Which Linux distribution is a good replacement for Windows 11 on my HP laptop?

For a familiar Windows-style layout, try a distribution using the KDE Plasma desktop, such as Fedora KDE Plasma. If you want a noticeably different workflow, standard Fedora with GNOME is another good option. You can experiment with different desktop environments from a live USB before deciding.

There isn’t one universally correct distribution—the best choice depends more on what you use the laptop for than on the specifications alone. Because your hardware is fairly new, Fedora or openSUSE Tumbleweed may be worth considering since they generally provide newer kernels and drivers sooner. Before installing anything, boot a live USB and test Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, audio, graphics, the touchscreen, touchpad, keyboard, sleep behavior, and any other laptop-specific features.

Make a multiboot USB with Ventoy and copy several Linux ISO files onto it. That lets you try multiple distributions without repeatedly recreating the USB. Run each one in live mode without installing and check that all of your hardware works. New laptops can have problems with proprietary Wi-Fi, graphics, fingerprint, touchscreen, or power-management components, and changing distributions won’t always fix unsupported hardware.

For an easier transition, Linux Mint, Ubuntu, or Zorin OS are beginner-friendly choices. Mint with Cinnamon is particularly familiar to Windows users, though hardware support should be verified first. You can also keep Windows by choosing a dual-boot installation, assuming the installer detects your existing Windows setup correctly.