Which Linux distribution should I use?

[WHmartin]

I've got a laptop that is currently running Windows 10 and I am getting to a point where I want to move to a Linux based system as I can't upgrade to Windows 11 due to the system being incompatible and I want to try Linux. 

 

I wondered as a newbie, but someone with knowledge of computers and very little Linux experience 20 years ago, what should I try?

 

Also I have always been worried about security and viruses on a Linux system which has stopped me from moving to it in the past. However, I have time on my hands and want to leave Microsoft. 

 

I only use the laptop for streaming Netflix disney etc. I use the Internet quite often and sometimes do some typing or a bit of desktop publishing. Obviously nothing too intensive as I have bo dedicated graphics card. 

 

Can anyone help me?

[Levent]

Linux Mint with Cinnamon desktop environment is a safe choice.

[ChrisLoudon]

6 minutes ago, WHmartin said:

Can anyone help me?

Ubuntu or Mint would be my go to choices.

 

On the Win 11 compatibility issue, bypassing it is pretty easy. There's plenty of sites you can download versions of a bypass.bat file that you run at the early stages of the Windows setup that skips the CPU and TPM check.

[AndreiArgeanu]

I use Ubuntu on my Thinkpad. It is worth mentioning that fingerprint sensors might not work. I'd recommend dual booting Linux with Windows 10 just in case if you have the space. It'll also allow you to try different distros to see what suits you best. You can shrink your C volume in windows to make space for linux assuming you have the free space + extra.

[WHmartin]

Thanks for the replies. I was thinking about dual boot. That was going to be my next question. Any anti-virus recommendations out there or do I even need one?

 

I will probably post and let you know how I get on. 

[WHmartin]

Thanks I don't mind using terminal. I will learn as I go and probably dual boot for the time being. Im also glad security isn't much of an issue. 

 

I'm sort of thinking no further support for windows 10 in 2025 and no money in the pot for a new computer. I realise I can bypass TPM for Windows 11 but I'm just seeing how I can live with Linux to make the permanent move at some point. 

[The Hope]

How much experience you have with Linux doesn't necessarily always matter much. You have persons who start with Arch Linux as their first experience with Linux, and often this ends positively, if it is a person who is smart and invests the necessary time to read the wiki.

 

very easy:

https://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=openmandriva

https://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=mageia

https://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=nobara

https://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=neptune

https://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=deepin

https://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=clear

https://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=ghostbsd

https://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=rosa

 

easy:

https://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=endeavour

https://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=opensuse

https://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=siduction

https://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=archcraft

[BankHealthy]

Linux Mint or Ubuntu. You could also try ZorinOS.

 

You really should make a LiveUSB for any Linux Distro you are planning to use. It's so that you can try out before nuking Windows.

[The Hope]

10 hours ago, BankHealthy said:

Linux Mint or Ubuntu. You could also try ZorinOS.

 

You really should make a LiveUSB for any Linux Distro you are planning to use. It's so that you can try out before nuking Windows.

If you have high compatibility requirements Ubuntu/Mint is definitely still a value-add.

 

However if you are one of the majority of people who don't need eccentric or specific apps then Clear Linux is possibly better than Ubuntu/Mint.

The more apps are brought to Flathub, the more redundant Ubuntu/Mint become.

Clear Linux has some advantages over 99% of Linux systems:
- easiest installation of all Linux systems
- fastest boot if you use a SSD (Clear's boot process is improbably well optimized)
- you can use a decent GUI from the start to install all the apps you need
- higher performance than any other windows/linux/macOS operating system.

 

Intel's Clear Linux: First Impressions

https://dev--jeremymorgan.netlify.app/blog/linux/intel-clear-linux-review/

 

I suspected some performance differences within reason and Geekbench shows that.
None of these results surprised me, and fit within what I would expect for software only optimizations.

However, the next thing I did was a “Blender Render” of the BMW, a popular test of machines. I rendered this image with Blender.
Under Windows 10: Time to render: 13:31.21
Under Clear Linux: Time to render: 05:49.88

This seems so drastic I’ve asked the Clear Linux team about it because it seems so drastic. I’ll update this article when I find out more.
But overall in my Geekbench tests I see a difference in performance.
I suspect this is mostly due to power profile adjustment and optimizations for the CPU that are built into Clear.

[vsteel]

I would start with Ubuntu or Kubuntu (what I prefer, it is Ubuntu with KDE, meaning it looks a little different but mostly the same under the hood), while most all Linux distributions are easy to use, one real advantage to Ubuntu is if you search the word Ubuntu and then the question you have, there will be a ton of answers and a lot of community support. 

 

Most software if not in the repositories will be packaged for Debian/Ubuntu so it makes it easy. 

 

After you get the hang of Ubuntu you can jump to other distributions and try them out to see if you like them better, but know that between all of the distributions, most are pretty similar. 

[Krs1]

Coming in here as I have a similar post without any traction yet. Same answers as above if I was hoping to only run docker w/ a few containers?

[vsteel]

Other than maybe some weird distributions, all mainstream ones can run docker. 

 

[thevictor390]

The best answer is to just pick a popular one and go. As you learn you may find things you like or don't like, but at the beginning you have no idea so you just have to move forward with something.

[Aeternalis]

Fedora. It's becoming the new standard since Canonical's stunts with snaps. There's spins you can choose if you don't like the gnome DE.

[Paul17]

On 10/11/2023 at 6:41 AM, WHmartin said:

I've got a laptop that is currently running Windows 10 and I am getting to a point where I want to move to a Linux based system as I can't upgrade to Windows 11 due to the system being incompatible and I want to try Linux. 

 

I wondered as a newbie, but someone with knowledge of computers and very little Linux experience 20 years ago, what should I try?

 

Also I have always been worried about security and viruses on a Linux system which has stopped me from moving to it in the past. However, I have time on my hands and want to leave Microsoft. 

 

I only use the laptop for streaming Netflix disney etc. I use the Internet quite often and sometimes do some typing or a bit of desktop publishing. Obviously nothing too intensive as I have bo dedicated graphics card. 

 

Can anyone help me?

You have less to worry about regarding viruses on a Linux OS.   The most important thing is to back up your data and on a laptop, that's even more important if you are dual booting - if your laptop can fit 2 drives - it would be preferable to have a dedicated Linux drive and Windows on the other.   If that's not possible, back up your stuff.   If the drive is going to house only Linux - well, then that will be easier, too.

 

I always recommend having another PC or at least, a (smart)phone - something that has internet/browser because you will eventually run into issues or problems you have to solve - so, it's imperative to have that access in order to look up 'stuff.'

 

What is the igpu/gpu?   I recommend either Mint or Ubuntu for starting out.   

[Deeya]

On 10/11/2023 at 3:53 AM, ChrisLoudon said:

Ubuntu or Mint would be my go to choices.

 

On the Win 11 compatibility issue, bypassing it is pretty easy. There's plenty of sites you can download versions of a bypass.bat file that you run at the early stages of the Windows setup that skips the CPU and TPM check.

 

As a side note, if you create the install media with Rufus for win11, is has options to disable the checks as well, in addition to requiring an MS account.

 

[ChrisLoudon]

1 hour ago, Deeya said:

As a side note, if you create the install media with Rufus for win11, is has options to disable the checks as well, in addition to requiring an MS account.

Ahhh, every day's a school day.

 

Good tip.

[WHmartin]

Thank all you people for the amazing responses. Sorry I've been away a while sorting family issues. 

 

It seems I have a lot of options and I may try a few different choices to see what I prefer. 

[WHmartin]

On 10/11/2023 at 5:57 PM, The Hope said:

How much experience you have with Linux doesn't necessarily always matter much. You have persons who start with Arch Linux as their first experience with Linux, and often this ends positively, if it is a person who is smart and invests the necessary time to read the wiki.

 

very easy:

https://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=openmandriva

https://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=mageia

https://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=nobara

https://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=neptune

https://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=deepin

https://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=clear

https://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=ghostbsd

https://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=rosa

 

easy:

https://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=endeavour

https://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=opensuse

https://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=siduction

https://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=archcraft

Thanks for all of the links you sent. I shall be going through them. 

[WHmartin]

On 10/15/2023 at 11:56 AM, Paul17 said:

You have less to worry about regarding viruses on a Linux OS.   The most important thing is to back up your data and on a laptop, that's even more important if you are dual booting - if your laptop can fit 2 drives - it would be preferable to have a dedicated Linux drive and Windows on the other.   If that's not possible, back up your stuff.   If the drive is going to house only Linux - well, then that will be easier, too.

 

I always recommend having another PC or at least, a (smart)phone - something that has internet/browser because you will eventually run into issues or problems you have to solve - so, it's imperative to have that access in order to look up 'stuff.'

 

What is the igpu/gpu?   I recommend either Mint or Ubuntu for starting out.   

I don't have a dedicated gpu. It is just whatever version come on-board. I think its Intel UHD 500 series.