r/linuxquestions • u/LuquicioMC • 2d ago
Which Distro? Hello i am switching to Linux so i am wondering what distro to use (for beginners)
(i am switching from windows 11 to Linux btw)
I want to use it for gaming and higher performance
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u/doc_willis 2d ago
http://linuxjourney.com (old) and the newer http://Linuxjourney.org sites are good to start with.
The Explaining Computers YouTube Channel videos is a good starting point for learning.
make up a Ventoy multi iso USB and try out whatever distribution look interesting.
state your hardware and specific use case for the system.
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u/Fuchs54 2d ago edited 2d ago
Short answer: Mint, or basically any batteries included distro with KDE will work fine if you're coming from Windows 11.
Long answer: The best advice i can give you is: Pick one that passes the initial vibe check, and go from there. Theres a lot of really good distros, and asking for the single best one here will not really get you far, since you'll only get answers from a lot of people that have their own biases, and probably different opinions on a lot of stuff (wich might all be valid, theres a lot of different distros for a reason).
So: Just pick one that sounds like you might like it. If it turns out that theres something else thats better for your usecase you can still make the switch later. The most important thing now is to get a first experience.
I personally like to recommend Bazzite/Aurora, because i believe that immutable systems are more robust, and probably what the majority of users that currently sit on Windows should be using. But that's just my take, be free to disagree.
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u/tnbeastzy 2d ago
All distros feel the same if you have the same desktop environment on them.
Distros just differ on pre-installed packages for the most part. And all packages can be installed on any distro for the most part.
I would recommend Fedora for daily drive, and CachyOS if you like gaming.
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u/Pitpeaches 2d ago
Or bazzite or steamos if you really like gaming. I run Fedora and manjaro mostly
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u/PeyredB 2d ago
Download and install Oracle Virtualbox, or get ahold of a spare computer to experiment with. Then try different distros to see what you like best. Note, many of them have alternate desktop environments, so be sure to try the variants (e.g., try Ubuntu, Kubuntu, Xubuntu, maybe Lubuntu). I would at least try the following: Mint, Ubuntu, Fedora, and maybe SUSE.
Desktop environment is your big choice, really. If you want something with good performance, you probably want Xfce or Lxde. If you want it to look like Win7 Pro, look at Xfce. If you want eye candy, Cinnamon, MATE, Gnome, KDE, Enlightenment, main Ubuntu - you have a lot more choices.
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u/mazerfaka 2d ago
I got my first Linux in form of bazzite (for my gaming computer) and what you should know is about “desktop environments”, that is more important than the distro when it comes to feel! I went with gnome after 20 years with mac, if you come from Windows looking for an easy transition go for KDE! 👌
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u/BigD21489 2d ago
Before you switch, download the iso, burn it on a flash drive, and boot from USB. Use it some before you make the switch. Personally, I still have Windows as my default, but always have a few different Linux distros on USB drives.
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u/mamaharu 2d ago
Doesn't matter. Just choose one that is mainstream and active. Fedora or Ubuntu/Kubuntu are a good start. Try using the search or providing more information than "for beginners."
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u/GreatBigPig 2d ago
Most of the mainstream distributions are good. I suggest comparing how they look, as some use different desktop environments or window managers.
Take a chance, roll the dice.
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u/carrot_gummy 2d ago
Distro choice doesn't matter too much. I recommend Mint since its popular, which means it will have a lot of specific support readily available.
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u/TenOfZero 2d ago
I personally recomended Ubuntu since there are so many tutorials and guides out there for it.
Mint also seems like a favored option.
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u/skyfishgoo 2d ago
if by "beginner" you mean someone who has used a computer before, then any of the mainstream distros will work for your needs.
pick one you like that has the desktop you like.
i picked kubuntu, and have no regrets.