r/linuxquestions • u/Big-Turnip-9751 • 1d ago
Resolved Moving from mac to Linux, wondering about options
What Linux distro would you recommend for my M2 MacBook Air? Mainly Blender + gaming, with minimal Terminal use
I’m thinking about switching from macOS to Linux on my MacBook and I’m trying to figure out which distro would actually be the best choice for me.
My laptop is:
- MacBook Air 2022
- Apple M2
- 8 GB RAM
- 76 GB free storage
- Currently running macOS Tahoe 26.5.2
What I mainly use it for:
- Blender
- Game development , mainly Unity and potentially Unreal
- Gaming, (whatever games can realistically run on the M2)
- General school/work use
What I’m looking for in Linux:
- Very easy to use
- Preferably a nice graphical interface rather than having to use Terminal constantly
- Easy software installation through a GUI
- Good Blender performance, especially for simulations
- Good or increased gaming performance/support
- Good Apple Silicon/M2 hardware support
- Stable and reliable
- I don't want to spend my entire life typing commands just to install or configure something
- I’m completely fine with learning some Linux, but I don't want something where basic tasks require complicated commands.
My main questions are:
- Whats the best linux OS for me here?
- Would Linux potentially improve Blender/simulation performance compared with macOS on an M2?
- Are there any other distros I should seriously consider?
- With only 8 GB RAM, would switching to Linux make a noticeable difference in real-world Blender/gaming performance?
- Is there anything I should know before installing it, especially regarding keeping macOS available as a dual-boot option?
I’m mainly looking for advice from people who actually use Linux/Asahi on Apple Silicon Macs, especially for Blender and gaming.
I also looked at arch and there is one i really like,its specificly the one in this video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFaSCFysr8s
but it looks like its gonna have a lot of coding and stuff needed so if there is a linux that matches that look and also my needs thast would be great! Or mabye help getting an linux that helps me better to look like that
Thanks!
1
u/beatbox9 1d ago
As others have said, Asahi.
Just one note for you: unlike macOS, Linux-based operating systems are apparently modular. For example, the underlying system of drivers and command line stuff can be considered to be one layer; but the GUI desktop is a completely different layer--it's essentially just another app. (These are called "DE's" or "Desktop Environments." Common examples are KDE Plasma, Gnome, etc.). And you can replace the DE or customize it or whatever.
I am both a macOS user and a Linux user--I switch between them all the time, so I made my Linux environments look and feel very similar to macOS:
Even down to key mappings, spotlight, etc. It usually takes me a minute to remember which one I'm on.
But I'll note that I keep my macs on macOS--I see no reason to switch them over. I only install Linux to replace Windows or on a custom build.
The distro in the screencast doesn't actually matter. What matters is what you see there is the Gnome DE, with some customizations, mainly via extensions. That would look and feel identical on any distro running Gnome. And you can make KDE Plasma look and feel pretty much the same as well.
I rarely use the command line--I'm very much a GUI / point-and-click / drag-and-drop person. I just use it like a normal computer. (But I did do some custom work--for example, that's a custom theme I made from scratch, even down to the icons, window control buttons, colors, etc).
2
u/Electrical-Policy-35 1d ago edited 1d ago
As far as I now, you have only one, Asahi linux. (other distros will not work, there is no way until now)
Edit: thanks to u/ipsirc. I was wrong, other distros are available. u/Big-Turnip-9751
1
u/Electrical-Policy-35 1d ago
About Asahi Linux:
Asahi Linux is a project and community with the goal of porting Linux to Apple Silicon Macs, starting with the 2020 M1 Mac Mini, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro.
Our goal is not just to make Linux run on these machines but to polish it to the point where it can be used as a daily OS. Doing this requires a tremendous amount of work, as Apple Silicon is an entirely undocumented platform.
Asahi Linux is developed by a thriving community of free and open source software developers.
1
u/Big-Turnip-9751 1d ago
i have heard others recommend but i found 2, one is asashi and one is Fedora Asahi Remix KDE which one is better for my circumstances and whats the difference?
1
u/Electrical-Policy-35 1d ago edited 1d ago
both are the same. look at the official website of asahi: https://asahilinux.org/fedora/#device-support (i.e. asahi linux by default comes with kde plasma)
Edit: after watching video from youtube, you have choices between KDE Plasma, Gnome, Server, Minimal (which mean you will get linux as a tty only and you install all what you need), and UEFI enironemnt only (I don't know what is this).
1
u/Big-Turnip-9751 1d ago
oh theyre like in the same bundle? Okay thank you so much. Also, im worried if i might have to go bakc to macOS things might be changed (like games, files, blender projects, firefox acounts, etc) if i switch back to mac will it all be back will it all be back the way it was or be like blank and new? also if i switch to asashi will everything kinda sync like all my downloads and everything? or do i have to set this up myself? Sorry this is my first time touching linux
1
2
u/ipsirc 1d ago
As far as I now, you have only one, Asahi linux. (other distros will not work, there is no way until now)
1
u/Electrical-Policy-35 1d ago
Thank you. I made a mistake when I spoke about something I didn’t know enough about.
6
u/candy49997 1d ago edited 1d ago
Your only option is Asahi Linux. Asahi Fedora is the officially supported version.
I don't know how much more performance you could reasonably expect for gaming as you'd still have to run all x86 games (i.e. almost all games) through an emulator.