Discover the Best LXDE Alternatives for a Lightweight Desktop Experience
LXDE, the "Lightweight X11 Desktop Environment," is renowned for its exceptional speed and energy efficiency. Maintained by a global community, it offers a beautiful interface, multi-language support, and features like tabbed file browsing, making it ideal for cloud computers, netbooks, mobile devices, and older hardware. While LXDE excels in providing a fast desktop experience and connecting seamlessly with cloud applications, users often seek LXDE alternative options for various reasons, including different feature sets, customization preferences, or simply to explore other lightweight desktop environments. This article delves into some of the top contenders that offer a similar philosophy of efficiency while providing their unique advantages.
Top LXDE Alternatives
If you're looking to switch from LXDE or simply curious about other excellent lightweight desktop environments, you're in the right place. Here are some of the best alternatives that deliver on performance and user experience.
Xfce
Xfce is a free and open-source desktop environment available for Linux, Solaris, and BSD. It stands out as a strong LXDE alternative due to its focus on being lightweight and modular, allowing users to customize and extend it with plugins. It provides a highly performant and stable experience without sacrificing modern features, making it a popular choice for those transitioning from LXDE.
GNOME
GNOME 3 offers an elegant and user-friendly desktop experience, empowering users with control and efficiency. As a free and open-source desktop environment for Linux and BSD, GNOME provides a more feature-rich experience than LXDE while maintaining optimal performance. Its extensibility through plugins and extensions allows for a tailored desktop that can adapt to various workflows.
KDE Plasma
KDE Plasma is a highly customizable and versatile cross-device work environment from the KDE Community. Available for Linux, BSD, and postmarketOS, it offers a rich set of features including blurry transparency, full-text search, and is optimized for fast boot. While often perceived as heavier than LXDE, Plasma's lightweight core and extensive customization options make it a viable LXDE alternative for users seeking greater flexibility and a modern aesthetic.
Cinnamon
Cinnamon is a Linux desktop environment that blends traditional user experience with innovative features. As a free and open-source option for Linux and BSD, Cinnamon provides a familiar layout similar to classic Windows desktops, but with modern advancements. It serves as a great LXDE alternative for users who appreciate a more traditional desktop feel with contemporary capabilities.
MATE
MATE is a fork of the classic GNOME 2 desktop environment, catering to users who prefer its traditional interface over GNOME 3. This free and open-source desktop environment is available across various platforms including Linux, BSD, FreeBSD, OpenIndiana, and GhostBSD. For those seeking a highly stable, performant, and familiar LXDE alternative that echoes the design principles of older, lightweight environments, MATE is an excellent choice.
LXQt
LXQt is the Qt port and the spiritual successor to LXDE, formed from the merge of LXDE and Razor-qt. As a free and open-source desktop environment for Linux and BSD, LXQt inherits LXDE's commitment to being lightweight while leveraging the Qt framework for a more modern appearance and improved functionality. It's a natural progression for LXDE users who want to stay within the same philosophy but with updated underlying technology.
Budgie
Budgie is the flagship desktop of the Solus OS, focusing on simplicity and elegance for the modern user. This free and open-source desktop environment for Linux provides a clean and intuitive experience. While perhaps not as minimal as LXDE, Budgie offers a sleek design and efficient performance, making it a compelling LXDE alternative for those who desire a balance between aesthetics and resource usage.
Cairo Shell
Cairo Shell is a free and open-source desktop environment specifically designed for Windows. Its goal is to enhance productivity and advance current technology standards beyond the standard Windows Explorer shell. Although not a direct Linux desktop environment like LXDE, Cairo Shell offers a highly customizable and unique desktop experience for Windows users looking for a lightweight and efficient alternative to their default environment.
Enlightenment
Enlightenment is more than just a window manager; it's a comprehensive suite of libraries for creating beautiful user interfaces with minimal effort. This free and open-source desktop environment is available for Mac, Linux, and BSD. Renowned for its lightweight nature and highly configurable interface, Enlightenment serves as an excellent LXDE alternative for users who prioritize extreme customization and efficiency without sacrificing visual appeal.
Emerge Desktop
Emerge Desktop is a free and open-source replacement shell for Windows 2000 and above, offering an alternative to the standard Windows Explorer desktop environment. For Windows users, it provides a desktop environment with strong customization capabilities. While LXDE is Linux-centric, Emerge Desktop caters to those on Windows seeking a lightweight, customizable desktop experience akin to the philosophy LXDE embodies on Linux.
Ultimately, the best LXDE alternative for you will depend on your specific hardware, desired feature set, and personal preferences for aesthetics and workflow. We encourage you to explore these options, perhaps in a virtual machine, to find the perfect lightweight desktop environment that meets your needs.