Running Linux on a low-end PC? Choosing the right lightweight browser can dramatically improve speed, responsiveness, and overall usability. Here's a curated list of the best browsers designed to run smooth without draining system resources. 

Parameter we need to check 

✓ 1. RAM Usage

Browsers on low-end systems need to keep RAM consumption minimal.
Example:

1. Midori uses ~100MB idle, making it perfect for systems with just 1GB–2GB RAM.
2. LibreWolf, while privacy-focused, can hover around 400MB, which might cause swapping on old machines.

✓ 2. CPU Consumption

Older CPUs (Pentium, Atom, Core 2 Duo) can't handle browsers that constantly process JS or load background threads.
Example:

1. Falkon opens static pages with very low CPU impact.
2. Min, although minimal-looking, uses Electron which can spike CPU usage when tabs are active.

✓ 3. Rendering Engine

The core engine determines how fast and compatible the browser is with modern web.
Example:

1. GNOME Web uses WebKitGTK, offering great performance with good HTML5/CSS support.
2. Dillo uses a custom engine and loads lightning-fast, but it breaks modern JavaScript-heavy pages.

✓ 4. Disk Usage / Install Size

Low-end PCs with 16–32GB SSDs or HDDs benefit from smaller install sizes.
Example:

1. Qutebrowser installs at under 100MB when installed via apt.
2. Firefox or Chromium pulls in 200MB–300MB with dependencies.

✓ 5. JavaScript Handling

Modern websites rely heavily on JavaScript. If a browser can’t process JS efficiently, pages will lag or crash.
Example:

1. Pale Moon can handle Gmail or YouTube in basic mode.
2. NetSurf skips JS entirely, so it fails on anything interactive but flies on basic HTML documentation.

✓ 6. Extension Support (optional but useful)

Some lightweight browsers still support essential add-ons like ad blockers.
Example:

1. LibreWolf supports all Firefox extensions, including uBlock Origin, helping reduce ads and CPU load.
2. Otter has limited extension support but is fast by design.

✓ 7. Interface Simplicity

Avoid browsers with animations, heavy toolbars, or background sync.
Example:

1. Qutebrowser has no GUI menus — just a status bar and keyboard-driven UI.
2. Midori sticks to just address bar, tab bar, and clean window — ideal for small screens too.

✓ 8. Startup Time

Quick startup is essential, especially on HDDs.
Example:

1. Links2 in GUI mode starts in under 1 second.
2. Chromium takes 5–10 seconds to fully load on the same system.

✓ 9. Offline/Fail-Safe Browsing

On unstable or slow internet, caching and minimal resource loading help.
Example:

1. Min supports offline reading view and auto-blocks trackers.
2. Lynx loads cached HTML pages directly in the terminal.

✓ 10. Package Availability & Updates

A lightweight browser is useless if it’s hard to install or abandoned.
Example:

1. Pale Moon has an official Linux build with .deb, .rpm, and tarballs updated regularly.
2. Surf is minimal but needs compiling via make (not ideal for every user).

If your RAM is tight, go with Midori, Dillo, or Links2.
If you want a fully functional GUI browser, go with Falkon, LibreWolf, or Qutebrowser.
If you're comfortable with terminal tools, Lynx or ELinks will serve you best.

#1 Midori

Midori is purpose-built for performance on modest hardware. It consumes very little memory (typically ~100MB) and uses the efficient WebKit rendering engine, allowing it to load pages quickly without stressing the CPU. Its minimalist interface avoids unnecessary visual bloat, making it snappy even on older systems with 1–2GB of RAM.

It supports basic modern web standards, provides built-in ad blocking, and works out-of-the-box on most Linux distributions. With no telemetry and a clean footprint, Midori strikes a smart balance between usability and resource efficiency—making it ideal for lightweight desktops, refurbished laptops, or legacy systems running Linux.

#2 Falkon

Falkon is a Qt-based browser originally developed by the KDE community, designed to be lightweight yet modern. It typically consumes around 150–250MB RAM, making it suitable for systems with as little as 2GB of memory. Despite its low resource footprint, Falkon offers tabbed browsing, bookmark management, session restore, and even a built-in ad blocker—all with excellent performance.

Thanks to its QtWebEngine backend, Falkon renders modern websites smoothly without overwhelming older CPUs. Its native integration with KDE makes it particularly efficient on Plasma desktops, but it's equally usable across other environments. If you're looking for a full-featured browser that stays responsive on limited hardware, Falkon hits a sweet spot between speed, simplicity, and functionality.

#3 GNOME Web

GNOME Web, also known as Epiphany, is a sleek and minimal browser designed specifically for the GNOME desktop. It uses the efficient WebKitGTK engine, ensuring low RAM usage (~200MB) and minimal CPU strain—ideal for underpowered systems.

Its interface is clean and distraction-free, with no extensions or excessive features weighing it down. Yet, it still supports essential browsing needs like tabs, bookmarks, and intelligent tracking protection. GNOME Web integrates seamlessly into GNOME environments, making it an elegant and resource-friendly choice for users running Linux on older hardware or lightweight desktops like GNOME Flashback or XFCE.

#4 Pale Moon

Pale Moon is a fork of classic Firefox, built for speed, efficiency, and legacy support. It runs on the custom Goanna engine, which is lighter than modern Firefox’s Gecko, allowing it to perform well even on older CPUs and systems with 2GB RAM or less.

It retains a traditional, no-frills interface and avoids the memory-heavy features seen in newer mainstream browsers. With support for legacy XUL extensions, Pale Moon gives you customization power without the performance penalty. If you need a browser that’s familiar, fast, and low on resource usage, Pale Moon is a solid, time-tested option—especially for users with older Linux desktops or minimal installations.

#5 LibreWolf

LibreWolf is a privacy-hardened fork of Firefox, designed to strip out telemetry and background services that consume unnecessary resources. While it’s based on the same engine as Firefox (Gecko), LibreWolf runs slightly leaner by default—using around 300–400MB RAM—making it viable on low-end systems with at least 2GB RAM.

It comes pre-configured with uBlock Origin, disabled auto-updates, and hardened privacy settings, reducing CPU and network overhead. LibreWolf is perfect for users who need modern web compatibility and robust security without the bloat of commercial browsers. If you're running Linux on a modest machine but value privacy and speed, LibreWolf delivers both in a well-optimized package.

#6 Qutebrowser

Qutebrowser is an ultra-efficient, keyboard-driven web browser that eliminates the need for a traditional GUI, drastically reducing RAM and CPU usage. Built using QtWebEngine, it delivers modern web rendering while consuming less than 300MB RAM in most cases—even on systems with older processors and minimal graphical acceleration.

Its minimalist design removes buttons, toolbars, and tabs, relying instead on Vim-style keybindings, which makes it lightning-fast and incredibly responsive, even on legacy hardware. Ideal for terminal-savvy users or those using tiling window managers, Qutebrowser proves that you can have full web functionality without sacrificing performance on a low-end Linux PC.

#7 Otter Browser

Otter Browser delivers a nostalgic Opera 12-style interface with modern web capabilities, making it both familiar and resource-friendly. Built on the Qt framework, it maintains a low memory footprint (typically ~150–250MB RAM) while supporting essential features like tabs, bookmarks, session restore, and a built-in content blocker.

Designed for users who prefer classic desktop workflows without the bloat of mainstream browsers, Otter offers a smooth experience on older CPUs and low-RAM machines. If you're running Linux on vintage or minimalist hardware and want a traditional, full-featured browser that doesn’t weigh down your system, Otter is a well-balanced, reliable choice.

#8 Min

Min is designed with simplicity and speed in mind, making it ideal for low-end Linux systems. Its clean, distraction-free interface uses minimal RAM (~250MB) and runs on a lightweight Electron core optimized for low resource consumption.

Despite its minimalism, Min includes useful features like built-in ad blocking, reading mode, fuzzy search, and tab management—all designed to reduce load and distraction. It avoids tracking, telemetry, and background services, helping your older hardware stay responsive. If you're looking for a modern, minimal, and elegant browsing experience that won't bog down your system, Min gets the job done—fast and clean.

#9 Surf

Surf, developed by the suckless project, is built with pure minimalism in mind, offering an ultra-lightweight browsing experience with virtually no UI overhead. It uses the WebKitGTK engine but strips out tabs, toolbars, bookmarks, and menus—leaving only the web page view. This keeps its RAM usage extremely low (~100MB per instance), making it ideal for systems with tight memory constraints or legacy CPUs.

Instead of traditional controls, Surf is driven by keyboard shortcuts and external scripts, giving advanced users full control without bloated features. It works exceptionally well with tiling window managers and in scripted environments, offering speed, efficiency, and deep customization. For those who value performance over polish, Surf is a near-perfect browser for low-end Linux setups.

#10 Links2 / ELinks

Links2 and ELinks are ultra-lightweight text-based browsers designed for extremely low-resource environments. They work entirely in the terminal (ELinks) or with basic graphics via X11 (Links2), consuming less than 50MB RAM—making them ideal for Pentium-era systems or embedded Linux setups.

They support basic HTML rendering, keyboard navigation, and even SSL for HTTPS browsing. ELinks focuses on accessibility and scripting, while Links2 offers a graphical mode without the heavy GUI overhead of modern browsers. With no JavaScript or multimedia bloat, these browsers excel at quickly loading static websites, documentation, or intranet pages on machines that can’t handle graphical interfaces well. For text-first browsing with blazing speed, they’re unbeatable on low-end Linux PCs.