Best Xfce Distros

Xfce is my favorite desktop environment for Linux distributions and I wanted to try out six of the most popular distros that include Xfce or have a dedicated distro release for Xfce.

Not familiar with xfce, here is a short description from their website:

Xfce is a lightweight desktop environment for UNIX-like operating systems. It aims to be fast and low on system resources, while still being visually appealing and user friendly. – xfce.org

In this review, I cover some of the most popular linux distros out there such as CachyOS, Debian, Fedora, Linux Mint, Manjaro, MX Linux, and Xubuntu.

I ran some basic resource usage tests across the different distros and included screenshots to show how each one looks and performs out of the box. It’s a simple way to compare system load and desktop environments side by side, especially if you’re curious about how they stack up in terms of RAM usage and overall hard drive install footprint.

XFCE Distro Comparison

Best Overall

After testing each distro, Debian 13 with XFCE offers the best overall balance of performance, stability, and long-term support. It was consistently lightweight while maintaining the reliability Debian is known for.

Best for limited resources (RAM or CPU)

If you’re running older hardware or working with limited RAM, Manjaro, CachyOS, and Linux Mint performed the lightest in my testing. All three stayed lean at idle and felt responsive even with minimal resources.

Best for Server

For a lightweight server or lab environment, Debian is the clear winner. If you’re looking for alternatives, Fedora and Xubuntu also stand out thanks to their strong community support, reliable update cadence, and long-term stability.

Best for Visual Appearance

If aesthetics matter most, Manjaro, Xubuntu, and MX Linux deliver the most polished out of the box XFCE experience, with better visual defaults compared to the others.

Resource Stats

	Boot time 4 Cores and 16 GB of RAM	Memory Usage after startup	Disk Usage on Fresh install	Process Count after startup
CachyOS 251129	38 Seconds	876 MB	5.16 GB	212
Debian 13	26 Seconds	722 MB	3.9 GB	161
Fedora 43	34 Seconds	1100 MB	4.2 GB	219
Kali Linux 2025.4	35 Seconds	895 MB	15.2 GB	185
Linux Mint 22.1	34 Seconds	942 MB	9.54 GB	206
Manjaro 25.0.1	36 Seconds	877 MB	4.5 GB	222
MX Linux 23.6	38 Seconds	1018 MB	7.89 GB	211
Xubuntu 25.04	30 Seconds	1017 MB	11.12 GB	208

• Installation: Straight forward and similar for all of the distro
• Boot time: Very similar times across all of the distros
• Disk Usage: I was surprised at how large the disk install was for Xubuntu and how small it was for Fedora and Manjaro.

Note: All testing was done using virtual box and with 4 Cores and 16 GB of RAM.

Note: I found adding more virtual machine cores didn’t effect the startup time.

Visual Appearance and Impression

	Look and feel	Would I use this for a home server?
CachyOS 251129	4 out of 5	No
Debian 13	3 out of 5	Yes
Fedora 43	3.5 out of 5	Yes
Kali Linux 2025.4	3.5 out of 5	No
Linux Mint 22.1	3.5 out of 5	No
Manjaro 25.0.1	5 out of 5	No
MX Linux 23.6	4 out of 5	No
Xubuntu 25.04	4.5 out of 5	Yes Note: I would recommend the Long Term Support (LTS) version, which currently is 24.04

CachyOS

CachyOS is a newer Arch-based distro that’s getting noticed for being fast and responsive. The Xfce edition is clean and minimal, so it’s easy to use right away but still lets you customize how you want. With performance-focused kernel tweaks, rolling updates, and fast package management through Octopi or the CachyOS Package Installer, it’s a solid pick if you want a lightweight but powerful Xfce desktop. Whether you’re used to Arch or just want a fast, polished Xfce setup, CachyOS delivers a smooth experience.

CachyOS Resources

• Official Website: https://cachyos.org/
• Community Forums: https://discuss.cachyos.org/
• Detailed Review: https://akschaefer.com/cachyos-review-november-2025/

Debian 13 (Updated)

Debian is one of the oldest and most reliable Linux distros out there. Many of the popular distros out there are based on Debian, including Ubuntu (and Xubuntu). Out of the box, it’s simple and reliable however its configurable so you can make it customized for you.

The net-install allows you to select which desktop environment and even a minimum install. I have a 2 core 1.5GB virtual machine setup on unraid running unifis controller software without any issues.

Debian Resources

• Official Website: https://www.debian.org/
• Community Forums: https://forums.debian.net/
• Detailed Review: https://akschaefer.com/debian-13-review/

Fedora

I haven’t used Fedora since the first releases (e.g. 2004 to 2006). I know Fedora is a solid distro, and being based on Red Hat, you get the latest software along with near enterprise level release stability. Using the Fedora spin Xfce version the desktop looks sharp and it’s fast. I did notice that Fedora 43 is a little slower and more resource intensive then Fedora 42. With having its enterprise heritage Fedora might be a good fit for you. Check out my Fedora 43 Review here.

Fedora Resources

• Official Website: https://fedoraproject.org/
• Community Forums: https://discussion.fedoraproject.org/
• Detailed Review: https://akschaefer.com/fedora-43-review/

Kali Linux

Kali Linux is a specialized Linux distribution focused on security-related tasks such as penetration testing, security research, and other cybersecurity work. It uses the Xfce desktop environment by default, which is why it is included in this list. There are plenty of helpful YouTube videos and articles available if you want to learn how to use Kali effectively. Out of the box, it comes preloaded with a wide range of security tools and scripts designed for testing and research.

Because Kali Linux is purpose-built for security work, I would not recommend it for everyday desktop or server use. That said, the GUI felt fast and responsive during testing, and memory usage at startup was minimal. Disk usage was the highest of all the distributions tested, but I selected the default installation with most tools included. You can reduce the storage footprint by deselecting packages during installation.

Kali Linux Resources

• Official Website: https://www.kali.org/
• Community Forums: https://forums.kali.org/
• Detailed Review: https://akschaefer.com/kali-linux-2025-4-review/

Linux Mint

Linux Mint is a user-friendly, beginner-focused distro that’s built on top of Ubuntu (or Debian, depending on the edition) and designed to feel familiar, especially for people coming from Windows. The most popular desktop environment is Cinnamon desktop, however today we are testing Xfce. It’s known for being stable, lightweight, and efficient, and it handles everyday tasks like web browsing, media playback, and office work with no fuss. Updates are straightforward, the system is easy to maintain, and the Mint community is active and helpful, making it a great option if you want a no-drama Linux experience that just works.

Linux Mint Resources

• Official Website: https://www.linuxmint.com
• Community Forums: https://forums.linuxmint.com/

Manjaro

Manjaro Linux Arch-based distro that gives you much of the power and flexibility of Arch, but in a way that is still user-friendly. Being based off Arch, Manjaro is a rolling-release system, which means you get access to the latest software and features without having to do major upgrades. Manjaro strikes a nice balance between power and usability. Almost all of the installs were exactly the same, but Manjaro had one extra step to configure if you wanted to install an Office Suite and had the option of No Office Suite, LibreOffice, or FreeOffice.

Manjaro Resources

• Official Website: https://manjaro.org
• Community Forums: https://forum.manjaro.org/

MX Linux

MX Linux is a lightweight, Debian-based distro that focuses on stability, efficiency, and simplicity. Out of the distro’s tested here, MX Linux is the only distro that Xfce is the default/flagship desktop environment. Whether you’re looking for a reliable daily driver or a distro to revive an old laptop, MX Linux delivers a solid, no-nonsense experience right out of the box. I was really excited when MX Linux was released knowing it a collaborative effort with the old MEPIS community which was a distro I use to use in collage.

I did have some small issues when resizing virtual box windows size, it seemed to cause MX Linux to hang for a few seconds, unsure if this is some type of driver issue or something else. If installing on bare metal, this would not be an issue.

MX Linux Resources

• Official Website: https://mxlinux.org
• Community Forums: https://forum.mxlinux.org/viewforum.php?f=104
• Detailed Review: https://akschaefer.com/mx-linux-25-infinity-review/

Xubuntu

Xubuntu is a lightweight, Ubuntu-based distro that uses the Xfce desktop environment to keep things fast, simple, and efficient without sacrificing usability. Since it’s built on Ubuntu, you get access to a massive software library, solid hardware compatibility, and regular updates. Xubuntu by default strips away the heavier parts of the full Ubuntu experience and during installation Xubuntu had a minimal install mode as well. For the sake of this test I used the standard desktop install to keep it consistent.

I have used Xubuntu as my operating system on two servers for multiple years now and highly recommend it.

Learn more and download here:

Xubuntu Resources

• Official Website: https://xubuntu.org/
• Community Forums: https://discourse.ubuntu.com/c/flavors/xubuntu/196

Additional Xfce Distros on My Radar

I had a few Xfce distros recommended to me that I wanted to mention, even though I haven’t had the time to do a full test run with them yet. They’re still on my radar, and I’m hoping to dig into them in a future round of testing.

• OpenSUSE
• Linux Lite
• Void
• Peppermint OS

Conclusion

Based on the background I know of each of these distros, here is my short recommendation list if you are loAfter testing each of these XFCE distros side by side, the differences are smaller than you might expect. Performance across the board was solid, and XFCE continues to prove why it remains one of the best lightweight desktop environments available.

If you want the safest overall choice, Debian remains the most balanced option in terms of stability, resource usage, and long-term support. That said, each distro brings something slightly different to the table, whether it’s rolling updates, visual polish, or beginner-friendly defaults.

At the end of the day, you really can’t go wrong with any of these. The best XFCE distro is the one that fits your hardware and workflow.

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