LXQt
Qt-based and feather-light — keeps old or low-RAM hardware feeling quick.
LXQt is the lightest full desktop in mainstream Linux: the merger of LXDE\'s razor-thin philosophy with Qt\'s modern toolkit. It boots fast, idles in a few hundred megabytes, and keeps a complete desktop experience (panel, file manager, settings, session management) on hardware that cannot spare anything.
Its personality is honest economy: PCManFM-Qt manages files quickly, components stay modular, and nothing exists that does not earn its memory. Recent releases have steadily built Wayland session support ahead of many light rivals. LXQt is the desktop that turns a 2010 laptop into a usable machine and a modern one into an overachiever.
Strengths
- Among the lightest complete desktops available.
- Qt-based: consistent look and good app integration.
- Modular: run only the components you want.
- Actively developing Wayland session support.
- Default on Lubuntu, with strong cross-distro presence.
Watch-outs
- Plain aesthetics; function leads form.
- Fewer integrated niceties than heavier desktops.
- Small team; polish arrives steadily but slowly.
Standout features
- The go-to full desktop when every megabyte counts.
- PCManFM-Qt: featherweight file management done right.
- Cleanly themable with Qt styles despite the low weight.
- A genuine Wayland path among lightweight desktops.
Who it's for
Best for
Low-RAM machines, minimal installs, and anyone who wants a real desktop with the smallest possible footprint.Maybe not for
Showcase desktops and integration-rich workflows; economy is the entire design.The LXQt player profile
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Distros that ship it
Signature moves
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