Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Xubuntu VS Puppy Linux

Compare Xubuntu VS Puppy Linux and see what are their differences

Xubuntu logo Xubuntu

Xubuntu – Xubuntu is an elegant and easy-to-use operating system. Download XubuntuXubuntu – Xubuntu is an elegant and easy-to-use operating system. Feature Tour.

Puppy Linux logo Puppy Linux

Home, overview and getting started with Puppy Linux, amazingly fast, fascinatingly complete and delightfully small Linux.‎Wiki · ‎Download latest Puppy Linux .
  • Xubuntu Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-06-18
  • Puppy Linux Landing page
    Landing page //
    2018-09-29

Xubuntu features and specs

  • Lightweight
    Xubuntu's use of the Xfce desktop environment ensures it is lightweight and consumes fewer system resources, making it ideal for older or less powerful hardware.
  • User-Friendly
    The interface is intuitive and straightforward, allowing both new and experienced users to navigate and manage the system with ease.
  • Customizability
    Xubuntu offers a high degree of customization, enabling users to tailor the system's look and behavior to their preferences.
  • Stability
    Based on Ubuntu, Xubuntu benefits from a solid and stable foundation, providing a reliable operating system experience.
  • Extensive Software Repository
    Users have access to Ubuntu's extensive software repositories, making it easy to find and install a wide variety of applications.
  • Community Support
    There is a large and active community of users and developers who provide support, documentation, and resources for troubleshooting.
  • Security
    Regular updates and security patches are provided, ensuring that the system remains secure against vulnerabilities.

Possible disadvantages of Xubuntu

  • Limited Out-of-the-Box Features
    Compared to some other desktop environments, Xfce might feel a bit barebones initially, requiring users to customize and install additional software to meet their needs.
  • Not as Polished
    The visual appeal and polish might not be on par with more modern desktop environments like GNOME or KDE, which could be a downside for users who prefer a more aesthetically pleasing interface.
  • Hardware Compatibility
    While generally good, Xubuntu might still encounter hardware compatibility issues with very new or very obscure hardware components.
  • Less Corporate Support
    Unlike Ubuntu, which has substantial backing from Canonical, Xubuntu does not receive the same level of direct corporate support, potentially limiting official resources and development funding.
  • Learning Curve
    For those unfamiliar with Linux or coming from a different desktop environment, there may be a learning curve involved in getting accustomed to Xfce and Xubuntu’s way of doing things.

Puppy Linux features and specs

  • Lightweight
    Puppy Linux is extremely lightweight, allowing it to run on older hardware with limited resources efficiently.
  • Fast Boot
    It has a rapid boot time, getting you up and running much quicker than many other operating systems.
  • User-Friendly
    The user-friendly interface makes it easy for beginners to navigate and perform basic tasks.
  • Portable
    Designed to run from USB drives or CDs/DVDs, making it very portable and ideal for troubleshooting multiple systems.
  • Minimal Resource Usage
    It requires minimal system resources, allowing it to run efficiently with a low memory and CPU footprint.
  • Customizability
    Puppy Linux offers high customizability, letting users tweak the system extensively to fit their specific needs.
  • Community Support
    It has a strong community with forums and resources to help users troubleshoot and customize their setups.

Possible disadvantages of Puppy Linux

  • Limited Software Repository
    Puppy Linux has a smaller software repository compared to mainstream distributions like Ubuntu, limiting available applications.
  • Not Suitable for Modern Gaming
    Due to its lightweight nature and limited software support, it is not ideal for modern gaming or resource-intensive applications.
  • Old Kernel
    Sometimes, it uses older Linux kernels, which might lack support for modern hardware and features.
  • Learning Curve
    Despite its user-friendly interface, new users may still encounter a learning curve, especially when performing more advanced tasks.
  • Manual Updates
    Unlike some distributions that offer automated updates, updating Puppy Linux can require manual intervention and knowledge.
  • Less Security Features
    Due to its lightweight design, it may lack some of the advanced security features available in other distributions.

Analysis of Xubuntu

Overall verdict

  • Yes, Xubuntu is a good choice for those who need a straightforward, fast-operating system that won't burden older hardware. It successfully combines the reliability of Ubuntu with the lightweight nature of XFCE.

Why this product is good

  • Xubuntu is a lightweight and efficient Linux distribution, ideal for users who seek a balance between performance and visual appeal without the resource demands of full-fledged desktop environments. It's based on Ubuntu, ensuring strong community support and regular updates, and uses the XFCE desktop environment, which is known for its simplicity and speed.

Recommended for

  • Users with older or low-specification hardware
  • Individuals who prefer a clean and uncluttered interface
  • Those seeking a balance of performance and visual appeal
  • Users looking for a dependable system with access to a large library of software

Analysis of Puppy Linux

Overall verdict

  • Yes, Puppy Linux is considered a good operating system, especially for users with older or limited hardware who need a fast and resource-efficient solution.

Why this product is good

  • Puppy Linux is praised for its lightweight nature and ability to run on older hardware with limited resources. It boasts a small footprint, fast performance, and the capability to run entirely from RAM, providing quick boot times and a responsive experience. Being community-driven, it offers a variety of derivatives to cater to specific needs and preferences.

Recommended for

  • Users with aging computers seeking to revive their hardware.
  • Individuals looking for a fast and minimalist Linux experience.
  • Users who need a portable OS that can run entirely from USB or CD.
  • Linux enthusiasts interested in exploring different lightweight distributions.

Xubuntu videos

Thoughts on Xubuntu 19.04 - Linux distro review

More videos:

  • Review - Xubuntu 18.04 LTS Review
  • Review - Xubuntu 19.10 Review - Now with XFCE 4.14 Desktop

Puppy Linux videos

Puppy Linux 8..Pup Is Now Bionic..!!

More videos:

  • Review - Underrated Distros - Puppy Linux Bionic Pup
  • Review - Puppy Linux 8 Bionic Pup 64...How Many Cores.!!!!!!!!
  • Review - Puppy Linux Review - The Best Linux Distro For Old Hardware!
  • Review - Puppy Linux Install and Review
  • Review - An everyday user review of Linux Lite OS and Puppy Linux!?

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Xubuntu and Puppy Linux)
Linux
71 71%
29% 29
Operating Systems
72 72%
28% 28
Linux Distribution
70 70%
30% 30
OS & Utilities
48 48%
52% 52

User comments

Share your experience with using Xubuntu and Puppy Linux. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Xubuntu and Puppy Linux

Xubuntu Reviews

Best Top 20 Ubuntu Linux Alternatives (Pros and Cons)
Xubuntu is a community-maintained and built with Ubuntu as a base. Instead of Ubuntu’s GNOME desktop environment, Xubuntu uses the Xfce desktop environment. It ‘s goal is a light, stable and configurable desktop environment with conservative workflows.

Puppy Linux Reviews

Top 9 Fastest Linux Distros in 2024
Thank you for your kind words! Considering the limited resources on your Acer Aspire One AOD 256 with 1 GB RAM, you’re already on the right track with lightweight distros. If you’re looking for an alternative to Slitaz with more up-to-date software, I’d recommend trying out Puppy Linux or Tiny Core Linux. Both are lightweight and can be customized to your preferences....
Source: linuxsimply.com
Best Top 20 Ubuntu Linux Alternatives (Pros and Cons)
Puppy Linux is an easy-to-use and memory-efficient Linux distribution with it’s entire system can be run from RAM, with current versions taking up around 600 MB (64-bit) and 300 MB (32-bit). Included are AbiWord, Gnumeric, MPlayer, several lightweight web browsers, and a utility for downloading other packages.
Best Linux distros of 2021 for beginners, mainstream and advanced users
Puppy Linux is one of our favorite distros for resurrecting old machines and putting them back into active duty. The project is in fact a family of distros, each based on a different underlying distro. For instance, there’s one based on Ubuntu and another based on Slackware.

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Xubuntu seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 64 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Xubuntu mentions (64)

  • One must imagine Sisyphus writing a new JS framework
    You can install a light weight Linux distro (free of course) on almost any old piece of junk with a CPU and you'll get a perfectly good programming machine. - Source: dev.to / 8 months ago
  • Can I run Linux on my old PC ?
    Yeah, for sure you can give It a try! Imo you have to use a lite desktop environment like xfce maybe . You can have a pretty good idea of what can be your experience Just running a live distro like Ubuntu xfceUbuntu xfce or Linux Mint xfce, if you are really desperate you can also try a very very lightweight like puppy linux. I Will try One of the First 2 in live mode and if It runs well you can install It on the... Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Can my computer run linux VM?
    If you still want to try it on a VM, I'd recommend assigning just 1 GB to it, coupled with a lightweight desktop environment, like XFCE (you can use Xubuntu). Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Should I use Ubuntu 16 in 2023?
    To get a modern lightweight Linux experience you can use a recent version of one the Ubuntu flavours that is optimized for low-resource machines: either Xubuntu (with XFCE) or Lubuntu (with LXQt). Source: about 2 years ago
  • Why does resizing windows in Linux desktop don't feel quite as "snappy" as in other OSes?
    It works just fine for me in Xubuntu (Ubuntu with Xfce Desktop environment : https://xubuntu.org/ ). Source: about 2 years ago
View more

Puppy Linux mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Puppy Linux yet. Tracking of Puppy Linux recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Xubuntu and Puppy Linux, you can also consider the following products

Ubuntu - Ubuntu is a Debian Linux-based open source operating system for desktop computers.

Lubuntu - Lubuntu is a fast and lightweight operating system with a clean and easy-to-use user interface. The core of the system is based on Linux and Ubuntu. Lubuntu uses the minimal desktop LXDE, and a selection of light applications.

Linux Mint - Linux Mint is one of the most popular desktop Linux distributions and used by millions of people.

Arch Linux - You've reached the website for Arch Linux, a lightweight and flexible Linux® distribution that tries to Keep It Simple. Currently we have official packages optimized for the x86-64 architecture.

DistroWatch - 9 hours ago - It does include a proprietary software set optimized for business users, students, researchers and developers." A list of features and further details can be found in the company's release announcement.

Fedora - Fedora creates an innovative, free, and open source platform for hardware, clouds, and containers that enables software developers and community members to build tailored solutions for their users.