Manjaro Linux

Reader supplied reviews for Manjaro Linux Average rating 8.1 from 443 review(s) Please specify which version of the distribtion you are reviewing. Please select a rating in the range of 1-10. Please write at least a few sentences about the distribution while limiting your review to 4080 characters. What are your thoughts on Manjaro Linux? Please include a few pros and a few cons, along with your overall impression of the operating system. Our FAQ page has tips on writing a good mini-review. Version: -- stable25.0.124.2.123.1.222.1.321.3.020.2.119.018.1.017.1.1216.10.315.120.8.110.8.8 Rating:    -- 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 out of 10 Your review (minimum 250 words): Past reviews - sort by: DateVotes Version: 25.0.1 Rating: 10 Date: 2025-05-18 Votes: 5 Manjaro Linux Review Manjaro Linux is a fantastic distro that offers a polished and accessible experience, leveraging the power of Arch Linux while remaining approachable for users like me who value simplicity and control. Its ability to cater to specific preferences, especially with the stellar XFCE desktop environment, makes it a standout choice for a lightweight and efficient operating system. The installation is straightforward, thanks to the intuitive Calamares installer, which guides you through setup with a user-friendly graphical interface. I exclusively use the XFCE edition, and it’s phenomenal—fast, highly customizable, and free of bloat, providing a clean and responsive interface that’s perfect for productivity and performs admirably even on modest hardware. XFCE on Manjaro is a perfect blend of functionality and minimalism, ideal for users who want a no-nonsense desktop. Manjaro’s rolling-release model ensures access to the latest software, with updates curated by the team for added stability, which I appreciate for keeping my system current. However, I don’t fully trust official channels for all my software needs, so I prefer to source applications directly from their original websites whenever possible, ensuring I’m getting unmodified, trusted versions. The official Manjaro repositories are still robust, and the Pamac package manager is a breeze to use for the occasional software I do install from them, offering a simple GUI that meets basic needs. I steer clear of the Arch User Repository (AUR) entirely, as I find it overly complex and unnecessary for my workflow, especially since I prioritize direct downloads from developers’ sites. Performance is top-notch, and the pre-installed software suite is thoughtfully selected, covering essentials for productivity and multimedia. The Manjaro Hardware Detection tool provides excellent driver support, including for NVIDIA and AMD GPUs, making it a great fit for users needing reliable graphics performance. The community is active and supportive, with comprehensive forums and documentation that help with customization or troubleshooting. Manjaro Linux is a superb choice for anyone seeking a stable, lightweight, and flexible distro with XFCE, particularly if you, like me, prefer sourcing apps from original websites and avoid the AUR. It empowers you to tailor your experience while delivering a modern, hassle-free Linux environment. Highly recommended! Was this review helpful? Yes No Version: stable Rating: 10 Date: 2025-05-14 Votes: 2 Just installed it on two different machines, one an older laptop and a second newly built custum desktop. Installation was a no brainer. Both machines up and running quickly. Since this is Arch based everything is very up to date but unlike arch the Manjaro devs go to great lengths to curate updates against borkage and take pains to pre-emptively provide trouble resolution. The gui & cli tools for managing kernels & video drivers are excellent. Secret to a happy life: 1. read the update advisories BEFORE updating 2. As with OpenSUSE Tumblweed, switch to TTY3 and run the command line updater from there. Was this review helpful? Yes No Version: 25.0.0 Rating: 10 Date: 2025-05-05 Votes: 16 I've tried several Linux distros, and honestly, Manjaro Linux feels like the most comfortable one for me. The installation process is pretty straightforward. One thing I really appreciate is that you can install it even when you're offline—not connected to the internet. I'm using the GNOME desktop on Manjaro, and it's great to be able to enjoy the latest version of GNOME. In fact, I'm already running version 48.1. System updates and app installations are super easy to handle. Using Pacman (with the Pamac GUI), everything runs smoothly and quickly. What really makes Manjaro with GNOME stand out is the Layout Switcher app. You can easily choose your preferred desktop layout. There are four options: Manjaro (the default Manjaro style), Traditional (like Windows with a bottom taskbar), Tiling (for a neat window management experience), and GNOME (the classic GNOME look). It’s fun to switch things up and keeps the desktop experience fresh. Manjaro is based on Arch Linux, you get all the power of Arch commands in the terminal. I’ve even switched from Bash to Fish shell—something I got inspired to do after trying CachyOS, which uses Fish by default. The default kernel is 6.12 LTS, but you can easily switch to a newer kernel using the Manjaro Settings Manager. It’s that simple. In conclusion, Manjaro Linux is a distro I highly recommend. Big thanks to all the developers and contributors who make this distro possible! Was this review helpful? Yes No See all 443 reader reviews of Manjaro Linux...