I need a distro that can work right out the box without too much hassle to configure it, which one would you recommend?

linux mint

Pop_OS or Linux Mint. Both just work. The Atomic idea is nice, but still too soon for complete beginners or the lazy (not a pejorative).

Mint, it just works.

If you need secure boot on current (like intel gen 10+), Fedora Workstation. If you don't need secure boot, Linux Mint.

Fedora has the easiest way to make secure boot just work, it will even dual boot fine on the same disk although you should still backup the m$ partition if you actually need it. Fedora can do secure boot even with Nvidia.

Ubuntu can do some of the secure boot stuff like Fedora does, and there is the advantage of the stable kernel if you have Nvidia.

Note that "stable" as a label has nothing to do with its intuitive meaning like alpha/beta/testing/crashing etc. It is a term for servers and people that want to run very specific setups that will not require human intervention on embedded devices and servers. If you want to game or use the latest sw "stable" might be a pain. However, if what you are running is not kept up to date with the latest packages and libraries, a stable release may be the only way to run your stuff.

Overall these are the biggest factors on current hardware; secure boot yes/no, and up-to-date software needs yes/no.

My vote is Linux Mint. I had installed it on a family members laptop and have been going strong for years without fault.

Linux Mint. It's THE best distro hands down. Those who know, know.

Fedora

Everytime I want a distro that just works I just roll with Linux Mint.

Being one of the most popular distro if something goes wrong is really easy to find how to fix it .

Linux Mint Cinnamon

I think your best bet for this is one of the spinoffs of enterprise Linux: fedora or openSUSE. both are very solid ootb, and have starting configurations that are generally good.

The microos or silverblue variants respectively are really promising as well, but still have some caveats.

Mint, it's not the shiniest toy but it really does just work

If you have Nvidia, pop os has all that built in. My go-to is usually popos, or mint

For me it is Fedora

Fedora atomic GNOME or KDE.

You don't mess with the system at all. If you look for something specific, you may find something here https://universal-blue.org/images/ .

Ubuntu or Linux Mint

I use fedora for the nice OOTB experience, but if there's issues with parts of the hardware - I try Ubuntu. And if it works, I just install it.

Life's too short to deal with hardware blobs.

Do live images not exist anymore? Pick a distro, burn an iso to a USB drive and boot it. See if you like it.

You're just going to get a bunch of personal preferences with such an open ended question.

Pop os or Mint

Pop!_OS or Fedora

What are you trying to build? A work laptop that you're going to take on trips, a gaming computer, a server? Something else?

For you, what is too much hassle? Are you a new Linux user or an experienced user with no spare time? What are you accustomed to doing when you install an operating system and what do you expect to be preinstalled?

What is your favorite colour?

Debian.

It depends of your definition of "hassle".

I have 2 screens, I like to have the same panel on each screen, so when I use one in fullscreen, I can use the other one. So far, the only Desktop Environment that can give me that without too much difficulties, is KDE (even if I had to do it manually).

If you have the same use, maybe Kubuntu is a great choice. Tuxedo OS would be the same as Kubuntu, but you don't have to change the priority of the package manager, because the snaps are already disabled. ( they got another load of malicious softwares in the snapstore recently, and some snap might not be as good as .deb or flatpak).

If not, Linux Mint is an out of the box distribution. If your hardware is the most recent one, they have a "edge iso".

Linux Mint. Always.

Linux Mint definitely

openSUSE Tumbleweed is pretty comfy. Btrfs snapshots enabled by default so it's really hard to break it. I've been using it for about 8 months now and haven't had any big issues.

If you want an elaborated answer you will have to share the hardware you want to install it on.

I've put kubuntu on a couple of machines now and I'm pretty happy with it.

It's Linux Mint Cinnamon. Unless you are trying to run your OS in a potato, then it's Linux Mint MATE.

Pop os

Fedora

Ubuntu if you're used to Mac, Zorin (based on Ubuntu) or Mint if you're more used to Windows.

Never used Pop OS but I hear that's another that works well out of the box.

Don't know which one to recommend but I would never recommend Ubuntu. It is full of bugs to me. I used it for years without issues but now it is impossible for me. Installed it on my girlfriend's laptop recently and she has the same bugs I had years ago when I dropped it : network disconnects randomly and she has to reboot, bluetooth won't reconnect sometimes... I can help but it is definitely not working out of the box for users who are not into tech.

I've got PopOs on my personal (framework) and work (System76) laptop. It's been super stable. Specially if you don't mess around with different PPAs.

LMDE

I would highly recommend fedora kinoite, it's immutable so the system doesn't break without you trying very hard, well configured out of the box, and uses flatpak for apps so the system can be stable and the apps can be updated regularly!

just installed bazzite and after switching to x11 (one button thing) its the first district to have no screen tearing, no stutter

though this is a very gaming focused district, so maybe not for you

its derived from universal blue so maybe check that out

Ubuntu and its derivatives are quite solid. My favorite ispopOsS which has grown to have a nice identity for itself.

What do you want to do with it?

This request is impossible to fulfill

• people that dont care about wayland etc. may use Linux Mint
• people that want a server will choose Debian
• people dont care about malware will choose ubuntu
• people that dont care about all of that will use an Atomic Fedora Spin like Silverblue

A lot of folks would recommend Ubuntu as a start but it’s very bloated af so starting on Linux Mint or Zorin/Elementary OS (if you want a windows/macos experience in your distro) would be a great start imo

If you have to ask it probably means the answer is one of the following:

• Mint
• Ubuntu
• Pop!_os

In that order. Mint will be most likely the answer if your hardware is pretty normal. Ubuntu will be the answer if you're willing to give up some security and privacy for east of use (pro-tip: if this is your mentality I'd recommend a different OS and dual booting while you learn). Pop!_os will be the answer if you don't need super up to date software and want all your hardware to work because you have something odd

Personally I would strongly advise towards Mint. I used to direct people away from it but I've learned this was a bias I had against them for mishandling a security thing a long time ago that they've since become leaders in the security space for general use Linux operating systems.

Ubuntu LTS. Far more polished than Mint, regardless of the Snap hatred you will hear. And Snap is a bit annoying, but not one bit the evil some people will convince you it is. Will not break unless something extremely stupid is done. And since it is based on Debian Unstable, it receives latest packages plus is first preference Linux platform for corporate and general software.

My advice is to just look at the screenshots of a few mainstream ones and pick one that looks the most usable.

A few:

• Mint - Can't go wrong if you like traditional desktop.
• Pop OS - Great for gaming (and many other things).
• Zorin - Never used it, but it's supposedly easy, and very polished.
• Ubuntu - Has many haters (including myself), because of nuances, but honestly it'll do the job just fine.

Fedora

@PoliticallyIncorrect Fedora Silverblue, for sure.

If you use CJK input methods, I would suggest Fedora which it has the simplest way to add a input

Depends on your hardware.

you just described zorin.

For what it's worth, Q4OS was easy to set up and has been my daily driver since late 2018.

You could give fedora a try

@PoliticallyIncorrect @linux Void linux with xfce of course

Bazzite. It's made for gaming, but it just works, 0% hassle. I used to love doing lots of stuff with the terminal in arch, but since I switched I haven't opened the teminal once.

Ubuntu

try a ublue os image

ElementaryOS if yer a Mac fan.

@PoliticallyIncorrect
100% for #LinuxMint.

Zorin

I would recommend Vanilla OS, especially Vanilla OS 2 once it's released. It's a very stable distro with an immutable system. It also allows you to install arch, debian, fedora, etc. packages using the apx package manager

SolusOS

EndeavorOs, imagine arch, but as easy to install as Ubuntu, but everything just works

Kinoite or mx linux

Nobara if you want to game or do AV editing. I'm a semi-noob and I did not like Mint.

ARCH!!!

@PoliticallyIncorrect For a person's 1st distro, Ubuntu. Available with different desktops too.

Windows.

Work supposed to be done on the machine would be interesting.

I'd correct the spelling, remove the lazy initialism, fix the comma splice and the which/that error.

You want to give people a reason to stop and help you. Be better, okay?