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In the last article I mentioned in passing my current setup on the laptop: Linux only in version GNOME. Why did I choose a less "mainstream" distribution than the usual ones?

After several months of daily use between browsing, Writing, blog management and some terminal sessions, the time has come to take stock of the situation. It's worth trying? And how does it compare to the benchmark of the Linux world, that is to say Ubuntu?

It's only Linux (and why the GNOME version?)

Solus is an independent Linux distribution (neither derived nor from Debian, nor from Arch, right from Fedora) created with a single and very clear objective: offer the best possible experience on desktop PCs and notebooks.

Unlike many other projects that try to cover servers, IoT e cloud, the Solus team focuses exclusively on everyday home and work use.

Another key element is its release model: it's one Curated Rolling Release. This means that the system updates itself continuously without having to reinstall everything every time 6 mesi o 2 years (as happens with Ubuntu LTS), but updates are tested and released weekly to ensure maximum stability.

Although Solus is famous for creating the desktop environment Budgie, I chose the edition GNOME. The reason? I wanted a clean experience, modern and without frills on a small screen.

I pro di Solus Linux sul portable

1. Responsiveness and hardware optimization

The first thing you notice when you turn on the notebook is the speed. Solus is known for its optimizations “under the hood”. Booting is quick, the use of RAM at boot is limited and the entire system responds to commands with a fluidity that is often lost on Ubuntu, especially after months of use.

2. A GNOME experience “Vanilla”

Unlike Canonical, which heavily modifies GNOME by adding side docks, custom extensions and themes (Yaru), Solus offers a near-pure GNOME experience. If you like the native workflow made of gestures, dynamic workspaces and a distraction-free interface, here you will feel at home.

3. The package manager eopkg

eopkg is Solus' native package manager. From the command line it is incredibly fast at updating repositories and installing packages. For everything that is not found in the official repositories, there is native support a Flatpak.

The cons: what there is to consider

It's not all roses and flowers, and it is right to highlight where an independent distro shows its side:

• Smaller software park: The official Solus repositories are deliberately selected and curated. You will find all the common software (Chrome, VS Code, GIMP, VLC), but if you need a niche application you may not find it in format .eopkg.
• Absence of PPA or AUR: Forget the Ubuntu PPAs or the Arch AUR. If there isn't a program, you have to rely on Flatpak, AppImage or compile it from source.
• Smaller community: In case of strange bugs or specific hardware problems, doing a Google search yields fewer results than the millions of threads dedicated to Ubuntu or Debian.

Just Linux vs Ubuntu: direct comparison

To understand if Solus is right for you, Let's compare it in fundamental points with Ubuntu:

Characteristic	Linux only (GNOME)	Ubuntu (GNOME)
Philosophy	Independent, Desktop-First	Corporate (Canonical), Multi-purpose
Model release	Curated Rolling (Continuous updates)	Fixed Release (6 months / 2 anni LTS)
Packet format	eopkg + Flatpak	apt + Snap (+ Optional flatpak)
Performance	Very responsive, Instant app launch	Buono, but Snap apps sometimes slow on first launch
GNOME customization	Almost vanilla (Minimalist)	Modified (Ubuntu Dock, temi Yaru)

The Snap vs Flatpak node

The difference that I noticed most in daily use concerns package management “sandboxati”. Ubuntu pushes heavily on Snap, and anyone who has used them knows that apps like Firefox or Thunderbird in Snap format can take several seconds on first launch. alone, instead, integrates perfectly Flatpak, which is decidedly faster and less invasive.

The verdict: who do I recommend it to??

After months on my laptop, Solus GNOME has proven to be a solid distro, fast and stress-free.

• I recommend it if: You're looking for a system for your laptop that's responsive, ready for use, constantly updated and you don't want to waste time reconfiguring or reinstalling the operating system every time a new Ubuntu release comes out.
• Not for you if: Developments with tools that require specific Debian/Ubuntu libraries, you use packages .deb companies or dependent on third-party PPAs.

And what do you think? Do you use a mainstream distro like Ubuntu or like to explore independent projects like Solus? Let me know in the comments!