Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Lakka VS Pop!_OS

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

Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

Lakka logo Lakka

Lakka is the official Linux distribution of RetroArch and the libretro ecosystem.

Pop!_OS logo Pop!_OS

A developer-focused minimalist Linux distro from System 76
  • Lakka Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-07-30
  • Pop!_OS Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-01

Lakka features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    Lakka provides an easy-to-navigate user interface that is simple for users of all experience levels, making it accessible to a wide audience.
  • Supports Multiple Systems
    Lakka can emulate a wide variety of game consoles, offering support for systems like PlayStation, Nintendo, Sega, and more, all in one package.
  • Lightweight
    Being a lightweight Linux distribution, Lakka can run on less powerful hardware, making it ideal for revitalizing older machines or using on single-board computers like the Raspberry Pi.
  • Open Source
    Lakka is open source, allowing users to modify and improve the software according to their needs, fostering a community of collaboration.
  • Network Support
    It supports network features like multiplayer gameplay over the internet, netplay, and streaming from a Lakka device to other screens.

Possible disadvantages of Lakka

  • Limited Non-Gaming Applications
    Lakka is primarily designed for retro gaming, meaning it lacks the capabilities and features for other types of applications found in full-fledged operating systems.
  • Complexity for Advanced Features
    While basic setup is straightforward, configuring more advanced features can be complex and may require technical knowledge and experience.
  • Hardware Compatibility
    Although Lakka runs on a wide range of devices, certain hardware components might not be fully supported, and users may encounter compatibility issues.
  • Performance Limitations
    Running Lakka on very low-end hardware might lead to performance issues, particularly with resource-intensive emulation cores.
  • Limited Official Support
    Reliance on community support may be necessary as Lakka does not offer commercial support options, which could be a drawback for some users seeking professional assistance.

Pop!_OS features and specs

  • Optimized for Productivity
    Pop!_OS is built with various features oriented towards productivity, such as a customized GNOME desktop environment that includes tiling window management and keyboard shortcuts.
  • User-Friendly Installation
    The installation process for Pop!_OS is straightforward and user-friendly, making it accessible for both beginners and advanced users.
  • Hardware Compatibility
    Pop!_OS is developed by System76, a hardware manufacturer, ensuring excellent support and compatibility with a wide range of hardware, particularly their own computers.
  • Regular Updates
    The operating system receives regular updates, ensuring that users have access to the latest features, security patches, and improvements.
  • Pre-installed NVIDIA Drivers
    Pop!_OS offers a version with pre-installed NVIDIA drivers, which simplifies the setup process for users with NVIDIA graphics cards.

Possible disadvantages of Pop!_OS

  • Limited Community Support
    While Pop!_OS has a growing community, it is still relatively small compared to more established distributions like Ubuntu or Fedora, which might make finding solutions to specific issues more difficult.
  • Resource Intensive
    Pop!_OS's GNOME-based desktop environment can be more resource-intensive compared to other lightweight desktop environments, which might not be ideal for older hardware.
  • Default GNOME Environment
    Some users may prefer other desktop environments over GNOME, and while it's possible to install them on Pop!_OS, it doesn’t come with this flexibility out of the box.
  • Designed for System76 Hardware
    Although it works well on various hardware, Pop!_OS is primarily developed for System76 devices, which might lead to some optimizations not being as effective on non-System76 hardware.
  • Learning Curve for New Users
    New users coming from Windows or macOS might find certain aspects of Pop!_OS different and challenging, such as the tiling window manager and keyboard-driven workflow.

Lakka videos

Lakka Emulator Frontend Running On Raspberry Pi 3 Emulation Station Alternative

More videos:

  • Review - What Is Lakka ? Retro Game System Explained
  • Tutorial - How to make a Retro Emulator Machine - Lakka OS Guide + Review

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 Lakka and Pop!_OS)
Gaming
100 100%
0% 0
Linux
0 0%
100% 100
Emulators
100 100%
0% 0
Operating Systems
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

Share your experience with using Lakka 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 Lakka and Pop!_OS

Lakka Reviews

The best Linux distributions (operating systems)
Lakka OS is a lightweight distribution that lets users convert old computers into retro game consoles. The operating system is based on LibreELEC and uses the RetroArch front-end. Once set up, Lakka OS works cross-platform and numerous old console games can be installed.
Source: www.ionos.com
13 Best Linux distros for gaming in 2022
All the emulators are compiled with the best optimizations possible and so Lakka OS runs the games more smoothly than the normal emulators. Most games will require very few hardware resource, except for the Playstation or Xbox games.
Best Linux Distro for Gaming
Lakka is a lightweight Linux retro gaming distro that turns your computer into a retro gaming console. It’s so lightweight, it can even run on a mini-PC like a Raspberry Pi. It’s still being actively developed and worked on. Lakka uses the RetroArch emulator, so you can play all types of games on this distro, including running emulated N64, PlayStation, PSP, NES, Sega,...
Source: linuxstans.com
9 Best Linux Gaming Distributions in 2021
All the emulators are compiled with the best optimizations possible and so Lakka OS runs the games more smoothly than the normal emulators. Most games will require very few hardware resource, except for the Playstation or Xbox games.
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 seems to be a lot more popular than Lakka. While we know about 456 links to Pop!_OS, we've tracked only 5 mentions of Lakka. 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.

Lakka mentions (5)

  • New RG351v owner, what should I do first?
    While it's not there, if you don't want to bother with emulationstation and would just like basic retroarch, there is also a build of Lakka (pure retroarch) available for the 351v. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Best console for emulation? Looking for something simple
    I think there'll be another providers of such kits in the USA, but I don't know them. Perhaps also on EBay. The Magic words are "lakka.tv", "recalbox" and "retropie" for ready-to-go and easy to use raspi emulations boxes. Source: almost 3 years ago
  • MAME 0.242
    Maybe something like Lakka[1]? It supports many game consoles, but I believe MAME is part of it. [1]: https://lakka.tv/. - Source: Hacker News / about 3 years ago
  • Planning on making an arcade machine from a pi zero w 2 and a crt tv, any tips?
    Most peoples go to package is RetroPie, and don’t get me wrong, it’s not a bad option…. But in my experience, http://lakka.tv is a bit cleaner, more lightweight, and has less compatibility issues / hurdles that you need to jump through for some features…. Source: about 3 years ago
  • Help making emulator stick !
    You mean a USB to boot on a PC? Check out Lakka or Batocera. Source: over 3 years ago

Pop!_OS mentions (456)

  • Part 1: Getting Started With Linux
    To start using Linux, I personally would recommend going with Pop!_OS. You got a few options here: either you can run it on a VM or install it on Bare Metal. Don't worry, I got you covered—you can use any one of the following methods:. - Source: dev.to / about 1 month ago
  • The Future Is Niri
    Did you see Pop OS? https://pop.system76.com/ They follow ubuntu releases, kind of. The downside, they went all in into their new desktop env - cosmic, and until they release it they won't move on from 20.04.. I really loved the tiling feature in PopOS 20.04 which came out of the box. But then I bought a new laptop, and had to move to arch to use it.. - Source: Hacker News / about 2 months ago
  • Apple's Software Quality Crisis: When Premium Hardware Meets Subpar Software
    Please try a distro [0] maintained by a company making their own Linux laptops. [0] https://pop.system76.com/. - Source: Hacker News / about 2 months ago
  • Perl 🐪 Weekly #707 - Is it ethical?
    What is Pop!_OS? Sounds like the name of one of the kids of Elon Musk. But no. It is apparently an Ubuntu-based Linux operating system for STEM and creative professionals. - Source: dev.to / 3 months ago
  • Malibal and Coreboot Have a Disagreement
    > We no longer ship to Colorado due to the actions of System76's Principal Engineer (https://www.system76.com), Pop_OS! Maintainer (https://pop.system76.com), and Redox OS BDFL (https://www.redox-os.org) named Jeremy Soller (https://soller.dev). Source: https://portal.malibal.com/kb/a1064/why-dont-you-ship-to-colorado/ Err, what? I really can't follow the logic here. What does some dude have to do with Colorado. - Source: Hacker News / 6 months ago
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What are some alternatives?

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

Batocera.linux - Batocera.linux is an open-source and completely free retro-gaming distribution that can be copied to a USB stick or an SD card with the aim of turning any computer/nano computer into a gaming console during a game or permanently.

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

RetroArch - RetroArch is a frontend for emulators, game engines and media players.

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

LaunchBox - LaunchBox is a portable, box-art-based games database and launcher for DOSBox, emulators, arcade cabinets, and PC Games. Download it free!

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