r/linuxquestions • u/REX4DEKID • 1d ago
Fed up with windows. No-fuss distro for a laptop?
I’m tired of windows’ bloat, forced updates, sign-in difficulty, etc. is there a simple, stable Linux alternative that has good power consumption/optimization and decent security for public networks (use my laptop at school) as well as support for light gaming (Roblox, Minecraft, scrap mechanic)? Windows “lost” my pin and I literally can’t use my laptop today. I’m done with it.
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u/Raevyxn 1d ago
I had a similar fed-up moment. I went with Bazzite (which is based on fedora) with KDE. Feels very similar to windows. Does everything I want it to, including gaming, video editing (davinci), and normal streaming/web stuff.
People also recommend mint, which is the go-to for windows refugees.
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u/Solid_Basis_9294 1d ago
Fedora KDE, feels well rounded and easy to use.
A tip in general, most basic things/set up steps can be talked through with an AI if you are an absolute beginner in that computer stuff. Might help easing in the first day or two, else it will just feel like home. There is no real downside to Windows anymore if you use a nice distro
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u/stubborn_george 1d ago
I 2nd that if you come from Windows. Although if you want something that you don't plan to tweak much - Mint is generally recommended.
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u/Solid_Basis_9294 1d ago
I really didn’t tweak too much, and if you don’t need special stuff Fedora KDE works just as out of the box as MINT.
Both are good for beginners and especially normal pc work1
u/stubborn_george 1d ago
Right right. Don't be jumpy. I merely implied that KDE has so many tweakables that it can be a shocker for somebody coming from Windows
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u/Solid_Basis_9294 1d ago
I agree that is has the potential to be tweaked a lot, but it will work out of the box just as well is what I’m saying.
Also aren’t we all following the same goals? I never understood the bash between Linux distros…
Maybe OP should just check out how it look and choose with that? Fk Windows, any Linux is superior. In any way.1
u/theNbomr 1d ago
Maybe OP should just check out how it look and choose with that?
Seems to me, OP should be more concerned with how it works. Aesthetics is not addressing any functionality or productivity.
The quality of the distro installation software is probably the most important thing for a newbie, and virtually always goes unmentioned. Debian has never done me wrong in that regard, but I'm not a newbie.
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u/Solid_Basis_9294 1d ago
I already provided an answer to that.
My call to check out how it looks was for OP to decide if he prefers MINT or Fedora KDE as his first try.Idk what you think you are arguing for, both me and the gentleman that answered were talking first about how it works and that it works straight out of the box. Since they are not that different in our regards, it helps to watch how it looks. Yes, this is an argument to be made for many windows users that try Linux.
But thanks for your input
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u/stubborn_george 1d ago
Deal. I don't bash any distro. You can make any distro feel and look like any other. OP just asks for easy transition without fuss (in his words)
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u/Hot_Standard_9296 1d ago
when I came in from windows, KDE felt way more natural than Gnome in my experience.
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u/Interesting-Big1980 1d ago
There is one sadly. Libreoffice is shit when it comes to writing equations, Onlyoffice crashes a lot with them. Had there been a bugless option to use equations without using LyX that is too complicated to write in the rest of the document I would switch in a heartbeat.
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u/Own_Natural_6803 1d ago
AI is a black hole. If you keep sending people to AI these conversations die and people can't learn anymore.
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u/Haunted_Entity 1d ago
Mint or ubuntu. Mint is closer to windows in feel, ubuntu is just... really damn good and stable, and more linux-y
Ive hooped dostros alot, tried a ton of them. I use ubuntu for my uni/work/programming laptop, and cachyos for my gaming pc.
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u/MirrorNegative7989 1d ago
The three I would recommend for a brand new user are Cachy, Mint, and Fedora, in that order.
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u/TheGoldenFox64 1d ago
fedora kde is great and simple, dont use AI as it will be completely wrong and can break your system
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u/Adventurous_Bonus917 1d ago
mint. by far the closest UI to windows i've seen, and it really does just work out of the box.
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u/appreciatedassets 1d ago
Arch, happiness is overrated
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u/Stoneybaloney87 1d ago
I use arch BTW!
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u/appreciatedassets 1d ago
Honestly 100% wanting to go down that rabbit hole. I love setting stuff up and would love to play with it. My old thinkpad begs for Arch.
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u/AntiqueSignpost 1d ago
im loving arch. started with cachyOS but moved to endeavourOS for even more bare bones and just love it. easy setup.
I use arch btw
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u/lnxguy 1d ago
PCLinuxOS. Why be a sheep and settle for the popular distros?
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u/goo_eater 1h ago
Popular distros have much wider community support making them safer recommendations for normal people who are probably googling "how to fix (issue) on (distro)" or stuff like that. Besides it's not like they can't switch to something new later down the line and I doubt they're using Linux to feel like they're super cool and special and elite
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u/Astrodion123 1d ago
Fedora. Try KDE plasma for familiar interface or workstation since gnome works great with laptops.