Ready to take the Linux plunge but unsure of which distro to go with? We compare the four best choices for newcomers.
For those folks dipping their toes into Linux waters for the first time, the choice of various distributions or ‘flavours’ of Linux can be truly overwhelming, especially if you’re not sure what to look for.
In the early days of Linux, choosing a distribution (distro) was much simpler. You usually selected one you had heard about or with which you had a small amount of experience. There were also far fewer choices beyond Red Hat Linux, Debian and Slackware.
While you can still make a choice based on these criteria, the sheer number of Linux distros available now, and their ever vocal fan bases, makes it difficult to settle on one and get started.
So let’s ignore those voices altogether, and add one of our own. We’ve deliberately shied away from the popular mainstream distros here, as we didn’t just want easy-to-use distros. Instead, we’ve selected four that we believe are ideal starting points.
We have not included the regular version of Ubuntu as in our opinion it isn’t exactly right for beginners as is. However, three of the four versions of Linux we’ll be discussing are based on the Ubuntu operating system, with a few important changes.
We’ve also picked one that’s specifically aimed at those switching from Windows – in previous years, we were also able to feature a distro that was specifically aimed at macOS users too, but it (Pear Linux) has sadly been discontinued. However, both Pinguy and Elementary contain elements that will definitely appeal to Mac switchers – Elementary, in particular, has a macOS feel.
All distros were tested on the same dual-core machine with 4GB RAM. We’ve selected the latest 64-bit stable releases for each one. Some distributions are available for 32-bit processors and can run with less RAM. We encourage you to visit the developer’s website and discover the current requirements for yourself.
The distro also needs to be easy to install as most users will probably never have installed Linux before. We have also focused on software management and the kind of applications that are included with each distro.
Apart from these major points, the distro also needs to be easy to use for day-to-day activities. The ideal distro for newbies is one that does all of the above and also makes it easy to tweak some settings.
Linux’s Live CD approach allows you to test a distribution and familiarise yourself with it without having to first install it to your hard drive. This is a great way for new users to ease into Linux, and you can usually install the distro direct from the Live environment if you like it.
Most of these distros have an icon on the desktop you can double-click to launch the installer, making it very simple for newbies. If you already have an operating system on your machine that you want to keep, you will need to resize and partition the hard disk, at which point most people switching to Linux hesitate. This isn’t an issue for beginner-centric Linux distros. Indeed, many mainstream distros don’t enjoy much popularity with beginners because their installers aren’t very user friendly.
Solus is the one distro not based on Ubuntu in this guide. It was created in December 2015 and follows a rolling release model, meaning it updates automatically. The most recent version, Solus 3, was released in August 2017.
Solus is under active development but the installer bears a strong similarity to Ubuntu’s and as such is very easy to use. You may find some of the terminology baffling, plus the aforementioned partitioning and formatting can be tricky, but overall the process is neat and tidy.
The remaining Ubuntu-based distros all use a slightly modified version of Ubuntu’s Ubiquity installer specifically designed for beginners. The installation process can be completed in around half a dozen steps and will guide you through the process of formatting your hard drive, creating a user, setting your time zone and choosing the keyboard layout.
The most important step is partitioning, where you can erase the entire disk and use it to install the distro, or specify a custom partitioned layout. More importantly, if a version of Windows is detected, the distro will allow you to install it alongside in dual-boot format.
The best thing about using Ubiquity, when you’re a newbie, is that there’s plenty of documentation. Plus there are YouTube videos that take you through the installation process of each of our Ubuntu-based distributions. Because these distros are based on Ubuntu, you don’t get to choose the software that’s installed. Once you choose the installation disk and configure partitioning, the distro will automatically install the programs you’ve selected.
Linux distributions are usually designed to appeal to the largest number of potential users. This philosophy also underpins the applications which are included. All the distros in our guide offer the bare minimum in terms of programs, such as a web browser, email client, text editor, media player and so on, but some include much more than this.
Solus includes some basic apps – Firefox, Thunderbird and Transmission BitTorrent Client, VLC Media Player, as well as the office suite LibreOffice. However, there are no graphics or other media editing tools, nor any games.
Zorin is bristling with apps, such as LibreOffice and the Chromium web browser. Also included is GIMP image editor, an image viewer, Empathy IM, Rhythmbox music player, Cheese Webcam Booth and OpenShot Video Editor. It also carries Wine and PlayOnLinux, which allows you to install Windows-only apps and games.
PinguyOS is similarly well blessed, and ships with Thunderbird, LibreOffice, Empathy, the Deluge BitTorrent client, Clementine music player, Shutter, Wine, PlayOnLinux and much more.
Elementary OS has a much more elegant design which is reflected in its apps. It uses the Epiphany web browser, and also includes custom applications such as Photos, Music, Videos and Calendar. There’s even a custom Mail app which is based on the former open source client Geary, which goes well with Elementary’s user interface. Although the selection of apps is minimal, the essentials are covered and you can use the built-in app store to add more programs if you wish.
For most new users, the default set of apps should be more than enough to get started. As you become more accustomed to your distro, you may wish to install additional programs. Software repositories may seem like a strange concept at first, but most distros provide useful tools to help you install applications easily.
Solus provides its own frontend which links to both its own repository and a number of third-party apps. This can be a little restrictive for more advanced users, but there’s a large selection of consumer-grade apps to choose from, and it’s very well laid out.
Elementary OS once shipped with the Ubuntu Software Center, which allowed you to install a huge range of programs. Since development was discontinued, Elementary now comes with its own package manager, AppCenter, which is perfect for new users.
AppCenter offers a wide range of apps in a number of clearly defined categories. However, new users may struggle to find the exact application they need without trawling through long lists, as there isn’t much in the way of description. This is a common issue with software managers in Linux.
Zorin, like Elementary, has its own Software Store as well as the less glamorous Synaptic Package Manager. It supports the installation of Google applications and the Opera web browser.
Pinguy is based on Ubuntu 14.04, which is an LTS (Long Term Support) release. This means it still uses the now defunct Ubuntu Software Center as well as the Synaptic Package Manager. By default a number of software repositories are enabled, allowing you to install programs designed for other operating systems such as Linux Mint.
There’s also an extensive selection of themes for programs like the Clementine music player and Gnome desktop. The preinstalled Y PPA Manager can also help you to manage PPAs (Personal Package Archives). This allows you to install the latest versions of software which would otherwise be unavailable from Ubuntu’s official repositories.
You can tell a user has found a distro that they like when they begin to tweak its different aspects. Moving away from the default options is a sign of maturity for any user, but especially so with new Linux users.
People often say Linux distros are extremely customisable – but what does this mean for new users? Sure, you can change the desktop background, the icons theme, define keyboard shortcuts, configure power management and make other changes to the appearance and behaviour of the distro. But is it easy for a first-time Linux user to do this?
While all the distros in our list allow you to do all of this and more, they each go about the process differently. If the distro is aimed at new users, it scores highly if it includes special custom tools to help the user easily customise the distro to their liking.
Zorin is one of the finest distros to attract inexperienced Linux users. It has everything in terms of offering a friendly and usable experience to those coming from another Linux distro or even from Windows or macOS. Besides its Windows 10-styled desktop, the custom application launcher also does a pretty good job of mimicking the Windows 10 Start menu.
The Core edition has enough to whet your appetite. The paid ‘Ultimate’ version of Zorin also supports macOS, Gnome 2 and Unity desktop layouts using the ‘Zorin Appearance’ tool. Zorin also instils good desktop practice by regularly reminding users to run backups using the built-in app. All in all, the distro has the right mix of the best of Ubuntu sprinkled with some custom Zorin apps, such as the Look and Theme Changer apps.
Elementary is one of the simplest Ubuntu-based distros available, and as such is a good starting point for beginners. The distro places great emphasis on design, and this has resulted in a curious choice of integrated applications.
