Try KDE now, it’ll change your beliefs. Depending of distros/configs, it may run as light, or lighter than specific lightweight environments as XFCE/LXDE/LXQT.
Sure, ultra minimal GUI DEs could still outperform.
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I’m using KDE almost all the time, just in case you didn’t read exactly 1 post above yours.
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Yeah but I saw in another post you always install Gnome (who is known to be heavy) then install KDE on top.
KDE alone is very smooth.
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Agree, I use it and it works flawlessly! I have no issue with it.
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I used XFCE for over a decade (used KDE before that ultil the 4.x fiasco) and occasionally gave KDE a try but never really liked it. About a month ago I decided to give it another go, as XFCE 4.16 introduced CSD and I really don’t like that. To my surprise KDE feels lighter and snappier, it’s been very stable and is way more configurable. Switching from one DE to another takes some using to though.
As for Debian, I love Debian, just not for my desktop computer. I leave Debian for server duties. As a desktop it feels… old and too plain.
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Basically, any of the DE’s I’ve tried out on Manjaro have their virtues, be it Gnome - now that’s heavy! 
- , KDE Plasma, XFCE, and any of the Gnome-shell Community Editions.
It’s almost impossible IMO not to find a desktop environment that suits your needs… 
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I got it tamed and fine-tuned to never need more than 0.75% average system load.
And yes, it looks nice. Tat is the reason I moved to it (even with the startup mess) : the beauty of the thing…
Though I suspect my kernel to be the messy party, I installed 4.19 yesterday…still need to figure out how to get in the GRUB to select it 
Isn’t it in the advanced options?
Did you try hitting ESC right after the very first splash screen disappears? If that doesn’t work, try pressing and holding Shift instead. Once inside the menu you can choose kernels under ‘Advanced options’ as stated in the post above 
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Yep, did that, thanks. And yes, I got into the list.
The reason is to try something. I fired up the 4.19 in the suspicion that the current kernel I use (5.4) gave issues with VLC, but that was not it. VLC still freezes up the system.
It was an experiment to see the true value of VLC (once the main media player…now it’s SMPlayer instead)…
Yeps, it is, but, years of using XFCE, I gotr to take the scroling boot messages for granted, as well as the “available” grub menu.
KDE is clean in that aspect…it loads during a black screen…
Not used to that yet
Do you have an Nvidia GPU?
Because the open source driver often leads to freezes and glitches on some Nvidia cards, especially on KDE in my experience. If you want to use KDE with an Nvidia GPU, make sure to install the proprietary driver.
EDIT:
sorry, didn’t read that part 
Turns out my guess is right.
So yeah, install the correct driver and chances are high KDE runs much better on your GPU afterwards
EDIT: According to this page:
http://download.nvidia.com/XFree86/Linux-x86_64/460.39/README/supportedchips.html
You will need the nvidia-340.xx driver. But since your gpu is really old, this one is not in the Manjaro repos anymore.
So I guess if you want to have a more stable experience you will have to manually install it or use a distro which still supports that driver.
As an alternative in case you have an onboard / integrated gpu, you could try to disconnect your nvidia gpu and use the integrated one instead.
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Or…getting an AMD based card instead. Something I’m willing/ready/prepared to do anyway.
My rig is…ahem…retro (HP Z400 workstation) so, some retrofit might be called for…
This thread title and intentional or unintentional bias or FUD can be misleading, so I’ll just leave this testament thread here for balance:
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Thanks, yet, preaching to the flock…I am utterly convinced KDE is great. I saw it working on one of my other boxes (yep, I have several) and I loved it.
Turns out, my GPU is antique (heh, I do go retro, so…) and cannot handle KDE.
I am in the process of getting an AMD based card now…
But…yea, I like KDE. One has to tweak it. As an illustration: I have Debian on an old laptop (for school) and it runs without tweaking.
I never have really had to tweak until now, so I was confused…
Your computer has PCI-E, so any PCI-E GPU should work. The only thing you have to take into account is the power supply.
Your actual Quadro FX1800 GPU is rated for <60W TDP, so it doesn’t need external power, it gets by with the power the PCI-E port supplies.
I think your current GPU works with nouveau (the free driver for nVidia), did you try that?
Yes, I did. In fact, it’s the driver I use now.
I have a feeling that the last update (when still on XFCE) automatically put the system on Nouveau. I was using the proprietary drivers until then. From then on, things went dark and I needed to reinstall. I choose KDE (after years of XFCE, I needed a change) and put it on Nouveau right away.
I noticed freeze-ups while using VLC. After some investigation, it came down to Nouveau and my old card.
The new one is passively cooled, the one I want to replace is actively cooled. I think I’ll use less power.
I have not noticed external power connections on the new card, so I hope we’re good to go.
Thanks for pointhing that out 
Melissa
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In VLC settings, set video output setting as OpenGL, not auto, not VDPAU, use OpenGL.
Or use SMPlayer as VLC is inferior in my opinion for purely just playing video.
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I agree. I posted another reply earlier under “KDE Freezes” and – for me, anyway – Baloo was the problem. Baloo seems to be the absolute worst offender when it comes to system hang.
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