- A distro is a set of choices, not just a kernel
- Fresher desktops and different update habits
- Lean bases and community foundations
- Desktops that feel familiar to switchers
- Curated systems and pay-what-you-can downloads
- The nine in one table
- When staying where you are is the better call
- How to test a new distro without losing a weekend
- Frequently asked questions
Only switch when you can name the reason. If you'd like newer software or a different way of receiving updates, look at a distro with its own release approach. Coming from Windows? A familiar-looking desktop helps most. Want a lean base you shape yourself, or a community-built one? There's a group for that, and a curated system from a single team suits anyone who'd rather not tinker.
Ubuntu calls itself an enterprise Linux built for open source innovation, and plenty of people run it at home and at work without a second thought. If you're reading this, something has nudged you to look around. Maybe you want a desktop that changes in a different rhythm, maybe you'd like newer software sooner, or maybe you're helping someone off Windows and want the friendliest first step for them.
This page sorts nine other distributions by what they do differently, because a list ordered by fame won't tell you which one fixes your particular itch.
A distro is a set of choices, not just a kernel
One line on Debian's about page reframes the whole search: its systems can use either the Linux kernel or the FreeBSD kernel. That's a useful reminder that a distribution is a bundle of decisions sitting on top of a kernel, and those decisions are what you'll notice every day: how software arrives, how often the desktop shifts, and who decides what ships.
It also means several options aren't trying to copy what you already run. Manjaro and openSUSE each take their own release approach, so moving to either changes how updates reach you, not only which logo appears when you switch on.
So before you pick, decide whether you want the same experience with a different badge, or a different way of receiving updates. Those are two separate journeys, and mixing them up is how people end up reinstalling twice.
Fresher desktops and different update habits
If your frustration is waiting for newer software, start here. These three either put a recent desktop front and centre or take their own approach to releases, so expect more change than you're used to and read each project's update notes before you commit a main machine.
Fedora
Its Workstation edition ships the latest GNOME desktop. Worth a look if you want the newest version of that desktop rather than waiting for it.
Manjaro
It starts from Arch Linux and aims to make that accessible to a wider audience. A middle path if Arch interests you but feels like a big first step.
openSUSE
It offers both rolling-release and immutable flavours, so you choose the release style instead of inheriting one.
Lean bases and community foundations
These two appeal for different reasons. One is about keeping the system small and flexible; the other is about who builds it. Neither is about looking like another operating system.
Arch Linux
It calls itself a lightweight and flexible distribution that tries to Keep It Simple. If shaping a lean system yourself sounds like fun, start here.
Debian
It describes itself as a group of individuals who set out to create a free operating system. Pick it if a project built by its community matters to you.
Desktops that feel familiar to switchers
Helping a partner, parent or colleague move off Windows or a Mac? Familiarity matters more than anything technical in the first week. If the desktop looks strange, they'll blame the whole system, however good it is underneath.
Linux Mint
Its stated aim is a modern, elegant and comfortable system that's both powerful and easy to use. A sensible pick when ease of use is the whole brief.
Zorin OS
Its Appearance app can change the desktop layout to resemble Windows, macOS or Linux, which takes some fear out of the first login.
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Curated systems and pay-what-you-can downloads
Some people prefer one team's view of how a desktop should look and behave, rather than a pile of options. These two give you that, in different ways.
elementary OS
Its download page lets you decide what to pay, so you can back the project at a level that suits you.
Pop!_OS
Made by System76, it says it's designed to remove obstacles from your plate. Worth testing if you want a desktop that stays out of your way.
The nine in one table
| Name | Group | What its own site highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Fedora | Fresher desktop | Workstation edition with the latest GNOME desktop |
| Manjaro | Own release approach | Arch made accessible to a wider audience |
| openSUSE | Own release approach | Rolling-release and immutable flavours |
| Arch Linux | Lean base | Lightweight and flexible, trying to Keep It Simple |
| Debian | Community-built | A free operating system from a group of individuals |
| Linux Mint | Familiar desktop | Modern, elegant, comfortable and easy to use |
| Zorin OS | Familiar desktop | An Appearance app that mimics Windows, macOS or Linux layouts |
| elementary OS | Pay what you can | You choose what to pay for the download |
| Pop!_OS | Curated by one team | Made by System76 to remove obstacles |
Read across a single group rather than down the whole list. If your only complaint is the pace of updates, the familiar-desktop rows won't help, and if you're setting up a nervous first-time user, the release-approach rows are probably more change than they need.
When staying where you are is the better call
If your machine works, your apps run and updates don't bother you, a switch mostly buys you a new learning curve. The good reasons to move are concrete: you want a different release approach, you're setting up someone who needs a familiar layout, or you'd rather back a community-built project.
If you're wondering about the rules around using these systems, our guide on whether Ubuntu is free to use covers your current system, and this explainer on whether Linux is free looks at the wider picture.
How to test a new distro without losing a weekend
- Write down the one thing you want to change about your current setup. If you can't name it, stay put.
- Pick two candidates from the same group in the table, not one from each.
- Where the project has a live mode, start the computer from a USB stick and poke around before anything touches your drive.
- Test the apps you rely on daily: browser, office files, printer, webcam and video calls.
- Back up your home folder and leave your current install untouched for the first fortnight.
- Watch how updates arrive in that time, and whether the pace suits you.
- Only wipe the old system once you've stopped reaching for it.
That last step matters more than it sounds. Most failed switches aren't technical, they're habits: a missing app, a shortcut that works differently, a printer that needs a driver. Two weeks of normal use flushes those out before they eat into a working day.
Frequently asked questions
Will an older laptop cope with these?
Hardware needs differ by project and by desktop, so read each one's system requirements page and run a live session on that laptop before you install anything.
What does a rolling release mean day to day?
Updates arrive continuously instead of in bigger scheduled versions, so you see newer software sooner and more frequent change. openSUSE offers a rolling flavour if you'd like to try it.
What is an immutable flavour?
In general, an immutable system keeps its core files locked so everyday changes can't alter them. openSUSE offers one.
How long is each release supported?
Support periods differ by project and edition, so check each project's release notes before you install on a machine you depend on.
Will my Windows programs run on these?
A familiar layout doesn't change which apps are available. Check each program's own site for a Linux version, or a Linux equivalent, before you move.
Is it risky to switch my main computer?
Not if you back up first and keep the old install until the new one has proved itself. Check every app you depend on before wiping anything.
