Is Nobara a Stable Choice for Linux Beginners?

Nobara does have a slick setup with a lot of features straight out of the box, which makes it appealing. However, I've experienced some issues which would make me hesitant to use it as a daily driver. For overall daily use and gaming, I've been happy with Void Linux, but it really depends on the specific needs you have.

When comparing Fedora and Nobara's update processes to those of Pop!_OS and Ubuntu, it's essential to note that a stable distro may become stagnant without manual updates to the kernel and drivers. In my experience, Fedora and Nobara are both quite stable, often even more so than Arch-based distros. Just be cautious during upgrades as issues can occasionally arise—waiting a few weeks before upgrading can help.

Keep in mind that even long-term releases like Ubuntu LTS still require updates for security patches, so they aren't 100% set-and-forget. Updating is part of maintaining system security, regardless of the release cycle. Nobara follows Fedora's pace, so it's not left behind in terms of updates either. But if you're looking for rock-solid stability, Ubuntu or Pop!_OS are great choices—just be aware that you may have to manage some older software occasionally.

If you're leaning towards Nobara for gaming, you might just want to stick with Fedora itself. It doesn't differ much in performance apart from the gaming tweaks Nobara has. That said, if you want something a little more flexible and lightweight, CachyOS could be a better fit. It operates on a rolling release which might be more suited for users looking for newer software regularly. But if you need reliability alongside gaming, Fedora is highly recommended for a balanced experience.

Garuda is another good option if you're aiming for a gaming-friendly distro. I haven’t used it myself, but I've heard positive things about its performance for gaming. Also, if you want something flexible on your main workstation but gaming optimized, Bazzite is worth checking out. I've found that it offers good performance on Steam Deck.