How Does Gentoo Claim to Be the Fastest and Most Optimized Distro?

When you compile an application, it's converted into machine code that your CPU can process directly. If the compilation is done specifically for your CPU, it can utilize the best instructions and optimizations for your particular hardware. This means you could see some performance benefits. However, unless you’re diving deep into optimization, you might not notice much of a difference compared to using pre-compiled binaries, which modern compilers handle very well for most users.

Gentoo can be faster because you compile the software specifically for your hardware, optimizing it heavily. You also have the power to exclude unnecessary bloat, which can lead to a lean and efficient system. However, there are trade-offs in terms of setup time and ongoing maintenance.

You raise a solid point about compiling taking a lot of time. In practice, unless you're on hardware that's very non-standard or have specific needs, you might not get enough benefit from Gentoo's customization to justify the time lost in compiling every little update. There are many distros that strike a better balance between control and convenience.

Gentoo allows you to tailor the installation to be as optimized as possible, but that really depends on your know-how and willingness to dive into configurations. It's more about your expertise in configuring the build options than it is about the distro being inherently better. If you have experience optimizing builds, you can indeed reap the rewards, but for the average user, the speed difference may not be significant.

Honestly, unless you're doing something very specific or resource-intensive, the performance improvements from Gentoo may be negligible for everyday use. Other distros like T2SDE offer similar flexibility without the steep learning curve. Gentoo shines for users who want granular control over every component, while Arch might be better for those who prefer a more straightforward experience.