I'm trying to settle on a Linux distro and I've been asking GPT for help, but I wanted to get your opinions too. Here's what I've experienced with different distros:
- **Ubuntu 24.04**: I struggled with missing ASUS utilities, poor power management, and no fan/GPU control.
- **openSUSE Tumbleweed**: Great package manager (zypper!), but tuning my AMD GPU and fan required too much manual effort.
- **Fedora 42**: Super clean interface, but I couldn't find good alternatives to G-Helper and Armoury Crate, missing features like AFMF/Chill were disappointing.
- **Nobara**: Awesome for gaming but it was too unstable for my development needs.
- **Bazzite (GNOME & KDE)**: Gaming-oriented and polished, but setting up Python 3.11 plus the ML stack was a real headache.
- **EndeavourOS KDE**: Fast and sleek, but maintaining Arch felt like too much babysitting.
- **Windows 11**: Not ideal, but Armoury Crate and Adrenalin work perfectly with WSL2.
What I really need from a distro is a solid environment for data science and ML (with Python 3.11, Conda, Jupyter, Qiskit, etc.), good gaming support for my RX 7600S (mid settings are fine), full tuning for my CPU/GPU and fans because I have an ASUS TUF A16, and minimal tinkering. I don't want to have to fix things every time I update! Here are my specs: CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 7435HS, GPU: AMD Radeon RX 7600S, RAM: 32 GB DDR5 4800 MHz (16x2).
3 Answers
Have you considered using the Distrobox container feature in Bazzite? It might make handling Python 3.11 and your ML stack easier, though I get that it's a bit of a hassle if they only include 3.13 by default. TensorFlow and the libraries can be picky!
Hey fellow Asus TUF A16 owner! Have you tried Pop_OS or Mint with Cinnamon? They might offer a better experience overall. Also, check out utilities like LACT or Corectrl; they could fill the gaps left by Armoury Crate. Haven't tried them yet myself but thought I'd share!
I’m actually waiting for the cosmic release of Pop_OS to give it a go! Hoping it makes things smoother.
I'd suggest giving Tumbleweed another shot. You can install GPU and fan utilities directly from Flathub which should help with managing your hardware efficiently.
I did see that, but I'm concerned about compatibility issues. Some libraries might not support 3.12 yet, which could throw a wrench in my plans.