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So, what's everyone's favorite desktop/workstation Linux distro as of 2021? Edit: Anyone tried using NixOS as a desktop OS? I like the idea of scripting my set

So, what's everyone's favorite desktop/workstation Linux distro as of 2021? Edit: Anyone tried using NixOS as a desktop OS? I like the idea of scripting my setup.

Shadonototra 5y ago
manjaro with XFCE + https://github.com/davekeogh/xfce4-docklike-plugin https://github.com/davekeogh/xfce4-docklike-plugin (check the original repo for the screenshots)
mappu 5y ago
Debian with KDE It's a major distro with excellent security support, it's completely non-commercial, and KDE has a traditional GUI layout with all the optional trimmings (snap to window edges, thumbnail previews in taskbar etc)
- _0ffh 5y ago
  Debian seconded, but with XFCE here.
hpoe 5y ago
Ubuntu with i3.
brian-armstrong 5y ago
Mint with XFCE is quite nice
mithusingh32 5y ago
Regolith-linux It's a ubuntu based with a i3 desktop manager but with newer perfect configurations out of the box.
- smoldesu 5y ago
  +1 for this, particularly if you've never tried i3 but still want to know what the workflow feels like. I run Regolith on my homelab and it works like a charm!
amanzi 5y ago
Four replies so far, all different. I'll add a fifth: Pop_OS! Edit - now 9 replies, all different. Great to see so much choice!
boardwaalk 5y ago
I'm using ArchLinux with MATE. It pretty much got out of my way and I don't even think about it...
vorpalhex 5y ago
I've been using ElementaryOS, coming from MacOS. Have to install a package to be able to tweak it and replaced the file manager with nautilus, otherwise fine.
iceychris 5y ago
I'm using NixOS with i3 as my daily driver, can recommend.
messo 5y ago
I'm a long time arch user, but recently installed the latest Fedora on an old lenovo x220 an was impress by how polished it is and how fast it runs! Flatpaks makes it super easy to install the latest version of both free and non-free software, which always was a pain to acomplish on Fedora a couple of years ago. Fedora may be the best options for new linux users who do not want to customize everything, but just wants a clean, fast and polished "works-out-of-the-box" experience. I'll keep my higly cusomized arch (sway) install for my programming needs for now, but will probably choose Fedora for my "personal" laptop where I do some light video and photo editing.
mistrial9 5y ago
LUbuntu currently
outworlder 5y ago
> Anyone tried using NixOS as a desktop OS? Yes! Works great actually. Even running Windows-based games on Steam with Proton. All my hardware worked out of the box(including my Wifi6 module) - only tweaking I had to do was for Vulkan with my GPU. Even then, not that difficult and instructions are in their wiki. I have little reason to run Windows now. Only software I really miss is Fusion 360.
LeoPanthera 5y ago
I love how many different answers there are to this. I run openSUSE (with KDE) pretty much for one reason - the repos available are completely comprehensive. They have everything I ever need in them, even some pretty obscure stuff, and because it's a rolling distro everything is up to date. The amazing YaST graphical configuration tool is a nice bonus.
trelane 5y ago
Pop has been pretty good on my gaming PC (is a Thelio, so probably not coincidence. :) Really depends on what you want. (I run Gentoo otherwise, but that's probably not everyone's preference. ;)
dEnigma 5y ago
Solus. Best "works out of the box" desktop Linux experience I've had; which made me stick with it. I recommend the Budgie edition for a clean desktop environment that stays out of your way and doesn't confuse you with a billion configuration options. The packaging process is also quite easy in my opinion. In case you want to add some software that isn't yet available in the repository; either for everyone or just for your own use. As a possible pain point starting out I've heard the installer can be a bit finicky (I myself had no problems with it though). https://getsol.us/home/ https://getsol.us/home/
rd07 5y ago
Manjaro with KDE Plasma. Gnome is nice too, but I feel like Plasma matched my taste more.
lom 5y ago
> tried using NixOS Yes, I use it daily and it’s been the most reliable distro I’ve ever used. My current install is 6 months old, completely shadowing anything I ever got before that. It’s package repository nixpkgs is the largest and most up to date out there, when counting unique packages. The learning curve might be very steep in the beginning, but it’s very much worth it!
squarefoot 5y ago
Give Manjaro+XFCE a try. I find it to be well balanced so that it can offer many features without being bloated. https://manjaro.org/ https://manjaro.org/ User guide here (.pdf) : https://free.nchc.org.tw/osdn//storage/g/m/ma/manjaro/Manjaro-User-Guide.pdf https://free.nchc.org.tw/osdn//storage/g/m/ma/manjaro/Manjar...
morelandjs 5y ago
Arch is Linux nirvana. Some work to set up, but absolutely a dream once it’s running.

So, what's everyone's favorite desktop/workstation Linux distro as of 2021? Edit: Anyone tried using NixOS as a desktop OS? I like the idea of scripting my setup.

Shadonototra 5y ago

manjaro with XFCE + https://github.com/davekeogh/xfce4-docklike-plugin https://github.com/davekeogh/xfce4-docklike-plugin (check the original repo for the screenshots)

mappu 5y ago

Debian with KDE It's a major distro with excellent security support, it's completely non-commercial, and KDE has a traditional GUI layout with all the optional trimmings (snap to window edges, thumbnail previews in taskbar etc)

_0ffh 5y ago
Debian seconded, but with XFCE here.

hpoe 5y ago

Ubuntu with i3.

brian-armstrong 5y ago

Mint with XFCE is quite nice

mithusingh32 5y ago

Regolith-linux It's a ubuntu based with a i3 desktop manager but with newer perfect configurations out of the box.

smoldesu 5y ago
+1 for this, particularly if you've never tried i3 but still want to know what the workflow feels like. I run Regolith on my homelab and it works like a charm!

amanzi 5y ago

Four replies so far, all different. I'll add a fifth: Pop_OS! Edit - now 9 replies, all different. Great to see so much choice!

boardwaalk 5y ago

I'm using ArchLinux with MATE. It pretty much got out of my way and I don't even think about it...

vorpalhex 5y ago

I've been using ElementaryOS, coming from MacOS. Have to install a package to be able to tweak it and replaced the file manager with nautilus, otherwise fine.

iceychris 5y ago

I'm using NixOS with i3 as my daily driver, can recommend.

messo 5y ago

I'm a long time arch user, but recently installed the latest Fedora on an old lenovo x220 an was impress by how polished it is and how fast it runs! Flatpaks makes it super easy to install the latest version of both free and non-free software, which always was a pain to acomplish on Fedora a couple of years ago. Fedora may be the best options for new linux users who do not want to customize everything, but just wants a clean, fast and polished "works-out-of-the-box" experience. I'll keep my higly cusomized arch (sway) install for my programming needs for now, but will probably choose Fedora for my "personal" laptop where I do some light video and photo editing.

mistrial9 5y ago

LUbuntu currently

outworlder 5y ago

> Anyone tried using NixOS as a desktop OS? Yes! Works great actually. Even running Windows-based games on Steam with Proton. All my hardware worked out of the box(including my Wifi6 module) - only tweaking I had to do was for Vulkan with my GPU. Even then, not that difficult and instructions are in their wiki. I have little reason to run Windows now. Only software I really miss is Fusion 360.

LeoPanthera 5y ago

I love how many different answers there are to this. I run openSUSE (with KDE) pretty much for one reason - the repos available are completely comprehensive. They have everything I ever need in them, even some pretty obscure stuff, and because it's a rolling distro everything is up to date. The amazing YaST graphical configuration tool is a nice bonus.

trelane 5y ago

Pop has been pretty good on my gaming PC (is a Thelio, so probably not coincidence. :) Really depends on what you want. (I run Gentoo otherwise, but that's probably not everyone's preference. ;)

dEnigma 5y ago

Solus. Best "works out of the box" desktop Linux experience I've had; which made me stick with it. I recommend the Budgie edition for a clean desktop environment that stays out of your way and doesn't confuse you with a billion configuration options. The packaging process is also quite easy in my opinion. In case you want to add some software that isn't yet available in the repository; either for everyone or just for your own use. As a possible pain point starting out I've heard the installer can be a bit finicky (I myself had no problems with it though). https://getsol.us/home/ https://getsol.us/home/

rd07 5y ago

Manjaro with KDE Plasma. Gnome is nice too, but I feel like Plasma matched my taste more.

lom 5y ago

> tried using NixOS Yes, I use it daily and it’s been the most reliable distro I’ve ever used. My current install is 6 months old, completely shadowing anything I ever got before that. It’s package repository nixpkgs is the largest and most up to date out there, when counting unique packages. The learning curve might be very steep in the beginning, but it’s very much worth it!

squarefoot 5y ago

Give Manjaro+XFCE a try. I find it to be well balanced so that it can offer many features without being bloated. https://manjaro.org/ https://manjaro.org/ User guide here (.pdf) : https://free.nchc.org.tw/osdn//storage/g/m/ma/manjaro/Manjaro-User-Guide.pdf https://free.nchc.org.tw/osdn//storage/g/m/ma/manjaro/Manjar...

morelandjs 5y ago

Arch is Linux nirvana. Some work to set up, but absolutely a dream once it’s running.