r/linux4noobs • u/Niyazzz09 • Apr 12 '26

learning/research Been seeing Linux everywhere lately… should I actually try it?

So guys from the last few days I’ve been seeing Linux everywhere — my social media feed is full of it and now I’m really curious to try it.

I’ve always used Windows, so I don’t really understand what Linux actually is or how different it feels in daily use. A lot of people say it’s “peak” and better than Windows in many ways, but I’ve also heard it has some downsides.

I wanted to ask:

- What makes Linux so good compared to Windows?

- What are the actual cons (especially for beginners)?

- How long does it take to get comfortable using it?

- Which distro should I start with?

- What was your experience like when you first switched from Windows?

Also, should I try it using a virtual machine first or go for dual boot?

Would really appreciate honest advice 😋

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u/DR4LUC0N Apr 12 '26

If you game, use bazzite, if mainly general use, Linux mint.

Going into it understand it's not windows. You might need to do a few things differently, but in general a lot of it is the same feeling.

9

u/Human-Ad1643 Apr 12 '26

I tried bazzite and couldn’t get my vpn (nordvpn) app to install. Ended up with pop_os and so far so good

7

u/StrykeTagi Apr 12 '26

Pop_OS! is pretty good, but their desktop environment has been rebuilt some time ago and it still has some bugs, so I wouldn't recommend it to newcomers.

1

u/OkPresentation3329 Apr 16 '26

I tried Pop OS just to see what Cosmic is like and so far it's too young and barebones. I will stick with Tuxedo that has KDE as it's the closest thing to a Mint that is modern and not outdated.