Core is replacing lite because it's supposedly as efficient and conservative on system resources?
But what are these 2 like in the real world on an old computer with just 2GB RAM? And which would you recommend and why?
The main difference between Core and Lite is the underlying desktop technology used — Gnome and XFCE, respectively.
I've only used Gnome on computers with at least 8 GB so I can't really compare it accurately with XFCE, which I've managed to run it in computers with as little as 1.5 GB of RAM. However, I think this comparison almost speaks for itself: XFCE is very suitable for devices with limited resources.
Zorin OS Core in particular implements quite a few extra animations and visual effects. If you disable those (in Zorin Appearance → Effects, I think) you will get better performance.
That said, I see no reason to risk it, and I would recommend going with Zorin OS Lite which is much more likely to work on your device. Consider that it is one thing to run the desktop itself, but then you need to add whatever applications you're going to be using on top of it.
With 2 GB, lite (XFCE) is the way to go.
Lite makes the most sense for systems with 2GB of RAM.
With just 2 Gig's ... Lite would be the better Try here I think. But there is a Point: Do You have an integrated Graphics? If yes, there would be the Point, that this igPU takes something from the RAM for the Graphics which means You would have even less.
I heart a While ago from miniOS. It is intended to use on USB Sticks but You can install it, too. It uses xfce and needs not much RAM. Maybe this is a better Choice for You.
I mean: Beneath the System itself, the Programs what You use, need RAM, too.
With 2 Gb of RAM i would recommend Lite.
Even if the official hardware requirements says 2 Gb is enough for Core, it will probably not work correctly (4 Gb should probably be the requirements for Core)
A reminder:
2 gigabytes is the minimum to install Zorin OS; not the minimum for Performance.
And this is why.
Helloo there @no.Experience!
To give you a brief explanation of my experience, I've mainly used Zorin OS Core 16.3 on my old configuration, which was a Fujitsu Lifebook LH531 with an Intel Pentium B970, 2GB DDR3 RAM and 320GB HDD. It ran fine for the most part, and it was smooth enough for programming in VS Code.
Zorin OS Core runs on GNOME, a popular and feature-rich desktop environment. Zorin OS Lite runs on XFCE, which is a desktop environment designed to run smoothly on low-end PCs. Both are heavily customised in Zorin OS to give a familiar Windows-like UI, though Zorin OS Core comes with more system customisation tools. Zorin OS 18 is also said to be the last version of Zorin OS Lite; it won't be available from Zorin OS 19 onwards. For extended support and longevity, if you value security and an up-to-date OS, Zorin OS Core seems to be the better option. Plus, with a few tweaks, like any other OS, it can be made even smoother, else it wouldn't run smoothly on my bare minimum 2GB DDR3.
I agree with @Aravisian and @zenzen.
If you are expecting to run loads of apps on your PC, any OS can become slow enough. Plus, 2GB of DDR3 RAM is unrealistic in 2026 to handle many apps on its own.
I want to add to @zenzen's insight.
Though XFCE comes pre-installed with Zorin OS Lite, I'd like to let you know that XFCE, like many other desktop environments, can be installed on top of Zorin OS Core. I can say this because I once installed KDE Plasma on Zorin OS 17 Core.
This way, you can expect the features and longevity of Core whilst enjoying the lightweight XFCE.