4 Linux distros you should use instead of upgrading to Windows 11

You’re finally ready to leave Microsoft’s ecosystem and try the dreaded Linux, but which distribution (distro) should you use? Like many things in the open source community, you have an almost abundance of choice, with heavy hitters like Ubuntu and newcomers including Pop!_OS. Although there’s no wrong answer for which distro you should use as your first Linux installation, I’ve rounded up some of my personal favorites that should make the switch easy for Windows users.

4

Pop!_OS

Great for gaming

If there’s one distro you should pick for the best Linux gaming experience, it would have to be Pop!_OS from System76. This distro was built from the ground up for gaming, rocking the latest drivers from GPU vendors and the community, a custom desktop environment to replace GNOME and better control over how the OS performs without relying on other sources and teams. Pop!_OS may have a strange name, but it’s among the most streamlined distros.

The Pop!_OS team focuses on performance, ensuring the team gets as many in-game frames as possible from vast hardware configurations. Advanced features such as automatic tiling and swap file management are included with the Linux-based OS to ensure your PC is running as fast as it can with the latest and most demanding PC games. Gaming on Linux used to have undesired results, but it has come a long way with Valve and Proton.

Related

3 reasons Pop!_OS might be the best Linux distro for gamers

You’ll have no trouble playing all your favorite games.

3

Fedora

A fresh new start

Fedora is very similar to Ubuntu in that its primary version uses the GNOME desktop environment, so most of the OS looks almost identical, aside from the brown color scheme. Where things differ is how the Fedora team behind the distro develops new versions. Fedora has a quicker release schedule, so you won’t have to wait six months for major upgrades. It also has fairly lax system requirements and you could easily breathe new life into an old system with this OS.

The benefit of using Fedora is you likely have access to many of the latest versions. The OS usually runs later releases of GNOME than Ubuntu and other distros. Although a distro such as Arch will likely have the bleeding edge on most software and packages included with the OS, Fedora isn’t far off and it’s backed by a large community. It’s probably more akin to Ubuntu versions of old, which may appeal to those who don’t wish to have their experience too streamlined.

2

Linux Mint

A Windows-like experience

Linux Mint is essentially Ubuntu with a Windows-like start menu. This OS is entirely based on Canonical’s Linux distro, much in the same way Ubuntu is based on Debian. The goal of Linux Mint is to make the transition from Windows as seamless as possible with a familiar UI to Microsoft’s platform, as well as loads of easily accessible apps that can be installed with a few mouse clicks. This is the distro to go for if you want to keep terminal access to the absolute minimum.

1

Ubuntu

The most user-friendly Linux distro

When reading (or hearing) about Linux, you’ve likely come across Ubuntu. It’s the most popular Linux distro and has been around for decades, offering newcomers an easier way to digest all Linux quirks. A bustling community is at hand to help you with almost any problem and some will even go as far as to help you directly overcome any obstacles to help further the adoption of Linux. This is the best place to start if moving from Windows.

Actively maintained by Canonical, Ubuntu is extremely user-friendly and can be viewed as a mix of macOS and Windows. A clean UI is present thanks to GNOME, the desktop environment. A dock is at hand for storing frequently used apps (as well as those you have open), and support for the latest software and games is at the ready. Ubuntu can enjoy all the same benefits as other distros with Steam and Valve’s Proton development.

Related

Looking back at 20 years of Ubuntu, the world’s most popular Linux distro

Take a quick look at the history of Ubuntu.

Any Linux distro will do

The beauty of Linux is there’s a variety of flavors to choose from. Don’t like Ubuntu? Switch to Linux Mint or give Kubuntu a try with a KDR desktop environment. How about some Fedora? There are numerous distros available, some requiring more technical knowledge than others, but learning something new is always fun. Linux powers many of the world’s server infrastructure and much more, making it a worthwhile investment of your time.

One reason to use Linux instead of Windows 11 is if your PC doesn’t meet the requirements for Microsoft’s OS. You may have an older CPU that’s no longer supported but instead of throwing it away, make use of the older parts and keep them running with a flavor of Linux. Even an older Intel Core i7 is still worth using today with four cores and high enough clock speeds to ensure you won’t have too many bottlenecks outside of heavier software.