You want to bring back a netbook or tablet equipped with an Intel Atom series processor to life but you don’t know how to do it. In this new guide today we will discover together which are the best Linux distro for Intel Atom processors that you can use to get back to using your beloved device.
Premise
Before going into the article, we want to clarify some things. The Linux operating systems generally use fewer resources than the more popular Windows and MacOS, and are very valid for return to using old Laptops and tablet. Within this tutorial we will discover even lighter distributions than Ubuntu which use Xfce and LXDE desktop environments designed to consume fewer resources.
Puppy Linux
Puppy Linux requires only very little memory to work and this is also confirmed by the slogan on the official website “Don’t throw away your PC – make it new with Puppy!“. It is a Linux distribution weighing about 300 MB that can be started either from DVD or from USB stick. In addition to this, the entire operating system can even be run from RAM.
Lubuntu
One of the best Linux distro for Intel Atom processors is Lubuntu. It is a light and fast operating system that uses the LXDE desktop environment and also implements several pre-installed applications such as the well-known Mozilla Firefox browser. The requirements to work are not very high as it is necessary to have at least 1 GB of RAM to run at least Internet sites like YouTube, Facebook and Google Docs.
Linux Mint MATE and Xfce
When it comes to Linux, Linux Mint is one of the most famous versions on the market as it has a simple yet modern interface. On the square it is possible to find different versions of this Linux distribution based on Ubuntu and Debian, including MATE and Xfce that represent the most stable, fast and light versions. Both are suitable for Atom processors and most older CPUs. The MATE version offers a more stable and faster desktop environment while the Xfce version is lighter and more stable.
CrunchBang
Among the best Linux distro for Intel Atom processors we also report CrunchBang. This is one of the most streamlined distributions available since it does not have the usual desktop environment but uses a reconfigured version of Openbox window management software. The only drawback is that it has a rather spartan interface that everyone might not like. However, CrunchBang is one of the best choices to install on older hardware.
Porteus
Porteus is a fast, small, reliable Linux installation that can be installed on a variety of storage media. Thanks to its size of around 300 MB, this distro is super efficient and is available in both 32-bit and 64-bit versions. In addition, a variant is available to run on RAM. Another interesting feature proposed by Porteus is that it is modular, ie it is possible to activate or deactivate pre-filled modules before installation.