Garuda Linux Review for Beginners

After spending several weeks using Garuda Linux as my daily driver, I’m excited to share my honest thoughts about this eye-catching Linux distribution. If you’re considering making the switch to Linux or looking for a new distro, this review will help you decide if Garuda is right for you.

What is Garuda Linux?

Garuda Linux is an Arch-based distribution known for its beautiful design, gaming optimizations, and user-friendly approach. Unlike vanilla Arch Linux (which can be challenging to install and configure), Garuda comes pre-configured with many useful tools and settings right out of the box.

System Requirements

Before you download Garuda, let’s check if your computer can handle it:

Minimum Requirements:

• CPU: 64-bit dual-core processor
• RAM: 4GB (though you’ll really want 8GB for a smooth experience)
• Storage: 30GB free space
• Graphics: Any modern GPU with OpenGL support

Recommended Requirements:

• CPU: 64-bit quad-core processor
• RAM: 8GB or more (16GB is ideal, especially for gaming)
• Storage: 40GB+ SSD storage (Garuda works best on SSDs)
• Graphics: Mid-range dedicated GPU for gaming

I ran Garuda on a system with a Ryzen 5 3600, 16GB RAM, and an SSD, which provided excellent performance. However, I noticed it was somewhat resource-intensive compared to lighter distros like Xubuntu or Linux Mint.

Is Garuda Linux Stable?

This is an important question for any OS, so let me share my experience:

The short answer: Mostly yes, but with some caveats.

Since Garuda is based on Arch Linux with a rolling release model, you’ll receive frequent updates. During my testing, I encountered:

• No major system crashes
• Occasional minor glitches after large updates (usually fixed within days)
• Some compatibility issues with certain software

The developers include several stability features that make Garuda more reliable than plain Arch:

• BTRFS filesystem with automatic snapshots (saved me twice when updates broke something)
• Timeshift for easy system restoration
• A helpful system maintenance tool

For beginners, Garuda is significantly more stable than trying to set up Arch from scratch, but slightly less stable than Ubuntu LTS or Linux Mint. I’d rate its stability as 7.5/10.

Is Garuda Good for Gaming?

As someone who enjoys gaming, I was particularly interested in testing Garuda’s gaming capabilities:

The short answer: Yes, it’s excellent for gaming!

Garuda comes with many gaming optimizations:

• The “Garuda Gamer” tool that installs numerous gaming platforms (Steam, Lutris, Wine, etc.) with one click
• Performance tweaks pre-configured
• The Zen kernel which improves gaming performance
• GameMode installed by default (automatically optimizes your system when games are running)

I tested several games including:

• Counter-Strike 2 (ran perfectly)
• The Witcher 3 (excellent performance through Proton)
• Stardew Valley (flawless)
• Cyberpunk 2077 (playable with some tweaking)

Overall, Garuda is one of the best Linux distributions for gaming without requiring manual tweaking. The only distributions that might compete are Pop!_OS and Manjaro for gaming-specific features.

Benefits of Garuda Linux

After using Garuda for a while, here are the advantages I found:

1. Stunning Visual Design The default Dr460nized KDE theme is genuinely beautiful with its dark theme, transparency effects, and polished icons. It feels modern and premium.
2. Performance Tuning Out-of-the-Box With the Zen kernel and optimized settings, Garuda feels snappy and responsive for both everyday tasks and gaming.
3. Excellent Recovery Options The BTRFS filesystem with automatic Timeshift snapshots saved me multiple times when updates caused issues.
4. Helpful Assistant Tools The Garuda Assistant makes system maintenance easy, even for beginners. It guides you through updates, cleanup, and fixes.
5. Up-to-Date Software Being Arch-based means you always have the latest software versions without waiting for major releases.
6. Great Community Support The Garuda forums are active and helpful, with detailed guides for common issues.
7. Multiple Desktop Environment Options While the KDE version is the flagship, Garuda offers XFCE, GNOME, LXQt, and other environments to suit your preferences.

Disadvantages of Garuda Linux

To give a balanced view, here are some downsides I encountered:

1. Higher Resource Usage The beautiful effects and pre-installed tools come at a cost Garuda uses more RAM than lighter distributions. My system often used 2GB+ RAM at idle.
2. Occasional Update Issues Like most rolling release distributions, some updates caused minor problems that needed fixing.
3. Limited Documentation While the forum is helpful, official documentation isn’t as comprehensive as Ubuntu’s or Manjaro’s.
4. Not Ideal for Very Old Hardware The resource requirements make it less suitable for older or very low-spec computers.
5. Package Management Complexity Managing packages through multiple sources (pacman, AUR, Flatpak) might confuse beginners.

Garuda Linux for Beginners

If you’re new to Linux, here’s my take on whether Garuda is right for you:

Garuda strikes an interesting balance it offers the power and customization of Arch Linux but with much more user-friendliness. For complete Linux beginners, it may still present a steeper learning curve than Ubuntu or Mint.

Pros for beginners:

• Beautiful interface that feels familiar to Windows/macOS users
• Helpful GUI tools for system management
• Gaming features that work without configuration
• Recovery options when things go wrong

Challenges for beginners:

• More frequent updates to manage
• Occasional troubleshooting required
• Terminal usage still necessary for some tasks
• More system resources needed

I’d recommend Garuda to beginners who:

• Have reasonably modern hardware
• Are interested in gaming on Linux
• Want to learn more about how Linux works
• Enjoy customizing their desktop environment
• Don’t mind occasional troubleshooting

If you prefer absolute stability and simplicity, you might be better served by Linux Mint or Ubuntu LTS.

Final Review

Garuda Linux impressed me with its beautiful design, gaming optimizations, and helpful recovery features. While not perfect, it offers a compelling package for users who want a more exciting Linux experience without the complexity of setting up Arch from scratch.

After weeks of daily use, most of my experience was positive browsing, productivity, and gaming all worked well. The occasional update hiccups were manageable thanks to the excellent recovery tools.

For beginners willing to learn a bit more about Linux, Garuda offers an exciting and visually stunning introduction to the Arch ecosystem. Just make sure your computer meets the recommended specs for the best experience!