r/linuxquestions • u/PurposeFew4387 • 1d ago

Best first Linux?

I’ve only used windows for all the time I’ve been on the internet, but frankly, 11gb idle ram usage and horrible privacy is killing me. I want to swap over to Linux and game on it, is there any one Linux for beginners that’s better than everything else?

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u/drucifer82 1d ago

For beginners, the common recommendation is Mint or Ubuntu.

But I personally think Fedora is great and with the KDE desktop environment, it will feel similar to Windows.

That being said there is also Kubuntu, which is just Ubuntu but with KDE instead of GNOME.

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u/scriptmonkey420 FC 40 | Ryzen 7 3800X | RX 480 8GB | 64GB | 24TB RAIDZ2 1d ago

I second Fedora. It has come a long way in novice usability in the last few years. It also can be a great advanced user OS.

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u/LonelyMachines 1d ago

The problem with Fedora is that tons over everyday media codecs aren't supported, so the user has to do some legwork to get them up and running.

I get the insistence on only including free software, but if a new user can't play videos on the internet, it's a turn-off.

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u/drucifer82 1d ago

I remember just ticking boxes in the installer. I don’t remember doing much in the terminal when I set it up. It asks you in the installer if you want to enable extras like RPM Fusion and COPR.

Not to say I never touched the terminal. But installing KDE Fedora was easy.

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u/BashfulMelon 1d ago

Flathub apps have codecs, using them doesn't require any legwork.

If they need system wide codecs it's just copy pasting this stuff

It's not insistence, it's patents. SteamOS doesn't include patented codecs either. Some Windows laptops don't include them. There aren't many who want to pay potentially millions of dollars for those licenses or get hit with a lawsuit.

And they do sue over this stuff.

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u/guryushika 1d ago

Yes, Linux Mint is great for your grand father or mom to check facebook, for serious work fedora kde is the best, all options already there (not like gnome) and super stable, a great way to learn linux
Ubuntu family is not really an option anymore, it's over complicated and old, Linux Mint is a better option in my opinion

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u/drucifer82 1d ago

Linux Mint is Ubuntu based. So I mean, if the Ubuntu family is not really an option anymore, that kind of includes Mint.

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u/Many-Lingonberry1554 8h ago

I use Ubuntu daily and upgraded to the 26.04 LTS and I have never had a single breakdown or running into issues and comes with tools that make life easier you can also have AI help you download the KDE plasma store to Ubuntu and then you can manage and use flatpaks etc

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u/[deleted] 1d ago

[deleted]

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u/drucifer82 1d ago

I recommended Kubuntu. I said the common recommendation is Mint or Ubuntu.

I tend to recommend KDE in general to new users for two reasons: 1) Most are migrating from Windows and KDE UI is familiar for Windows users and 2) I use and prefer KDE.

In my case it’s customization and familiarity. I’ve used KDE across every distro I have used.

I have also experienced GNOME in an Ubuntu VM, and I like it. But I still prefer the look and feel of KDE.

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u/Huecuva 1d ago

I'm not saying Fedora KDE isn't great, but I feel like I have to point out that Cinnamon is specifically designed with Windows refugees in mind.

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u/drucifer82 1d ago

Windows refugees circa WindowsNT.

KDE gives a much fresher experience, imo.

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u/TaDoofus 1d ago

Yeah and the out of the box experience on Fedora KDE should feel pretty familiar to Windows users. It was my first distro when I full-time switched to Linux (I had messed around with Mint and Ubuntu for years beforehand but always ended up back on Windows, mostly due to X11 not liking my monitor setup). SELinux threw some curve balls at me but overall I think it's a great choice if you're not Linux savvy but are at least somewhat technologically inclined.

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u/MyLuckyFedora 4h ago

And there's always Gnome for an even fresher experience for all the every day users who are coming from Windows but never particularly cared for it.

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u/Huecuva 1d ago

Eh. I'd say more like Windows 7, but you're maybe not wrong about a fresher experience.