What are the system requirements for Linux Ubuntu?

Most people want to install such an operating system for their desktop, like Ubuntu, Kubuntu or Xubuntu. OS (including on the basis of "Linux"), as a rule, is used for personal computing tasks and has a graphical user interface (GUI), while the server system is distinguished by a command-line interface (CLI).

Ubuntu - minimum system requirements

Recommended minimum system requirements are settings that should allow a new installation of Ubuntu to function correctly. The good news is that devices that allow you to run XP, Vista, Windows 7 or x86 OS X, almost always work much faster with Ubuntu, even if they are quite old. To make sure of this, try to download it as a Live CD to first check the hardware capabilities.

What are the system requirements in Linux Ubuntu?

Your device must have the following hardware properties:

• 700 MHz processor (about Intel Celeron or better).
• 512 MB of RAM (system memory).
• 5 GB of hard disk space (or flash card, memory card or external hard drive, but the LiveCD is suitable for an alternative approach).
• VGA and a screen resolution of 1024x768.
• Either a CD / DVD drive or a USB port to start the installation program.
• Internet access is useful, but not 100%.

The screen resolution will be set to the highest setting at which your video card will be able to work. But if the download increases, you should use the Low graphics option, which allows you to perform the best settings for your monitor.

On the one hand, hardware produced in the past few years, or devices designed for a particular purpose, can often work well at a lower cost. For example, a netbook with 8 GB SSD will work well with Ubuntu, although there will be a lack of storage space. In this case, the cloud service can help.

On the other hand, an old computer, released about 15 years ago and having 8 GB on an IDE hard drive, will most likely not work correctly with the new OS, since the recommended system requirements for Ubuntu will not be met. You can try installing Ubuntu on it, but it is advisable to use not new versions. Also, some GNU / Linux distributions may require very powerful hardware (for example, Ubuntu GNOME).

All 64-bit (x86-64) processors should be fast enough to work well with Ubuntu (whose system requirements may seem significant). However, this OS can also boot well on a 32-bit (x86) version. For an optimized installation (and especially for those who want to work more than with 3 GB of RAM), however, a 64-bit installation disk is more desirable. The 32-bit version is generally easier to use and works for smaller tasks.

For new versions

Ubuntu Desktop 14.04 and higher uses Unity as the default GUI, while previous releases use GNOME panels. In order to run Unity, the system needs a more powerful graphics adapter. In this case, for Ubuntu 14. 04 system requirements are:

• 1000 processor ΜHz (Intel Celeron or better).
• 1024 MB of RAM.
• The video adapter is not less than 256 MB.

However, practice shows that it is recommended to have 2,048 MB of RAM for the uninterrupted operation of modern versions of Ubuntu.

Computers that are 10 or more years old (originally purchased with Windows ME or Windows 2000 preinstalled) that do not meet these requirements will probably be able to come up after some modification (RAM should usually be upgraded to the required level). In addition, you can always download a lightweight distribution or perform a minimal installation of Ubuntu.

The easiest and most effective step to a minimum installation of Ubuntu is to download a lightweight desktop environment. Of the above Desktop Environment, the most famous are Xfce (Xubuntu) and LXDE (Lubuntu). Some of the larger applications (for example, LibreOffice) could be replaced with very light equivalents.

Visual effects

Visual effects provide various additional graphics capabilities for the desktop to make it more attractive and easy to use. Even if your computer is powerful enough to run visual effects, you can still disable them and still have a useful Ubuntu OS.

Visual effects will be included in the default boot, if you have a GPU (graphics card or integrated chipset) that is supported by Ubuntu. Supported GPU manufacturers are as follows:

• ATI (some of them may require a proprietary fglrx driver).
• Intel (i915 or newer, except GMA 500, also known as Poulsbo).
• NVidia (with a proprietary driver).
• Easy alternative to GUI (Xubuntu and Lubuntu).

Light versions

If you have an old computer or a device with low hardware properties, and you want to get the most out of your hardware, by installing Linux on it, you have this option. In such a case, such lightweight operating systems as Xubuntu or Lubuntu will be ideal. They allow you to more efficiently use the resources of your device. However, if your system has less than 192 MB of system memory, use an alternate installation CD.

The minimum system requirements for Xubuntu will be roughly between Ubuntu Server and Desktop:

• 512 MB of RAM.
• 5 GB of disk space.
• Graphic card and monitor, supporting a resolution of 800x600.

In addition, you can always use one of the versions of Ubuntu, the system requirements of which are very small. So, to install Lubuntu, you can use computers with even less memory than mentioned above.