Software Alternatives & Reviews

Kubuntu VS Pop!_OS

Compare Kubuntu VS Pop!_OS and see what are their differences

Kubuntu logo Kubuntu

Linux operating system distribution derived from Ubuntu but with KDE environment.

Pop!_OS logo Pop!_OS

A developer-focused minimalist Linux distro from System 76
  • Kubuntu Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-09-21
  • Pop!_OS Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-01

Kubuntu videos

Kubuntu 20.04 Review - LTS all round

More videos:

  • Review - Kubuntu 20.04 LTS Review - An iterative and solid upgrade
  • Review - Kubuntu 19.10 Review - A little late to the party.

Pop!_OS videos

Pop!_OS Is Even Better With 19.10 (Full Review)

More videos:

  • Review - Moving In - Pop!_OS 19.04 Review
  • Review - Using Pop!_OS 19.10 ep. 1 - Intro, Installation, Desktop and Gaming Prep

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Kubuntu and Pop!_OS)
Linux
23 23%
77% 77
Operating Systems
26 26%
74% 74
Linux Distribution
27 27%
73% 73
Window Manager
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

Share your experience with using Kubuntu and Pop!_OS. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Kubuntu and Pop!_OS

Kubuntu Reviews

The best Linux distributions (operating systems)
Kubuntu is another Ubuntu derivative, based on KDE Plasma as a desktop environment. The lightweight solution runs games smoothly. It is also customizable and thus optimized for gaming. Numerous programs are available for Kubuntu.
Source: www.ionos.com
Best Top 20 Ubuntu Linux Alternatives (Pros and Cons)
Kubuntu is an official Ubuntu flavor that uses the KDE Plasma Desktop instead of GNOME and shares the same underlying system as Ubuntu. Ubuntu’s repository is also used by Kubuntu and it releases packages on the same schedule.
13 Best Linux distros for gaming in 2022
Not just limited to our forums (itsfoss.community) but also some Reddit threads pointed at Kubuntu as their preferred choice just because they feel KDE desktop environment is easy on their system resources which improves their gaming experience.
9 Best Linux Gaming Distributions in 2021
Linux Mint also offers LTS releases similar to Ubuntu. Unlike some Ubuntu flavors (like Kubuntu & Lubuntu), which provides 3 years of system updates, Linux Mint offers 5 years of updates no matter what desktop environment you go for. You get the option to choose Xfce, MATE, or Cinnamon edition.
Source: itsfoss.com

Pop!_OS Reviews

10 Most Popular Linux Distros of the Year 2023
Although Pop!_OS is based on Ubuntu, it is still able to make its unique place among Dekstop users because of its fast performance, with a customized GNOME desktop environment to provide a polished interface and out-of-the-box installed software & drivers. The US hardware distributor System76 developers behind the Pop!_OS also offers Laptops and desktops with pre-installed...
12 Best Linux Distros You Should Use
Pop!_OS is based on Ubuntu and uses the COSMIC desktop environment, which is Pop!_OS’ homemade desktop environment based on GNOME. However, unlike GNOME, it’s a lot cleaner and has got a few neat tricks up its sleeve, like the keyboard shortcuts, which makes Pop!_OS one of the cleanest Linux systems. Overall, Pop!_OS is a great option for budding creators as well as folks...
Source: beebom.com
The best Linux distributions (operating systems)
Pop!_OS has been developed by System76 and is based on Ubuntu. The operating system offers GPU support for AMD and Nvidia as well as their programming interface CUDA. Pop!_OS has a high-quality desktop environment and offers a tiling function that benefits gamers.
Source: www.ionos.com
7 Best Rufus Alternatives To Create Bootable USB In 2022
Popsicle is a USB flasher shipped with Pop!_OS, one of the most popular Linux distributions. One of the best features of the tool is that it allows you to flash an ISO to multiple USB devices simultaneously.
Source: fossbytes.com
13 Best Linux distros for gaming in 2022
The Pop!_OS distro by hardware vendor System76 is one of the best options for gamers who want to assemble their own gaming installation.

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Pop!_OS should be more popular than Kubuntu. It has been mentiond 450 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Kubuntu mentions (73)

  • Issues updating multiple flavors of Debian on one computer
    I got the .iso from kubuntu.org for Kubuntu 23.10, and tried installing it. I was then greeted with a new error before I could get to the disk partitioning screen:. Source: 5 months ago
  • Is setting up and dealing with WSL worth it if you don't NEED it?
    To those reading his comment: He tried to say Kubuntu. Seriously, head over to here and keep your sanity lol: https://kubuntu.org/. Source: 10 months ago
  • Questions I have about Linux, from someone who wants to switch from Windows 10
    KDE Plasma is developed by KDE, another international group of developers that make all sorts of cool software for Linux, macOS, Windows, and mobile platforms. Plasma is their flagship project. Their motto is "simple by default, powerful when needed". At first glance it may seem a copy of Windows, with a bottom panel sporting a start menu on the left and a system tray with a clock on the right, but don't get... Source: 11 months ago
  • Linux - what flavor?
    Kubuntu - based on Ubuntu. Uses the KDE desktop environment. Source: 11 months ago
  • Wanting to ditch windows 10 in favor of linux
    I recommend using Ventoy, and drag in the top general distro (Ubuntu, Mint, Fedora, Zorin, Manjaro) and the top distro for gaming (Nobara, PopOS, Garuda). If you want to have a user experience similar to SteamOS Desktop Mode, use the KDE version of the distro (Kubuntu, Nobara KDE, Manjaro KDE, Garuda Dragonfire). Source: 12 months ago
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Pop!_OS mentions (450)

  • Cosmic: The Road to Alpha
    You can click the button labeled "Support Pop" on this page. https://pop.system76.com/ The only option is $12/year last I checked. It'd be nice if we could donate a larger amount easily. - Source: Hacker News / 3 months ago
  • Using Linux Full-Time 2 years later
    Back when I first started to commit myself to "full-time Linux" I experienced stuff that many others had which was Decision Fatigue due to the amount, I mean the AMOUNT of choices of distros that I can use nuts, and I stick to the gamer OS which is Pop!_OS and my experience isn't really nice, especially with the experience of updates that sometimes a bit...outdated, also the software I use is limited that is just... - Source: dev.to / 4 months ago
  • Cannot Launch ANY Games...........
    Pop_OS uses systemd_boot instead of Grub and requires a 1GB Fat32 partition with the boot flag enabled. Manjaro can still boot Pop_OS. Pop_OS LTS ISO ==> https://pop.system76.com/. Source: 5 months ago
  • New to Linux
    You have a mix of older and bleeding edge hardware. Core i7-4790 was release in 2014 thus "older" (not old in my opinion). Your RTX 4060 GPU is bleeding edge hardware. What this means is that your CPU will be supported by a long list of Linux kernel versions. Your GPU might need one of the newer kernels to work properly. System76, makers of the Pop_OS distro, also sell Linux laptops and desktops with RTX 4000... Source: 5 months ago
  • Introduction
    My first Linux distro was PopOS and It was a refreshing experience. It was really easy to install, use, and game on. I distro hopped a few times to see what other linux flavors are like. These are the ones that I remember trying Zorin OS and Linux Mint. These ones looked mostly like windows and it was easy to use. At work, I gained most of my linux knowledge from docker and configuring / administrating RHEL... - Source: dev.to / 6 months ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Kubuntu and Pop!_OS, you can also consider the following products

Linux Mint - Linux Mint is one of the most popular desktop Linux distributions and used by millions of people.

Ubuntu - Ubuntu is a Debian Linux-based open source operating system for desktop computers.

Manjaro - Manjaro Linux is a linux distribution which is based on arch linux. It uses the PACMAN package manager.

Debian - Debian is a free distribution of the GNU/Linux operating system.

Fedora - Fedora creates an innovative, free, and open source platform for hardware, clouds, and containers that enables software developers and community members to build tailored solutions for their users.

Arch Linux - You've reached the website for Arch Linux, a lightweight and flexible Linux® distribution that tries to Keep It Simple. Currently we have official packages optimized for the x86-64 architecture.