I used Omega Linux to revitalize a junk PC, and it’s noticeably better than Ubuntu

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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 designed to be an OS perfectly suited for older, lower-powered hardware. This distro can run on:

• 1GB of RAM
• 1 core CPU at 1.5 GHz
• 15GB of storage

Also: Have an old PC? These 5 lightweight Linux distributions will bring it back to life

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 systemctl init 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 my testing, I found it to typically use 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 my testing, I attempted to install both pacman GUIs, Pamac and Octopi, but both failed, which means Omega Linux is limited to command-line package management.

Also: 10 Linux apps I install on every new machine (and why you should, too)

Don’t fret, as Pacman isn’t all that difficult. For example, I installed LibreOffice with:

sudo pacman -S libreoffice

The speed of it all

After installing LibreOffice, I fired it up and was shocked at how fast it opened. I’ve honestly never seen this app open so quickly. It was practically instant… less than one second.

I then installed GIMP to see how quickly it would start. This particular app is notorious for slower startup times because it has to load so much. The first time I opened GIMP, it took roughly five seconds to open. However, after that, GIMP was ready to go in half the time. 

Also: This lightweight Linux distro is the best (and easiest) way to revive your old computer. Here’s how

This is impressive because Omega Linux was able to open these apps faster than my System76 Thelio running Pop!_OS with 32GB of RAM and an AMD Ryzen 9 7900X 12-Core CPU.

If you want speed, Omega Linux should be on your radar. 

I’ve tested a lot of lightweight Linux distributions, and Omega Linux has quickly risen to the top of my list of recommended options. Even though you do have to use the command line to install applications, if you don’t mind that, you’ll be rewarded with unheard-of speed and reliability.

Also: Why this lightweight Linux distro won’t win any popularity contests but is perfect for power users

If, on the other hand, you’re more interested in simplicity, I would say stick with the likes of Lubuntu or Linux Lite.