Most people never delve into the world of alternate operating systems, instead sticking with macOS or Windows, simply because that's what came installed on their computer. That's perfectly fine, since both Cupertino and Redmond deliver excellent desktop operating systems. However, Ubuntu can fill the gaps for those who want a free OS to install on their home, work, or hobbyist devices. For this review, I tested the latest LTS release of Ubuntu (pronounced "oo-boon-too"), version 18.04, and found it both familiar and feature-complete, despite its steeper learning curve and lack of support for some common software. Windows 10 and macOS remain our Editors' Choices for desktop operating systems because of their broader device and application support, more polished feel, and wider user bases.
An Introduction to Ubuntu
Before I dive into the latest long-term release of Ubuntu, it's important to understand how the OS came about and some of the terms you may encounter while researching and using Ubuntu. Go read our GNU/Linux explainer for all the details.
As for the basics, Ubuntu is a GNU/Linux distribution (often shortened to distro) managed by a software company called Canonical. Think of how Microsoft and Apple respectively manage Windows and macOS. Ubuntu is based on the Debian distribution (another GNU/Linux distro), which means that it "builds on the Debian architecture and infrastructure and collaborates widely with Debian developers," per Ubuntu's website, sometimes sending changes back upstream to Debian. Ubuntu further clarifies how it is different from Debian on its website, "Ubuntu has a distinctive user interface, a separate developer community (though many developers participate in both projects) and a different release process."
Similar Products
Microsoft Windows 10
Apple macOS Catalina
Google Android 10
Apple iOS 13
Google ChromeOS
According to Ubuntu's site, the word Ubuntu is of ancient African origin and translates to "humanity for others." However, the exact translation seems to be under debate. This name hints at Canonical's grand goal of developing software for the greater good. Ubuntu's mission page states "In an era where the frontiers of innovation are public, and not private, the platforms for consuming that innovation should enable everyone to participate." The page also lists a couple more core tenets, chief among them the user's "freedom to download, run, copy, distribute, study, share, change and improve their software for any purpose, without paying licensing fees."
So with all that in mind, what exactly should a user reasonably expect from this kind of desktop OS? When I consider what an operating system should be in this context, the words that come to my mind are free, simple, fast, secure, and customizable. I evaluate Ubuntu for those qualities in this review.
The latest long-term Ubuntu release at the time of publishing is 18.04 LTS (Bionic Beaver). LTS stands for long-term support, which guarantees five years of free security and maintenance updates. Bionic Beaver is the latest bi-annual (every two years) release that the Ubuntu community plans to support long-term. The next long-term release (20.04) is due in April. Ubuntu releases additional updates every six months, but those are optional and tend to be less significant. 19.10 (Eoan Ermine) is one of those updates. The most notable changes in 19.10 are the move to the latest version of GNOME and that Ubuntu stopped updating its 32-bit libraries (they will still exist, though). Note that version numbers are stylized as YY.MM. Check out the Ubuntu release cycle page for all the details.
As I mentioned, Canonical is the privately held, UK-based software company founded by Mark Shuttleworth that is responsible for publishing Ubuntu, among other projects, such as Mir (alternative to X)—more on this later. Notably, Canonical was involved with developing Chrome OS in its early days. Apart from the desktop version of Ubuntu that I focus on in this review, Canonical also releases versions of Ubuntu for cloud, server, and core/IoT platforms.
One notable thing about the latest Ubuntu desktop release is that it uses GNOME 3 as its default desktop environment. Past versions of Ubuntu used the Canonical-developed graphical shell, Unity, as part of an effort to create a mobile Ubuntu OS. However, Shuttleworth announced in a 2017 memo that Canonical would "end our investment in Unity8, the phone and convergence shell." The UBports community continues to develop Ubuntu Touch, an open-source mobile OS based developed on Unity.
In addition to experimenting with other desktop environments, Ubuntu has also shipped with other windowing systems in the past, including Mir, and more recently, Wayland. For 18.04 though, Ubuntu reverted to X Org's older X Window System. That said, users can switch from X to the more modern Wayland from the Ubuntu login screen by hitting the gear icon and selecting Ubuntu on Wayland. GNOME is pushing Wayland since it is simpler, more modern, and less error-prone than X, itself now more than 30 years old.
Who Should Use Ubuntu?
Coders are certainly a major user base for Ubuntu. One advantage of Ubuntu for programmers is cross-platform development; projects can be deployed across a wide range of Ubuntu platforms (such as desktop, server, and IoT). Further, coders can create Snaps, or packaged apps with all of their dependencies, which are compatible with many distros other than Ubuntu. Another perk is that Ubuntu supports nearly every coding language you throw at it, including Python, Ruby, JavaScript, Perl, C, and C++. And since Ubuntu is open-source, you can easily drill down to low-level areas of the operating system, too.
That said, Ubuntu is not just for people who argue with compilers all day. Businesses and governments are also potential user bases, since Linux tends to be highly stable. Additional user groups are the hobbyists and regular desktop users. Raspberry Pi, the Intel NUC, and other home-brewed IoT devices are all prime candidates for Ubuntu.
Linux (and by extension Ubuntu) is also typically less susceptible to viruses and malware, though not necessarily because of its architecture. Instead, Linux's biggest advantage is its small user base compared to macOS or Windows. Furthermore, Linux's user base is fragmented across many different distros. Ubuntu's open-source nature also theoretically improves the chances of the community discovering and reporting vulnerabilities. However, obscurity is not a sufficient protection against security threats; those who think they can do without Mac antivirus sometimes learn this lesson the hard way.
Although Canonical is not nearly as large as Apple or Microsoft, the organization does maintain an Ubuntu Security Notices page, which details all of the known Ubuntu vulnerabilities and their fixes. For example, you can read all about Ubuntu's resolutions to the Specter and Meltdown exploits. Canonical also integrates a Livepatch service (this requires you to create an account for the Ubuntu One single sign-on service) for installing critical kernel patches without rebooting your system. For those curious about firewalls, Ubuntu uses the Netfilter subsystem. Dedicated antivirus utilities aren't very common for the platform, but I discuss some security software options in a later section.
On a global scale, the Linux user base does not even come close to the usage numbers of Windows or even macOS. According to the latest reports from Stat Counter, Linux accounts for a mere 2.2 percent of desktop users in the US, and that's even an improvement over the last time I checked. Still, that's less than Chrome OS' roughly 6.4 percent share, through Chrome OS itself uses the Linux kernel. For comparison, Windows and macOS sit at 65 percent and 25 percent, respectively. I've always enjoyed the following summation of Linux adoption: Year of mass adoption = current year + 1.
Still, 2.2 percent of total US desktops is a large number of users. Take Statista's report that roughly 89 percent of US households have a home computer as of 2016. The total US population per the census clock at the time of this update was roughly 329 million. 89 percent of 329 million is around 293 million. And 2.2 percent of 293 million people still accounts for about 7.2 million users (just under the total population of the state of Arizona). This estimation does not account for worldwide numbers, nor does it factor in any growth in desktop ownership over the past few years.
How Do I Set Up Ubuntu?
Before I go into the details of installing and configuring Ubuntu, you should know that you will likely run into some problems during this process and they probably won't be the same ones that I encountered. So if whisperings of BIOS, Boot Manager, or Terminal send shivers down your spine, Ubuntu may not be worth your time. For everyone else, follow along below.
Since there are very few computers you can buy with Ubuntu preinstalled (more on that later), you'll likely need to set it up yourself. Ubuntu's hardware requirements are not too demanding. Ubuntu requires a 2GHz dual-core processor or better, 2GB system memory (RAM), 25GB of free hard drive space, either a DVD drive or a USB port for the installer media, and internet access (though internet access is not vital). When you download Ubuntu, you can add a donation (it recommends $15), but payment is optional. To be clear, you absolutely should contribute to Ubuntu if you plan to use the OS regularly. Also, you can set up an Ubuntu One account, a single sign-on option for managing applications and encryption keys.
I first installed Ubuntu via a bootable USB Drive on a low-end HP Notebook 15 PC alongside its Windows 10 system. This laptop features a quad-core AMD E2-7110 APU, integrated Radeon R2 graphics, 4GB of RAM, and a standard 500 GB HDD. Ubuntu provides an excellent step-by-step guide on how to create a bootable USB with the OS. All you need to do is download the Ubuntu ISO file and Rufus, a free USB writing tool. Once Rufus reformats your flash drive (be aware that this permanently deletes everything on the drive), you are ready to dual-boot.
Simply plug in the flash drive and turn on the system. To launch Ubuntu instead of Windows 10 (or vice versa), tap the F12 key (the specific function key may vary based on manufacturer) repeatedly when the manufacturer logo shows up during a restart to bring up the GNU GRand Unified Bootloader (GRUB), for installing or booting into Ubuntu. If you have any issues reaching the GRUB, you can always go to Window's Advanced Startup Options or force the boot order change via the Command Prompt. Subsequent boots should bring up the GRUB automatically.
Next, you choose to either try Ubuntu or install Ubuntu. The former is useful if you only plan to use a machine temporarily, such as at a library, but you will need to fully install the distro to save any configuration changes. In my testing, the installation process worked smoothly. I did notice occasional lag in use, which I initially thought had to do with the system's 4GB RAM. To test this assumption, I installed Ubuntu on my higher-end desktop with an AMD Ryzen 1700X CPU, RX 580 GPU, 32GB RAM, and 256GB SSD. I encountered some of the same minor lag as before, so the issue seems to be more with Ubuntu than my test systems.
More seriously, I ran into an issue with my display; a screen-wide parallel bar kept blinking in on the bottom third of the screen (this never appears on Windows). To fix this issue, I tried to install a new AMD driver, figuring that there was a problem with GPU. This crashed Ubuntu completely (my system would not boot back up), so I had to boot into the recovery mode and purge the bad driver via the Terminal.
I'll chalk the screen-tearing issue up to my monitor's refresh rate, since the GPU functioned normally in other applications and I didn't experience this issue on any other test device. The generic preinstalled drivers for any GPU should work fine for now, though Nvidia and AMD will likely release drivers specifically for the 18.04 release, given that it is an LTS build.
Another option is to run Ubuntu via a virtual machine. I downloaded Oracle VM VirtualBox and set up a 64-bit instance of Ubuntu using the same install package. I dedicated 20GB of virtual hard drive space and 4GB of RAM to this virtual machine on my Lenovo ThinkPad T470 laptop running Windows 10. One quick note: If you are having difficulties installing the 64-bit version from Oracle VM Virtual Box, try toggling the Windows Virtualization feature (via the Add or Remove Windows Features menu). You may, as I did, also have to enable virtualization via the BIOS. After figuring that out, I had no trouble getting through the rest of the install. In these later steps, you essentially just select a language and time zone and then create a local account.
Ubuntu is also available as a download from the Microsoft Store. Note that this version only includes the Ubuntu terminal; there is no graphical user interface. Thus, it is mostly aimed at the developer crowd. If this is all you need, then the Ubuntu app is an excellent way to work without worrying about dual-booting the OS or allocating precious computer resources towards a virtual machine.
Again, if you plan to install Ubuntu, be prepared to troubleshoot and tinker with your system. Whether or not the trouble is worth it to you depends on how dedicated you are to the idea of using a free OS.
Getting Started With Ubuntu
After you make it through the setup, you arrive at the Ubuntu desktop, which employs a clean and straightforward aesthetic. It looks pretty much like any other WIMP (windows, icons, menu, pointer) desktop. Ubuntu is not as pretty as Microsoft's Fluent-design system nor does it look as sleek as macOS Catalina's dark mode, but it gets the job done.
More annoyingly, I also noticed in my testing that Ubuntu doesn't feel as smooth in operation. With macOS and Windows, elements move around the screen gracefully, but I definitely noticed stutters with Ubuntu. The biggest offender is opening up the app tray; instead of smoothly fanning out; the animation looks jagged. Further, when opening windows or sometimes when just resizing items, it simply does not feel snappy. These performance quirks were consistent across all the devices I tested (both virtual and dual-booted), all of which met the OS hardware requirements.
Depending on the icon size of dock items that you choose and where you position the dock on the screen, you can make Ubuntu look a lot like either Windows or macOS, though in general Ubuntu more often embraces the macOS aesthetic. For example, Ubuntu uses an OS menu rather than in-app menus for changing preferences. Other elements, such as the app launcher, remind me a lot of Chrome OS's equivalent features. You won't find anything reminiscent of the Windows Start Menu, though.
You can change Ubuntu's look completely by installing a different flavor of Ubuntu. Keep in mind that each flavor is its own ISO image, so you need to repeat the entire installation process as described in the earlier sections. Standard Ubuntu doesn't look as sophisticated as some of the other flavors available for download, but it is clean and functional. Ubuntu flavors are just variations of Ubuntu with different preconfigured settings, apps, and designs, but the software core remains the same. Some popular examples include Kubuntu, Lubuntu, Ubuntu Budgie, Ubuntu Mate, and Xubuntu.
Although some flavors are specialized for particular users (Ubuntu Kylin is specifically tuned for Chinese users and Edubuntu is aimed at the education market) most will work fine as a home or work desktop environment. You can install any of these flavors in the same manner as the vanilla Ubuntu. These alternatives are worth checking out if you want a change of pace or aren't content with your current desktop, since many use a different default desktop environment altogether. Kubuntu, for example, uses the K Desktop Environment (KDE), an alternative to GNOME, and features a Start Menu of sorts.
Front-End Familiarity
Ubuntu's desktop works like any other desktop. You can save files, edit the names, and create folders. Dragging and dropping files works fine. One quick note about naming conventions: file and folder names are case sensitive. So, for example, you can create a Test folder and a test folder without any problems. This feature was added as an option in Window's April 2018 update.
Ubuntu's persistent, top OS menu bar shows the time and the machine's network, sound, and battery information. If you click on the clock, Ubuntu opens a tray that shows system notifications (such as application installation alerts and audio playback controls, for example) and a calendar. You can also access the settings, lock the device, or power down the machine from a menu in the upper left. Ubuntu feels very familiar at the surface level, which should help new users get up to speed quickly. macOS integrates program settings into a top-level menu bar as well, while Windows programs each typically have their own settings menu.
As mentioned previously, you can configure the dock to emulate macOS's dock or to behave like the Windows taskbar, depending on the size of icons and the location you choose (bottom, left, or right). Other than those options, you can choose to auto-hide the dock to clear up some space. If you right-click on an application in the dock, you can open a new window, remove it from Favorites (remove it from the dock), or view the details of the program in the Ubuntu Software application. You cannot, however, drag applications and folders in and out of the dock from the desktop, which would be a nice usability enhancement.
When you launch an application, Ubuntu opens a tab at the top of the screen, next to an Activities menu. The Activities menu works similarly to macOS's Mission Control; it shows all your open windows in an array and lets you launch or switch between another Workspace (another desktop screen). It does not go as far as Windows 10's Timeline feature, but it's an effective way to manage your workflow. You can also resize windows easily by dragging the corner of the window or by snapping them to the right or left side of the screen. On a Windows keyboard, pressing the Windows + [right, left, or up arrow key (for full screen)] is a useful keyboard shortcut.
The Files app (officially called Nautilus) works the same way as any other file manager. macOS, Windows, and Chrome OS users will find themselves right at home. One welcome usability feature is the ability to open multiple tabs within the same File window, which is something Windows 10 does not currently offer (its Sets feature seemingly faces delays).
Ubuntu's settings are pretty straightforward, and I appreciate that all of the preferences are in the same place, unlike the mess that is Windows' traditional Control Panel and modern Settings app. That said, I do wish that the settings were better organized, since it is difficult to distinguish between categories.
Settings include visual customizations (such as changing the wallpaper), usability features (such as Search and Notifications sections), and hardware-related categories (including Sound, Power, and Network). I particularly appreciate the dedicated Privacy section, which lets you turn off Usage & History data (Ubuntu says nothing is ever sent over the network), toggle automatic problem reporting, and automatically delete and purge items in the trash. Some sections, like Devices, break down into more detailed subsections. Displays, for example, lets you turn on a blue-light limiting feature here for nighttime computing; and Keyboard features a handy list of reprogrammable keyboard shortcuts.
Accessibility on Ubuntu
One additional section worth calling out is the Universal Access panel. Ubuntu includes accessibility options across a number of categories including: Seeing (high contrast, large text, screen reader), Hearing (visual alerts), Typing (screen keyboard, repeat keys), and Pointing and clicking (mouse Keys, click assist).
If you want, you can even permanently pin the Universal Access tab to the system-level menu bar for easier access. Ubuntu does not offer as many native options or customizations as Windows 10, though it covers all the basics.
Ubuntu Device and Driver Support
Linux lacks a large consumer user base, which means that it might be difficult to convince mainstream developers to support the platform. Many excellent operating systems of years past, including NeXTSTEP, OS/2, Palm OS, Windows Phone/Mobile, and Blackberry OS failed because they lacked a substantial user base. I don't believe that Linux will ever fade to those levels of obscurity, given that it is free, works well for many enterprise and server scenarios, and is independent of any proprietary hardware. Still, Ubuntu's current usage numbers do not bode well for massive software development efforts from mainstream companies.
Additionally, few computers come preinstalled with Ubuntu. Dell now sells an XPS 13 Developer Edition with Ubuntu 18.04 preinstalled. HP also offers Ubuntu-based models, but that's about it for mainstream US retailers. The models that I did find also only came with older versions of the OS. You can go the route of some less known manufacturers such as System 76 or Think Penguin, but I doubt many will throw down cash on these unverified manufacturers. Otherwise, you can build your own PC and simply not buy a license for Windows.
You can certainly dual-boot Linux on Windows or install it via Bootcamp on macOS, but there's a benefit to having software and hardware drivers working seamlessly right out of the box. Apple's iMac and MacBook devices, Microsoft's Surface lineup, and Google's Pixelbook all benefit from this close integration. That's not to say that you can't have a smooth experience with Ubuntu, but if you do run into any device issues, you can head over to Ubuntu's Hardware and Drivers page for troubleshooting steps. Consider revitalizing older machines with this lightweight OS, too.
In testing, Ubuntu correctly detected my USB keyboard and mouse. Ubuntu recognized all the keyboard function keys as well, such as those for controlling volume and brightness. It also had no trouble installing drivers for the Logitech USB unifying receiver I use with my wireless Logitech MX Anywhere 2 mouse. I successfully set up the mouse with Bluetooth as well. That said, Logitech's customization software is not available for the platform, so I could not take advantage of its full capabilities.
Ubuntu installed a generic driver for my AMD RX 580 graphics card without any issues, but the screen-blinking issue on my monitor is annoying. Ubuntu also did not have any issues connecting to my router via Ethernet or Wi-Fi. Initially, I could not hear any sound through headphones, but a quick switch from the default audio drivers to the actual headphone device in the settings panel resolved that issue. My Windows 10 desktop also sometimes mixes up the audio input when I unplug headphones.
What Applications Support Ubuntu?
Ubuntu and GNU/Linux in general simply do not support as many applications as Windows or even macOS. You should start your search for compatible software from the Ubuntu Software application. Consider the Ubuntu Software application as equivalent to the Microsoft Store or macOS's desktop App Store. The Software application is mostly populated by entries from the Snap Store (not related to the social media platform), managed by Snap Craft. As I mentioned earlier, Snaps are bundled software packages that work across multiple distros.
One neat feature of the Ubuntu Software app is that it lets you download store apps from different development channels (such as stable, beta, and candidate). You can also find other software packages that work on Ubuntu online, which you can add to the software repository for later installation or install via the Terminal. Both methods add the packages to the Software app for easy management.
Most people will find suitable software for all of their tasks. The pre-installed applications depend on whether you choose a normal or minimal installation during setup. The normal install includes a web browser (Mozilla Firefox), utilities, office suite software (Libre Office), games, and media players. The minimal installation just comes with a Firefox and basic utilities, along with the core GNOME system utilities, such as the Nautilus file browser and gedit text editor. Of course, utilities like the Terminal and System Monitor are also standard.
For everything else, Ubuntu may or may not offer everything you need. For browsers, you can install Chrome, Firefox, or Opera. For creating and editing documents, you can use the built-in Libre Office Suite (Word Processing, Spreadsheets, and Presentations), Open Office, or Google's suite of productivity apps online. Notably, Microsoft Office 2019 is not available for installation, though Office Apps are available online. Music lovers can use the built-in Rhythmbox player or download Spotify from the Ubuntu Software app. But there's no iTunes. You don't need to look any further than VLC for video playback.
As for other productivity apps, you can get Slack, though its Ubuntu version is still in beta and a little light on features. ZenKit, a project management app; Hiri, an alternative interface for Office 365 or Exchange mail accounts; Tusk, an Evernote desktop client; and Nautilus Dropbox, which emulates the typical Dropbox desktop experience, are also available. Coders can download Atom or Sublime Text.
Adobe CC is notably not available on Linux. That said, there are many free and open-source alternatives for design and creation. For graphics editing, you can use Gravit Designer, GIMP, Inkscape, Vectr, and Krita. Photographers can turn to darktable, RawTherapee, or Shotwell, for image editing. Animators, modelers, and game developers can most likely find a home with Blender and Unity (not to be confused with Canonical's ill-fated graphical shell), but AutoCAD users are out of luck, though Medusa may be a workable alternative. Again, some of these alternatives are not quite as polished or feature-rich as the ones they emulate, but they are still highly usable.
You can also install several Linux VPNs and antivirus solutions on Ubuntu. Editors' Choices NordVPN and Private Internet Access both offer Linux solutions. On the security side of the equation, you can use Sophos or ClamAV, but know that many of the major players don't offer antivirus utilities for the platform. Then again, as previously mentioned, Ubuntu isn't a major target for malware perpetrators.
Ubuntu offers several ways to uninstall applications. The easiest way to uninstall an app (or package) is to head over to the Ubuntu Software app and select the middle tab, Installed. From here, you can view everything installed on your system and select the programs you want to eradicate. If for some reason that fails, you can alternatively run the following Terminal command:
sudo apt-get --purge remove [package name]Ubuntu's centralized system for managing and installing apps is one potential advantage over both macOS and Windows, since you can install applications from a number of different sources on those platforms. Windows 10 in S mode operates similarly to Ubuntu, in that it limits installations to just the Microsoft store.
Multimedia Support on Ubuntu
Ubuntu does not work out of the box with what it calls non-free formats, such as DVD, MP3, QuickTime, and Windows Media formats. Instead, you need to install the restricted formats package from Ubuntu's service. During setup, you can also just select the option to install third-party graphics, Wi-Fi, hardware, and additional media formats alongside Ubuntu.
Alternatively, Ubuntu recommends that you use free formats, such as the OGG containers developed by Xiph.org. For MP3, AAC, and WMA files, Ubuntu suggests using the Ogg Vorbis file type. For WMV, MPEG-4, and H.263 files, it recommends Ogg Theora or WebM. For alternatives to Office's .doc, .xls, and .ppt files, Ubuntu points you to the OpenDocument alternatives. However, don't start recklessly converting everything you own into these free formats, as your Linux device may be one of the few devices that supports these standards natively. If you need to share files with others, it might be more difficult than you imagine. That said on Windows, you can install the Web Media Extensions app via the Microsoft Store to play open-source files such as content in OGG containers. That's fine, if you're willing to do it, but people you share files with may not be.
Flash is also not natively supported on Ubuntu. This is not much of a limitation, given Flash's security vulnerabilities and the fact that Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Safari all disable Flash by default. That said, if you absolutely must use Flash, you can download and install the package via the typical process. Open-source advocates should check out Gnash and GPL Flash. And although Ubuntu does not support Adobe CC in the first place, you can develop your graphical projects with the World Wide Consortium's (W3C) SVG file standard, which Adobe CC supports. W3C is also responsible for maintaining HTML, CSS, and PNG standards.
After selecting the additional media downloads during installation, I transferred a variety of different file types to my Ubuntu desktop to test compatibility. Mostly everything worked fine. MP3s and FLACs loaded into Rhythmbox without issues. I was able to open both JPEG and RAW files in Shotwell. I even got a WMV video (taken from my Zune HD) to play in VLC. As for office documents, I opened .doc and .xlsx files in Libre Office without issue and edited a PDF as well. Although file limitations may crop up sporadically, someone else from the Ubuntu community has likely discovered a workaround—you just have to be willing to track it down and implement it.
Can I Game on Ubuntu?
The Ubuntu Software store has a dedicated video game section, but the vast majority of its entries are not worth your time. I make a special exception for the delightful SuperTux Cart racing game. It's basically the Linux equivalent of Mario Cart. Unity games are also an option, but those are hit or miss as well.
Most users should just install Steam and not bother with the Debian-based Steam OS. Just head to the Ubuntu Software app and download Steam there or install the app package via Terminal. One note is that Steam says it will no longer recommend or officially support Ubuntu going forward, due to it Ubuntu's decision to freeze its 32-bit libraries. Will that affect your games specifically? Maybe. Are there workarounds? Also, maybe. In any case, Steam's library of native Linux titles is growing and includes AAA entries such as Borderlands 2 and Deux Ex: Mankind Divided, as well as indie hits such as Kerbal Space Program, and Stardew Valley. Note that you can no longer access Rocket League's multiplayer features on Linux.
You might have luck with the emulator software, Wine or Lutris, but neither are perfect solutions. The good news is that Wine keeps excellent documentation of games (and apps) that work well and those that don't. More importantly, however, Steam has released Proton, a tool for running Windows games on Linux based on Wine.
To enable Proton, you first need to opt into the latest beta version of Steam from your Account settings and then head to Settings > Steam Play > Advanced. Here, check off both options under the Advanced header and make sure at least one version of Proton is selected from the Compatibility tool drop-down menu. Configuring all these steps will make the Install button available for all the titles in your library.
Since Proton is a relatively new toolset in active development, compatibility might be sporadic. For example, I was able to install and play through the opening sequences of action-platformer Mirror's Edge without any issues, but could not launch indie-adventure title The Flame in the Flood. Although all the components installed correctly for the latter, a DirectX 11 error prevented it from actually launching. Check out the community-curated list of compatible titles to see if your favorite Windows games work correctly.
Despite continued Steam support for Linux, other popular game distribution platforms such as EA's Origin and Blizzard's Battle.net do not currently run on GNU/Linux distros natively. If gaming is important to you and you want to use Ubuntu, it's best to just dual-boot it alongside Windows or buy a standalone console or handheld system, such as the Nintendo Switch
If you are dead set on using Ubuntu as the one true OS on your system, you could always install Oracle's VirtualBox, buy a Windows license and run Windows virtually. That said, dual-booting really is a cleaner solution for most users, since most start with a Windows environment anyway.
I installed Steam on Ubuntu on my gaming desktop to see how it performed, back before Rocket League dropped online support for GNU/Linux systems. My machine had no issues running the game at the highest settings and 1080p resolution, which of course means that my dedicated RX 580 GPU was working without issues. Playing Rocket League on Ubuntu felt no different than on Windows which is a very good sign for performance. However, I did miss Window's Game Bar menu for easily taking screenshots and recording in-game action. As in Windows, games you install on Steam do not appear in the regular applications folder; you have to manage those within Steam itself.
Touch and Voice Input
Voice assistants have become a major part of most operating systems. These not only answer factual questions, but also let you perform actions like opening apps, playing music, or shutting down the computer. Cortana, which can do all of this, is available on all 900 million Windows 10 PCs in use. Coming a year after Cortana on Macs, Siri has also had an increasingly prominent role since macOS Sierra. Google Assistant is now omnipresent on Android and the Pixelbook. Since all these technologies are vital parts of their respective company's future AI ambitions, I doubt that Ubuntu will ever get official support from any of them. That said, it's nice to not have to worry about what Alexa, Cortana, Siri, and Google Assistant are collecting with every action or search. As previously mentioned, Ubuntu does support Universal Access features related to voice, such as a Screen Reader.
In recent years, Microsoft has transformed Windows in an OS that works incredibly well for touch screen devices, spawning a revival of sorts for convertible, 2-in-1, and all-in-one systems. Apple even embraced touch a bit on its laptops by adding the Touch Bar to its MacBook Pro lineup. With Ubuntu, touch support depends more on the desktop environment (and more specifically the windowing system) than on Ubuntu itself. Ubuntu's default (GNOME and X) somewhat supports touchscreens, though Wayland is supposedly the preferred windowing system going forward for such implementations.
You can keep track of GNOME's progress on touch features, but I doubt that GNOME or by extension Ubuntu will ever catch up to Windows, especially since Canonical announced the end of Unity support. When I loaded Ubuntu on to a Surface Book, the touch screen did not work upon first boot. That said, a coworker had no issues getting touch features to work on a touchscreen-enabled all-in-one desktop. Needless to say, your mileage may vary considerably. This is another area where you need to be willing to spend some time troubleshooting or just accept this compromise.
An Entry Point to GNU/Linux
There's no need to fear GNU/Linux, so long as you don't mind troubleshooting more often than you would with macOS or Windows. Ubuntu simply requires more of a learning curve and effort than most people are willing to dedicate to their OS. I don't know many people who use Ubuntu or any other distro on a daily basis or even many willing to dual-boot the OS either. That said, people should reconsider these biases because Ubuntu is a highly usable and stable OS for daily computing, even if it will appeal mostly to coders, enterprises, and hobbyists. It's free too, though you should contribute to the project if you use Ubuntu regularly.
Ubuntu feels familiar and presents a user-friendly and customizable interface that mostly hides its messy underbelly. One drawback is that Ubuntu (and more broadly GNU/Linux) is incompatible with essential software, including Microsoft Office and Adobe CC, and it lacks broad first-party hardware support. Navigating Ubuntu also feels less fluid than macOS and Windows and troubleshooting errors can present some serious challenges. Editors' Choices Windows and macOS are more polished, feature better hardware and software integrations, and have larger user bases.
For consumers, coders, and enterprises, Ubuntu Linux 18.04 is a free, customizable, and highly usable alternative to both macOS and Windows. However, getting started with Ubuntu is more challenging than with those mainstream OSes.
Like What You're Reading?
Sign up for Lab Report to get the latest reviews and top product advice delivered right to your inbox.
This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at any time.
Thanks for signing up!
Your subscription has been confirmed. Keep an eye on your inbox!
Sign up for other newsletters
