Help Me Choose an Arch-Based Distro and Desktop Environment

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Asked By TechieTurtle88 On

I've been using Manjaro on my laptop for a few months, but it's started to break down, so I'm planning on a clean install. I'm considering switching to Endeavour, Arch itself, or just reinstalling Manjaro. I'm also open to other non-Debian/Ubuntu distros. I've never installed Arch before, and I'm not very experienced with Linux. I've heard the Arch install scripts can simplify things a bit.

Here are my main requirements:
1. I have an older ThinkPad with an 8th gen i5. It can handle most tasks, but I'd like to conserve battery, especially when using power saver mode.
2. I know some distros have optimizations for ThinkPads.
3. I need a distro with a functional default software setup; my experience with KDE Plasma hasn't been great due to some GUI settings not working properly.
4. I'm looking for something visually appealing—KDE is nice, but I'm not hardcore into customization. I'm also interested in trying tiling window managers.
5. My main tasks involve writing in LaTeX and Markdown and browsing the web; I don't game.
6. I need a good phone connectivity solution—KDE Connect didn't work for me in the past, but I'll give it another chance with a clean install.
7. Stability is key; I'd like something reliable but I don't mind tinkering a bit.
8. Good documentation is essential—I often struggle to navigate Linux documentation, so clear guides would be a huge plus.

With all this in mind, I'd love any distro and DE recommendations that won't be too resource-heavy. Thanks!

1 Answer

Answered By ArchFanatic42 On

If you're looking for the pure Arch experience, Arch itself is the way to go, but be prepared for a steep learning curve since installation is all manual. Endeavour, on the other hand, offers a more user-friendly approach to installing Arch while still keeping most of its DIY nature. Manjaro tries to simplify things even more, but it feels a bit generic compared to the other two.

Trust me, the Arch Wiki is top-notch for any questions you might have—it covers almost everything. Just keep in mind, Arch and its derivatives get constant updates, which can occasionally lead to breakage. As for desktop environments, KDE Plasma and Gnome are the most popular, but if you're looking at tiling window managers, give i3 or Hyprland a try, though they require more setup and customization.

CuriousPenguin -

I'm leaning towards Endeavour too. I feel it strikes a balance between usability and functionality, especially since I'm not really experienced with Arch.

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