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ZDNET Highlights
- 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 waiting to serve as your secondary desktop machine or take your first steps with Linux?
You may want to skip the Ubuntu track and go with a Linux distribution that is regularly updated, lightweight, very fast, and incredibly reliable. If so, don’t ignore Omega Linux.
Omega Linux is an Arch-based Linux distribution designed to be a perfect OS for older, low-powered hardware. This distro can run on:
- 1 GB RAM
- 1 core CPU at 1.5 GHz
- 15GB storage
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Those system requirements include machines manufactured in the last decade.
What does omega offer
- 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 create
- LXDE desktop environment
- systemctl init system
- Firefox, Mousepad, Vim, and some other preinstalled apps
- pacman package manager
What Omega Doesn’t Offer
- A complete 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 that it typically uses less than 1% of the CPU when idle. In other words, the OS uses very few system resources, freeing them up for applications.
The OS uses very little system resources.
Jack Wallen/ZDNET
What is omega linux for
Omega Linux is an ideal distribution for those who want to revive an old PC but also like Arch Linux and don’t mind using the command line (at least to start).
Who is Omega Linux not for?
If you’re new to Linux, Omega Linux may not be the best choice for you, especially if you’ve never used the command line. However, if 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 the Pacman GUI, Pamac, and Octopi, but both failed, meaning Omega Linux is limited to command-line package management.
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Don’t worry, because Pacman is not 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 surprised at how fast it opened. Honestly, I have never seen this app open so quickly. It was practically instant…less than a second.
Then I installed GIMP to see how quickly it would start up. This particular app is notorious for slow startup times because it has to load a lot. When I first opened GIMP, it took about five seconds to open. However, after that, GIMP was ready to go in half the time.
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This is impressive because Omega Linux was able to open these apps faster than Pop!_OS running on my System76 Thelio 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 several lightweight Linux distributions, and Omega Linux has quickly risen to the top of my list of recommended choices. Even though you have to use the command line to install applications, if you don’t mind it, you will be rewarded with unprecedented speed and reliability.
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On the other hand, if you’re more interested in simplicity, I’d say stick with tools like Lubuntu or Linux Lite.
