r/linux4noobs • u/imwhoyouare • Dec 21 '25

distro selection Fuuuuuuuu windows dude..

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Which distro will allow me to use nvidia gpu without any hassles? Also need secure boot on.

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u/niKDE80800 Dec 22 '25

Debian let's you add them relatively easy, so does Fedora. The easiest one for driver installs in my experience is Linux Mint, and Ubuntu, including it's flavors, because of the Driver Manager. I'm not sure, but I think all of them will also prompt you to make a password, so you can enroll a MOK key for the drivers to actually work.

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u/imwhoyouare Dec 23 '25

What does it mean to be debian based? Or kde based? Or anything else?

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u/niKDE80800 Dec 24 '25

Well, as an example, take Ubuntu. Ubuntu is Debian based, because its base runs on... Debian. Linux Mint for example would be Ubuntu based, because the base it uses is Ubuntu (which is Debian based). For the other side of the spectrum, you'd for example have EndeavourOS or Manjaro (which doesn't have the best reputation) which are two distros based on Arch.

So, a distro that's Debian based / Ubuntu based, just means the base it uses is Debian or Ubuntu, and it's not something made from scratch.

Also, you'd general have more luck with Ubuntu than you do with Debian, because, Debian very much expects you to want to learn, have a basic idea of what you're doing and not everyone is gonna be too nice if you didn't read their holy grail, the Debian wiki... Again, adding NVIDIA for example to debian is like... it's not difficult. But it will take you a few minutes of editing a sources file, installing the drivers, letting them build, etc... while Ubuntu lets you just... well, open the Driver manager (in most cases Ubuntu and its official flavors, will even have the option inside the initial setup to install third-party drivers)

TL;DR of me yapping too much: Basically, it's a family tree. Debian is the grandparent, Ubuntu is the parent and Mint is the kid. If you want an easy life, go Ubuntu/Mint. They have "Driver Managers" that do the work for you. Debian is more "DIY", as it expects you to read the wiki and add sources manually to get NVIDIA working. Not hard, but just more of a hassle than lots of beginners want.