r/DistroHopping

EDIT solved i will use nixos

I'm trying to decide which Linux distro to use next. I've used Fedora and Arch, and I want something more stable than Arch without having to use really old packages.

My main requirements:

• Modern packages, but not necessarily bleeding-edge.
• Good stability and fewer unexpected breakages from updates.
• Highly customizable, especially for tiling window managers like Niri, Sway, Hyprland, or Qtile.
• Good Wayland support.
• A system I can tinker with and customize without constantly worrying about breaking it.

I'm considering:

• Fedora: Seems like a good balance, but I'm wondering how far I can customize it.
• NixOS: The declarative configuration and rollback features sound great, but I'm concerned about the smaller community and learning curve.
• openSUSE Tumbleweed: The testing and snapshot tools sound appealing, but I'm not sure if it's stable enough for what I want.

For people who've used these distros, which would you recommend? Is NixOS worth learning, or would Fedora be just as good for a heavily customized setup?

I'd appreciate real-world experiences, especially from people who use tiling window managers.

What Linux distro would you recommend for gaming that’s stable like Debian but has newer drivers and doesn’t use rolling releases?

Something similar to EndeavourOS, but more stable.

I’m thinking about switching my personal desktop from Windows to Linux. I already use Ubuntu at work, and while I keep putting off the switch because I’m too lazy to back up my files, I’ve been testing distros like Debian, Ubuntu, and Fedora in virtual machines.

I use a laptop with an Intel i5-12450H, an RTX 3050, and hybrid graphics. I’m looking for a Linux distro with good NVIDIA and Secure Boot support for web browsing, gaming on Steam, and programming.

Beyond these requirements, I want more control over installed and removed packages, so I can keep track of what’s on my system and avoid dependency issues and conflicts, which I often run into in my work environment.

Based on these requirements, I’m torn between NixOS and Fedora Bootc, including Universal Blue images, and I’d like to hear from people who have used either option.

For those using NixOS, how has your experience been? If you switched to another distro, what made you switch?

And for those who have used Fedora Bootc or Universal Blue, how was your experience? If you eventually switched to something else, why?

So, as the title says, I would like to try OpenSUSE, because I miss the old time of me trying new distros, since now has been almost 9 months that I'm on the same installation of Fedora.

I've used Linux since 2019, with 6 years of Debian based distro, a couple of week with Arch and then almost 9 months with Fedora.

I would like to know what make OpenSUSE different from others distros I'm your opinion, and if you have any advice or thing to know before switching to OpenSUSE

How is it ?

I have been using Fedora KDE edition for a while now and i love how smooth and indeed stable everything is. It never crashed for me. I really like that i can update trough Discover and it keeps me pretty up to date. But is Debian different for gaming or just as good?

I kinda just want an OS that runs smooth out of the box

I’ve just realised that almost every laptop and desktop in my house runs a different OS.

Gaming desktop #1: CachyOS
Gaming desktop #2: Manjaro
Laptop #1: Fedora (the one I use for work)
Laptop #2: Manjaro (the one my wife uses for her work)
Laptop #3: Linux Mint (still in testing after five years)
Laptop #4: EndeavourOS

Pretty mixed environment. Most systems have been running the same distro for 5–6 years now (with regular updates). But does that mean I’m finally done distro-hopping? Does it even count as hopping if you never leave?

My journey with personal computing started in the early 1990s, staring at blinking command prompts before Windows 95 ever hit the shelves. Over the last three decades, I have used and lived through virtually every major Windows milestone: the DOS era, Windows 95, 98, the chaotic days of Me, the rock-solid Windows 2000, and the golden era of XP. I religiously tracked the leaked Longhorn builds before Vista arrived, embraced 7, survived the identity crisis of Windows 8, and spent thousands of hours across 10 and 11 on various hardware setups.

My Linux itch started back in 2010 with Ubuntu. Over the years, I became a serial distro hopper whenever curiosity struck: Fedora, openSUSE, Manjaro, Ubuntu Budgie, Windows-like distros like Wubuntu, and various desktop environments. Yet, Windows always remained my safety net.

A few days ago, I made the jump. Despite holding genuine, legally activated lifetime licenses for both Windows and MS Office, I backed up my files and completely wiped my SSD. Zero dual-boot crutches.

The transition wasn't completely friction-free—I had to troubleshoot some hardware quirks and driver behavior to get everything running smooth. Along the way, I spent considerable time exploring both Zorin OS and Linux Mint Debian Edition (LMDE). But once the dust finally settled, I made Linux Mint (Cinnamon) my sole daily driver.

The machine feels snappy, clean, and entirely under my control—no background telemetry bloat, no forced interface redesigns, and no operating system fighting for my attention. After thirty years as a Windows veteran, it feels strange to say, but I have finally arrived home.

https://preview.redd.it/kuh6ignrhiuh1.png?width=3072&format=png&auto=webp&s=846ab44cac87526fd95c4b50e37d20c1be325aaa

Why is Arch slandered as an elitist OS for only the most hardcore PC users?

I've had nothing but good experiences with it. Same with Hyprland, it took a bit of configuration but I can't imagine myself without it now.

That's ignoring how robust [extra] is! I have nearly every program I would want just given to me in official repos.

Don't get me started with stability... it's the most stable system I've ever used.

I get that it's not for everyone, but it's genuinely a daily driver.

https://preview.redd.it/unrbao3rcquh1.png?width=3060&format=png&auto=webp&s=53b2288af96b9a8da97568f4c3459b3b27a83858

Not disappointed so far. I did have to reinstall on my first setup attempt though because my pc shut off mid kernel upgrade.

I'm in a total rabbit hole of indecision and need some outside opinions. I'm daily-driving a ThinkPad T14s Gen 1 with a Ryzen 5 Pro, and I just can't settle on a setup.

For context, I don't mind fixing minor issues or messing around when things break. I generally avoid random third-party repos and mostly stick to official ones or Flatpaks.

Basically, I'm torn between two paths:

Option 1: Fedora

The sheer convenience is super appealing here: Secure Boot out of the box, LUKS2 unlocked via TPM (so no typing long passwords at boot, but my data is safe if my backpack gets stolen), and SELinux doing its thing. Packages are fresh enough and maintenance is basically zero. On the flip side, it's just a generic kernel with no aggressive compiler optimizations.

Option 2: Arch + CachyOS repos

I'd go full raw performance mode here: pure rolling release, CachyOS optimized repos, and a custom CachyOS kernel to squeeze every drop out of that Zen 2 chip. But I'd have to kiss Secure Boot goodbye (setting up custom keys on a rolling distro is a pain in the ass), figure out disk encryption manually without a proper seamless TPM integration, and lose SELinux.

Here is my dilemma: Is the actual performance gain from CachyOS repos and custom kernels on a mobile Ryzen actually noticeable in daily use (browser, IDE, occasional compiling), or am I just overthinking it and should stick to Fedora's secure, hassle-free setup?

Let me hear your thoughts.

So i just converted my pc to linux since it can't upgrade to window 11. I was recommended mint so that's what I went with. I've gotten that setup and working for what I use my pc for, ebook library management and some occasional gaming otherwise I could go months without using my pc.

In that process I've learned a bit more how linux works as a desktop os and that mint kind of is behind the times a bit, not using wayland at the moment, for example. So I've been debating to try a few other distros that are more modern. OpenSUSE or fedora specifically slightly leaning towards openSUSE since I can try it as a rolling distro and if I dont care for that, theoretically, I should be able to migrate to either slowroll or leap fairly easily.

Mostly im looking for input if the effort is worth it while I still have stuff backed up. Especially since I'm not even sure my setup can use the advantages of wayland. Like I'm pretty sure I don't have vrr support and most of my gaming is older or emulation so hdr is also limited there but is supported by my hardware. This is on a 10 year old gaming laptop.

Edit:

i should also mention I'm asking because I've been testing/replaying through fallout new vegas and I've been seeing issues with it. I'm not sure if it's i need more tweaking of the game or x11/wayland differences. I'm not expecting a silver bullet just were to start tweaking

Some weirdness I've seen:

Like I wasnt able to set the resolution of the game to my tv's resolution unless I set the tv as main display

Frame stuttering even though my cpu/gpu never go past 50%

When I set the display refresh rate to 60 the display was dimming whenever I moved the character or camera

I have played around with ubuntu,mint,kali and arch in the past but it was just for discovering and learning linux but now I have decided to make my own linux build for daily use cuz I'm done with windows 11.I liked ubuntu and mint cuz they have a very user friendly desktop environment and are very similar to windows but while using arch I liked the hyperland window manager and ricing as well. I'm looking forward to learning about cyber security so I was thinking of using kali or parrot os or debian with hyperland and I'm very confused rn.

These are my requirements -

\*Hyperland

\*For cybersecurity

\*Updated repository and good driver support

Hi, I want to try Linux on my old laptop.
Specs are only 4GB RAM and 16GB eMMC 😅

I’m a beginner, so I’m looking for something easy to use and preferably comes with the essential apps already, especially for students.

Mainly need it for browsing, watching videos, doing assignments, PDFs, Office/LibreOffice, etc.

I don’t really care about gaming or anything heavy. Just want something that runs smoothly and doesn’t take up too much storage.

What distro would you guys recommend for these specs? And is 16GB eMMC enough for Linux + basic apps?

Thanks!

Can you pick one OS for my IdeaPad 1 8 GB RAM? I'm gonna use it like Windows 11, and I've using Linux for a year. LF for a distro plz