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Ubuntu, a popular Linux distro, is getting a new version soon, and its requirements are seemingly higher than that of Windows 11.
Despite putting some blame on user error, Microsoft is aware that Windows 11 has issues which is why it promised some big improvements soon. If you have no more patience, 'switching to Linux' is an option and Ubuntu, from Canonical, is a very popular distro that's worth checking out.
Back in 2023, going Ubuntu was definitely profitable from a performance standpoint as we saw that the Linux OS was often beating out Windows 11. Microsoft, of course, is promising better things on the upcoming version 26H2, so it will be interesting to see how Ubuntu Desktop's contemporary 26.04 LTS (Longer Term Support) version called "Resolute Raccoon" will stack up.
Speaking of which, Canonical has announced the system requirements for the upcoming Ubuntu 26.04 LTS version that lands later this month, and there has been a sharp bump to the hardware requirements. The official support documentation says: "Ubuntu Desktop 26.04 LTS requires a 2 GHz dual-core processor or better, a minimum of 6GB RAM and 25 GB of free hard drive space."
While Ubuntu LTS 24.04 (Noble Numbat) had also needed a 2 GHz processor, memory eligibility is seeing a big jump from 4GB to 6GB.
This means, on paper at least, Ubuntu's system requirements are higher than Windows 11 as the latter still recommends a 1GHz 2-core CPU, and 4GB of RAM. Only in the department of storage will Ubuntu still only require 25GB of space. Although to be fair to Canonical here, Windows 11's new AI features do require a more powerful system as the CPU and RAM requirement for them did get a big revision.
| Category | Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | Windows 11 |
|---|---|---|
| Processor (CPU) | Dual-core 2 GHz or faster processor | 1 GHz or faster, 2+ cores |
| Memory (RAM) | 6 GB minimum | 4 GB minimum |
| Storage | 25 GB free disk space | 64 GB or larger storage device |
| Architecture | 64-bit only | 64-bit only |
| Security Hardware | No TPM requirement | TPM 2.0 required |
As you can see in the table above, Ubuntu wins in one area and that is TPM requirement. It is not enforced on Ubuntu and neither is Secure Boot (which is undergoing a major update currently).
Interestingly, as we are talking about LTS here, Microsoft actually makes the TPM requirement optional on its IoT Enterprise 2024 edition, which is the company's LTS release. Even the system RAM quantity is reduced from 4GB to 2GB. UEFI/Secure Boot is also optional on Windows 11 LTSC 2024.
Hence, if you wish to switch to Linux, and have a relatively weak system, you are better off with some other distro. There are several options like Fedora, which has lower requirements than Ubuntu desktop. There are also others like the Zorin OS, and if you use AMD Ryzen, then Nobara is another interesting option.
Also, if you can do without a GUI like the one Ubuntu Desktop offers (GNOME by default), then using Ubuntu Server is an option as its requirements are definitely leaner at just 1GB RAM and 4GB for storage, at the minimum.
Hope you enjoyed this news post. Feedback welcome.
Posted Saturday 4 April 2026 at 5:53 am AEST (my time).
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