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Should I use LXQt?

The Lightweight Qt Desktop Environment - lxqt-project.org

Worth it. Adopt it if you're reviving old hardware or want the lightest full Linux desktop — it's free, open source, and reviewers agree on the speed. Skip it if you need Wayland maturity, rich features, or any kind of vendor support.

Confidence

Medium. Based on 16 public sources; no numeric user ratings found.

Ratings

  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Feature depth
  • Support qualityNo support data in sources
  • Security postureNo CVE data found; security page returns 404

Pricing

Free

LXQt

ModelNot disclosed
Monthly feesNot disclosed
HardwareNot disclosed
Free tierYes

Best for

  • Reviving old or low-RAM hardware
  • Minimalists wanting a fast classic desktop
  • Tinkerers comfortable configuring Linux
  • Lightweight setups like DietPi or single-board PCs

Not for

  • Wayland-first users — support is still catching up
  • Anyone wanting a polished, feature-rich desktop like KDE Plasma
  • Beginners wanting out-of-the-box — it's a desktop layer, not a distro
  • Offices needing vendor support, SLAs, or paid help

Gotchas - check before you buy

medium

Security page 404s — no official vulnerability or patch info published

medium

Some components still X11-only; Wayland session incomplete

medium

No paid support — you rely on community wiki, ArchWiki, GitHub issues

low

Releases come twice yearly (April/November) — slower cadence than giants

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Free and open source under GPL 2.0+ / LGPL 2.1+
  • Reputed lightest desktop; uses less resources than MATE
  • Modular: small components like panel and session you pick individually
  • Actively developed — 2.4.0 shipped April 2026
  • Highly customizable themes, panel, and appearance settings

Cons

  • Wayland support still maturing; X11 remains the primary path
  • Feature-light next to KDE Plasma and GNOME
  • Not a distro — you must install and configure it yourself
  • Official project security page returns a 404

Sources & method

Analyzed 10/01/2026 - 16 sources - No known vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed.

official x7review x7security x1news x1

Key stats

  • Value for money: 5/5

    Rating

  • Free

    Starting price

  • 16

    Sources

  • Analyzed

  • Value for money: 5/5. Completely free and open source
  • Ease of use: 4/5. Familiar Windows-style, standard desktop layout
  • Feature depth: 2/5. Deliberately minimal versus KDE or GNOME
  • Support quality. No support data in sources
  • Security posture. No CVE data found; security page returns 404
  • $0 Price GPL 2.0+ / LGPL 2.1+ licensed
  • 2.4.0 Latest release April 2026
  • 1.0.0 (2021) First stable After 8 years of development
  • 51 GitHub repos Modular components, one repo each

Pricing

LXQt

Free

  • Full desktop environment
  • GPL 2.0+ / LGPL 2.1+ licensed
  • All components open source on GitHub

Security

No known vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed.

What users say

Users consistently call it the lightest desktop around and ideal for old hardware, while noting Wayland support lags and features trail KDE.

“Currently, my choice of distros for older hardware is Mint XFCE. I like it, but i hear LXQT is even lighter”
Reddit, r/linux4noobs
“Having a extremely lightweight Windows-style desktop that is both fast and modern would be fantastic.”
Reddit, r/linux
“LXQT proves how bloated KDE is.”
Reddit, r/linux

Alternatives

Compare LXQt with each alternative.

  • Xfce

    Mature lightweight desktop; better long-term support, slightly heavier

    LXQt vs Xfce

  • KDE Plasma

    Far richer features and polish; heavier footprint

  • GNOME

    Polished modern defaults; more resource-hungry

    LXQt vs GNOME

  • MATE

    Classic GTK desktop; LXQt uses fewer resources

Full analysis

Based on 16 public sources; no numeric user ratings found.

Free, featherweight Linux desktop that shines on old hardware; skip it if you need Wayland polish or support.

Methodology

Based on 16 public sources; no numeric user ratings found.

Sources

  1. LXQt official sitelxqt-project.org
    official
  2. LXQt Downloadslxqt-project.org
    official
  3. LXQt Screenshotslxqt-project.org
    official
  4. LXQt Aboutlxqt-project.org
    official
  5. LXQt on Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
    official
  6. Revisiting LXQt — Linux.orglinux.org
    review
  7. LXQt — LinuxReviewslinuxreviews.org
    review
  8. LXQt Review — LinuxTodaylinuxtoday.com
    review
  9. LXQt 1.0.0 Review — DebugPointdebugpoint.com
    review
  10. LXQt 2.3.0 discussion — Reddit r/linuxreddit.com
    review
  11. LXQt distro recommendations — Reddit r/linux4noobsreddit.com
    review
  12. LXQt — ArchWikiwiki.archlinux.org
    official
  13. LXQt alternatives — AlternativeToalternativeto.net
    review
  14. LXQt GitHubgithub.com
    official
  15. LXQt project security pagelxqt-project.org
    security
  16. DietPi desktop environmentsdietpi.com
    news

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