Hello All.
First, I have been daily driving Linux(POP_OS) for nearly a year and outside of some frustrations, it has been a great experience. I expect a certain level of weirdness and quirks. I was using my Windows laptop to get some stuff done, and wanted to listen to some music over Bluetooth. This is where I messed up. I guess recent Windows updates just kind of break Bluetooth?? Every fix I have googled and tried failed to fix the problem. I kind of expect this behavior from Linux. I don’t expect it from an OS developed by a For Profit company.
Long story short, recommend me a distro that runs well on an Asus laptop with an Integrated and Discreet GPU. If Windows breaks functionality, then there isn’t a big reason to keep a Windows Machine around. If you say Arch, I intend to bully you but I’m open to any suggestions. Microsoft isn’t worth keeping around, even as a backup/standby.
I appreciate you <3
My experience is very dated, but I bought a used windows Asus laptop in 2013 and put Ubuntu on it and experienced no problems. I had been using Linux for a long time, so maybe I remember this with rose glasses, but it was very straight forward. Also an integrated GPU, but of the 2013 era. I think the laptop was a 2012 model.
Config isn’t hard, it just takes time 🙂
I happen to have an Asus laptop with an intel igpu (one of those flippy 2-in-1), and Fedora Workstation works for me since I like the look of GNOME. Fedora also has a KDE version if you prefer that. Keep in mind that Fedora uses “dnf” and “.rpm” instead of “apt” and “.deb”. Lots of people also like to use Mint (which is based on debian like Pop_OS) but I haven’t tested that with my laptop.
As you already use Pop, why change? Is there something bothering, or something does not run well? How old is this laptop?
If you don’t feel like continuing with Pop, I’d try Debian as you value stability. It may be a slight pain to set up initially, but when it’s done it should generally Just Work until eternity. The expert installer allows you to enable non-free repos for any proprietary drivers by default.
Distro choice matters less than it looks like, and it’s fairly subjective. As long as you stick to a serious and newbie-friendly distro, you should be fine - for example, you could simply keep using Pop!_OS, why change it?
That said, a few distros you might want to try:
- Mint - another newbie-friendly Ubuntu derivative. If you feel like you must try something else, but you don’t want it to be too far from your comfort zone.
- Debian - because it’s the grandfather of Pop!_OS (and Mint); it has some rough edges, but it’ll be a good learning experience. Note Stable tends to stick to really ancient packages.
- Fedora - it’s also newbie-friendly, but from another different family. If you feel like stepping outside your comfort zone.
Also note you can dual boot different Linux distros, just like you’re dual booting Pop!_OS and Windows. Or even multi-boot.
Arch feels more like windows because I like keeping everything up to date, cachyos because I dont want to spend an hour finding the gaming packaged and I like the preinstalled apps + de options. Plus aur is great just need to add flathub support real quick and its great.
Lot of bootloader options too, I like limine since its clean and easy to swap lernels, also one click to setup btrfs snapshots after install which also show up in limine with no extra setup.
I’ve been a Pop stan since I started using Linux so I’ll always recommend it, and it helps that you already like it. But if you specifically want something different (and that isn’t arch), I’d say Fedora KDE
I expect a certain level of weirdness and quirks.
Me, every time I switch on a Windows machine. 😉
Arch is sweet but you’ll want some miles under your belt first. Pop is great, if you want boring but just works debian is the goat
I eouldnt recommend debian to anyone but corporate work due to gow out of date its packages get. Ends up causing more work for the end user.
I landed and Pop OS and love it.
recommend me a distro that runs well on an Asus laptop with an Integrated and Discreet GPU.
FWIW, Bazzite offers dedicated images for a bunch of different hardware including ASUS laptops.
Note, however, that Bazzite works a bit differently than your average distro. Though you should be more than fine as long as the means to address your needs are contained within its pretty good documentation. For all else, first try if the conventional method used on traditional distros works. If for whatever reason that doesn’t yield, then consider reaching out to one of their community channels.
What is it you use your laptop for?
Fedora is good. It gets regular updates and all the new tech. Once you set it up make sure to enable the non foss repos if you want stuff like discord
My list to try would be Debian, Fedora, or OpenSuse. I’m partial to KDE.
Hell yeah Debian or OpenSUSE. Debian is rock solid, but OpenSUSE is more current.
If you’re willing to run arch-based but not vanilla arch cachyOS is amazing in my experience.
If not that fedora is pretty ok. Could just run PopOS too if you like it.
Thanks for your thoughts. My experience with Arch has been weird. I can get everything mostly working, but sound has always been an issue on my current hardware. Black Arch was fun to mess around with because I didn’t necessarily care if sound output was borked. I will look into cachyOS and spin up a VM. Thank you friend!
Arch defaults to pipewire I think even if you select pulseaudio in archinstall (might have changed by now ofc) If your laptop is older pulseaudio might work much better (did for me)
I second cachy if they want an arch intro. It’s the “It just works” flavor of arch.
Garuda is pretty fucking awesome for an easy arch distro. Everything was installed correctly OOTB on my ASUS g733 with integrated/dedicated GPU so you don’t have to set Prime up yourself. Their KDE ricing in their dragonized version is the best I have found. Great gaming setup IMO. Easy beginner arch entry distro with all the bells and whistles. They have done a pretty good job with their garuda-update pacman wrapper and seems to handle most of the manual intervention during updates, uses reflector for mirrors on update too. Btrfs and snapper setup by default so rollback is easy as pie.
Been wanting to try catchy for a while though.
Fedora is a great option as well. Stable, well built and easy. Don’t really like flatpak that much but that’s just a personal preference. I really like dnf. Defiantly a good choice beginner distro.
I went to Pop_Os! From Arch after running it for a decade so I support not running Arch. I prefer the simplicity of Pop.
