Hey everyone! I'm looking for some advice on selecting the right Linux distribution. I have an older Lenovo Legion gaming laptop that I want to switch to Linux since it can't upgrade to Windows 11 anymore. I mainly use it for creative projects and light gaming, playing mostly old DOS games while traveling. One important piece of hardware is my XP-Pen for drawing. I primarily use Clip Studio Paint and VideoPad, but I'm open to alternative suggestions for those programs. I also work with Blender, Gimp, Kirta, and Godot. There's no rush to get rid of the Windows installation since I have an empty SSD I can use. Additionally, I'm building another older PC suited for watching movies and playing music, using parts from my previous builds, which includes a 3rd gen i7. I have experience with Ubuntu from a decade ago, but I'm looking for current recommendations. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
5 Answers
Just go ahead and throw a dart at a list of distros! Most of them are built off Fedora/RedHat or Debian/Ubuntu, so you'll find them quite similar. Every option has its strengths!
If you have an NVIDIA graphics card, I'd recommend Mint. It pretty much just works with the driver manager, which makes everything super smooth. I have a 1650, and it's easy to install the right drivers. Plus, it has secure boot support that was a breeze to set up. If you're worried about losing Windows, just create a USB recovery drive for peace of mind. Don't stress about the installation; you can always get back to Windows since your key is tied to the hardware.
For general use, you really can't go wrong with Ubuntu or Debian. Ubuntu is perfect if you want everything ready to go out of the box, while Debian is for the more adventurous types who don’t mind a little extra setup. Most other distros are just variations of these two, so they can be great options too.
Linux is awesome, and there's something nice about every distro! You're probably going to try a few before you find the perfect fit, so don't hesitate to experiment! Some worth checking out are Linux Mint, Pop!_OS, Ubuntu, Fedora, and Arch. Enjoy the journey!
Consider trying Kubuntu 25.10. It's reliable, looks great, and setting it up with Flathub for apps is a breeze. Secure boot and NVIDIA compatibility are also straightforward.
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