10 Lightweight Linux Distributions to Give Your Old PC New Life

By Christian Cawley

Updated Sep 14, 2023

Need a lightweight operating system? These special Linux distros can run on older PCs, some with as little as 100MB of RAM.

Key Takeaways

Old PCs struggle with modern operating systems and software. Upgrading hardware helps, but a lightweight Linux distro is a better solution.
Linux distros under 500MB or even 100MB are available, designed to be resource-light and suitable for older machines with less than 1GB of RAM.
Xubuntu, Zorin OS Lite, Arch Linux, BunsenLabs Linux Lithium, Bodhi Linux, and Linux Lite are all great options for lightweight Linux distros for old PCs.