X-twitter Facebook-f Pinterest-p
X-twitter Facebook-f Pinterest-p

Kubuntu vs. Fedora KDE: Which KDE Plasma distro is right for you?


Fedora KDE

Jack Wallen/ZDNET

Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.

ZDNET’s key takeaways

  • Both Kubuntu and Fedora KDE use the KDE Plasma desktop.
  • Each distribution takes a different approach to the desktop.
  • One of these may have an edge for new users.

KDE Plasma has won me over. It’s gorgeous, smooth, fast, and as stable as any desktop on the market. On top of all that, it has features that other desktops only dream of, including KDE Activities, KRunner, Window Rules, and KDE Connect. 

But when you go to try KDE Plasma, you’ll find several distributions that offer the open-source desktop. Which one should you try?

Also: Microsoft surprises with its first server Linux distribution: Azure Linux 4.0

In my opinion, two distributions stand out for newcomers to KDE Plasma or Linux: Kubuntu and Fedora KDE. Considering that both distributions default to the KDE Plasma desktop, you’d expect them to be, for the most part, the same. They are not. And I’m here to help you choose.

Kubuntu and Fedora KDE

Kubuntu is on the left and Fedora KDE is on the right.

Screenshot by Jack Wallen/ZDNET

Kubuntu: What is it and who is it for?

Kubuntu

The Kubuntu desktop isn’t quite as modern as I would prefer.

Screenshot by Jack Wallen/ZDNET

Kubuntu is essentially Ubuntu with the KDE Plasma desktop. What that means is you’re getting all of the user-friendliness of Ubuntu (such as the APT package manager, Snap packages, and the massive default repositories), but instead of the Ubuntu-tweaked GNOME desktop, you get KDE Plasma.

Simple, right? Sort of.

Kubuntu delivers KDE Plasma in a way that makes clear who it’s for: new (or new-ish) Linux users. Even on first boot, you get two desktop launchers: one labeled How-To Guides and the other Kubuntu Websites. (These launchers open the default browser (Firefox) to those respective sites.)

Also: Fedora Kinoite vs. Silverblue: My verdict after testing both immutable Linux distros

Kubuntu’s look and feel leans into the past a bit; it’s sort of Windows 7-ish, with a bottom panel that extends from side to side, a fairly traditional desktop menu, and a default theme that is a mixture of dark and light. To my eye, Kubuntu’s look isn’t quite as modern as you might expect from KDE Plasma, but I suspect that’s intentional, to avoid scaring new users off.

And that’s the heart and soul of Kubuntu: it’s about bringing new users into the fold. This spin understands that the default Ubuntu desktop doesn’t appeal to the average user, whereas KDE Plasma does.

Kubuntu does its best to hold your hand through every step of the process, from getting the OS installed to using it. 

Kubuntu’s preinstalled apps

Kubuntu ships with the usual collection of preinstalled apps. You’ll find Firefox, LibreOffice, Thunderbird, KDE Connect, Remmina (for remote desktop connections), Elisa (music player), Haruna (multimedia player), and the usual KDE utilities (such as the Kate text editor). 

Also: Your KDE Plasma desktop is about to get a huge upgrade with 6.6 – what’s inside

Kubuntu not only includes the KDE Discover app store, but also ships with the Synaptic package manager and a menu entry labeled Manage Software. Click that entry (it’s in the System menu), and a pop-up appears asking whether you’d like to open KDE Discover or Synaptic. If you’re new to Linux and KDE Plasma, ignore Synaptic; KDE Discover is by far the more user-friendly option.

Kubuntu

There’s also a quick launch icon for this on the KDE Panel.

Screenshot by Jack Wallen/ZDNET

To my surprise, Snap is not enabled by default in KDE Discover. Snap is installed, but out of the box, you’d have to use it from the command line. When I went to enable it in KDE Discover > Settings > Snap, I discovered that (for some reason) it refused. Because of this, I opted to enable Flatpak. To do that, I went to KDE Discover > Settings > Discover – “Flatpak backend” and clicked Install.

Once the Flatpak backend was installed, I restarted the system and could then enable Flathub and install apps using the universal package manager.

Who is Kubuntu for?

As you’ve surmised, Kubuntu is ideal for those new to Linux and/or KDE Plasma. This Ubuntu spin goes out of its way to make using the KDE Plasma desktop far easier than you might expect. 

Also: GNOME 50 is a brilliant release – but I had to look twice to see why

On the other hand, if you’re looking for a modern, out-of-the-box experience, Kubuntu is not for you. I found the look and feel of Kubuntu to be a bit off-putting. The good news is, it’s KDE Plasma, so it doesn’t take long to customize it to better suit your taste.

Fedora KDE: What is it and who is it for?

Fedora KDE

Fedora KDE takes a more modern approach to the desktop.

Screenshot by Jack Wallen/ZDNET

Fedora KDE takes a different approach to the desktop. It goes all-in with a sleek, elegant desktop that assumes you know what you’re doing.

And because this is based on Fedora, you’re getting more up-to-date software and more frequent upgrades. After installing Fedora KDE, I had to run the upgrade process (which requires rebooting) four times. After the fourth upgrade/reboot, it finally decided it was up to date (for now), so I went to work.

Also: Fedora 44 made me forget I was using Linux – in the best way

The look and feel of Fedora KDE is much more modern than Kubuntu, and I’m all for it. Fedora KDE looks more like what KDE Plasma should, right down to the floating panel.

Fedora’s preinstalled software

Similar to Kubuntu, Fedora KDE gives you everything you need out of the box. You’ll find Firefox, LibreOffice, KMail, KDE Connect, Dragon Player (videos), Elisa (music), Kamoso (webcam), KolourPaint, and the usual KDE utilities. 

Open KDE Discover, and you’ll find that Flatpak is enabled by default, but that the Flathub repo is not. If you want to install proprietary apps like Slack and Spotify, you’ll need to enable Flathub by going to Discover > Settings > Add Flathub. Once you’ve added Flathub, you’ll find considerably more apps to install.

KDE Discover

Adding Flathub to KDE Discover is simple.

Screenshot by Jack Wallen/ZDNET

Both Kubuntu and Fedora KDE ship with KDE Plasma 6.6.4, but Fedora KDE has the edge because it also ships with KDE Frameworks 6.25, whereas Kubuntu ships with 6.24. KDE Frameworks is a collection of libraries and software frameworks that allow developers to create applications. It’s not a big deal for standard users, but developers will appreciate the differences between versions. 

My guess is that Fedora KDE will also receive the next big version of the desktop (6.7) before Kubuntu does.

Who is Fedora KDE for?

Fedora KDE is for those who want a more modern, elegant take on the KDE Plasma desktop, without spending much time customizing it (though you can). It’s also for those who want more recent software releases. However, there is one odd exception here. While Kubuntu ships with LibreOffice version 26.2.2.2, Fedora KDE ships with version 26.2.1.2. That took me by surprise, because Fedora is considered a “leading edge” distribution, which means it typically receives software updates faster than others.

Here’s one surprise: a Fedora KDE installation is much easier (and more modern) than a Kubuntu one. That’s not to say the Kubuntu installation is challenging (it’s not), but if you want an easier path to installing Linux, Fedora KDE is the way to go.

Which distro is right for you?

The answer to this question is a bit more challenging than usual because of the mixed bag of new versus old. With Fedora KDE having an easier installation, you’d think I would be inclined to recommend it over Kubuntu for new users. But seeing as how the Kubuntu installation is still easy and the entire distribution feels geared toward new users, I would have to say that if you’re new to Linux (and thus KDE Plasma), then Kubuntu is, hands down, the way to go.

Also: This is my favorite Linux distro of all time – and I’ve tried them all

If, on the other hand, you want a leading-edge distribution that ships with a more modern-looking desktop, then Fedora KDE is for you.

The truth is, either one of these desktop distributions would be a great option for you, regardless of how much Linux knowledge you possess.





Source link

Leave a Reply

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get our latest articles delivered straight to your inbox. No spam, we promise.

Google Pomelli can now build your entire brand from scratch

Drupal is rolling out an emergency security update on May 20. You cannot miss it

Microsoft dismantled Malware-signing network Fox Tempest

Poland shifts away from Signal following cyberattacks on officials’ accounts

Why your new laptop has almost no ports (and why that’s actually great)

Drupal is rolling out an emergency security update on May 20. You cannot miss it

Microsoft dismantled Malware-signing network Fox Tempest

Poland shifts away from Signal following cyberattacks on officials’ accounts

Battery tech is solving problems buyers still don’t care about

Drupal is rolling out an emergency security update on May 20. You cannot miss it

Microsoft dismantled Malware-signing network Fox Tempest

Poland shifts away from Signal following cyberattacks on officials’ accounts

Recent Reviews

Why your new laptop has almost no ports (and why that’s actually great)


The first computer my family owned was an 80286 IBM clone, and it had lots of ports, none of which looked the same. There was a big 5-pin DIN for the keyboard, a serial port, a parallel port, a game port for our joystick, and of course, the VGA port for the monitor.

In comparison, a modern computer has much less diversity in the port department. Not only are there fewer types of ports, but the total number may be quite low as well. When we move to modern laptops, it can be much more minimalist. Some laptops have just a single port on the entire machine! Is this a bad thing? As with anything, the extremes are rarely ideal, but I’d say overall, this has been a pretty positive development for PCs.

The port explosion era was never sustainable

It was more like a port infection

You see, the reason we had so many ports for so long is that people kept inventing new interfaces to make up for the shortcomings of existing ones. However, instead of the newer, better interfaces making the old ones obsolete, they just became additive as perfectly summarized in this classic XKCD comic.

A comic illustrates how competing standards multiply: first showing 14 competing standards, then people agreeing to create one universal standard, followed by a final panel showing there are now 15 competing standards. Credit: Randall Munroe (CC-BY-NC)

In laptops, the need for so many ports reached ridiculous heights. In this video posted by X user PC Philanthropy, you can see his Sager/Clevo D9T absolutely packed with all the trimmings leading to a rather massive laptop.

It is undeniably a cool machine, but obviously goes against the principle of portable computing. Also, every port you install means power and space that could have been taken up by something else. That’s true for laptops and desktops.



















Quiz
8 Questions · Test Your Knowledge

PC ports and motherboard I/O
Trivia challenge

Think you know your USB from your PCIe? Put your connector knowledge to the test.

PortsStandardsHardwareConnectorsMotherboards

Which USB connector type is fully reversible, meaning it can be plugged in either way?

Correct! USB Type-C features a symmetrical oval design that lets you insert it in either orientation. Introduced in 2014, it has become the dominant connector for modern devices and supports everything from data transfer to video output and fast charging.

Not quite — the answer is USB Type-C. The older USB Type-A connector (the flat rectangular one) famously required you to flip it at least twice before getting it right. USB Type-C’s reversible design was one of its biggest selling points when it launched in 2014.

What does the ‘x16’ in a PCIe x16 slot refer to?

Exactly right! PCIe x16 means the slot has 16 data lanes, allowing significantly more bandwidth than smaller x1 or x4 slots. This is why discrete graphics cards almost always use x16 slots — they need that extra throughput to feed pixel data to your display.

Not quite — the ‘x16’ refers to the number of data lanes. More lanes mean more simultaneous data paths between the CPU and the card. Graphics cards use x16 slots because their massive data demands require all 16 of those lanes working together.

Which port on a motherboard is most commonly used to connect a display directly to the CPU’s integrated graphics?

That’s correct! The HDMI and DisplayPort connectors found on a motherboard’s rear I/O panel are wired directly to the CPU’s integrated graphics unit. If you have a discrete GPU installed, you should use that card’s outputs instead for best performance.

The right answer is the HDMI or DisplayPort connectors on the rear I/O panel. These ports bypass the discrete GPU entirely and tap into the CPU’s built-in graphics. It’s a common troubleshooting trap — plugging a monitor into the motherboard instead of the GPU and wondering why nothing works.

What is the primary function of the 24-pin ATX connector on a motherboard?

Spot on! The 24-pin ATX connector is the main power connector that delivers multiple voltage rails — including 3.3V, 5V, and 12V — from the power supply to the motherboard. Without it seated properly, your PC simply won’t power on at all.

The correct answer is delivering power from the PSU to the motherboard. The 24-pin ATX connector is the big wide plug you’ll find on every modern motherboard. It supplies several different voltage levels that the board distributes to components. PCIe cards get their supplemental power from separate 6- or 8-pin connectors directly from the PSU.

Which of the following rear I/O ports transmits both audio and video in a single cable and is most commonly found on modern motherboards?

Correct! HDMI carries both high-definition audio and video over a single cable, making it one of the most convenient display connectors available. It became standard on motherboards as integrated graphics improved, and modern versions support 4K and even 8K resolutions.

The answer is HDMI. VGA is analog-only and carries no audio, DVI-D is digital video only without audio, and S-Video is an older analog format. HDMI bundles both audio and video digitally, which is why it became the go-to connector for TVs, monitors, and motherboard rear panels alike.

What maximum theoretical data transfer speed does USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 support?

Impressive! USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 achieves 20 Gbps by using two 10 Gbps lanes simultaneously — that’s what the ‘2×2’ means. It requires a USB Type-C connector and is most commonly found on high-end motherboards, making it ideal for fast external SSDs.

The correct answer is 20 Gbps. The ‘2×2’ in the name is the key clue — it bonds two 10 Gbps channels together. USB naming got notoriously confusing around this era, with the same physical port potentially supporting very different speeds depending on the generation label printed in the spec sheet.

What is the role of the M.2 slot found on most modern motherboards?

Well done! M.2 is a compact form-factor slot that most commonly hosts NVMe SSDs, which connect via PCIe lanes for blazing-fast storage speeds. Some M.2 slots also support SATA-based SSDs and Wi-Fi/Bluetooth combo cards, making the slot surprisingly versatile.

The correct answer is housing compact storage drives or wireless cards. M.2 replaced the older mSATA standard and supports both PCIe NVMe drives and SATA drives depending on the slot’s keying. NVMe M.2 drives can achieve sequential read speeds many times faster than traditional SATA SSDs.

Which audio connector color on a standard PC rear I/O panel is designated for the main stereo line output to speakers or headphones?

That’s right! The green 3.5mm jack is the standard line-out port used for speakers and headphones in the PC audio color-coding scheme. Blue is line-in for recording, and pink is the microphone input — a color system that’s been consistent across PC motherboards for decades.

The correct answer is green. PC audio jacks follow a long-standing color convention: green for headphones and speakers, blue for line-in (recording from external sources), and pink for the microphone. It’s one of those legacy standards that has quietly persisted even as USB and digital audio have become more common.

Challenge Complete

Your Score

/ 8

Thanks for playing!

USB-C (almost) solved the problem

So close, but not quite there yet

Released to the public in the mid ’90s, USB came to the rescue. The “U” is for “Universal” and for the most part USB has lived up to that promise. Now there was one port that handled data and power. More importantly, USB is fully backwards compatible. So if you plug a USB 1.1 device into a modern USB port, it should work. Whether you can get software drivers for it is another story, but it will talk to the host device.

USB-C has proven to be less universal than I’d like, and the situation is still far better than it used to be. A single USB-C port on one of my laptops can act as a video output for just about anything, even an old VGA monitor.

A Macbook, CRT monitor, and iPad connected together. Credit: Sydney Louw Butler/How-To Geek

My smaller laptops don’t need special chargers anymore, and the latest laptops can pull 240W over USB-C, which is enough for all but the beefiest desktop replacement machines. There is no type of peripheral I can think of that doesn’t give you the option to use it over USB.

But the complaints aren’t so much that we only get USB these days, it’s more that we get so little of it.

Minimal I/O enables better hardware design

Harder, better, faster, stronger

When you only put a handful of USB-C ports on a mobile computer, you reap numerous benefits. The low profile of USB-C means the laptop can be thinner, and the frame can be a stronger and more rigid unibody design. Internally, you have room for more battery, larger performance components, or better cooling.

A green Apple MacBook Neo on display on a wooden table with a product sign behind it. Credit: Patrick Campanale / How-To Geek

It also means the internals can be simpler, and cheaper to design and fabricate, though whether those savings are passed on to customers is another story altogether.

Wireless and cloud-first workflows reduce physical dependency

I guess they are “air” ports

Perhaps the first sign of major change was when smartphones dropped headphone jacks, but the fact is that wireless technologies are now good enough for most peripheral and data connections. So, there’s no need to connect them directly to a port on a computer. Which, in turn, means that there’s no reason to have as many ports on the computer in the first place.

I can’t remember the last time I used a wired mouse or keyboard, and I only use Ethernet for devices that need extremely high speeds, low latency, or improved reliability. For normal day-to-day use, modern Wi-Fi is just fine. So while your laptop might not have as many wired ports on the outside, those wireless chips on the inside still give it numerous connectivity options for audio, input, and data transfer.

You could even make the same argument about storage to some extent, with many thin and light systems leaning on cloud storage to make up for a lack of ports to connect external storage.

MacBook Neo colors on a white background.

Operating System

macOS

CPU

A18 Pro

The MacBook Neo with the A18 Pro chip is Apple’s most affordable laptop yet, with all-day battery life and buttery-smooth performance in a thin and light profile.


The dongle backlash misses the bigger picture

The last bit of the port protest centers around dongles, but I never understood the complaints. Having one port that can be broken out into whatever ports you need using a little box is amazing. It makes ports optional and gives you the choice. If you never plug your laptop into anything, why deal with all the ports you’ll never use?

Likewise, if you only ever use ports with your laptop when you dock it at a desk, then you can just leave your dongle ready to go on your desk, but throwing a small dongle in your laptop sleeve or bag in case you might need it is a small price to pay for all the benefits of minimal IO.



Source link

AI Model Claude Opus turns bugs into exploits for just $2,283

Top Cyber Security Tabletop Exercise Examples and Scenarios for 2026

Third-party AI hack triggers Vercel breach, internal environments accessed

Copyright © 2024 All Rights Reserved.