With a heavy focus on user choice and freedom, jumping into the world of Linux distros can be quite disorienting – especially when taking into consideration the sheer scale of options on offer.
Distros can be classified based on their origin (RPM, Arch, and so on), usage of package managers, and GUI front ends that make them stand out from each other.
As such, choosing the best Linux distro boils down to both user preference and experience, and the results will most definitely vary from person to person. While distros such as Arch offer a great deal of customization and support for the most cutting-edge PC hardware, they are most certainly not beginner-friendly.
Conversely, the more “beginner-friendly” distros such as Manjaro also possess their own set of pitfalls, especially regarding user control and customization.
Regardless, a list of 5 such recommended Linux distros to use in 2024 can be found below, listing their pros, cons, and system requirements that delve into factors such as CPU and RAM.
7 best Linux distros to daily drive in 2024
1) Linux Mint
| System Requirements | |
| RAM | 2 GB minimum; 4 GB recommended |
| Storage | 20GB minimum; 100 GB recommended |
| CPU | 2 GHz or faster |
Linux Mint remains one of the most beginner-friendly distros to try out, even in 2024. Combining the best of Debian and Ubuntu, Mint offers a variety of “desktops” to choose and customize from.
Newcomers would be better suited to try out the “Cinnamon edition”, owing to its sleek user interface and combination of cutting-edge features that offers a Windows-like experience. Alternatively, the XFCE edition is a great pick for slightly older PCs.
Pros
- Simple and easy to install compared to other distros.
- Built-in package manager offers a GUI frontend with popular apps such as Steam and LibreOffice.
- Lightweight and can run without hiccups on a wide range of PC hardware.
Cons
- Being based on Debian/Ubuntu, Linux Mint is a lot less bleeding edge when compared to the likes of Arch and Fedora.
- As such, support for the latest and greatest PC hardware can be a hit or miss.
2) Debian
| System Requirements | |
| RAM | 1 GB minimum; 2 GB recommended |
| Storage | 4GB minimum; 10 GB recommended |
| CPU | Pentium 4, 1Ghz or better |
The base for Linux Mint, Debian remains an excellent distro that is widely used in 2024. Debian is one of the best Linux distros owing to its rock-solid stability, making it a perfect candidate for servers and multimedia machines.
Despite having a slightly more involved installation process, Debian does come with a GUI installer that hastens the installation process by a fair margin. A side effect of its push toward stability is the use of comparatively outdated packages that may not support the latest hardware.
Pros
- The APT package manager is robust and easy to use.
- Rock-solid stability especially compared to other OSes.
Cons
- Debian is not at all bleeding edge, and as such newer kernels and by extension, hardware support is severely lacking in key areas.
- The installation process and documentation leave a lot to be desired.
3) Fedora
| System Requirements | |
| RAM | 2 GB minimum |
| Storage | 15 GB minimum |
| CPU | 2 GHz or faster dual-core |
Fedora Linux sits somewhere between Debian and Arch Linux, offering a suitable compromise on stability and bleeding edge features. Fedora is also relatively newcomer-friendly, thanks to its GUI installer.
For most, the Gnome or KDE Plasma variants of Fedora Linux should be more than sufficient for day-to-day needs, along with a considerable degree of experimentation in fields such as gaming and editing. Fedora also offers multiple “spins” which refer to desktop environments and/or window managers that come with pre-installed configurations.
Pros
- Works well with a variety of PC hardware, including Nvidia GPUs.
- Consistently receives updates that keep the system up-to-date against newer vulnerabilities.
- Better suited for bleeding edge hardware.
Cons
- It’s a tad bit slower on updates when compared to Arch-based distributions.
- Software compatibility can be a hit or miss.
4) EndeavourOS
| System Requirements | |
| RAM | 2.5 GB minimum |
| Storage | 15 GB minimum |
| CPU | 2 GHz or faster dual-core with 64-bit support |
Based on Arch Linux, EndeavourOS is a great Linux distro to try out in 2024. It offers all the features and advantages of Arch Linux, combined with a GUI installer that is easy to operate, especially for newcomers.
EndeavourOS also comes in multiple flavors in its installer, offering a great degree of user freedom and choice.
However, the more advanced users may want to try their hands on vanilla Arch Linux to gain a more fine-tuned control of the system.
Pros
- Incredibly easy to install and set up compared to Arch.
- Bleeding edge support for the latest PC hardware.
- The installer offers great preconfigured defaults for newcomers to use as a template.
Cons
- Some pre-configured defaults may not be ideal.
- Relatively higher system requirements compared to other distros.
5) Arch Linux
| System Requirements | |
| RAM | 512 MB minimum |
| Storage | 800 MB minimum |
| CPU | A 64-bit CPU is recommended |
Arch Linux is perhaps one of the best Linux distros available to download in 2024, offering a great deal of customizability and user choice in its installs. This can make it quite a bit overwhelming for newcomers, as Arch lacks a traditional GUI installer of sorts.
Regardless, Arch Linux remains one of the most popular Linux distributions, thanks to its use of a robust package manager, bleeding edge features, and an incredibly well-documented Wiki that is superbly maintained and feature-rich.
Pros
- Bleeding edge and supports the latest hardware out of the box.
- Tons of configuration options, ranging from bootloaders to GUI frontends.
- The Arch Wiki is incredibly detailed and covers almost all bases.
Cons
- Thanks to it being a bleeding edge, bugs, and errors are more likely to creep up when compared to something like Debian.
- Is not recommended for newcomers.
Overall, while it is difficult to ascertain the ‘best’ distro, most users should be more than happy with something like Fedora Linux – which offers the perfect balance between stability and bleeding edge features, while simultaneously being relatively newcomer-friendly. The more adventurous may want to try their hands at Arch Linux however.
Ultimately, it is recommended to experiment and ‘distro-hop’ until you settle on a distribution that you can daily drive comfortably.
6) NixOS
NixOS is a bit of a unique Linux OS. Unlike other operating systems, NixOS uses a centralized configuration file to define your entire system – from its bootloader down to the applications installed.
It’s definitely not a beginner friendly distro though, but NixOS’s unique approach can be very appealing for some.
| System Requirements (estimated; depends on your installed packages) | |
| RAM | 2 GB minimum |
| Storage | 25 GB minimum |
| CPU | A 64-bit CPU is recommended |
Pros
- The entire system can be defined by a set of configuration files.
- Easy rollback and backup creation in the event of a failure.
Cons
- Not recommended for beginners or those unfamiliar with Linux.
- Documentation can be scarce when compared to the likes of Arch Linux.
7) Bazzite
Bazzite is not exactly designed for traditional desktop PCs, but can be made to work as a perfectly fine daily driver – with a healthy dose of gaming thrown inbetween. Bazzite is based on Valve’s SteamOS operating system and comes bundled with the Steam Deck UI along with some additional goodies.
This makes it ideal for makeshift home consoles and media boxes. Bazzite uses Fedora over Arch Linux as its base.
| System Requirements | |
| RAM | 4 GB minimum |
| Storage | 50 GB minimum |
| CPU | 2 GHz Quad-Core or better |
Pros
- Bazzite is immutable and follows a centralized update system.
- Very beginner friendly and comes with a great post-install launcher to configure the system further.
- Ideal for home theater and handheld gaming PCs, thanks to its controller-centric interface.
Cons
- Bazzite is immutable, and not exactly ideal for many situations.
- Certain parts of the OS are reset to stock values after an update.
