I've tried out three different Linux distros so far: Mint, Arch, and EndeavorOS. Mint was decent, but I found the Cinnamon desktop too limiting. Then I switched to Arch, which I really liked, but I ended up breaking the update compatibility because I didn't update it frequently enough. I also gave EndeavorOS a shot but found the user experience worse than plain Arch due to similar issues.
The main problem is that I'm not a power user and don't really need a rolling release. My usage primarily involves CD archival and casual gaming, and there are times when I don't boot my PC for a month or more. I need a distro that remains functional without constant updates and won't create problems when I finally do boot it up. It's important that it stays reasonably updated without too much hassle.
Right now, I'm considering Fedora Kinoite/Bazzite or OpenSUSE Leap, but I'm unsure if they can handle my concerns about broken update compatibility. I don't have the knowledge or the time to fix these issues, so I really want to avoid reinstalling the OS constantly. Also, I'm using an Nvidia GPU, so I'd like a distro that makes that setup as easy as possible.
Here's my setup: Ryzen 5 4500, 16GB DDR4, RTX 3050. Any recommendations would be great!
6 Answers
You should consider Manjaro. It’s based on Arch but less cutting edge, which makes it stable while still giving you access to the AUR. I've been using it for years with very few problems, and it has a nice GUI package manager that makes handling updates easier.
Debian is a solid option for your needs. It doesn't push updates aggressively, so you can go without updating for a while without the risk of breaking dependencies. You could stick with vanilla Debian Stable or check out a user-friendly fork like MX Linux if you want something more tailored.
Good to know! Do you think MX Linux is really user-friendly compared to standard Debian?
I suggest trying out Fedora. They keep the last three kernels available, so if something breaks after an update, you can always boot into a previous version. Plus, it has a set release schedule which helps with stability. They mostly use Gnome as the desktop, but there are KDE spins if that's more your style.
What did you find limiting about Mint?
I think I prefer a more flexible DE over Cinnamon, which felt too simplistic for my needs.
If you're worried about system breaks, openSUSE might be your best bet. It has built-in snapshots with btrfs that save your system state before and after updates, which makes recovery easy. Plus, there's Aeon, which is intended for a 'set and forget' experience, though it's still in RC.
You might want to look into Kubuntu. It's easy to set up, comes with KDE out of the box, and has a large community for support. Plus, it's based on Ubuntu's stability, so you can expect reliable long-term support without the hassle of frequent issues or updates.
Sounds good! I’ve heard good things about Kubuntu.
That could work! But what do you mean by broken update compatibility?