Are you a Linux user? Then it’s highly likely that you, even for a couple of days, ran Ubuntu or any other Ubuntu-based distros in your system, right? Ubuntu is the beast of Linux that offers the most user-friendly environment. In fact, it’s also highly suitable for any type of users – general, day to day users to the highest levels of the enterprise level.
However, Ubuntu itself can become a rough experience time to time. Maybe your soul is willing to get something more spicy but afraid of the simplicity of Ubuntu to sacrifice in exchange. Well, fear not, my friends! Because Ubuntu is so simple and popular, there are already a number of Linux distros that utilize Ubuntu at the core while offering more versatility and better experience.
Let’s take a look at some of the most popular Ubuntu-based distros.
This is obviously one of the best Linux distros that use Ubuntu at its core. The goal is to make desktop experience more enjoyable and simpler. The latest version – Linux Mint 19 (the time of publishing this post) uses Ubuntu 18.04 at its core. It has a lot of improvements in terms of usage and features.
There are also other notable features like Timeshift to create a snapshot of your system. The “Mint Update” tool is really educative for Linux users to understand how the system update works. The update system, in cases, automatically installs the updates without poking the user too much.
This one shares the same goal as Linux Mint – providing a Linux desktop that’s both beautiful and enjoyable to use. The interface of elementary OS resembles the macOS. That’s why most of the macOS users will appreciate this distro than most of the others in the market. The distro went so far to even have an app store just like macOS!
If you’re looking for simplicity, beauty and privacy, elementary OS is a great choice. Other features include –
- Disabling PPAs by default
- All the apps in the App Store matching the overall desktop theme
- Lightweight and easy to navigate
- Disabling “hardware collection” of Ubuntu, strengthening the privacy protection
There are a number of Windows users in the world that would love to have the experience of Linux. However, because of the interface dissimilarities and the way Linux works is quite different than Windows, many Windows users fear to jump into it. If you’re one of them, then you’re lucky! Zorin OS got your back!
It’s another great Linux distro derived from Ubuntu. Despite having all the powers of Linux, Zorin OS also provides support for Windows apps with the help of PlayOnLinux and Wine – a really good environment for Windows users to switch into.
Other features include –
- Pre-configured games and apps
- Commitment to respect privacy by not tracking its users
- Pre-configured firewall and blocks ads
Get Zorin OS. Note that there are 2 versions of Zorin OS available – Zorin OS Ultimate (paid) and Zorin OS Essentials (free). The free version is more than you’ll need, no need to worry about the PAID one.
Everyone in the world can’t just ignore beauty, right? KDE Neon is just about that. It comes up with one of the best looking interfaces. The desktop environment, as the name suggests, is the KDE Plasma. This distro is also quite enchanting for Windows users.
THe nature of KDE Neon insists that it isn’t a Linux distro. That’s because it’s only the latest KDE Plasma desktop environment on an Ubuntu LTS (stable and supported officially) release. Other features include –
- Sticks with Ubuntu LTS, no problem with stability and performance
- Latest version of KDE Plasma with newest features
Are you all about the performance of your system? Then Peppermint OS is the perfect choice. It’s a “lightning fast” and lightweight version of Ubuntu that focuses on stability and simplicity.
Peppermint always utilize the better stability and performance consistency of the LTS releases. It’s quite good for power users who loves the simplicity of Ubuntu while keeping the system resource consumption at lowest possible. Other features include –
- Familiar desktop layout for Windows users
- Focuses on web apps like Skype, MS Office etc. to make the system more lightweight for older computers.
There are a number of different Ubuntu distributions available. Ubuntu flavors are nothing new. In fact, the Ubuntu flavors are, in cases, the most suitable solution for users. Don’t forget to check out the official Ubuntu flavors like Xubuntu (mid-weight, powerful and beautiful), Lubuntu (lightweight and super-fast), Ubuntu MATE, Ubuntu Budgie etc.
Hope you enjoyed all the awesome Linux distros. Feel free to share your thoughts on the distro. Did we miss any of your favorites? Don’t forget to mention them down below in the comment section.
Enjoy!
