Which Linux distributions will rise above the competition in 2026 to dethrone the old guard? These are my picks.

Snap packages on Ubuntu can be bloated and slow. They can waste your storage and seemingly slow down system performance.

Both Rhino Linux and EndeavorOS are rolling release distros. Rhino Linux is based on Ubuntu, and EndeavorOS is based on Arch Linux. One of these distros has the edge for those who are newer to Linux.

PCWorld’s guide helps users navigate the overwhelming choice of approximately 250 Linux distributions by focusing on five main strains: Debian, Red Hat/Fedora, Arch, Slackware, and Gentoo.