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A popular Linux distro now has higher system hardware requirements than Windows 11. When you purchase through links on its site, Neowin may earn an affiliate commission. Here's how it works. 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 Neowin 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 Neowin is 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), then using Ubuntu Server is an option as its requirements are definitely leaner at just 1GB RAM and 4GB for storage, at the minimum.

Ubuntu 26.04 beta has been released featuring GNOME 50 as its default desktop environment, but the new version no longer supports Google Drive. This affects Ubuntu and any Linux distributions using GNOME 50, as Google provides no official Linux client. Users must rely on third-party tools like Rclone or google-drive-ocamlfuse. The beta includes Linux kernel 7.0, Nvidia driver 590, and Mesa 26. It offers a Wayland-only desktop without X11 sessions, though X11 applications work via Xwayland. The App Center now handles .deb packages, and the Security Center manages Ubuntu Pro subscriptions and TPM-based disk encryption. Ubuntu 26.04 will be a long-term support release. Meanwhile, Ubuntu 26.10 plans include replacing the NTP daemon with Rust-based ntpd-rs and potentially simplifying GRUB's Secure Boot version.

Ubuntu maker Canonical is backing Rust development with $150K/year. Canonical, the powerhouse behind Ubuntu, is doubling down on its commitment to the Rust programming language. This strategic move, marked by their Gold Membership in the Rust Foundation, solidifies Rust's critical role in the future of one of the most popular Linux distributions. Discover how this partnership will shape the next generation of secure, memory-safe core utilities, enhance the developer experience, and set new benchmarks for open-source development within the Ubuntu ecosystem. This isn't just a technical shift; it's a strategic bet on the future of robust, reliable computing. Canonical deepens Rust commitment: A strategic leap for Linux. Canonical, the company renowned for Ubuntu, has long been a pivotal player in the Linux distribution landscape, providing extensive security maintenance and support for a vast portfolio of open-source packages. Their products span everything from desktop and server environments to sophisticated cloud infrastructure and IoT solutions. For some time, Canonical has been progressively integrating Rust into the very core of Ubuntu, signaling a significant shift in its underlying architecture. Rust at the core: Ubuntu's journey towards memory safety. Ubuntu's commitment to Rust isn't new; it's a progression of calculated changes. IOupdate has previously seen how Ubuntu 25.10 boldly replaced the classic sudo utility with sudo-rs, a memory-safe Rust rewrite. That same release also swapped GNU Coreutils with its Rust-based equivalent, uutils. These were not minor updates; replacing decades-old C tooling at the heart of a Linux operating system represents a profound vote of confidence in Rust as a system programming language. This trend towards Rust in critical userland components isn't exclusive to Ubuntu; other major open-source development projects are also exploring Rust for new modules, highlighting a broader industry shift towards enhanced memory safety and reliability. Canonical joins the Rust Foundation as a Gold Member. Now, Canonical is making that profound bet formal. The company has officially joined the Rust Foundation as a Gold Member, pledging $150,000 annually to the organization that stewards the Rust programming language. This significant investment allows Canonical to engage more directly in language and ecosystem governance, while also actively working to improve the Rust developer experience on Ubuntu. Jon Seager, VP Engineering at Canonical, specifically highlighted crates.io, the official Rust package registry. He noted their keen interest in its security implementation and in reducing the number of "potentially unknown dependencies," particularly for critical use cases involving async support, HTTP handling, and cryptography in regulated environments. As a Gold Member, Canonical secures valuable perks, including a dedicated representative on the Rust Foundation's Board of Directors, promotion through the Foundation's editorial calendar, and opportunities to collaborate on key initiatives. Dr. Rebecca Rumbul, Executive Director and CEO of the Rust Foundation, underscored the significance of this move: "Rust has become a foundational technology for building safe and reliable systems, and its continued success depends on strong collaboration between the open source community and the organizations bringing it into production. Canonical joining the Rust Foundation as a Gold Member is an important signal of Rust's growing role in large-scale systems." What this means for the Ubuntu ecosystem and developers. For regular Ubuntu users, the immediate impact of this membership won't be drastic. The Rust-based components already shipping in Ubuntu, like sudo-rs, were integrated long before this formal partnership. However, for developers working with Rust on Ubuntu, this is much more interesting. Canonical has explicitly stated that a direct goal of this membership is to improve the Rust developer experience on Ubuntu. This commitment will naturally lead to better toolchain support and more up-to-date Rust packages in the Ubuntu repositories. Developers can look forward to a more streamlined and robust development environment, fostering innovation within the broader Ubuntu ecosystem. This strategic alignment ensures that Ubuntu remains at the forefront of secure and modern software development practices. In fact, expect to see more Rust-powered utilities potentially emerge in future releases, such as the upcoming Ubuntu 26.04 LTS, which is already in active development. Suggested Read |: Here's what to expect from Ubuntu 26.04 LTS The development for Ubuntu 26.04 LTS has started and it's time to start looking towards the features and changes it is bringing.