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I have Windows 7 and my computer has become very slow over the years. I am looking into switching over to Ubuntu or possibly Lubuntu. I was hoping to get some advice. I enjoy playing computer games and searching the web quickly, but right now my computer starts up incredibly slow and takes a while to open programs. I have never used a Linux OS as my main OS so I need a good transition between Windows and Linux. Which is better for this Lubuntu or Ubuntu?

Also, I want a way that I can switch over to Ubuntu/Lubuntu, but have the option to easily switch back if I decide that I do not like it. What is the best way to do this?

Thanks for your advice!

Edit: I also see that Xubuntu is an option for faster gaming performance. Could this be an even better option?

ArtisticMelody
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Simple answer: in your case, Lubuntu. Its interface is pretty similar to Windows' (unlike the vanilla Ubuntu) and it's very lightweight.

Actual answer: none. If you enjoy Windows' user-friendly ways but want performance at the same time:

  • Ubuntu is very user-friendly and "out-of-the-box", but is a bit too resource consuming;

  • Lubuntu is extremely lightweight and smooth, but it lacks some essential user-friendly features. It's not focused on beauty, so do not expect any eye-candy or beautiful details. Its configuration is somewhat hard and you'll have to do complex tasks to reach simple objectives. For example, if you want to create a keyboard shortcut you'll have to manually edit scripts or get third-party software from the internet (you could do the same task with 2-3 clicks in Ubuntu).

Long story short, if you want something smooth, with high performance and at the same time beautiful, full-featured and user-friendly, stick with Xubuntu. It comes with the Xfce Desktop Environment. It's so amazing it managed to give new life to my 10 years old fighter and still kept amazingly beautiful.

If you compare its performance to Lubuntu's, the change rate is somewhat around 0. Both systems (with 32-bit i386 architecture) use about 180 MB of RAM when idle, and stay at 0-1% of CPU usage.

Xubuntu is also extremely customizable, so you can make it look (and feel) whatever you want.

That's my recommendation for you.

Eduardo Cola
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By the way your question is asked, I assume you already read a bit about the different Ubuntu derivatives:

Yes, Lubuntu is more resource and memory friendly because of its desktop environment, LXDE. It works especially well on older computers with lesser performance. Since you have not posted your hardware however, it is difficult to say what impact the OS change could have. I don't think Lubuntu and Xubuntu make much of a difference performance-wise. They both look relatively similar to a Windows system.

If you are mainly playing games, think of this: Most games, especially older titles are developed specifically for Windows. While some newer titles are also developed for Linux systems and distributed via Steam OS/Linux, most games are still only available for Windows. Similar to an Xbox game that can not simply be started on a Playstation, you will probably have to install compatibility software, such as Wine/Play on Linux or CrossOver.

While a lot of games can be played this way, there is a chance you will run into problems sooner or later. The safest way would be to set up a dual OS system with a Windows partition for games and Ubuntu for everything else or you make an Ubuntu Live USB drive on your Windows system with Pendrivelinux and try everything out before switching completely.

Prototype700
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