Got an old PC? Omega Linux can make it feel new again - here's how
Source: ZDNet
ZDNET’s key takeaways
- Omega Linux is a lightweight Linux distro.
- Based on Arch, Omega is a rolling release.
- Omega is free to install and use.
Do you have an old PC lying around just waiting to serve as your secondary desktop machine, or a way to take your first steps with Linux?
Maybe you want to skip the Ubuntu track and go with a Linux distribution that is regularly updated, lightweight, blazingly fast, and incredibly reliable. If that’s the case, don’t overlook Omega Linux.
Omega Linux is an Arch‑based Linux distribution created to be perfectly suited for older, lesser‑powered hardware. This distro can run on:
- 1 GB of RAM
- 1‑core CPU at 1.5 GHz
- 15 GB of storage
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Those system requirements cover machines built in the last decade.
What Omega offers
- A lightweight Linux distribution based on Arch Linux
- A rolling release distribution, so it’s always up to date
- A minimal collection of software that you can build on
- The LXDE desktop environment
- The
systemctlinit system - Firefox, Mousepad, Vim, and a few other preinstalled apps
- The Pacman package manager
What Omega doesn’t offer
- A full collection of software out of the box
- A GUI app store
One of the most impressive things about Omega Linux is that, during testing, it typically uses less than 1 % of the CPU when idle. In other words, the OS uses very few system resources, which frees them up for applications.
Who Omega Linux is for
Omega Linux is an ideal distribution for those who want to revive aging PCs but also prefer Arch Linux and don’t mind using the command line (at least to start).
Who Omega Linux is not for
If you’re new to Linux, Omega Linux might not be your best option, especially if you’ve never used the command line. If, however, you are interested in learning the command line, Omega Linux is a possible option.
Yes, Omega Linux will require that you use the command line. During testing, attempts to install Pacman GUIs (Pamac and Octopi) failed, which means Omega Linux is limited to command‑line package management.
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Don’t fret, Pacman isn’t all that difficult. For example, LibreOffice can be installed with:
sudo pacman -S libreofficeThe speed of it all
After installing LibreOffice, it opened almost instantly—less than one second.
Installing GIMP, which is notorious for slower startup times, took roughly five seconds the first time, and about half that on subsequent launches.
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These results are impressive because Omega Linux opened these apps faster than a System76 Thelio running Pop!_OS with 32 GB of RAM and an AMD Ryzen 9 7900X 12‑core CPU.
If you want speed, Omega Linux should be on your radar.
Even though you have to use the command line to install applications, the reward is unheard‑of speed and reliability.
Why this lightweight Linux distro won’t win any popularity contests but is perfect for power users
If you prefer simplicity, consider alternatives such as Lubuntu or Linux Lite.