Linux has always had issues when it comes to laptops, but the most annoying issue is battery life. It’s never been great, and often new users will install Linux only to find their battery life cut in half. Over the years, solutions have appeared that make the battery life issue a bit more bearable, but many distros don’t accept them. That is why in this article, we will go over the Linux distros that give you better battery life.
We’ll go over the different use cases for these operating systems and how using them could save you battery life on your laptops.
1.Ubuntu Mate
A great reason to consider for your Linux laptop is the fact that the distribution maintainer enables battery saving tools by default. Having this turned on out of the box makes it perfect for use, especially when you consider that not all Linux users may know these tools exist or how to enable them. Some people just want to install an operating system and move on.
In addition to all the great battery saving tools that users can expect right out of the box, Ubuntu Mate comes with the Mate desktop environment. It is notoriously lightweight and uses minimal resources. If you’re looking for a reliable Linux distro for your laptop that won’t drain your battery, consider installing this one. Learn more about Ubuntu Mate OS and download it through the official website.
2.Lubuntu
is another flavor of Ubuntu that works great on laptops. However, unlike Ubuntu Mate, the battery saver options are not enabled by default. That doesn’t matter though, as Lubuntu runs with a Linux desktop environment that uses as little as 128 MB of RAM and very little CPU power. This Linux distro is great for underpowered computers, but that’s not the only reason you should give it a try. Keep in mind that because the operating system is so efficient, it will draw less power from your laptop and therefore your battery will last longer.
The OS isn’t the prettiest, as it’s primarily designed for older, weaker hardware. That said, if you’re looking for a way to use as little power as possible, Lubuntu may be worth a look.
3. Bunsen Labs
is a continuation of CrunchBang Linux: an operating system that used a custom, lightweight OpenBox desktop environment (running with minimal resources). The reason Linux users may want to consider this operating system is similar to the reasons for choosing Lubuntu: low power consumption. Bunsenlabs runs a custom Openbox desktop environment, which uses RAM and CPU sparingly. Again, like Lubuntu, this OS is primarily for older hardware, but if you’re using a laptop, you’ll benefit from it as it uses much less power.
Bunsenlabs is not for everyone as it runs Debian. That said, if you’ve tried Lubuntu and would like something a bit more advanced, consider giving it a try!
4. ArchLinux
It always manages to make it onto our lists, and there’s a reason for that: it’s one of the best Linux distributions that users can easily install, customize, and create. When talking about Linux distros that can give you better battery life, you would be crazy not to include Arch Linux. First of all, because Arch Linux is modular, the user has the last option to choose exactly how many programs are installed. This is essential to save battery life, as many programs tend to consume more power. With this operating system, users can create an optimized portable system.
It’s also worth noting that due to the way Arch works, users can choose a desktop environment that best suits their power usage (such as using LXDE, MATE to save battery, etc.)
Arch also has many different power management tools and optimized kernels that can help users use less battery.
5. Gentoo
Another good option for those trying to improve battery life on Linux is . Like Arch Linux, the operating system is modular and users have the best choice. Building your operating system, rather than installing what a company offers you, will allow you to exclude power-hungry programs at build time, choose the best and most optimized desktop environment, and so on. However, unlike Arch Linux, Gentoo has another trick up its sleeve.
Gentoo is source-based, so every program must be compiled from source. That sounds like a hassle, but it means that each program is designed for your PC. Installing programs this way means everything will be more streamlined and potentially use less power. Also, users compile their kernel, which will allow them to customize it and make it more efficient with regards to battery life.
This operating system is not for beginners, but if you are looking for a great Linux operating system that treats battery life well, give Gentoo a try.
