Good morning everyone! I'm looking to install Linux on my Asus Zenbook UX3405CA-U9321TB. My experience is pretty limited; the last time I used Linux was about ten years ago when I briefly tried Ubuntu for a couple of days on an old PC. Can anyone recommend a Linux distribution that would be user-friendly and work well on my notebook?
4 Answers
Considering your previous Ubuntu experience, Ubuntu 25 could be a solid pick as it'll feel familiar. It's on the cutting edge but steer clear of LTS releases for now. You might also explore Fedora with the GNOME desktop or CachyOS (just pick GNOME in the installer since it's Arch-based). Make sure to test if your WiFi and audio work during the USB installer process—some laptops have hardware that might not be supported out of the box.
Good point about hardware compatibility! It’s always good to check that before committing to an install.
I'd recommend trying out either Ubuntu or Linux Mint! Both are user-friendly, and you'll find loads of tutorials on YouTube to help you get started. Just a heads up—once you install, take some time to learn about the Linux filesystem. Stick with a stable distro for a few months to get the hang of things. I see many people diving into Arch without much background, and that can get messy if you hit a snag!
Keep it straightforward—I'd say go with Zorin or Mint! Both are super easy to use and should work great on your laptop.
If you're totally new to Linux, Mint with the Cinnamon desktop is a great choice, especially since you're coming from Windows. It's really intuitive!
Totally agree! GNOME looks really clean by default. Just a heads-up, though: Fedora can be a bit tricky. I had issues with the latest version getting stuck when mounting loop devices, which broke my kernel modules! LOL!