Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Pop!_OS

A developer-focused minimalist Linux distro from System 76.

Pop!_OS

Pop!_OS Reviews and Details

This page is designed to help you find out whether Pop!_OS is good and if it is the right choice for you.

Screenshots and images

  • Pop!_OS Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-01

Features & Specs

  1. 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.

  2. User-Friendly Installation

    The installation process for Pop!_OS is straightforward and user-friendly, making it accessible for both beginners and advanced users.

  3. 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.

  4. Regular Updates

    The operating system receives regular updates, ensuring that users have access to the latest features, security patches, and improvements.

  5. 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.

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Videos

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

Moving In - Pop!_OS 19.04 Review

Using Pop!_OS 19.10 ep. 1 - Intro, Installation, Desktop and Gaming Prep

Social recommendations and mentions

We have tracked the following product recommendations or mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you see what people think about Pop!_OS and what they use it for.
  • 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 coveredโ€”you can use any one of the following methods:. - Source: dev.to / over 1 year 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 / over 1 year 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 / over 1 year ago
  • Perl ๐Ÿช 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 / over 1 year 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 / over 1 year ago
  • Omakub โ€“ Opinionated Ubuntu Setup
    You may want to try Pop!_OS [1], it's based on Ubuntu but AFAIK includes NVIDIA's proprietary drivers out of the box, which is basically the "better out of the box experience" you're asking for. That said, I think there are legal issues around licensing with doing such a thing, which is why most distros avoid including them in the first place. 1: https://pop.system76.com/. - Source: Hacker News / about 2 years ago
  • 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 / over 2 years 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 / over 2 years 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: over 2 years 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: over 2 years 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 / almost 3 years ago
  • Lightweight dev tools.
    This is already a bit of a change because when I'm not using the MacBook Pro, I am using my desktop which has Pop!_OS 22.04 installed. - Source: dev.to / almost 3 years ago
  • My Mother Found Out I was Installing Linux...
    It's best not to start with the privacy angle if you're trying to explain to your parents why you want to use Linux. Start by mentioning that it's a popular platform for those in STEM careers. It's required to learn to Linux to get an IT degree because most of the world's websites, database, and supercomputers run Linux. You could share that Microsoft <3 Linux. I may be biased, but I think... Source: about 3 years ago
  • Do you think Pop!_OS should be re-named to "Cosmic" when the new DE comes out?
    "Cosmic OS" still fits in perfectly with the existing space-themed marketing imagery on https://pop.system76.com/. Source: about 3 years ago
  • Suggestion: When COSMIC is ready, maybe base it on Debian stable and ditch Ubuntu and Pop OS name?
    /u/ahoneybun if you are reading this, it's not too late for you to convince the System76 higher ups to change the marketing to say that Pop! Was just the 1st iteration of System76's OS (since Pop! Means something coming into being like the universe) and Cosmic OS is the 2nd iteration, the Cosmos as they are after the "Pop!" and have now become something of its own like the new DE. Even your homepage,... Source: about 3 years ago
  • Hi there, Im new.
    Hmmm well if your into gaming then I would say fedora kde spin or if you want something that updates a lot slower then maybe linux mint or pop os. Source: about 3 years ago
  • steamOS on nvidia
    If you're not using Linux, Ubuntu LTS is a safe bet. I'd also recommend Pop!_OS. Source: about 3 years ago
  • What is the best Linux distro for Gaming?
    I never tried Arch, sounds like too much fiddling about, Pop_OS works and has good support https://pop.system76.com/ and https://chat.pop-os.org/ and https://www.reddit.com/r/pop_os/ ,also looking forward to the new Cosmic desktop to be released soon. Source: about 3 years ago
  • Need help getting Nvidia drivers on Fedora
    As an aside, I love fedora, have daily driven it plenty and it's the OS on my laptop, however if it is your first linux it is a little bit more complicated than it needs to be. If your aim is just to game on linux, I can recommend pop_os which is Ubuntu based, and has an nvidia-based download right off the bat, so should "just work". Additionally, on my desktop I run Ubuntu, and they have excellent nvidia support... Source: about 3 years ago
  • Linux kernel creator and lead developer, Linus Torvalds, is extremely based
    Had to do it for the meme. But in all seriousness, try it out, it's not that hard! Something like Pop!OS or Linux Mint should be pretty good starting point for inexperienced users. Source: about 3 years ago
  • Eve keeps putting my computer into sleep modeโ€ฆ!
    May I offer you a couple alternatives if you feel daring enough. Https://manjaro.org Https://pop.system76.com. Source: about 3 years ago

Summary of the public mentions of Pop!_OS

Based on a thorough review of recent mentions and discussions regarding Pop!OS, it is evident that the operating system, developed by System76, has carved out a distinctive place within the Linux community. While being built upon Ubuntu, Pop!OS offers a uniquely tailored experience that differentiates it from its progenitor and other competitors in the Linux distribution space such as Linux Mint, Manjaro, and Fedora.

Performance and Usability

A recurring theme in user assessments of Pop!_OS is its swift performance and sleek user interface, thanks to its customized GNOME desktop environment, COSMIC. This particular iteration of the GNOME desktop is appreciated for being cleaner and more intuitive, complete with efficient keyboard shortcuts that enhance users' productivity. The tiling window manager and easy setup make it a popular choice for individuals new to Linux, education professionals, and creative users.

Gaming and Hardware Compatibility

Pop!OS is heralded as a leading choice for gamers, primarily due to its robust out-of-the-box support for AMD and Nvidia GPUs. This, coupled with System76's attention to including proprietary drivers in its installation, provides a hassle-free setup for gaming. Additionally, Pop!OS is compatible with both older hardware and the latest high-performance components, such as the RTX 4000 series GPUs. This makes it particularly relevant for users seeking a gaming system that combines ease of installation with flexible hardware configuration options.

System Security and Privacy

A notable feature of Pop!_OS is its default encryption of the installation partition, enhancing user privacy and data security against unauthorized access or theft. This aligns with privacy-conscious individuals or professionals working with sensitive information, who may prioritize operating systems that bolster their security posture.

Development and Community Support

Pop!OS has cultivated a reputation for accessibility in the development community, offering a range of features that streamline workflow for programmers. These include advanced window management, GNOME 3.36 improvements, and integration with tools like Steam and Lutris via its Pop!Shop app store. The distribution's commitment to open-source principles and community engagement is apparent, as users can actively participate in forums and offer donations to support ongoing development.

Criticisms and Considerations

Despite its many strengths, some users have expressed concerns about Pop!_OS's update cadence, particularly its adherence to older Ubuntu LTS base versions while awaiting the completion of the new COSMIC desktop environment. This has sometimes necessitated users to temporarily switch to other distributions like Arch Linux for certain features.

In summary, Pop!OS presents itself as a solid, user-friendly Linux distribution ideal for gamers, educators, and those new to Linux. With System76's hardware offerings complementing the software, the synergies between hardware and Pop!OS can create a seamless user experience. However, potential adopters should weigh its update schedule and specific user needs before committing, especially if staying at the cutting edge of Linux development and packages is a priority.

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Is Pop!_OS good? This is an informative page that will help you find out. Moreover, you can review and discuss Pop!_OS here. The primary details have not been verified within the last quarter, and they might be outdated. If you think we are missing something, please use the means on this page to comment or suggest changes. All reviews and comments are highly encouranged and appreciated as they help everyone in the community to make an informed choice. Please always be kind and objective when evaluating a product and sharing your opinion.