Which Linux should I pick?
Linux comes in many versions, called "distributions" or "distros". They all run the same apps. What changes is how the desktop looks and how much it expects you to know. These are listed easiest-first for someone coming from Windows.
- Best Linux for beginners coming from Windows
- Linux that looks and works like Windows
- Best Linux for an old computer
- Best Linux for gaming
Linux Mint
The closest thing to a Windows desktop that is not Windows.
Best for:First-time switchersFamily computersPeople who liked Windows 7
Zorin OS
Built to look like Windows on purpose, with a paid edition that looks like more.
Best for:First-time switchersPeople who want it to look familiar straight awayAnyone nervous about change
Kubuntu
Ubuntu underneath, with a desktop that behaves like Windows.
Best for:People who liked Windows 10TinkerersGaming PCs
Linux Lite
Aimed squarely at Windows users with an older computer.
Best for:Older laptopsFirst-time switchersSecond-hand office PCs
MX Linux
Debian's steadiness with a pile of small tools that save you trouble.
Best for:Older laptopsPeople who want it to keep workingRescuing a slow machine
Manjaro
Arch Linux made approachable, but still a rolling release.
Best for:Confident tinkerersGaming PCsPeople who want new software without Arch's setup
Pop!_OS
Made by a laptop company, now with its own desktop called COSMIC.
Best for:Gaming PCsNVIDIA graphics cardsPeople who like keyboard shortcuts
Ubuntu
The best known Linux, and the one most instructions are written for.
Best for:People who want the most common answerNewer laptopsAnyone who needs vendor support
Bazzite
A gaming system you cannot easily break, built on Fedora.
Best for:Gaming PCsHandheld gaming devicesLiving room computers
elementary OS
Quiet, tidy and more like a Mac than like Windows.
Best for:People coming from a MacWriters and studentsAnyone who wants fewer settings, not more
Lubuntu
Ubuntu stripped back so it will run on an old machine.
Best for:Older laptopsNetbooks and low powered PCsReviving a machine for light use
Nobara
Fedora with the gaming and video editing bits already sorted out.
Best for:Gaming PCsVideo editingLiving room computers
Fedora Workstation
New software first, on a six month cycle, with short support.
Best for:People who want current softwareNewer hardwareDevelopers
openSUSE Tumbleweed
Always the newest software, with a safety net if an update goes wrong.
Best for:Curious intermediate usersVery new hardwarePeople who never want a big upgrade day
Debian
The foundation half the Linux world is built on, and it shows.
Best for:Patient learnersOlder hardwarePeople who value stability over newness