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ZDNET Key Takeaways
- Elementary OS and Ubuntu are Budgie Linux distributions.
- Both of these distros are beautiful and user-friendly.
- One of these desktop distros is more flexible than the other.
I have a soft spot in my heart for both primary os And ubuntu budgieFor about five years, Elementary OS was my Linux distribution of choice, I found it attractive, well-designed, efficient and user-friendly, Fast forward about 10 years, Ubuntu Budgie took over Pop!_OS for a few years,
Both of these desktop operating systems should be considered options for those who are new to Linux and those who are well-experienced in open-source OSes. At first glance, these distributions look quite different, but fundamentally they are quite similar.
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Let’s take a look at each and determine which one is right for you.
primary os
Elementary OS is based on the Ubuntu LTS release and was first introduced in 2011. From its earliest days to the present, Elementary OS has retained a similar design scheme, and for those who know it, you’ve probably always thought, “It looks a lot like macOS.”
I believe this was intentional. Given that MacOS has been considered one of the more user-friendly operating systems for years, it makes sense that the primary OS would resemble Apple’s OS.
However, there is one obvious difference (besides the primary OS being Linux): the primary OS outperforms MacOS in the long run.
The minimum system requirements for the latest releases of Elementary OS are as follows:
- A recent Intel Core i3 or comparable dual-core 64-bit processor
- 4 GB RAM
- 32GB SSD with free space
- 1024×768 minimum resolution display
MacOS Tahoe’s minimum system requirements, on the other hand, are MacBook Air (2020 or later), MacBook Pro (2020 or 2021 or later with four Thunderbolt 3 ports), Mac mini (2020 or later), iMac (2020 or later), or Mac Pro (2019). Those devices should have at least 16 GB RAM and 50 GB (for installation only).
If you install Elementary OS and MacOS Tahoe on similarly powered machines, Elementary OS will blow away MacOS. But what is it about Elementary OS that makes it so special?
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For one thing, the design scheme runs through every element of the OS. From the dock to the desktop menu to installed apps to the top bar… the design is seamless and flows beautifully from one bit to the next. Open the file manager, and it looks like Elementary OS. Click Desktop menu…Primary OS. Frankly, this is quite refreshing in a world where it’s possible to install different apps using different widget toolkits on the same desktop, leading to thematic variations.
Speaking of topic: Elementary OS is one of the rare Linux distributions that I never feel the need to use out of the box. That’s saying something because I’m always making changes to my desktop. However, the developers of Elementary OS (and Pantheon Desktop) do it right, release after release, and I’ve never found it necessary to make even the slightest change.
Elementary OS also:
- Supports Flatpak apps
- Includes a beautiful multitasking view
- Supports hot corners and multi-touch gestures
- Has a user-friendly app store
- This includes a feature called Secure Sessions, which requires apps to explicitly request permission for sensitive actions.
- Has microphone/screen recording indicators
- Gives high priority to privacy settings
- Its boot time is very fast
- Offers lots of accessibility options
- Uses Flatpak for most app installs
Is Elementary OS Right for You?
Are you new to Linux? Are you migrating from MacOS? Do you want an operating system that combines simplicity, reliability, efficiency and beauty in equal measure? If yes, then Elementary OS should be your first choice.
Elementary OS is as attractive as a desktop operating system can be. The Pantheon desktop environment makes using Linux as easy as possible, so you’ll never feel the need to open a Terminal app and use the command line.
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There is one caveat to using Elementary OS: it is not as flexible as other Linux distributions. The good news is that you probably won’t feel the need to make any changes. However, if you like to tinker, Elementary OS may not be the distribution for you.
ubuntu budgie
You’d be hard-pressed to find a prettier Linux desktop.
Jack Wallen/ZDNET
Ubuntu Budgie is an official Ubuntu “flavor”. Thanks to Budgie Desktop, this distribution is as beautiful as any on the market. And thanks to Ubuntu, it’s also user-friendly and has excellent hardware support (through the hardware enablement kernel).
Out of the box, Ubuntu Budgie looks somewhat like Windows 10, with a beautiful panel, easy-to-use desktop menus, a system tray, and all the bits you’ve grown accustomed to over the years.
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One big difference (for me) between Ubuntu Budgie and Elementary OS is that I always customize the Budgie desktop. I prefer the dock to the panel (which is easier to change in Budgie), never use dark mode, and tweaked a few other small things to make the desktop better suited to my needs.
Luckily, all those configurations are pretty easy to take care of, but it highlighted the main difference between these two: Ubuntu Budgie is far more flexible than Elementary OS.
That doesn’t mean Budgie can do more. No, what I mean is that Ubuntu Budgie can do Happen More. Do you want Budgie to look like Windows? You got this. Is the MacOS UI better suited to your tastes? Pay attention to this. Or perhaps you would like something completely different? make it so.
In other words, if you want a user-friendly, beautiful, and customizable desktop, Ubuntu Budgie is the best choice for you.
Ubuntu Budgie:
- Offers a flexible layout with a top panel and bottom panel (or dock)
- Raven Sidebar is for notifications and applets
- Includes a welcome center for easy setup
- Offers various layouts that can mimic Windows, MacOS, or Chrome OS
- Includes lots of customization options for themes, icons, and panel settings
- Based on Ubuntu LTS with HWE kernel for broader hardware support
- Offers auto window placement (tiling and snapping)
- Supports applets that can be added to the panel
- Supports installation via APT, SNAP and Flatpak
Is Ubuntu Budgie Right for You?
It’s easy. If you want a beautiful desktop that is highly configurable (and looks good in all its incarnations), easy to use, offers excellent hardware support, and performs like a champ, then Ubuntu Budgie is what you want.
Which one should you choose?
As I mentioned, the biggest difference between Elementary OS and Ubuntu Budgie is that the latter is far more flexible and customizable. Also, Elementary OS is one of those distributions that “just works.”
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So, if you want a distribution that you can install and use without spending any time creating your own, choose Elementary OS. If you want a distribution that allows you to do whatever you want with the desktop layout, go with Ubuntu Budgie.
Whichever way you go, know that you’ve picked a winner.
