Best Linux Distros For Laptops
The following 10 are the best Linux Distros for laptops:
1. Ubuntu
If you want to buy a laptop, you should definitely look at Ubuntu. It’s one of the most popular Linux distros available today. It’s lightweight, fast, and runs great on older computers. Plus, it’s completely free, so you won’t have to worry about spending money on software.
You can download Ubuntu directly from its website. Just click here to start downloading. Once you’ve downloaded the ISO file, burn it onto a DVD or USB drive using your favorite burning program. Then boot off of the disc/drive and install Ubuntu.
Once installed, you can access the Ubuntu Software Center where you can browse through thousands of programs and games. There are plenty of free programs, including ones that let you watch movies, play music, edit documents, and more.
There are also paid options, but you don’t have to spend anything extra to enjoy the benefits of Ubuntu. You can simply pay once to unlock certain features, such as the ability to customize your desktop computer’s background.
With Ubuntu, you can also dual-boot your computer with another operating system, such as Windows. Simply select the option during installation and you’ll be able to choose between Ubuntu and Windows.
2. PopOS
PopOS is a popular distro that is based on Ubuntu. You’ll find yourself spending less time configuring your laptop and more time doing actual work.
The PopOS app store is amazing. It’s loaded with thousands of free and paid apps. There are tons of games, productivity programs, music players, video editors, photo editors, and more.
Not only does PopOS come preinstalled with lots of apps, but it also comes with a built-in app store where you can download any app you’d like.
There are plenty of customization options available if you don’t like the default theme. You can easily switch between light and dark themes, and you can customize the font color, background color, window border color, etc.
Overall, PopOS is a fantastic Linux distribution for anyone who wants to spend less time setting up their laptop and more time actually getting stuff done.
3. Linux Mint
This is a great lightweight distro for older laptops. It’s lightweight and offers excellent performance. It’s also super customizable, meaning that if you find a feature lacking, you can easily add it yourself.
With the latest version of Linux Mint, you’ll notice improvements in performance and stability. In addition, there are new features added to the system, including support for AMD graphics cards.
You can customize Linux Mint to suit your needs. You can change themes, icons, fonts, window controls, panel layouts, etc.
There are two versions of Linux Mint available: One is called “Cinnamon,” and the other is called “Mate.” Both are equally powerful and highly customizable.
4. Elementary OS
This is a really nice beginner-friendly distro for laptops. It’s visually appealing and offers a lot of functionality out of the box. You’ll find yourself using it every day without realizing it!
You can install it directly onto any computer running Windows 7 or later. Once installed, you can customize the look and feel of the OS to match your personal preferences.
You can also add additional software to the OS by installing third-party apps through AppCenter. These apps include productivity suites, games, music players, video editors, photo editing apps, and more.
There are several unique features that make elementary OS stand out from other distros. One of those is the ability to track your usage habits. You can monitor how long you spend working on your beautiful desktop computer, watching movies, playing games, surfing the web, and more.
Another feature is the Picture in Picture mode. This allows you to watch two different programs simultaneously. For instance, you can watch a movie while browsing the web.
Finally, the elementary OS supports dual booting. This means that you can run the OS alongside another operating system. This gives you the flexibility to switch between the two systems whenever you want.
5. Manjaro
Manjaro is an excellent choice for free Linux distribution that is easy to install and configure. It comes with a wide range of pre-installed applications, including LibreOffice, Firefox, Thunderbird, GIMP, VLC media player, Audacity audio editor, Empathy instant messaging client, Transmission BitTorrent client, GNOME 3.20, Xfce 4.12, etc.
You can easily change the kernel version without any complex troubleshooting, making it a great choice for beginners. Arch Linux-based distributions also let you choose your hardware components, giving you the ability to customize them to suit the exact needs of your laptop.
And if you ever find yourself needing support, there is a large community behind Manjaro Linux. You have access to their official website, forums, and documentation.
Finally, if you want to fully embrace Manjaro, they have partnerships with several hardware manufacturers to provide laptops and even smartphones with the Manjaro OS installed.
6. Garuda Linux
This is an excellent distro if you’re looking for a cool-looking Linux distribution that is specifically made for a custom desktop environment. It comes with pre-installed software with the Zen kernel, which is one of the most stable and well-supported Linux kernels available.
BTRFS is used as the default file system, meaning that it automatically creates snapshots of files and folders at regular intervals. You can easily restore any previous snapshot using the built-in Timeshift feature.
You can install apps, change the kernel, manage drivers, tweak grub settings, etc all through the GUI. There’s no need to use the command line interface.
With its sleek look and ease of use, Garuda Linux is a must-try for anyone looking for a new Linux distribution!
7. openSUSE
Linux distros come in all shapes and sizes, and openSUSE is no exception. From its bleeding edge Tumbleweed version to its stable Leap version, openSUSE offers a wide variety of options for users.
This is due to the fact that openSUSE is sponsored by major companies including B1 Systems and AMD. It’s also popular among sysadmins and computer science students because it gives you the power to manage many functions and services without needing to learn or memorize complex commands.
That’s because openSUSE comes with YaST, one of its best and most powerful system configurators. You can easily configure the OS without having to edit the configuration file scattered throughout the /etc folder.
And since openSUSE supports even the newest hardware, you can be confident that it will work just as well on any of your old laptops.
Plus, openSUSE has excellent driver support and works well out of the box. So whether you’re using it on a new laptop or upgrading an existing machine, openSUSE will perform just as well as installed.
And if you do run into problems, openSUSE provides a whole section of its wiki dedicated to helping people in the installation process and updating openSUSE on laptops.
8. Linux Lite
If you’ve ever used Elementary OS, then you’ll feel right at home using Linux Mint. It’s very similar to Elementary OS, but it uses a slightly lighter version of Linux called Linux Lite.
You may not realize it, but Linux Mint is actually based on Ubuntu. So if you already know how to use Ubuntu, you should be able to figure out how to use Linux Mint without any problems.
While Linux Mint isn’t as heavy as Elementary OS, it does come with fewer programs installed by default. You won’t find DVD playback support or Adobe Flash Player by default. However, you can easily add these programs later.
To start, open the Software Manager application and search for “DVD player”. Once you find it, click Install to begin downloading and installing the program.
Once you’ve downloaded and installed the DVD player, you can watch movies on your laptop. You can also listen to music files and view pictures stored on your personal computer.
Linux Mint is great for older computers because it’s less resource intensive than Ubuntu. It also offers a lot of customization options, making it easier to personalize your experience level.
9. CentOS
CentOS is a Linux operating system that was created specifically for servers. It’s been around for years and is considered one of the most stable Linux distributions available today. It’s also extremely customizable, making it an obvious choice for users who enjoy tinkering with programming languages.
CentOS is based on the highly regarded Red Hat Enterprise Linux, but it’s not a commercial version. You can download CentOS for free, but it won’t include any extra bells and whistles. Instead, it’s focused on being simple and reliable.
You can install CentOS using either the command line or through the GUI. If you prefer the command line, you’ll find that CentOS is pretty straightforward. If you’d rather use the GUI, you can download the ISO file and burn it onto a CD/DVD. Once installed, you can log in and start working right away.
There are two main versions of CentOS: CentOS Linux and CentOS Stream. Both focus on stability and feature regular updates. CentOS Linux is geared towards power laptop users who like to tinker with code, whereas CentOS Stream is intended for users who want to keep up with the latest trends without worrying about breaking anything along the way.
If you’re not the type who enjoys modifying software, you can just grab one of the two major versions of CentOS and use it as it is. Your first choice is CentOS Linux, which offers stability and regular updates. Then, you can opt for CentOS Stream, which comes with rolling releases and customizations designed for users who want the latest technology and tools at their fingertips.
10. Sugar
Sugar is a very cool Linux distribution for kids. It’s super easy to use and comes preinstalled on many of the computers made by the One Laptop Per Child project. You can even boot it right off a USB flash drive.
Sugar is a free operating system for kids. It’s a lightweight OS that runs on almost any device, including laptops, tablets, smartphones, and even smartwatches. It’s designed to be used by kids, not adults, which makes it ideal for younger learners.
Sugar is a very intuitive OS that focuses on teaching kids basic skills rather than complex tasks. It’s a great way to introduce kids to technology without overwhelming them. You can download Sugar on a USB flash drive or SD card and boot it right away. There’s also a live version called Sugar on a Stick that lets you run it directly off a thumb drive.
Sugar is a lightweight operating system that runs on almost any computer. It’s not meant to replace Windows or Mac OS X but rather provide an alternative option for those who prefer a simpler experience.
There are tons of free apps available for Sugar including games, educational programs, and music players. There’s also a wide variety of educational websites and books available for download.
