When PC users began to use Linux relatively massively, the Ubuntu shell was most popular. And even today, when much has become known about Linux, Ubuntu is used 30% more than other operating systems. However, there are many shells of this type, and each distribution is unique in its own way. Of course, itβs probably hard to say which is better - Xubuntu or Lubuntu, or Kubuntu, so the main focus will be on comparing the performance and ease of use of these operating systems.
So, for comparison, you need to take equivalent distributions:
- Ubuntu 14.10
- Kubuntu 14.10;
- Xubuntu 14.10;
- Lubuntu 14.10;
- Ubuntu GNOME 14.10.
In addition, all five shells must be compared in an equivalent 64-bit version and using devices with the same technical characteristics. All the above distributions - Ubuntu, Kubuntu, Xubuntu, Lubuntu, Ubuntu GNOME - came out at about the same time period (in 2014) and have similar basic parameters. Also, they all have a similar Linux kernel - 3.16.0. In turn, the ISO size is 1.109, 1.017, 0.979, 0.702, 0.998 and 0.998 GB, respectively.
Testing directly on the computer
In order to understand which is better, Xubuntu or Lubuntu, you need to test the shell directly on the PC. So, for this purpose, a medium-sized modern laptop (2.3 GHz 3 Gen, i7 3610QM nuclear processor with 8 cores, 8 GB DDR3 RAM, 1366 Γ 768 resolution, 2 GB graphics card NVIDIA GeForce 630M) is suitable.
OS boot
All 5 distributions have similar installation steps, although the boot process may vary slightly with Kubuntu. The steps are quite simple and should not take more than 10-30 minutes (depending on your Internet connection).
Step 1: Choose a language.
Step 2: Ensure that the download shell meets the minimum requirements, and manually configure updates during installation (to download software from third-party developers). Installing third-party software is critical for playing media files and watching online videos on YouTube. If you are not an expert on Linux, please check this out.
Step 3: Select the location to install, configure the target drive and format options. Press Enter when you are done. These options will be the same for Ubuntu, Kubuntu, Lubuntu, Xubuntu.
Step 4: Choose a geographical location - basically it is determined automatically. Otherwise, make the necessary settings by following the system prompts.
Step 5: Choose your keyboard language and location. In general, the shell should be downloaded in English for most users.
Step 6: Create a user ID and password. Please remember this data - if you suddenly forget it, you will not be able to log in later.
Step 7: Click Continue and wait for the distribution to install.
As you can see, Ubuntu has the most intuitive installation process, and the shell loads easily with every use. However, it is good for novice users of Linux, and it is recommended to make a more advanced choice: Xubuntu vs Lubuntu.
Appearance and aesthetic perception
Each of the five distributions is unique, visually they differ from each other. Ubuntu 14.10 has a Unity 7.3.1 desktop environment and a unique look with a blank desktop and left sidebar. Ubuntu's settings are much simpler than the other four shells. The Ubuntu Tweak tool is very convenient to use.
Kubuntu 14.10 should look familiar to users of Windows 7. The desktop environment can be available in one of two versions - KDE 4.14.1 and KDE Plasma 5. The second version with flat icons looks simply stunning and causes persistent associations with Windows 8. In turn, , KDE 4.14 has countless themes and user preferences available over the Internet. You can make the desktop look the way you like, with almost no limits.
If we talk about which is better - Xubuntu or Lubuntu, then it is worth noting that these are relatively lightweight operating systems, and therefore both of them look visually less attractive than Ubuntu or Kubuntu. But experienced users can customize them accordingly to make them look better.
Ubuntu GNOME looks very sophisticated and supports some advanced configuration options. If desired, you can find many aesthetically attractive themes over the Internet for GNOME 3 that will be compatible with Ubuntu GNOME 14.10. In addition, Tweak also works with default settings and can add appropriate extensions.
Recognition Hardware
All Ubuntu distributions recognize the hardware flawlessly without any questions. Screen resolution, sound, Wi-Fi, LAN, touch panel, etc. work completely without any difficulty in all five distributions. Regardless of whether Lubuntu or Xubuntu is loaded, NVIDIA and other settings are quick and easy to set.
Pre-installed packages
Ubuntu, Kubuntu, and Ubuntu GNOME come with the full version of LibreOffice, while Xubuntu and Lubuntu have the lightweight Abiword and Gnumeric. However, the complete LibreOffice suite can be installed on any of the Ubuntu repositories.
The graphical editor (GIMP) is pre-installed only in Xubuntu. Lubuntu has MtPaint, a lightweight image editor with limited functionality. In addition, bootable disc creation and bootable USB creation software are not available in Xubuntu and Ubuntu GNOME, being present in only three other shells.
A built-in settings manager is present on all operating systems except Lubuntu. Therefore, if you are a novice Linux user, Lubuntu may cause you some difficulties if everything does not work very well from the very beginning. Kubuntu, Ubuntu, and Ubuntu GNOME have the most integrated configuration managers, with slightly less functionality present in Xubuntu. For this reason, the choice is not so easy: Lubuntu or Xubuntu. Which is better - the answer to this question may depend on the user's experience.
Basically, distributions try to provide common applications necessary for regular use, and everything you need additionally can be downloaded from other Ubuntu repositories.
Each of these distributions has a GUI package manager - Ubuntu Software Center (Ubuntu, Xubuntu, Ubuntu GNOME), Lubuntu Software Center and Muon Discover (Kubuntu). They are easy to use and have good search options. In addition, Lubuntu has a Synaptic package manager in addition. This service is even faster than other similar ones.
Work on the device
Perhaps this is the most important component in determining the characteristics of the operating system. It is these three parameters (the use of RAM resources, CPU, power consumption and boot time) that will give the most accurate answer to the question of which is better - Xubuntu or Lubuntu.
Resource usage
As you might expect, Lubuntu is the least utilizing RAM power, with Xubuntu taking the second place in this feature. Lubuntu consumes about 250 MB of RAM in a stable state, without the operation of any applications except the included system monitor. Under the same conditions and on the same laptop, Lubuntu consumes 30% less memory than Xubuntu, and 52% less memory than Ubuntu GNOME, 55% less than Kubuntu, and 59% less than Ubuntu 14.10. Pretty clear comparison.
Ubuntu GNOME is the third most efficient distribution with a memory consumption of 500 megabytes. Kubuntu 14.10 and Ubuntu 14.10 load almost 600 MB of RAM under the same conditions and on the same machine.
Power consumption
Even regarding relatively economical energy consumption, Lubuntu 14.10 tops the list as the most efficient distribution. Lubuntu consumes 9% less power than Ubuntu GNOME 14.10, and 13% less than Xubuntu. Kubuntu is the most "uneconomical" system after Ubuntu. Therefore, the answer to the question regarding the choice of Lubuntu or Xubuntu (which is better for a netbook) will undoubtedly be the first option.
Loading time
All Ubuntu distributions load quite quickly - within 30-40 seconds. There are not many differences between these five shells, but it can still be noted that Lubuntu 14.10 loads the fastest.
Disk space
All distributions occupy about 4-5 GB of space and do not have any significant differences between themselves.
In general - what experts say
As a result of the above, we can conclude that when choosing Lubuntu or Xubuntu (which is better on a netbook), the first distribution is preferable. This shell has the best performance. Its work will be stable even on devices with limited power, experts say.
Choosing among other operating systems, Ubuntu GNOME can safely put in second place. The distribution offers very decent performance with an attractive desktop environment at the same time. Some will argue that it is Xubuntu that will occupy this position, but, unfortunately, the shell demonstrates some instability in the work.
As usual, Kubuntu is the slowest distribution in this group and consumes the most power. You can expect the smallest battery life with Kubuntu. However, the desktop environment is just awesome. Users who have powerful modern computers and do not need long-term battery life of the device can safely choose this OS.
And finally, Ubuntu 14.10. If you want to opt for this particular shell, it is advisable to download and install "Ubuntu 14.04.1 LTS" with support until April 2019, and not the above version. There is no fundamental difference between the two, but support can be a big plus.
If you believe the reviews of experts, any of the shells described above is highly functional, regardless of the identified minor flaws. That is why it is impossible to recommend one of them as the most suitable for all users.