One of the hardest parts of trying Linux for the first time is deciding which distro to use. There are a lot of them, and if the first one you pick is not a good fit, it is easy to give up on Linux altogether.
These are the five I would choose. This is my own list, so your top five may differ.
Linux Mint
Linux Mint is the best operating system for me. It comes in three editions: Cinnamon, MATE and Xfce. I have used both Cinnamon and MATE, and ran Linux Mint Cinnamon for about two years.
- RAM usage of around 750MB to 800MB
- Based on Ubuntu, so software support is good
- Good community support if anything goes wrong
- Software Manager lets you install most things without touching the terminal
In my opinion, Linux Mint is the best choice for someone who has used Windows and is new to Linux.
Ubuntu MATE
After Linux Mint, the best OS for me is Ubuntu MATE. I still use it. It can be customised easily for both Windows and Mac users. The MATE desktop environment is also made by the Linux Mint team.
- RAM usage a little lower than Cinnamon, around 650MB to 700MB
- Ubuntu base, so almost all Ubuntu software is supported
- Community support from both the Ubuntu and MATE communities
From the default Software Boutique you can install GNOME Software and the Synaptic package manager. For laptops, this is my pick after Linux Mint.
Deepin
Deepin is in third place only because it has fewer users than the first two. It is a very good OS, developed in China, and easy to customise for both Windows and Mac users. It looks better than the previous two and has a transparent mode and a normal mode.
- RAM usage varies by mode, around 600MB to 800MB
- Built on a Debian base, with .deb package support
- Well-supported Deepin Software Center
- Good community support
I have not used it for long, so I cannot say much more, but I had no problems with it.
Ubuntu
Ubuntu was the first one I used, for about a year. It is in fourth place because of the GNOME desktop environment, and because the first two on this list are built on it anyway.
- RAM usage is a bit higher, around 900MB to 1.1GB
- Ubuntu Software Center is very good
- The largest community of any distro
A must-try for someone new to Linux. With a community that size, almost any question already has an answer.
Manjaro
Manjaro is fifth because updating can be a little confusing. Of everything on this list, it is the one you can customise the most. It comes in three editions: Xfce, KDE and GNOME.
- Based on Arch Linux
- The best software centre I have seen
- Support from both the Arch and Manjaro communities
I have used Manjaro Xfce for a short time and have not had any problems.
Others worth a look
Apart from these five, there are many good options, such as Zorin OS, Fedora, elementary OS, Kubuntu, Lubuntu, Xubuntu and Linux Lite. Whichever distro you use, if you are willing to search “how to” when you get stuck, it is not difficult.