PROBLEM:

Linux Mint vs Lubuntu for an old laptop?

SOLUTION 1:

• LXDE is definitely lighter and faster than XFCE and you especially notice the difference on older or more limited hardware.
• We would go with LXDE. As mentioned by 273 here above, however, it is WAY more stripped down than XFCE, so you have to progressively add what you need once you realize you need it.
• For example, LXDE comes with a file manager (PCManFM) and a terminal emulator (LXTerminal) .. and little else. Useful packages to add are leafpad (a lightweight text editor) and xarchiver (for extracting archives).
• You’ll probably also want to add your favourite browser if required.

SOLUTION 2:

• Mint comes out with a major new version every two years, based on the Ubuntu LTS. Mint 18.x, the current series that started with Mint 18, is completely based on Ubuntu 16.04 LTS.
• All releases in the Mint 18.x series will be supported until April 2021. The Mint 19.x series will start with Mint 19 in Spring of 2018, based on Ubuntu 18.04, although Mint users on 18.x will still be supported until 2021.
• Each minor release of Mint, 18.1, 18.2, comes roughly every 6 months, and is based on the major Mint release with a few packages near the surface updated.
• Upgrading from Mint 18 to 18.1 once the XFCE is stable is both trivial and easy. Since the kernel and most low level packages are the same between minor releases, an upgrade between 18 and 18.1 is about the safest upgrades get.
• Adding LXDE to Mint, although it probably involves adding a PPA and Meta package. It probably isn’t as polished on Mint as other DEs are.

SOLUTION 3:

• LXDE might be a better choice for your pentium M, but linux mint 12 is nearing end of life support so mint 12 would not be a great choice.

SOLUTION 4:

• You only can go as fast as the hardware capacity.
• Running on a lighter OS does help. Lubuntu, Xubuntu, Linux Lite, or Tiny Core. Should see improvements over heavier OS’s.
• That Beast isn’t fast anyway. Creeping on dinosaur years buddy.
  • Processor Manufacturer Intel
  • Processor Type Core 2 Duo
  • Processor Speed 1.60 GHz
  • Cache 2 MB
  • Bus Speed 533 MHz
  • Graphics Controller Manufacturer Intel
  • Graphics Controller Model Graphics Media Accelerator 950
  • Standard Memory 1 GB
  • Maximum Memory 2 GB
  • Memory Technology DDR2 SDRAM

SOLUTION 5:

• Install and use LXDE, LXQT, or a tiling WM like i3wm or herbstluftwm.
• You’ll get a slight bump in speed and a slight decrease in RAM use, but not enough for it to matter, or warrant installing Lubuntu.
• Edit: this does depend a bit on if you’re using XFCE, Cinnamon, or Mate as your current DE though.