I'm trying out Zorin OS Core 17.3 after switching from Windows 11, but I'm having a hard time with GPU recognition during the installation. When I boot from my USB to install, the only option that works is 'safe graphics'; the others just lead to a black screen. I noticed that llvmpipe shows up as the GPU instead of my NVIDIA RTX 5070 Ti or AMD Radeon 880M. I turned off Secure Boot, but that didn't change anything. When I run the updater to install the NVIDIA driver manually, the system does find drivers, but I suspect this is because I'm still running off the USB, so any installations won't last after a restart. I have two main concerns:
1. Do I need to fully install Zorin OS to solve the GPU problem? I plan to dual-boot at first with the hope of switching to Linux completely later if it meets my needs.
2. What could be the root cause of this issue? I'm eager to transition to Linux since Zorin OS looks promising for me, although I haven't tested other distributions yet.
Here are my system specs: Razer Blade 16 with an AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 CPU, Radeon 880M and NVIDIA RTX 5070 Ti. I edited later to say I tried Cachy OS and the problem is resolved!
4 Answers
Zorin is a solid choice, but just remember that its base is currently Ubuntu LTS 22.4, which can be a bit outdated for newer hardware support. You might have better luck with something more up-to-date if you're eager for the best performance from your GPUs.
Make sure you have the latest driver tools for NVIDIA on your system. If you want to get some more tips for the installation process, check out our wiki for installation hints. A tip: always use an ethernet connection for the installation, and don’t forget to eject your boot media afterward.
You might want to check out some distros that provide newer NVIDIA driver support right out of the box. Options like Nobara, Bazzite, Garuda, and Cachy OS are all great and user-friendly! They might save you from the hassle you're facing now with Zorin.
It's typical for NVIDIA cards during installation. The installer doesn't have the proprietary drivers loaded initially, which is why llvmpipe is shown. After installing Zorin, you can use the driver manager to install the proper NVIDIA drivers from the repositories. I’d lean towards a (semi) rolling release distro since you have newer hardware—consider alternatives like Fedora, Ubuntu 25, or even Nobara.
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