Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Garuda Linux VS Ubuntu

Compare Garuda Linux VS Ubuntu and see what are their differences

Garuda Linux logo Garuda Linux

Garuda Linux is an appealing Arch Linux based Distro with BTRFS (modern filesystem), Linux-zen kernel, auto snapshots, gaming edition and a lot more bleeding edge features..

Ubuntu logo Ubuntu

Ubuntu is a Debian Linux-based open source operating system for desktop computers.
  • Garuda Linux Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-06-05
  • Ubuntu Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-12

Garuda Linux features and specs

  • User-Friendly
    Garuda Linux offers a user-friendly experience with a focus on ease of use. Its installation process is simplified with Calamares, and the desktop environments are configured for a smooth out-of-the-box experience.
  • Performance
    Optimized for performance, Garuda Linux includes the Linux-zen kernel, which aims to provide a quicker and smoother responsiveness compared to standard kernels.
  • Customizability
    Garuda Linux offers a high degree of customizability, allowing users to tweak their system settings and appearance to their liking with various customization tools and preconfigured settings.
  • Arch-Based
    Being an Arch-based distribution, Garuda Linux benefits from the Arch User Repository (AUR) and the latest, rolling-release updates, ensuring that users have access to cutting-edge software and features.
  • Pre-Installed Tools
    Garuda Linux comes with a range of pre-installed tools and applications designed to make system management, gaming, and daily tasks easier for users.
  • BTRFS Filesystem
    The default use of the BTRFS filesystem with automatic snapshots provides enhanced reliability, data integrity, and easier recovery options.
  • Gaming
    Garuda Linux is tailored for gamers with pre-installed gaming tools, drivers, and optimizations designed to enhance gaming performance and experience.

Possible disadvantages of Garuda Linux

  • Resource Usage
    Because of its performance optimizations and pre-installed applications, Garuda Linux can be more resource-intensive compared to other distributions, which might be unsuitable for older or lower-spec hardware.
  • Stability
    As a rolling-release distribution based on Arch Linux, Garuda Linux inherits the potential stability issues that can come with continuously updated software, which may require more frequent system maintenance and troubleshooting.
  • Learning Curve
    While Garuda Linux is user-friendly, its Arch Linux heritage means there can be a steeper learning curve for users who are not familiar with the Arch ecosystem, especially when it comes to troubleshooting or advanced configurations.
  • Limited Community
    Compared to more established distributions like Ubuntu or Fedora, Garuda Linux has a smaller user base and community support, which can limit the availability of resources and help.
  • Frequent Updates
    The nature of a rolling-release model means frequent updates, which can be disruptive or cumbersome for users who prefer a more stable and long-term support (LTS) release cycle.
  • Customization Overwhelm
    The high level of customizability can be overwhelming for new users, presenting them with too many choices and options which might complicate the initial setup and configuration process.

Ubuntu features and specs

  • Open Source
    Ubuntu is an open-source operating system, meaning it's free to use, distribute, and modify. This allows users to customize their system to their liking and contributes to a large community of developers constantly improving the system.
  • Security
    Ubuntu places significant emphasis on security, providing regular updates and including a built-in firewall and virus protection. Its Unix-based kernel design adds an additional layer of security.
  • User-Friendly
    Ubuntu is designed to be user-friendly with an intuitive interface, making it accessible for both beginners and experienced users. The Ubuntu Software Center simplifies the installation of applications.
  • Community Support
    An active and vast community of users and developers helps to solve issues and improve the OS. There are numerous forums, guides, and documentation available.
  • Performance
    Ubuntu tends to have better performance than some other operating systems on older hardware. It is less resource-intensive, leading to faster performance on a range of devices.

Possible disadvantages of Ubuntu

  • Software Compatibility
    Some software and applications, particularly those designed for Windows or macOS, may not be available or fully compatible with Ubuntu. Users might need to find alternatives or use compatibility layers like Wine.
  • Gaming
    While gaming on Linux, including Ubuntu, has improved, it still lags behind Windows in terms of the availability and performance of games. Many popular titles do not have native Linux support.
  • Learning Curve
    Although user-friendly, transitioning to Ubuntu from another OS can involve a learning curve, especially for users unfamiliar with Linux commands and terminal operations.
  • Driver Support
    Users might face issues with hardware compatibility, as some device manufacturers do not provide Linux drivers. This can affect peripherals like printers, graphics cards, and network adapters.
  • Professional Software
    Certain professional-grade software in fields like video editing, graphic design, or specialized industry applications may not have Linux versions or equivalents. Professionals might need to dual-boot or use another OS for specific tasks.

Garuda Linux videos

A First Look At Garuda Linux KDE "Dr4Gonized"

More videos:

  • Review - Garuda Linux Review: You'll be Blown Away by its Looks [New Distro based on Arch]
  • Review - Garuda Linux - The BREATH TAKING Linux DISTRO of 2021

Ubuntu videos

Ubuntu 19.10 Review | The Best GNOME Desktop, Yet?

More videos:

  • Review - Review: Ubuntu 19.10 "Eoan Ermine"
  • Review - Ubuntu 19.04, My Review (And Why Most Users Should Avoid It)
  • Review - Ubuntu 24.04: An Excellent Linux Distro
  • Review - Ubuntu's Decline
  • Review - Ubuntu 24.04 Review: Why It's Time to Change Ubuntu's Release Cycle

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Garuda Linux and Ubuntu)
Linux
15 15%
85% 85
Operating Systems
13 13%
87% 87
Laptops
100 100%
0% 0
Linux Distribution
8 8%
92% 92

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Garuda Linux and Ubuntu

Garuda Linux Reviews

  1. bartwalgraeve@gmail.com
    An all-round positive experience

    Garuda linux boots superfast on my laptop, is very userfriendly both in daily work and maintenance. You can find and install a vast amount of software and apps. It is stable and aesthetically pleasing.

    👍 Pros:    Super fast|Boot ime is amazing and all apps open quickly.|Very userfriendly

12 Best Linux Distros You Should Use
The centerpiece of Garuda Linux is its UI. It gets lots of modern elements with gradient coloring splashed across the OS. Garuda Linux is based on Arch and follows the same rolling release pattern. It’s offered in multiple flavors; some of the most popular ones are GNOME, Cinnamon, Xfce, and MATE.
Source: beebom.com
The best Linux distributions (operating systems)
Garuda Linux provides many different desktop environments and is updated regularly as a rolling release. In addition to graphical wizards for simplified setup, Garuda Linux provides a tool for configuration and livestreams with Garuda Gamer.
Source: www.ionos.com
13 Best Linux distros for gaming in 2022
Garuda Linux is rather less known distribution but could be a good fit for general purpose desktop computing and gaming.
Best Linux Distro for Gaming
Garuda Linux is a distro based on Arch Linux. So it’s a rolling release distro, meaning you’ll get the latest software and drivers. They also have a GUI for managing drivers which might come in handy for gaming. They have a Gaming Edition which uses KDE Plasma and comes with a GUI called Garuda Gamer for installing various gaming software and emulators.
Source: linuxstans.com
9 Best Linux Gaming Distributions in 2021
Garuda Linux is rather less known distribution but could be a good fit for general purpose desktop computing and gaming.
Source: itsfoss.com

Ubuntu Reviews

Top 9 Fastest Linux Distros in 2024
Ubuntu and Mint are both based on Debian and share many similarities. However, some differences may impact performances in certain use cases. For example, Ubuntu tends to be more resource-heavy than Mint, especially the GNOME desktop environment, on the other hand, is known for its lightweight Cinnamon desktop environment, which can be more responsive & faster.
Source: linuxsimply.com
10 Most Popular Linux Distros of the Year 2023
Ubuntu also has some lightweight games like chess and Sudoku. GNOME Files, formerly known as Nautilus, is the default file manager. It is recognized for its strong community support, regular releases, and focus on user experience. There are several Ubuntu flavors available as well per the demand of users such as Ubuntu Studio for users who need the best multimedia-supported...
12 Best Linux Distros You Should Use
Ubuntu uses Snaps for package management, and the latter is the reason the Linux community has started repelling it. They completely dropped out-of-the-box support for Flatpaks, as we mentioned in our Ubuntu 23.04 features list. Although it’s a good starting point for a complete beginner, we would argue there are better Linux distros to try than Ubuntu.
Source: beebom.com
Finding the Best Linux Distro for Your Organization
Based on the open source Ubuntu community, Canonical provides commercial support and services for Ubuntu Enterprise deployments. Ubuntu Enterprise is known for its ease of use, regular updates, and compatibility with cloud environments. Commercial versions include Ubuntu Desktop, Ubuntu Server, Ubuntu for IoT, and Ubuntu Cloud -- all optimized versions for their...
The best Linux distributions (operating systems)
Around since 2004, Ubuntu is a classic Linux distribution. The operating system is aimed at different user groups and simplifies the first steps for beginners. On the one hand, Ubuntu is customizable, but also offers numerous technical tools to simplify installation and configuration. Many programs are pre-installed, and additional packages can be conveniently added. Ubuntu...
Source: www.ionos.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Ubuntu should be more popular than Garuda Linux. It has been mentiond 233 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Garuda Linux mentions (94)

  • Linux hit over 3% desktop user share according to Statcounter
    I'd suggest trying Nobara and/or Garuda - both are absolutely easymode to install from a USB stick, and are specifically configured for gaming, but have a pretty different look and feel. Nobara is a very plain, kind of old fashioned, plain feeling UI (it rather reminds me of Windows 2000 in some ways, although it's much more advanced of course) while Garuda showcases just how fancy your desktop can look. Source: over 1 year ago
  • Reviving an old machine for gaming
    Garuda (Arch based, use a Desktop environment with small memory prints like XFCE or lxqt). Source: over 1 year ago
  • Please Help me for my search
    Personally, I feel like rolling release distros 'should' include a properly configured (GRUB-)Btrfs+Timeshit/Snapper by default. This will enable the user to rollback to a working system whenever a breakage occurs; even from the GRUB-menu. As the 'unadulterated' Arch is a blank slate upon which you 'should' tinker to your heart's content, it doesn't do this by default. However, you're highly encouraged to set it... Source: over 1 year ago
  • Is artix a good alternative to manjaro
    Personal recommendation would be Garuda Linux. Like Manjaro it is 'opinionated'; sets up (GRUB-)Btrfs+Timeshift/Snapper, comes with a bunch of very useful GUI-tools etc. Source: over 1 year ago
  • If you have a plan to use the galaxybook with linux, you don't have to buy Galaxybook.
    Yes... Most Linux Distro's the sound doesn't work... Garuda Linux is the only one I found that everything works. Source: over 1 year ago
View more

Ubuntu mentions (233)

  • How to use WSL 2 to Install Ubuntu on Windows 11?
    The system will list all the available Linux Distros. Popular Distros including but not limited to Ubuntu, Debian, openSUSE, SUSE Linux Enterprise and more will be displayed. Choose your distro accordingly. In this article, I am going to Install Ubuntu 20.04 LTS (Long Term Support). - Source: dev.to / 26 days ago
  • How to Setup Users and User Groups on Linux
    A Virtual machine - VM running on Linux environment, I recommend Ubuntu. - Source: dev.to / 6 months ago
  • Half-Life Dedicated Server With Docker
    In the following example, we extend from a pre-built Ubuntu image, install some known dependencies, add our Steam user account on the system, and then switch to the working directory located at /opt/steam. - Source: dev.to / 7 months ago
  • Automating the Building of VMs with Packer
    The next important question is choosing the Linux distro. One of the most popular Linux distros is Ubuntu, which will be considered here. - Source: dev.to / 7 months ago
  • Linux Virtualization: Simple Guide for New Users
    Download the ISO: Visit the official website of your chosen Linux distribution and download the ISO file. For example, you can download Ubuntu from ubuntu.com. - Source: dev.to / 7 months ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Garuda Linux and Ubuntu, you can also consider the following products

EndeavourOS - An Arch-based distro with a dynamic and friendly community in its core

Linux Mint - Linux Mint is one of the most popular desktop Linux distributions and used by millions of people.

Pop!_OS - A developer-focused minimalist Linux distro from System 76

Fedora - Fedora creates an innovative, free, and open source platform for hardware, clouds, and containers that enables software developers and community members to build tailored solutions for their users.

Manjaro - Manjaro Linux is a linux distribution which is based on arch linux. It uses the PACMAN package manager.

Arch Linux - You've reached the website for Arch Linux, a lightweight and flexible Linux® distribution that tries to Keep It Simple. Currently we have official packages optimized for the x86-64 architecture.