Our verdict

elementary OS 8.1 is the wrong shape for someone who wants Windows and the right shape for someone who wants calm. There is a dock along the bottom and a thin bar at the top, which is the macOS arrangement, not the Windows one.

What it does very well is consistency. The built in apps look and behave alike, the settings are short rather than endless, and there are real privacy controls that let you stop an app reaching your camera, microphone or home folder. For a single person doing email, writing, browsing and photos, it is pleasant.

The project recommends a recent Intel Core i3 or similar 64-bit dual core processor, 4 GB of memory and a solid state drive with at least 32 GB free. Note that is a recommendation, not a floor, and elementary does not publish a separate minimum. Gaming is not a focus here, and the download page asks you to choose a price, where entering zero is allowed.

Best for: People coming from a Mac, Writers and students, Anyone who wants fewer settings, not more.

What's good

Consistent, calm design, with apps that look like they belong together
Built in controls over which apps can see your camera, microphone and files
Simple to learn if you have used macOS

What to know first

Dock at the bottom and menu bar at the top, so it is not a Windows layout
Fewer settings to change than most other systems, on purpose
Its own app store is small, so you will use other sources for most software
Asks for a payment amount on the download page, though you may enter zero

The details

Memory (RAM) needed

4 GB minimum, 8 GB comfortable

Disk space needed

32 GB

Desktop look

Pantheon

Updates

A new version every so often, stable in between

Supported for

5 years per version

Built on

Ubuntu LTS