Distro suggestions
Distro suggestions
For whatever reason the past year gaming has taken a back seat, I'm not quite sure why it no longer excites me. Since gaming was my main motivation for choosing Windows, I'm looking for distro recommendations. I prefer lighter systems but don't feel obligated to go that far. A 1070ti works fine—it's not overpowered but still solid. Above all, I need something smooth and fast, with instant performance and reliable software support (no need to compile everything myself). Ubuntu with GNOME tends to lag for me, and I've experienced screen tearing issues even after full pipeline builds. Besides Ubuntu, other options are also acceptable. Thanks!
Popular OS is great for beginners, and I also like using Linux Mint—it works well too.
If you prefer building the system yourself, go with f2fs for NVMe storage. Arch offers an extensive collection thanks to the AUR. You may need to compile anything from the AUR, but tools like yay can help streamline the process. Rarely will a package you need or want be found in standard repos or the AUR. Manjaro is ideal if you want Arch without complications and a two-week stable update delay. KDE could be a good choice for a desktop environment—something I use and suggest. It uses fewer resources than before. For better performance, turn off the compositor.
Ubuntu variations with minimal overhead include Lubuntu, Kubuntu, Xubuntu, and Ubuntu Lumina Remix. For lighter alternatives, consider Manjaro, Project Trident, Void Linux, AntiX, and MX Linux. Mint offers a lighter experience compared to traditional GNOME versions. Fedora provides non-Gnome options in certain distributions. ElementaryOS is reasonably lightweight, with Pantheon outperforming Gnome. If you're willing to invest time, Arch, Gentoo, and building from scratch deliver maximum customization.
My top choice is OpenSUSE. With Leap 15.x you get a dependable system, perfect if you want the newest features. Tumbleweed suits those who need everything. It works smoothly on laptops, servers, desktops, Raspberry Pi, and more. Plus, YaST simplifies managing your setup—making tasks like partitioning hard drives or installing Nvidia drivers a breeze.
I personally like Linux Mint. I runs well on my laptop and the default cinnamon GUI is similar to what you will be used to coming from Windows. I use the Ubuntu based 19.3, but if like Kelvinhall above you want to avoid Ubuntu based distros they have a Debian based version. The community is pretty friendly as well. https://www.linuxmint.com/download.php https://forums.linuxmint.com/index.php?s...818aab3833 I've used Manjaro and liked it. I wasn't thrilled with Ubuntu, but I don't really like the Gnome desktop. Zorin felt slow to me compared to other distros. One of the nice things about Linux though is if you find a distro you like, but don't like the desktop you can change it. If you decide to get back into gaming, it is a lot easier on Linux now than in the past. Especially on Steam. One of the complaints about Mint is it is a little fugly out of the box. I attached 2 pictures of my desktop to show some of the customizations you can do.