server 16.04 until April, 2021, and for Ubuntu Server 18.04 until April, 2023.




        Supported versions of Xubuntu



        See Xubuntu help page.





        • 14.04




          Minimum systems requirements

          To install or try Xubuntu within the Desktop/Live CD, you need 512MB
          of memory and 5GB of free space on your hard disk. Security and maintenance



          Recommended systems requirements

          To get a smooth experience when running multiple applications in parallel on the desktop, it is recommended to have at least 1GB of memory. It is recommended to have at least 20GB of free space. This allows new application installations as well as saving your personal data on the hard disk in addition to the core system.

          Updates will be provided for this release for 3 Years until April, 2017.





        • 16.04-18.10




          Minimum systems requirements

          To install or try Xubuntu within the Desktop/Live CD, you need 512MB
          of memory and 7.5GB of free space on your hard disk.



          Recommended systems requirements

          To get a smooth experience when running multiple applications in parallel on the desktop, it is recommended to have at least 1GB of memory. It is recommended to have at least 20GB of free disk space. This allows new application installations as well as saving your personal data on the hard disk in addition to the core system.




          Updates will be provided for Xubuntu 18.04 for 3 years until April, 2021. Xubuntu 17.10 will be supported for 9 months until July 2018. If you need Long Term Support, it is recommended you use Xubuntu 18.04 instead.




        Supported versions of Lubuntu





        • 14.04




          A Pentium II or Celeron system with 128 MB of RAM and 5 GB of disk space for Lubuntu Desktop.




          Security and maintenance updates will be provided for this release for 3 Years until April, 2017.




        • 16.04-17.10




          Processor (CPU)

          The minimum specification for CPU is Pentium 4 or Pentium M or AMD K8. Older processors are too slow and AMD K7 has problems with flash video.



          Memory (RAM)

          For advanced internet services like Google+, YouTube, Google Docs and Facebook, your computer needs at least 1GB RAM.



          For local programs like LibreOffice and simple browsing habits, your computer needs at least 512MB RAM.





        • 18.04 and later




          Processor (CPU)

          The minimum specification for CPU is Pentium 4 or Pentium M or AMD K8. Older processors are too slow and AMD K7 has problems with flash video.



          Memory (RAM)

          For advanced internet services like Google+, YouTube, Google Docs and Facebook, your computer needs at least 2GB RAM.



          For local programs like LibreOffice and simple browsing habits, your computer needs at least 1GMB RAM.




          Lubuntu Alternate ISOs are for low-RAM PCs. Computers with less than 700 MB of RAM are considered low-RAM computers. Instructions are here.



          Updates will be provided for Lubuntu 18.04 for 3 years until April, 2023. Lubuntu 17.10 will be supported for 9 months until July 2018. If you need Long Term Support, it is recommended you use Lubuntu 18.04 instead.




        Supported versions of Ubuntu Core





        • 15.04 and 15.10




          Processor – 600MHz processor (ARMv7 or greater, or x86)

          System Memory – 128MB RAM or greater

          Storage – 4GB flash / storage for factory reset and system rollback





        • 16.04 and 18.04




          Ubuntu Core 16.04/18.04 is supported for 5 years.







        enter image description here
        RAM Usage of different flavors of 18.04 under baseline conditions  (Click image to enlarge)





        Why you shouldn't use versions when their support has ended





        • Security risks: Eventually there will be an exploit that compromises security or system integrity of old Ubuntu versions


        • Software incompatibilities: Versions that are no longer supported will have increasing problems with this. Due to the lack of updates one will no longer be able to open the most recent LibreOffice documents or compile programs that need more recent libraries. Hardware drivers of recent devices will not be included in older kernels.


        • Decreasing availability of repositories: It might become very difficult to download software that does not already ship with the outdated version. Hosting repositories for very old versions cease to be economically viable at one point.







        share|improve this answer














        share|improve this answer



        share|improve this answer








        edited Nov 5 at 4:51









        karel

        55.2k11122140




        55.2k11122140










        answered Oct 25 '12 at 19:14









        con-f-use

        12.6k1773133




        12.6k1773133








        • 2




          When you say a live system runs slowly, you mean just for booting and for launching programs, right? Cause that's the only slowness I've ever experienced, since the seek time is so high on the boot media.
          – wjandrea
          Sep 10 '17 at 16:26






        • 1




          Correct. Especially the delay when launching a new program can be annoying on some live media. Usually the program is loaded into RAM via the choke-point that is USB. Since most internal hard drives are connected with a faster bus, both boot times and program loading are faster once Ubuntu is properly installed.
          – con-f-use
          Mar 11 at 12:57








        • 1




          Kubuntu use less RAM than Xubuntu? I'm surprised :O
          – damadam
          Aug 23 at 13:02














        • 2




          When you say a live system runs slowly, you mean just for booting and for launching programs, right? Cause that's the only slowness I've ever experienced, since the seek time is so high on the boot media.
          – wjandrea
          Sep 10 '17 at 16:26






        • 1




          Correct. Especially the delay when launching a new program can be annoying on some live media. Usually the program is loaded into RAM via the choke-point that is USB. Since most internal hard drives are connected with a faster bus, both boot times and program loading are faster once Ubuntu is properly installed.
          – con-f-use
          Mar 11 at 12:57








        • 1




          Kubuntu use less RAM than Xubuntu? I'm surprised :O
          – damadam
          Aug 23 at 13:02








        2




        2




        When you say a live system runs slowly, you mean just for booting and for launching programs, right? Cause that's the only slowness I've ever experienced, since the seek time is so high on the boot media.
        – wjandrea
        Sep 10 '17 at 16:26




        When you say a live system runs slowly, you mean just for booting and for launching programs, right? Cause that's the only slowness I've ever experienced, since the seek time is so high on the boot media.
        – wjandrea
        Sep 10 '17 at 16:26




        1




        1




        Correct. Especially the delay when launching a new program can be annoying on some live media. Usually the program is loaded into RAM via the choke-point that is USB. Since most internal hard drives are connected with a faster bus, both boot times and program loading are faster once Ubuntu is properly installed.
        – con-f-use
        Mar 11 at 12:57






        Correct. Especially the delay when launching a new program can be annoying on some live media. Usually the program is loaded into RAM via the choke-point that is USB. Since most internal hard drives are connected with a faster bus, both boot times and program loading are faster once Ubuntu is properly installed.
        – con-f-use
        Mar 11 at 12:57






        1




        1




        Kubuntu use less RAM than Xubuntu? I'm surprised :O
        – damadam
        Aug 23 at 13:02




        Kubuntu use less RAM than Xubuntu? I'm surprised :O
        – damadam
        Aug 23 at 13:02












        up vote
        51
        down vote













        Lubuntu or Xubuntu (Ubuntu with the Xfce desktop environment). Xubuntu is more "user friendly" -- more graphical tools for settings, better looking and better integrated applications and maybe better support (larger community). On the other hand, Lubuntu 14.04 LTS needs less RAM (Lubuntu 14.04 needs 128 MB, Lubuntu 15.04-17.04 needs 512 MB, Lubuntu 18.04 and later needs 1 GB, and Xubuntu 14.04 and later needs 512 MB). For advanced internet services like Google+, YouTube, Google Drive, and Facebook, your computer needs at least 1 GB of RAM. It depends on your skills and preferences, you can try both and then choose. Lubuntu Alternate ISOs are for low-RAM PCs. Computers with less than 700 MB of RAM are considered low-RAM computers. Instructions are here.




        • Lubuntu: https://lubuntu.me

        • Xubuntu: https://xubuntu.org


        enter image description here
        Lubuntu 18.10 with the LXQt desktop environment  (Click image to enlarge)






        share|improve this answer























        • to take into account: the default file manager pcmanfm do not support the trash-bin (or at least last time a tried lxde, some versions ago of ubuntu).
          – enzotib
          Jun 23 '11 at 14:19






        • 2




          +1 I would add that if you can handle not running a full desktop then I suggest using the fluxbox window manager. I don't have the exact numbers but it frees up even more precious RAM.
          – KennyPeanuts
          Jun 23 '11 at 15:52










        • Lubuntu causes a lot more stress on my system than gnome-session-fallback
          – Hellreaver
          Dec 20 '14 at 10:43










        • @KennyPeanuts I have written a complete set of instructions for installing the Ubuntu minimal CD together with the Fluxbux window manager for a very lightweight desktop environment that requires less RAM than the latest version of Lubuntu requires: askubuntu.com/questions/619855/…
          – karel
          Oct 25 '15 at 18:41

















        up vote
        51
        down vote













        Lubuntu or Xubuntu (Ubuntu with the Xfce desktop environment). Xubuntu is more "user friendly" -- more graphical tools for settings, better looking and better integrated applications and maybe better support (larger community). On the other hand, Lubuntu 14.04 LTS needs less RAM (Lubuntu 14.04 needs 128 MB, Lubuntu 15.04-17.04 needs 512 MB, Lubuntu 18.04 and later needs 1 GB, and Xubuntu 14.04 and later needs 512 MB). For advanced internet services like Google+, YouTube, Google Drive, and Facebook, your computer needs at least 1 GB of RAM. It depends on your skills and preferences, you can try both and then choose. Lubuntu Alternate ISOs are for low-RAM PCs. Computers with less than 700 MB of RAM are considered low-RAM computers. Instructions are here.




        • Lubuntu: https://lubuntu.me

        • Xubuntu: https://xubuntu.org


        enter image description here
        Lubuntu 18.10 with the LXQt desktop environment  (Click image to enlarge)






        share|improve this answer























        • to take into account: the default file manager pcmanfm do not support the trash-bin (or at least last time a tried lxde, some versions ago of ubuntu).
          – enzotib
          Jun 23 '11 at 14:19






        • 2




          +1 I would add that if you can handle not running a full desktop then I suggest using the fluxbox window manager. I don't have the exact numbers but it frees up even more precious RAM.
          – KennyPeanuts
          Jun 23 '11 at 15:52










        • Lubuntu causes a lot more stress on my system than gnome-session-fallback
          – Hellreaver
          Dec 20 '14 at 10:43










        • @KennyPeanuts I have written a complete set of instructions for installing the Ubuntu minimal CD together with the Fluxbux window manager for a very lightweight desktop environment that requires less RAM than the latest version of Lubuntu requires: askubuntu.com/questions/619855/…
          – karel
          Oct 25 '15 at 18:41















        up vote
        51
        down vote










        up vote
        51
        down vote









        Lubuntu or Xubuntu (Ubuntu with the Xfce desktop environment). Xubuntu is more "user friendly" -- more graphical tools for settings, better looking and better integrated applications and maybe better support (larger community). On the other hand, Lubuntu 14.04 LTS needs less RAM (Lubuntu 14.04 needs 128 MB, Lubuntu 15.04-17.04 needs 512 MB, Lubuntu 18.04 and later needs 1 GB, and Xubuntu 14.04 and later needs 512 MB). For advanced internet services like Google+, YouTube, Google Drive, and Facebook, your computer needs at least 1 GB of RAM. It depends on your skills and preferences, you can try both and then choose. Lubuntu Alternate ISOs are for low-RAM PCs. Computers with less than 700 MB of RAM are considered low-RAM computers. Instructions are here.




        • Lubuntu: https://lubuntu.me

        • Xubuntu: https://xubuntu.org


        enter image description here
        Lubuntu 18.10 with the LXQt desktop environment  (Click image to enlarge)






        share|improve this answer














        Lubuntu or Xubuntu (Ubuntu with the Xfce desktop environment). Xubuntu is more "user friendly" -- more graphical tools for settings, better looking and better integrated applications and maybe better support (larger community). On the other hand, Lubuntu 14.04 LTS needs less RAM (Lubuntu 14.04 needs 128 MB, Lubuntu 15.04-17.04 needs 512 MB, Lubuntu 18.04 and later needs 1 GB, and Xubuntu 14.04 and later needs 512 MB). For advanced internet services like Google+, YouTube, Google Drive, and Facebook, your computer needs at least 1 GB of RAM. It depends on your skills and preferences, you can try both and then choose. Lubuntu Alternate ISOs are for low-RAM PCs. Computers with less than 700 MB of RAM are considered low-RAM computers. Instructions are here.




        • Lubuntu: https://lubuntu.me

        • Xubuntu: https://xubuntu.org


        enter image description here
        Lubuntu 18.10 with the LXQt desktop environment  (Click image to enlarge)







        share|improve this answer














        share|improve this answer



        share|improve this answer








        edited Nov 5 at 4:46









        karel

        55.2k11122140




        55.2k11122140










        answered Jun 23 '11 at 11:24









        Vojtech Trefny

        10.7k33741




        10.7k33741












        • to take into account: the default file manager pcmanfm do not support the trash-bin (or at least last time a tried lxde, some versions ago of ubuntu).
          – enzotib
          Jun 23 '11 at 14:19






        • 2




          +1 I would add that if you can handle not running a full desktop then I suggest using the fluxbox window manager. I don't have the exact numbers but it frees up even more precious RAM.
          – KennyPeanuts
          Jun 23 '11 at 15:52










        • Lubuntu causes a lot more stress on my system than gnome-session-fallback
          – Hellreaver
          Dec 20 '14 at 10:43










        • @KennyPeanuts I have written a complete set of instructions for installing the Ubuntu minimal CD together with the Fluxbux window manager for a very lightweight desktop environment that requires less RAM than the latest version of Lubuntu requires: askubuntu.com/questions/619855/…
          – karel
          Oct 25 '15 at 18:41




















        • to take into account: the default file manager pcmanfm do not support the trash-bin (or at least last time a tried lxde, some versions ago of ubuntu).
          – enzotib
          Jun 23 '11 at 14:19






        • 2




          +1 I would add that if you can handle not running a full desktop then I suggest using the fluxbox window manager. I don't have the exact numbers but it frees up even more precious RAM.
          – KennyPeanuts
          Jun 23 '11 at 15:52










        • Lubuntu causes a lot more stress on my system than gnome-session-fallback
          – Hellreaver
          Dec 20 '14 at 10:43










        • @KennyPeanuts I have written a complete set of instructions for installing the Ubuntu minimal CD together with the Fluxbux window manager for a very lightweight desktop environment that requires less RAM than the latest version of Lubuntu requires: askubuntu.com/questions/619855/…
          – karel
          Oct 25 '15 at 18:41


















        to take into account: the default file manager pcmanfm do not support the trash-bin (or at least last time a tried lxde, some versions ago of ubuntu).
        – enzotib
        Jun 23 '11 at 14:19




        to take into account: the default file manager pcmanfm do not support the trash-bin (or at least last time a tried lxde, some versions ago of ubuntu).
        – enzotib
        Jun 23 '11 at 14:19




        2




        2




        +1 I would add that if you can handle not running a full desktop then I suggest using the fluxbox window manager. I don't have the exact numbers but it frees up even more precious RAM.
        – KennyPeanuts
        Jun 23 '11 at 15:52




        +1 I would add that if you can handle not running a full desktop then I suggest using the fluxbox window manager. I don't have the exact numbers but it frees up even more precious RAM.
        – KennyPeanuts
        Jun 23 '11 at 15:52












        Lubuntu causes a lot more stress on my system than gnome-session-fallback
        – Hellreaver
        Dec 20 '14 at 10:43




        Lubuntu causes a lot more stress on my system than gnome-session-fallback
        – Hellreaver
        Dec 20 '14 at 10:43












        @KennyPeanuts I have written a complete set of instructions for installing the Ubuntu minimal CD together with the Fluxbux window manager for a very lightweight desktop environment that requires less RAM than the latest version of Lubuntu requires: askubuntu.com/questions/619855/…
        – karel
        Oct 25 '15 at 18:41






        @KennyPeanuts I have written a complete set of instructions for installing the Ubuntu minimal CD together with the Fluxbux window manager for a very lightweight desktop environment that requires less RAM than the latest version of Lubuntu requires: askubuntu.com/questions/619855/…
        – karel
        Oct 25 '15 at 18:41












        up vote
        20
        down vote













        Xubuntu



        Xubuntu is designed to run on lightweight machines. I recently installed it on a machine with 768MB of RAM and other specs close to your machine and it runs without an issue.



        enter image description here
        Xubuntu 18.10 whisker menu  (Click image to enlarge)



        Xubuntu is simply Ubuntu bundled with the Xfce Desktop Environment, a desktop environment designed to be fast and lightweight on lower end systems without compromising performance and visual style. Xubuntu 14.04 is a Long Term Support release for which security and maintenance updates will be provided for 3 years until April, 2017.



        Xubuntu 16.04 needs at least 512 MB RAM and 6.1 GB of free space on your hard disk (minimum) and 20 GB free space (recommended). Xubuntu 16.04 is a Long Term Support release for which security and maintenance updates will be provided for 3 years until April, 2019.






        share|improve this answer



























          up vote
          20
          down vote













          Xubuntu



          Xubuntu is designed to run on lightweight machines. I recently installed it on a machine with 768MB of RAM and other specs close to your machine and it runs without an issue.



          enter image description here
          Xubuntu 18.10 whisker menu  (Click image to enlarge)



          Xubuntu is simply Ubuntu bundled with the Xfce Desktop Environment, a desktop environment designed to be fast and lightweight on lower end systems without compromising performance and visual style. Xubuntu 14.04 is a Long Term Support release for which security and maintenance updates will be provided for 3 years until April, 2017.



          Xubuntu 16.04 needs at least 512 MB RAM and 6.1 GB of free space on your hard disk (minimum) and 20 GB free space (recommended). Xubuntu 16.04 is a Long Term Support release for which security and maintenance updates will be provided for 3 years until April, 2019.






          share|improve this answer

























            up vote
            20
            down vote










            up vote
            20
            down vote









            Xubuntu



            Xubuntu is designed to run on lightweight machines. I recently installed it on a machine with 768MB of RAM and other specs close to your machine and it runs without an issue.



            enter image description here
            Xubuntu 18.10 whisker menu  (Click image to enlarge)



            Xubuntu is simply Ubuntu bundled with the Xfce Desktop Environment, a desktop environment designed to be fast and lightweight on lower end systems without compromising performance and visual style. Xubuntu 14.04 is a Long Term Support release for which security and maintenance updates will be provided for 3 years until April, 2017.



            Xubuntu 16.04 needs at least 512 MB RAM and 6.1 GB of free space on your hard disk (minimum) and 20 GB free space (recommended). Xubuntu 16.04 is a Long Term Support release for which security and maintenance updates will be provided for 3 years until April, 2019.






            share|improve this answer














            Xubuntu



            Xubuntu is designed to run on lightweight machines. I recently installed it on a machine with 768MB of RAM and other specs close to your machine and it runs without an issue.



            enter image description here
            Xubuntu 18.10 whisker menu  (Click image to enlarge)



            Xubuntu is simply Ubuntu bundled with the Xfce Desktop Environment, a desktop environment designed to be fast and lightweight on lower end systems without compromising performance and visual style. Xubuntu 14.04 is a Long Term Support release for which security and maintenance updates will be provided for 3 years until April, 2017.



            Xubuntu 16.04 needs at least 512 MB RAM and 6.1 GB of free space on your hard disk (minimum) and 20 GB free space (recommended). Xubuntu 16.04 is a Long Term Support release for which security and maintenance updates will be provided for 3 years until April, 2019.







            share|improve this answer














            share|improve this answer



            share|improve this answer








            edited Oct 19 at 9:32









            karel

            55.2k11122140




            55.2k11122140










            answered Jun 23 '11 at 11:23









            Marco Ceppi

            36.7k24152190




            36.7k24152190






















                up vote
                14
                down vote













                Ubuntu MATE



                Ubuntu MATE is a stable, easy-to-use operating system with a lightweight configurable desktop environment. The MATE Desktop has a rich history and is the continuation of the GNOME 2 desktop, which was the default desktop environment on many Linux and Unix operating systems for over a decade. High DPI will be supported by default in Ubuntu MATE 18.04 and later. The Ubuntu MATE iso file can be written to either a DVD or a USB flash drive that has at least 2GB.



                There is an Ubuntu MATE release for PowerPC architecture for Ubuntu 16.04 only. PowerPC support will be discontinued on April, 2019.



                Updates will be provided for Ubuntu MATE 18.04 for 3 years until April, 2021. Ubuntu MATE 17.10 will be supported for 9 months until July 2018. If you need Long Term Support, it is recommended you use Ubuntu MATE 18.04 instead.



                Minimal systems requirements (16.04,17.04,17.10)




                • Pentium III 750MHz

                • 512MB of RAM

                • 8GB of available space on the hard disk

                • Bootable DVD-ROM drive

                • Video adapter and monitor capable of 1024 x 768 or higher resolution


                Recommended systems requirements (16.04,17.04,17.10)




                • Core 2 Duo 1.6GHz

                • 2GB RAM

                • 25GB of available space on the hard disk

                • Bootable USB flash drive

                • 3D capable video adapter and wide screen monitor capable of 1366 x 768 or higher resolution


                enter image description hereUbuntu MATE 17.04  (Click image to enlarge)






                share|improve this answer























                • Ubuntu MATE 15.04 ships with the Ubuntu Software Center and the following applications installed by default: Caja, Pluma, Firefox, Thunderbird, LibreOffice, VLC, Rhythmbox, Shotwell, Pidgin, HexChat, Transmission, Cheese, two terminals – MATE Terminal and Tilda, and Eye of Mate.
                  – karel
                  Mar 11 '15 at 7:18

















                up vote
                14
                down vote













                Ubuntu MATE



                Ubuntu MATE is a stable, easy-to-use operating system with a lightweight configurable desktop environment. The MATE Desktop has a rich history and is the continuation of the GNOME 2 desktop, which was the default desktop environment on many Linux and Unix operating systems for over a decade. High DPI will be supported by default in Ubuntu MATE 18.04 and later. The Ubuntu MATE iso file can be written to either a DVD or a USB flash drive that has at least 2GB.



                There is an Ubuntu MATE release for PowerPC architecture for Ubuntu 16.04 only. PowerPC support will be discontinued on April, 2019.



                Updates will be provided for Ubuntu MATE 18.04 for 3 years until April, 2021. Ubuntu MATE 17.10 will be supported for 9 months until July 2018. If you need Long Term Support, it is recommended you use Ubuntu MATE 18.04 instead.



                Minimal systems requirements (16.04,17.04,17.10)




                • Pentium III 750MHz

                • 512MB of RAM

                • 8GB of available space on the hard disk

                • Bootable DVD-ROM drive

                • Video adapter and monitor capable of 1024 x 768 or higher resolution


                Recommended systems requirements (16.04,17.04,17.10)




                • Core 2 Duo 1.6GHz

                • 2GB RAM

                • 25GB of available space on the hard disk

                • Bootable USB flash drive

                • 3D capable video adapter and wide screen monitor capable of 1366 x 768 or higher resolution


                enter image description hereUbuntu MATE 17.04  (Click image to enlarge)






                share|improve this answer























                • Ubuntu MATE 15.04 ships with the Ubuntu Software Center and the following applications installed by default: Caja, Pluma, Firefox, Thunderbird, LibreOffice, VLC, Rhythmbox, Shotwell, Pidgin, HexChat, Transmission, Cheese, two terminals – MATE Terminal and Tilda, and Eye of Mate.
                  – karel
                  Mar 11 '15 at 7:18















                up vote
                14
                down vote










                up vote
                14
                down vote









                Ubuntu MATE



                Ubuntu MATE is a stable, easy-to-use operating system with a lightweight configurable desktop environment. The MATE Desktop has a rich history and is the continuation of the GNOME 2 desktop, which was the default desktop environment on many Linux and Unix operating systems for over a decade. High DPI will be supported by default in Ubuntu MATE 18.04 and later. The Ubuntu MATE iso file can be written to either a DVD or a USB flash drive that has at least 2GB.



                There is an Ubuntu MATE release for PowerPC architecture for Ubuntu 16.04 only. PowerPC support will be discontinued on April, 2019.



                Updates will be provided for Ubuntu MATE 18.04 for 3 years until April, 2021. Ubuntu MATE 17.10 will be supported for 9 months until July 2018. If you need Long Term Support, it is recommended you use Ubuntu MATE 18.04 instead.



                Minimal systems requirements (16.04,17.04,17.10)




                • Pentium III 750MHz

                • 512MB of RAM

                • 8GB of available space on the hard disk

                • Bootable DVD-ROM drive

                • Video adapter and monitor capable of 1024 x 768 or higher resolution


                Recommended systems requirements (16.04,17.04,17.10)




                • Core 2 Duo 1.6GHz

                • 2GB RAM

                • 25GB of available space on the hard disk

                • Bootable USB flash drive

                • 3D capable video adapter and wide screen monitor capable of 1366 x 768 or higher resolution


                enter image description hereUbuntu MATE 17.04  (Click image to enlarge)






                share|improve this answer














                Ubuntu MATE



                Ubuntu MATE is a stable, easy-to-use operating system with a lightweight configurable desktop environment. The MATE Desktop has a rich history and is the continuation of the GNOME 2 desktop, which was the default desktop environment on many Linux and Unix operating systems for over a decade. High DPI will be supported by default in Ubuntu MATE 18.04 and later. The Ubuntu MATE iso file can be written to either a DVD or a USB flash drive that has at least 2GB.



                There is an Ubuntu MATE release for PowerPC architecture for Ubuntu 16.04 only. PowerPC support will be discontinued on April, 2019.



                Updates will be provided for Ubuntu MATE 18.04 for 3 years until April, 2021. Ubuntu MATE 17.10 will be supported for 9 months until July 2018. If you need Long Term Support, it is recommended you use Ubuntu MATE 18.04 instead.



                Minimal systems requirements (16.04,17.04,17.10)




                • Pentium III 750MHz

                • 512MB of RAM

                • 8GB of available space on the hard disk

                • Bootable DVD-ROM drive

                • Video adapter and monitor capable of 1024 x 768 or higher resolution


                Recommended systems requirements (16.04,17.04,17.10)




                • Core 2 Duo 1.6GHz

                • 2GB RAM

                • 25GB of available space on the hard disk

                • Bootable USB flash drive

                • 3D capable video adapter and wide screen monitor capable of 1366 x 768 or higher resolution


                enter image description hereUbuntu MATE 17.04  (Click image to enlarge)







                share|improve this answer














                share|improve this answer



                share|improve this answer








                edited Oct 19 at 9:58

























                answered Sep 2 '14 at 0:00









                karel

                55.2k11122140




                55.2k11122140












                • Ubuntu MATE 15.04 ships with the Ubuntu Software Center and the following applications installed by default: Caja, Pluma, Firefox, Thunderbird, LibreOffice, VLC, Rhythmbox, Shotwell, Pidgin, HexChat, Transmission, Cheese, two terminals – MATE Terminal and Tilda, and Eye of Mate.
                  – karel
                  Mar 11 '15 at 7:18




















                • Ubuntu MATE 15.04 ships with the Ubuntu Software Center and the following applications installed by default: Caja, Pluma, Firefox, Thunderbird, LibreOffice, VLC, Rhythmbox, Shotwell, Pidgin, HexChat, Transmission, Cheese, two terminals – MATE Terminal and Tilda, and Eye of Mate.
                  – karel
                  Mar 11 '15 at 7:18


















                Ubuntu MATE 15.04 ships with the Ubuntu Software Center and the following applications installed by default: Caja, Pluma, Firefox, Thunderbird, LibreOffice, VLC, Rhythmbox, Shotwell, Pidgin, HexChat, Transmission, Cheese, two terminals – MATE Terminal and Tilda, and Eye of Mate.
                – karel
                Mar 11 '15 at 7:18






                Ubuntu MATE 15.04 ships with the Ubuntu Software Center and the following applications installed by default: Caja, Pluma, Firefox, Thunderbird, LibreOffice, VLC, Rhythmbox, Shotwell, Pidgin, HexChat, Transmission, Cheese, two terminals – MATE Terminal and Tilda, and Eye of Mate.
                – karel
                Mar 11 '15 at 7:18












                up vote
                9
                down vote













                Ubuntu Budgie



                Ubuntu Budgie 17.04 has been released as a new official Ubuntu flavor. Budgie desktop environment uses many GNOME components and offers a minimalist user interface. Ubuntu Budgie 17.10 will be supported for 9 months until July 2018. Ubuntu Budgie 18.04 will be supported for three years, until April 2021.



                The minimum systems requirements for Ubuntu Budgie are as follows.




                • 1GB RAM

                • 20GB disk space

                • 1.5GHz processor


                The recommended system requirements are:




                • 2GB RAM

                • 60GB disk space


                enter image description here
                Ubuntu Budgie 18.10  (Click image to enlarge)






                share|improve this answer























                • 2GB OF RAM? It seems to me that it has less eye candy than MATE!
                  – Zinux
                  Apr 13 '17 at 22:21















                up vote
                9
                down vote













                Ubuntu Budgie



                Ubuntu Budgie 17.04 has been released as a new official Ubuntu flavor. Budgie desktop environment uses many GNOME components and offers a minimalist user interface. Ubuntu Budgie 17.10 will be supported for 9 months until July 2018. Ubuntu Budgie 18.04 will be supported for three years, until April 2021.



                The minimum systems requirements for Ubuntu Budgie are as follows.




                • 1GB RAM

                • 20GB disk space

                • 1.5GHz processor


                The recommended system requirements are:




                • 2GB RAM

                • 60GB disk space


                enter image description here
                Ubuntu Budgie 18.10  (Click image to enlarge)






                share|improve this answer























                • 2GB OF RAM? It seems to me that it has less eye candy than MATE!
                  – Zinux
                  Apr 13 '17 at 22:21













                up vote
                9
                down vote










                up vote
                9
                down vote









                Ubuntu Budgie



                Ubuntu Budgie 17.04 has been released as a new official Ubuntu flavor. Budgie desktop environment uses many GNOME components and offers a minimalist user interface. Ubuntu Budgie 17.10 will be supported for 9 months until July 2018. Ubuntu Budgie 18.04 will be supported for three years, until April 2021.



                The minimum systems requirements for Ubuntu Budgie are as follows.




                • 1GB RAM

                • 20GB disk space

                • 1.5GHz processor


                The recommended system requirements are:




                • 2GB RAM

                • 60GB disk space


                enter image description here
                Ubuntu Budgie 18.10  (Click image to enlarge)






                share|improve this answer














                Ubuntu Budgie



                Ubuntu Budgie 17.04 has been released as a new official Ubuntu flavor. Budgie desktop environment uses many GNOME components and offers a minimalist user interface. Ubuntu Budgie 17.10 will be supported for 9 months until July 2018. Ubuntu Budgie 18.04 will be supported for three years, until April 2021.



                The minimum systems requirements for Ubuntu Budgie are as follows.




                • 1GB RAM

                • 20GB disk space

                • 1.5GHz processor


                The recommended system requirements are:




                • 2GB RAM

                • 60GB disk space


                enter image description here
                Ubuntu Budgie 18.10  (Click image to enlarge)







                share|improve this answer














                share|improve this answer



                share|improve this answer








                edited Oct 19 at 9:35

























                answered Nov 9 '16 at 13:30









                karel

                55.2k11122140




                55.2k11122140












                • 2GB OF RAM? It seems to me that it has less eye candy than MATE!
                  – Zinux
                  Apr 13 '17 at 22:21


















                • 2GB OF RAM? It seems to me that it has less eye candy than MATE!
                  – Zinux
                  Apr 13 '17 at 22:21
















                2GB OF RAM? It seems to me that it has less eye candy than MATE!
                – Zinux
                Apr 13 '17 at 22:21




                2GB OF RAM? It seems to me that it has less eye candy than MATE!
                – Zinux
                Apr 13 '17 at 22:21










                up vote
                8
                down vote













                I can disagree on the system requirements for the Linux distros.



                On a:




                • Intel Pentium 4 1.8Ghz

                • 1GB DDR RAM

                • 64MB graphics card capable of 1024x768


                The only Ubuntu flavour which worked good was Lubuntu.



                On a:




                • AMD Athlon dual-core 3.20Ghz(OC'ed from 2.80Ghz),

                • 2GB DDR3 RAM

                • AMD HD 3000 IGP with Catalyst installed.


                Ubuntu is really slow (I can work properly with Unity 2D), Gnome Shell is also slow (plus for me Gnome Shell is awful in multitasking). KDE worked quite nice and I'm really impressed by it.



                About which flavour to choose I can say this:




                • What do you want, better Looks or better Performance?

                • XFCE(Xubuntu) looks nicer and its environment has more
                  functionality, you can personalize it and change it in any way you want it (at
                  the cost of high memory use but still you need a good graphic card).

                • LXDE(Lubuntu) is faster overall but it lacks the looks.


                I suggest to try Xubuntu and if it feels slower go for Lubuntu.



                You can try Live-CDs to see how they look but you can test performance only after you installed them.



                Have to say that even tough Linux system requirements are really low the desktop environment graphic requirements are high in my opinion.






                share|improve this answer



















                • 2




                  You can customize LXDE just as you can customize XFCE, no difference. Of course if you are strictly speaking of the stock software then yes, XFCE is more customizable.
                  – Uri Herrera
                  Oct 26 '12 at 8:06

















                up vote
                8
                down vote













                I can disagree on the system requirements for the Linux distros.



                On a:




                • Intel Pentium 4 1.8Ghz

                • 1GB DDR RAM

                • 64MB graphics card capable of 1024x768


                The only Ubuntu flavour which worked good was Lubuntu.



                On a:




                • AMD Athlon dual-core 3.20Ghz(OC'ed from 2.80Ghz),

                • 2GB DDR3 RAM

                • AMD HD 3000 IGP with Catalyst installed.


                Ubuntu is really slow (I can work properly with Unity 2D), Gnome Shell is also slow (plus for me Gnome Shell is awful in multitasking). KDE worked quite nice and I'm really impressed by it.



                About which flavour to choose I can say this:




                • What do you want, better Looks or better Performance?

                • XFCE(Xubuntu) looks nicer and its environment has more
                  functionality, you can personalize it and change it in any way you want it (at
                  the cost of high memory use but still you need a good graphic card).

                • LXDE(Lubuntu) is faster overall but it lacks the looks.


                I suggest to try Xubuntu and if it feels slower go for Lubuntu.



                You can try Live-CDs to see how they look but you can test performance only after you installed them.



                Have to say that even tough Linux system requirements are really low the desktop environment graphic requirements are high in my opinion.






                share|improve this answer



















                • 2




                  You can customize LXDE just as you can customize XFCE, no difference. Of course if you are strictly speaking of the stock software then yes, XFCE is more customizable.
                  – Uri Herrera
                  Oct 26 '12 at 8:06















                up vote
                8
                down vote










                up vote
                8
                down vote









                I can disagree on the system requirements for the Linux distros.



                On a:




                • Intel Pentium 4 1.8Ghz

                • 1GB DDR RAM

                • 64MB graphics card capable of 1024x768


                The only Ubuntu flavour which worked good was Lubuntu.



                On a:




                • AMD Athlon dual-core 3.20Ghz(OC'ed from 2.80Ghz),

                • 2GB DDR3 RAM

                • AMD HD 3000 IGP with Catalyst installed.


                Ubuntu is really slow (I can work properly with Unity 2D), Gnome Shell is also slow (plus for me Gnome Shell is awful in multitasking). KDE worked quite nice and I'm really impressed by it.



                About which flavour to choose I can say this:




                • What do you want, better Looks or better Performance?

                • XFCE(Xubuntu) looks nicer and its environment has more
                  functionality, you can personalize it and change it in any way you want it (at
                  the cost of high memory use but still you need a good graphic card).

                • LXDE(Lubuntu) is faster overall but it lacks the looks.


                I suggest to try Xubuntu and if it feels slower go for Lubuntu.



                You can try Live-CDs to see how they look but you can test performance only after you installed them.



                Have to say that even tough Linux system requirements are really low the desktop environment graphic requirements are high in my opinion.






                share|improve this answer














                I can disagree on the system requirements for the Linux distros.



                On a:




                • Intel Pentium 4 1.8Ghz

                • 1GB DDR RAM

                • 64MB graphics card capable of 1024x768


                The only Ubuntu flavour which worked good was Lubuntu.



                On a:




                • AMD Athlon dual-core 3.20Ghz(OC'ed from 2.80Ghz),

                • 2GB DDR3 RAM

                • AMD HD 3000 IGP with Catalyst installed.


                Ubuntu is really slow (I can work properly with Unity 2D), Gnome Shell is also slow (plus for me Gnome Shell is awful in multitasking). KDE worked quite nice and I'm really impressed by it.



                About which flavour to choose I can say this:




                • What do you want, better Looks or better Performance?

                • XFCE(Xubuntu) looks nicer and its environment has more
                  functionality, you can personalize it and change it in any way you want it (at
                  the cost of high memory use but still you need a good graphic card).

                • LXDE(Lubuntu) is faster overall but it lacks the looks.


                I suggest to try Xubuntu and if it feels slower go for Lubuntu.



                You can try Live-CDs to see how they look but you can test performance only after you installed them.



                Have to say that even tough Linux system requirements are really low the desktop environment graphic requirements are high in my opinion.







                share|improve this answer














                share|improve this answer



                share|improve this answer








                edited Oct 26 '12 at 8:03









                Uri Herrera

                10.4k1574130




                10.4k1574130










                answered Oct 25 '12 at 19:40









                adi

                5202821




                5202821








                • 2




                  You can customize LXDE just as you can customize XFCE, no difference. Of course if you are strictly speaking of the stock software then yes, XFCE is more customizable.
                  – Uri Herrera
                  Oct 26 '12 at 8:06
















                • 2




                  You can customize LXDE just as you can customize XFCE, no difference. Of course if you are strictly speaking of the stock software then yes, XFCE is more customizable.
                  – Uri Herrera
                  Oct 26 '12 at 8:06










                2




                2




                You can customize LXDE just as you can customize XFCE, no difference. Of course if you are strictly speaking of the stock software then yes, XFCE is more customizable.
                – Uri Herrera
                Oct 26 '12 at 8:06






                You can customize LXDE just as you can customize XFCE, no difference. Of course if you are strictly speaking of the stock software then yes, XFCE is more customizable.
                – Uri Herrera
                Oct 26 '12 at 8:06












                up vote
                1
                down vote













                Well your PC isn't that much hopeless.
                I would suggest you to try installing normal Ubuntu AND Unity 2D desktop environment.



                Of course, if you don't like Unity, this won't be a good solution. However, if you will try that, you will get full Ubuntu support.



                I've tried Lubuntu before (installed it via Software manager). It's very basic DE and had some problems. It might be good, but I still suggest you to give Unity 2D a try.






                share|improve this answer

























                  up vote
                  1
                  down vote













                  Well your PC isn't that much hopeless.
                  I would suggest you to try installing normal Ubuntu AND Unity 2D desktop environment.



                  Of course, if you don't like Unity, this won't be a good solution. However, if you will try that, you will get full Ubuntu support.



                  I've tried Lubuntu before (installed it via Software manager). It's very basic DE and had some problems. It might be good, but I still suggest you to give Unity 2D a try.






                  share|improve this answer























                    up vote
                    1
                    down vote










                    up vote
                    1
                    down vote









                    Well your PC isn't that much hopeless.
                    I would suggest you to try installing normal Ubuntu AND Unity 2D desktop environment.



                    Of course, if you don't like Unity, this won't be a good solution. However, if you will try that, you will get full Ubuntu support.



                    I've tried Lubuntu before (installed it via Software manager). It's very basic DE and had some problems. It might be good, but I still suggest you to give Unity 2D a try.






                    share|improve this answer












                    Well your PC isn't that much hopeless.
                    I would suggest you to try installing normal Ubuntu AND Unity 2D desktop environment.



                    Of course, if you don't like Unity, this won't be a good solution. However, if you will try that, you will get full Ubuntu support.



                    I've tried Lubuntu before (installed it via Software manager). It's very basic DE and had some problems. It might be good, but I still suggest you to give Unity 2D a try.







                    share|improve this answer












                    share|improve this answer



                    share|improve this answer










                    answered Jun 29 '11 at 6:54









                    Karolis

                    1,156710




                    1,156710






















                        up vote
                        0
                        down vote













                        There is also CrunchEee which is a Ubuntu lighter derivate OS, specially made for tiny portable computer with really low performance (notably the EeePC range of Asus).



                        I had test it last year on my old EeePc of 2009 (which had Windows 7 Starter edition before, really really slow, 1 Go of RAM and a little core i3), and the performance were good but there is a main problem :



                        This OS was in Chinese language by default, on the desktop even if I installed language pack with installation manager or after. I didn't find some documentation about this distribution for language issues, and I select Xubuntu (which work pretty good).



                        I don't know if question about this type of OS will be on-topic 1 day on AskUbuntu, because there are Ubuntu based distribution which can be optimized for some computer range.






                        share|improve this answer

























                          up vote
                          0
                          down vote













                          There is also CrunchEee which is a Ubuntu lighter derivate OS, specially made for tiny portable computer with really low performance (notably the EeePC range of Asus).



                          I had test it last year on my old EeePc of 2009 (which had Windows 7 Starter edition before, really really slow, 1 Go of RAM and a little core i3), and the performance were good but there is a main problem :



                          This OS was in Chinese language by default, on the desktop even if I installed language pack with installation manager or after. I didn't find some documentation about this distribution for language issues, and I select Xubuntu (which work pretty good).



                          I don't know if question about this type of OS will be on-topic 1 day on AskUbuntu, because there are Ubuntu based distribution which can be optimized for some computer range.






                          share|improve this answer























                            up vote
                            0
                            down vote










                            up vote
                            0
                            down vote









                            There is also CrunchEee which is a Ubuntu lighter derivate OS, specially made for tiny portable computer with really low performance (notably the EeePC range of Asus).



                            I had test it last year on my old EeePc of 2009 (which had Windows 7 Starter edition before, really really slow, 1 Go of RAM and a little core i3), and the performance were good but there is a main problem :



                            This OS was in Chinese language by default, on the desktop even if I installed language pack with installation manager or after. I didn't find some documentation about this distribution for language issues, and I select Xubuntu (which work pretty good).



                            I don't know if question about this type of OS will be on-topic 1 day on AskUbuntu, because there are Ubuntu based distribution which can be optimized for some computer range.






                            share|improve this answer












                            There is also CrunchEee which is a Ubuntu lighter derivate OS, specially made for tiny portable computer with really low performance (notably the EeePC range of Asus).



                            I had test it last year on my old EeePc of 2009 (which had Windows 7 Starter edition before, really really slow, 1 Go of RAM and a little core i3), and the performance were good but there is a main problem :



                            This OS was in Chinese language by default, on the desktop even if I installed language pack with installation manager or after. I didn't find some documentation about this distribution for language issues, and I select Xubuntu (which work pretty good).



                            I don't know if question about this type of OS will be on-topic 1 day on AskUbuntu, because there are Ubuntu based distribution which can be optimized for some computer range.







                            share|improve this answer












                            share|improve this answer



                            share|improve this answer










                            answered Jun 25 at 9:47









                            damadam

                            1,015218




                            1,015218

















                                protected by jokerdino Dec 2 '13 at 18:19



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