I'm planning to build a modern desktop PC as a more serious attempt to move from macOS to Linux. I've used Fedora and Arch before, but mostly on older computers and Macs where hardware quirks caused enough problems that I eventually returned to my MacBook for work. I already prefer Linux, and I'd like to keep the MacBook for taking to work while I test whether a Linux desktop can handle most of my daily needs. I may eventually buy a Linux-friendly laptop as well.
I work from home about half the time as a teacher, so reliable work tools are important. I also want to game, probably starting with Bazzite, and I may experiment with music production. Ableton Live is one of the main reasons I still use macOS, although I might try Bitwig on Linux despite possible VST compatibility issues.
The biggest recurring problems I've had on Linux involve required work software. I need Outlook email and Zoom, but I've avoided installing Microsoft's apps and have found Outlook in the browser slow or unreliable on older systems. Zoom has also crashed or behaved poorly on some of my older Linux machines, especially used ThinkPads from around 2014 or earlier. I mostly use LibreOffice and Emacs, though I occasionally need Microsoft Office in the browser.
Before committing to what could be a fairly expensive PC build, can people confirm whether Outlook in a browser and Zoom work reliably on modern, well-powered Linux hardware? Are there any obvious compatibility or workflow issues I should be considering?
2 Answers
Zoom generally works well on a modern Linux system. My problems with it were on much older hardware, so a current desktop should give you a much better experience. I haven't personally tested Outlook, though.
I've used Zoom successfully on Linux Mint, and it was a pleasant surprise. Outlook in Chrome has also been responsive for me on a five-year-old Ryzen 5 laptop running Windows, although I only use it for email. Since you mainly need Outlook for email, a modern Linux desktop should have plenty of performance for the browser version.
Good to know. Did you use the dedicated Zoom application or the browser version? Either way, it sounds like my older machines may have been the main source of the trouble.
That's reassuring about Zoom. If it runs reliably, I'm hoping the Outlook web app will also be usable on newer hardware.