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Ubuntu 18 comes with gnome DE by default, but after I installed xfce:

sudo apt-get install xfce4

I found it much slower than gnome. People say it's the most lightweight DE, so apparently something is wrong with my configuration.

My PC specs:

  • i5 8250u (quad core) up to 3.4GHz
  • AMD Radeon 530
  • HDD 1TB
  • 64-bit Ubuntu 18 LTS

Why I thing xfce is slower than gnome or kde plasma?

Because I monitor cpu temperature and fan speed. After:

watch -n 1 sensors

I can see my cpu temperature is higher than on other DEs and I can hear my fan somethimes works like I'm doing something intensive even if all programs are closed. For instance, when I'm doing nothing, average temperature is about 42C on kde or gnome, but on xfce or xubuntu somethimes it reaches 83 degrees.

Why I don't install xubuntu-desktop instead xfce4?

Actually, I installed both in order to examine different DEs on my machine. Now, when I'm logging in, I can choose between xfce, xubuntu, plasma and gnome.

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  • 1
    Can you add some more details as of why you are thinking it is slower than gnome?
    – Michal Przybylowicz
    Commented Sep 8, 2018 at 13:20
  • Why don't you install xubuntu-desktop instead of xfce4?
    – DK Bose
    Commented Sep 8, 2018 at 15:34
  • @mk1024 FWIW I upgraded (if it can be called that) from xubuntu 16.04 to 18.04 recently, with a clean install. XFCE on 18.04 is remarkably slower than 16.04 on the same exact hardware.
    – yms
    Commented Nov 2, 2018 at 19:55

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
1

Install i7z package, run it, and see whether you're still running at full CPU speed (i7z is really easy to read). If it slows down to - let's say - 1GHz, then search solution called "governor" and keyword "performance" to force your CPU to run at full speed.

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