Earlier, Ubuntu LTS RAM requirements had been as low as 1GB, but in 2018, Canonical increased the minimum RAM requirement to 4GB in Ubuntu 18.04 LTS (Bionic Beaver). Now, on 23rd April, the company will release Ubuntu 26.04 LTS (Resolute Raccoon).
Ahead of this new long-term support release, Ubuntu has shared the release notes for Ubuntu 26.04 LTS. The release notes reveal that the company has once again increased the minimum RAM requirement for the Linux-based operating system.
Ubuntu 26.04 LTS requires a minimum of 6GB RAM alongside a 2GHz dual-core processor or better and 25GB of free hard drive space.
Reportedly, the core OS isn’t really more demanding on system resources this time around, but Canonical recognises that with the latest Gnome desktop, modern web browsers, and typical multitasking workflows, users should look at a minimum of 6GB of RAM.
During the 26.04 beta testing on a laptop with 2GB RAM, it was found that the OS was functional but slow. Therefore, it is advised to install the latest upgrade for better performance.
Ubuntu 26.04 LTS will continue to receive security updates and critical bug fixes for five years, which means until 2031. And with an Ubuntu Pro subscription, access to Extended Security Maintenance updates will be available for ten years.
