Best 6 Linux Distros For Beginners

Best 6 Linux Distros For Beginners

The future of the desktop aside, unlike Windows, where your only real choices today are Windows 10 or 11, there are hundreds of Linux desktop distributions. On top of those are numerous Linux desktop interfaces, each with its own distinctive look and feel, such as KDE, GNOME, Cinnamon, Lxde, Xfce, and many more. Most distributions have a primary user interface, such as Fedora and GNOME and OpenSUSE and KDE, but also enable you to pick from one to three others. Since you're just starting with Linux, I recommend you stick with the distro's main interface.

What's a would-be Linux desktop user to do? Luckily for you, you don't have to try them all out to find a good fit.

The key question is: "What do you want to use Linux for?" For beginners, I look at what's the easiest to pick up; the best overall Linux desktop; the easiest Linux desktop to learn; the simplest Linux for Windows users and the easiest Linux for users with older machines.

For those of you who haven't met me before, I've been using Linux as a desktop operating system since 2008. And, long before that, I was using Unix as a desktop. Since then, I've used dozens of different Linux distributions, and I run a YouTube channel dedicated to Linux. Today, the Linux desktop is my main desktop. In short, I know the Linux desktop.

So, with all that, here are my suggestions for the best desktops for beginners.

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[-bazoona]

I watch videos for beginners like these to remember the Days when i was a Linux newbie and was watching Linux vids alot and comparing distros

[sharktooh]

Finally someone making GOOD recommendations for GOOD distros instead of the usual mint, ubuntu, debian, etc.

[RockawayCCW]

I really enjoy these distro overviews. Thanks for doing them.

[zuli]

Great video Troy.... Keep them coming : )

[MatthewLadas]

Great video! I’ve been using pop for about a year now and I love it. I do have an nvidia card and it worked out of the box. Great OS

[StrikerEureka]

i love pop os because it's friendly to both beginners and experts and it just works out of the box, as well as having arguably the most polished UI of all distros.

[TheLinuxWarrior]

WOW Again a great Video. I 100% agree to your selection. I have tested them all and they are realy user friendly for newcommers. Thumbs Up and gretings from Germany

[cantdance]

Thanks Troy for this info. My Linux quest, MX Linux, Linux Mint, Pop OS, Manjaro, Endeavour OS, Fedora, Opensuse, back to Pop OS, Fedora and Manjaro, has all led me back to MX Linux. Brilliant distribution.

[fredsterx]

Thanks for helping beginners getting started

[beardshack]

I ran Solus for years on my laptops. One of the fastest boot times on that machine! They always had everything I needed as far as software. They recently have a problem with developers. The main one left. Now they are working on getting it filled. Depending the person, I have suggested Solus, Feren, Zorin and Mint. I personally have had to many problems with Manjaro KDE over the years. I just cannot keep it up after 3 months. I have found myself in the Gnome gui more here lately. I cant wait to see what POP does with their own gui! Keep up the great work.

[happyfeet]

It's videos like this that make the switch to Linux a breeze. Thanks for the video 👍

[davidwayne]

QUESTION:-- Does KDE connect work over regular cell service- or will it work on WIFI too? I tried it once here and it would not connect with my phone--- and someone suggested i try BLUTOOTH?? Where can i find this instruction??
COuld nitrux be loaded onto a PHONE as the main operating system??

[osobowoscrealistyczna]

Great idea about promoting more other friendly distros but I have another examples:

SparkyLinux - one of my favorites. Debian based, intuitive package managing, many desktop environments to choose and good community.

Q4OS - simple, especially for old computers and undemanding users, KDE and Trinity supported. Very Windows-feel.

KDE Neon - propably the most lightweight KDE distro, beautiful and very easy to use, the better Kubuntu I think.

Lite - not as lite as it advertising, little bit heavyweight than Mint Xfce, but simple, nice and easy.

Netrunner and deepin also looks good but I don't used it before.

[davidwayne]

I think that PLASMA INTEGRATION was what caused the problem with my TELEGRAM always wanting to open INSIDE FIREFOX- which I hate-- I want the telegram on my desktop all the time and NOT inside FIREFOX because every time someone sent message- i HAD TO LOG IN AGAIN- not good.. ANy ideas?

[zamSEG]

hello sir, any recommendations on top 3 lighweight linux for beginners migrating from windows 7 that work out of the box?

[SenorRossi]

Good recommendations ! My personal recommendatios for beginners are: 1. Linux Mint, 2. POP OS, 3. Zorin OS, 4. Solus, 5. Manjaro - I forgot Nr.6: Kubuntu !

[Sridhar.Ananthanarayanan]

Feren OS is probably the most underrated Linux Distro and hardly anyone talks about it. I have tried over 15 different distros in the last couple of months. I'm just not able to get myself to like Gnome based distros. The UI is very dated and leaves too much to desire. So here's my top picks in this order:
1. Feren OS
2. Manjaro KDE
3. Zorin OS
4. Linux Mint
5. Pop OS

[davidwayne]

MX will NOT install all packages "at once" in the package manager IF-- IF- your download speed is only 4 meg- like mine-- so if anyone has very slow internet service- they will need to do these ONE at a time- or it hangs and will not install at all.. NOT the fault of the software... I keep going BACK to MX after every "hop" to another distro. I was even thinking of going to LMDE 5 and just customizing that--but MX is Debian and has SO MUCH MORe to use for tools-- which overwhelmed me at the beginning.. I LOVE my MX- have my own custom version on a USB thanks to that feature in it!!! i want to learn how to use those tools to make OTHER distros right-- or us it on them.. is that possible?

[stevenmendoza]

i will take a look at Nitrux OS software Center and maybe Pop!_OS ... but KDE on 3 out of 6 not bad for KDE ... Waiting on KDE Plasma 5.24 ...Great video..

[toastbrot]

Solus OS' download link leads to a nonexistent page