I'm in search of a Linux distribution that's relatively stable and modern for my setup. My hardware includes a Ryzen 9700X, B850M MSI MAG motherboard with WiFi 7, and an RX7900 XT graphics card. Currently, I'm using Debian 13.2, but I'm facing issues with Bluetooth and WiFi drivers not being detected. I would prefer a distro that comes with KDE Plasma support right out of the box and is easy to use. I'm not looking for Arch or other unstable options. I've been considering Fedora as a suitable middle ground between Debian and Arch. Any suggestions?
5 Answers
Fedora is a solid choice for KDE and actually handles the hardware you're working with pretty well. From what I can gather, the B850M MSI MAG with WiFi 7 relies on the Qualcomm NCM865 chipset for WiFi and Bluetooth. If your Linux kernel is version 6.13 or newer, it should work seamlessly. Debian 13.2 uses an older kernel (6.12), which is likely why you're having trouble. So yeah, I think Fedora would be a great option for you!
Have you thought about trying PikaOS? It's a Debian-based distro and is pretty good for gaming too. Other great options for KDE support include Kubuntu and Drauger OS, which is also based on Kubuntu. Fedora is definitely strong, but you might find something fitting in these alternatives as well.
The chipset isn't everything—could you let us know how much RAM you have? It might be a factor in your overall performance with these distros.
Before deciding, make sure to check which WiFi card your PC has. If it's unsupported on Linux, it won't matter what distro you choose since they'll all rely on the same driver base. You can run `lspci | grep Network` in the terminal to see what card you have. There's a helpful link for checking compatibility too! Just remember the newer kernel options will generally offer better support for your hardware.
If you're looking for even more recommendations, you can check out some distro selection guides available online to find one tailored to your needs. Just remember to back up your data and maybe try a few options in a VM before making a decision!
That makes sense! I'll definitely run that command to find out.