XUbuntu 22.04, Linux Mint 21 (XFCE), and Ubuntu MATE 22.04 performance on my old laptop bought in 2012.

Computer Specs:
CPU: i3-380M 2.53 GHz, 2core/4thread.
RAM: 2 GB and 4 GB (2+2) tested.
Disk: Hard Disk Drive (HDD) 320 GB.
GPU: integrated graphics card.

Comparison:

Linux Mint 21 (XFCE) do the best in both 2GB and 4 GB RAM tests.
Ubuntu MATE 22.04 do the worst when running with 2 GB RAM.
All the 3 were running smooth with 4 GB RAM, excepting loading heavy apps.

Conclusion:

2 GB RAM only OK for light use, e.g., local audio/video playback, file operation, basic office and editing work.
Browsing websites via built-in Firefox works, but with quite slow app launching, and freeze system for quite a few seconds after closing it.

4 GB RAM is OK for daily use on all the 3 Linux Distributions, except the speed of loading large content into memory (such as launching Firefox).

If possible, adding a solid-state drive (SSD) should make the old laptop running just like modern computers with the 3 Linux Distros.