New Kiddo

[GHzPanda]

So, after using windows my whole life I've decided to move to linux since i hate my computer being slow after 6 month of using. Currently i noticed that there are a few software i gotta use for college that might not be available on Linux which leads to my first question, should i use a vm to run windows for those tasks or should I dual boot? my first option is to dual boot but if using a vm is more viable then I'll go with that. Second, i run 2 and sometimes 3 monitor, which is 165hz, 100hz and 75hz all at 1080p. What distro can support more than 1 monitors at different refresh rate? The pc I'm currently running is rocking a r5 5500 and rx6700xt with 16gb of ram. i do have 4 drives 2 of which I'm planning on keeping my current windows 10 and will be using the other 2 for linux.

Note that I'm gonna daily drive Linux from now on and is willing to learn as i go since in my next semester i gotta learn linux anyway for the course I'm taking. I heard it's gonna be Kali from my seniors since it's about cyber security something. But as of now i just want a distro to daily drive. I play games that are mostly on steam and some that are not on there but does have Linux support like Minecraft and Osu!.

I also have a laptop that I kinda want to run linux too but since I'm using it in class I can't jump on that straight away. Maybe when I'm more used to linux on my pc I'll do my laptop too.

TL;DR: New to Linux, looking for distro that support multiple monitors with different refresh rate and can run games.

Edit: Thanks everyone for the suggestion, as of now I'm stuck between picking Kubuntu, Ubuntu and Mint as my first official Linux distro. However I decided to make the jump into Kubuntu for no specific reason. I'll see if it goes well and if I need something else I'll probably be asking around some more. I have a month of semester break to try out different distros so hopefully I settle on a permanent one by next semester.

Edit2: I've successfully installed Kubuntu, immediately I notice what Linux have that windows don't have which is matching the refresh rate to my monitor rather than setting it at 60 and manually having to change it. Everything went smoothly and I can safely say I will be staying on Kubuntu for a while. I've tried learning the basics of using the console which is pretty fun actually. I feel like I've just sat down after standing all my life holy.

Edit3: Man not having to deal with drivers at all is great. I didn't know Linux made AMD useable out of the box. Every games I play just runs and I basically sacrificed almost nothing coming to Linux. Other softwares are good too since I'm already using Linux native software like DavinciResolve and stuff. The performance increase I get for the stuff I gave up is worth it. I regret stalling on moving here few years ago. The terminal is fun to use too.

 

[Vimmer]

You can run microsoft office suite through your browser, and you can run linux through virtual machines. It seems like you have a lot of requirements, trust yoursrlf in figuring out what you need...if you want to go for max learning, then use a separate laptop for linux and stick to what your comfortable with for that "daily driver" (i honestly hate that expression)

 

[mmorais]

So, after using windows my whole life I've decided to move to linux since i hate my computer being slow after 6 month of using. Currently i noticed that there are a few software i gotta use for college that might not be available on Linux which leads to my first question, should i use a vm to run windows for those tasks or should I dual boot? my first option is to dual boot but if using a vm is more viable then I'll go with that. Second, i run 2 and sometimes 3 monitor, which is 165hz, 100hz and 75hz all at 1080p. What distro can support more than 1 monitors at different refresh rate? The pc I'm currently running is rocking a r5 5500 and rx6700xt with 16gb of ram. i do have 4 drives 2 of which I'm planning on keeping my current windows 10 and will be using the other 2 for linux.

Note that I'm gonna daily drive Linux from now on and is willing to learn as i go since in my next semester i gotta learn linux anyway for the course I'm taking. I heard it's gonna be Kali from my seniors since it's about cyber security something. But as of now i just want a distro to daily drive. I play games that are mostly on steam and some that are not on there but does have Linux support like Minecraft and Osu!.

I also have a laptop that I kinda want to run linux too but since I'm using it in class I can't jump on that straight away. Maybe when I'm more used to linux on my pc I'll do my laptop too.

TL;DR: New to Linux, looking for distro that support multiple monitors with different refresh rate and can run games.

If i am not mistaken, any Linux distro have support for different refresh rates. You will have plenty of options to Microsoft software as well. Try Onlyoffice for example (or LibreOffice). I believe that Steam games are no problem at all, since there is support for it.

If you want a distro for daily use, Kali is definitely not recommended. Since you're starting using Linux, i would recommend Linux Mint, Ubuntu, Kubuntu, Fedora, or something in this friendly distro realm. I do not recommend Arch, Gentoo or Void Linux to start, unless you want to endure some pain and frustration. You can switch to one of these later after having more experience.

And don't expect Linux to be as smooth as Windows. It might be, but expect more verbosity from it. You just need to understand that both are fundamentally different. Have some patience and welcome to the Linux ecossystem.

 

[Mike-BTU]

And don't expect Linux to be as smooth as Windows. It might be, but expect more verbosity from it.

Exactly what do you mean by this?

 

[mmorais]

Exactly what do you mean by this?

I mean using the terminal more frequently, meaning more work to do. Isn't the term "verbosity" well applied here? If not sorry about that. I apologize.

 

[Condobloke]

And don't expect Linux to be as smooth as Windows

To me, that means that a user finds windows to be more polished/smooth

If what I have guessed at above is correct, then it is probably the nicest thing I have heard said about windows in quite some time. We could probably debate the meaning of the word 'polished/smooth.. but that would be a rabbit hole too far/deep for me.

 

[mmorais]

To me, that means that a user finds windows to be more polished/smooth

If what I have guessed at above is correct, then it is probably the nicest thing I have heard said about windows in quite some time. We could probably debate the meaning of the word 'polished/smooth.. but that would be a rabbit hole too far/deep for me.

It is true that Windows is easy to use. No one can deny it, but it is just that. Linux is also easy to use, but if you want to do something out of the GUI scope, the story is different. This is what i was referring to.

 

[GHzPanda]

To me, that means that a user finds windows to be more polished/smooth

If what I have guessed at above is correct, then it is probably the nicest thing I have heard said about windows in quite some time. We could probably debate the meaning of the word 'polished/smooth.. but that would be a rabbit hole too far/deep for me.

fair, though I don't really find windows that polished. nothing really is no? I'm just looking to move to linux. Got tired of microsoft. I do have some basics in computers since I've been taking computer course for about 2 years so using any OS is not a problem to me, i just want to make sure my move to linux is smooth. Though I don't mind some hastle if it means i can get away from windows. Plus i get to learn more which is great.

 

[wizardfromoz]

@GHzPanda welcome to linux.org from DownUnder

i do have 4 drives 2 of which I'm planning on keeping my current windows 10 and will be using the other 2 for linux.

That's great. If, from Windows, you are familiar that it has an ESP (EFI System Partition) ...give one of your Linux Drives its own ESP - formatted to FAT 32, 300-500 MB in size, and point the installer of the Linux you choose to that to use. That will lessen the chances of Windows updates hijacking your Grub Menu when Windows runs updates.

...since in my next semester i gotta learn linux anyway for the course I'm taking. I heard it's gonna be Kali from my seniors since it's about cyber security something.

I'd like to take all the professors, lecturers and so on, who teach Kali at college/university level and have them write out 500 times

"I must not try to teach Kali to beginners"

...but they probably will still try to do so.

You can put most of Kali's pen testing tools onto virtually any Linux distro you choose, and suffer less grief.

I play games that are mostly on steam and some that are not on there but does have Linux support like Minecraft and Osu!.

Start a thread in our Games Section and ask the folks there what is good for Steam, it may help you with your choices.

Good luck, and keep us posted how you go.

Chris Turner
wizardfromoz

 

[bob466]

Welcome to the Forum.

I have a w7 VM I have mainly for my Printer/Scanner should I need to clean the Printer heads.

 

[bob466]

It is true that Windows is easy to use. No one can deny it, but it is just that. Linux is also easy to use, but if you want to do something out of the GUI scope, the story is different. This is what i was referring to.

I stopped using windoze...10 years ago and am very proud to say...I wouldn't know how to use it now...but I wouldn't say Linux is easy to use if you're a beginner, as many beginners have no clue where to start.

As for the GUI...Linux is mostly that now not like it was years ago.

 

[GHzPanda]

That's great. If, from Windows, you are familiar that it has an ESP (EFI System Partition) ...give one of your Linux Drives its own ESP - formatted to FAT 32, 300-500 MB in size, and point the installer of the Linux you choose to that to use. That will lessen the chances of Windows updates hijacking your Grub Menu when Windows runs updates.

okay this is a massive tip actually, thanks

 

[GHzPanda]

I'd like to take all the professors, lecturers and so on, who teach Kali at college/university level and have them write out 500 times

"I must not try to teach Kali to beginners"

...but they probably will still try to do so.

You can put most of Kali's pen testing tools onto virtually any Linux distro you choose, and suffer less grief.

i should look more into this

 

[wizardfromoz]

Don't get me wrong, if you have to use Kali for the course, you have to use Kali for the course.

...and if you want a good grade, I would not say to the lecturer that I want to string him up by his thumbs, lol.

The sooner you get going with any thing but Kali, the better you will be equipped to deal with its shenanigans.

If you read point 5. in my signature, you will see how many distros I run and why.

I can say something good about all of them, except Kali.

Only reason I have Kali in my stable is to check the accuracy of what people here say.

We're here to help, but we only have a small number of Kali users, with good reason.

 

[Brickwizard]

If you are looking for both a clean every day Linux and one suable for Pen-testing, ask if you can use PARROT OS, you can install the home addition and with one command the complete parrot security package, which includes most of the tools in Kali and a few extras

Best forensic and pentesting Linux distro of 2025

Secure your tech from cyberattacks

www.techradar.com

 

[mmorais]

I stopped using windoze...10 years ago and am very proud to say...I wouldn't know how to use it now...but I wouldn't say Linux is easy to use if you're a beginner, as many beginners have no clue where to start.

As for the GUI...Linux is mostly that now not like it was years ago. View attachment 26257

I share the same feeling about Windows. 18 years using Linux. I got mad when the new IT guy of my school decided to switch all computers from Windows XP to Ubuntu 6.10, but today i thank him, because i learned so much. Imagine knowing nothing about Linux and help the new IT guy to format more than 30 computers plus the server... What a journey...

Now, i only use Windows when i have to help my sister with something in her computer and i get pretty mad using it.