My Linux Journey: Saying Goodbye to Fedora and Testing Zorin OS

If you’ve been following my Linux journey, you know I’ve been on a mission to find the perfect daily driver. I’ve already put Ubuntu, CachyOS, Linux Mint, and Anduin OS through their paces. Most recently, I spent two weeks daily-driving Fedora.

Now, it’s time to say goodbye to Fedora, rate it, and dive into a distro built specifically to welcome Windows and Mac switchers: Zorin OS.

1. Quick Review: How Did Fedora Hold Up? (8/10)

Fedora earns a solid 8 out of 10.

What I Loved:

• DaVinci Resolve Performance: As a video editor, this was a massive win. DaVinci Resolve ran noticeably better on Fedora than it ever did on Windows.

• Fresh Packages: Fedora sits right at the sweet spot between Ubuntu's stability and Arch's bleeding-edge updates.

The Only Annoying Bit:

Because Fedora delivers the latest software and kernel updates so frequently, I found myself installing updates and rebooting almost every single day. If you don't mind daily reboots, Fedora is fantastic. But for me, it was time to move on to the next challenger.

2. What is Zorin OS?

According to the team behind Zorin OS, it’s designed as an alternative to Windows and macOS that makes your computer faster, more secure, and privacy-respecting—all while keeping a familiar layout.

Distro Versions:

• Zorin OS Core (Free): The standard version featuring built-in layout tweaks and complete desktop functionality.

• Zorin OS Pro ($47.99): Adds premium macOS/Windows layouts and bundled productivity apps.

• Zorin OS Education (Free): Tailored with educational tools for schools and students.

For this test, I opted for Zorin OS Core.

3. Installation & First Impressions

Using Ventoy on my USB flash drive, I booted up the Zorin OS installer.

• Installation Time: Unlike Fedora (which took 2–3 minutes to install), Zorin OS took around 10 to 15 minutes.

• Under the Hood: Zorin OS is based on Ubuntu (which explains why it prepares Ubuntu drivers during setup). It runs on modern Linux kernels with the Wayland display server and a customized GNOME desktop environment.

Once booted, Zorin greets you with a slick Welcome Tour and the Zorin Appearance tool.

UI & Personalization Options:

• Familiar Layouts: You can easily choose between Windows 7/10-style menus, compact taskbars, or modern GNOME/macOS-style docks.

• Built-in Visual Effects: Without needing third-party extensions, Zorin includes Jelly Mode (wobbly windows) and a 3D Desktop Cube right out of the box.

• Font Customization: Swapped the system font to JetBrains Mono for a cleaner look across the entire UI.

• Dark Theme: Everything adopts dark mode smoothly right out of the box.

4. Setting Up My Daily Apps & Drivers

Setting up a new OS means getting hardware drivers and core software working seamlessly.

Hardware Drivers:

Installing NVIDIA drivers was simple thanks to Ubuntu’s built-in "Additional Drivers" tool. After a quick reboot, graphics hardware acceleration was ready.

Replacing System Utilities:

Linux gives you the freedom to swap out anything you don't like:

• Task Manager: I uninstalled the default system monitor and installed Mission Center via Flatpak—a sleek hardware monitor that mirrors the look and feel of Windows Task Manager.

Video Editing (DaVinci Resolve):

Instead of relying purely on automated scripts, I followed Zorin’s official documentation:

1. Downloaded the DaVinci Resolve installer.

2. Used the make-resolve-deb script to convert the installer into a native .deb package (took ~15 minutes).

3. Installed the .deb package via terminal.

Result: DaVinci Resolve launched shockingly fast and played back raw 4K video footage with full audio without stuttering.

5. Unique Features Worth Mentioning

1. Built-in Windows App Support

Zorin OS makes running .exe files simple by integrating Wine and Bottles directly into the software center.

• If you launch a Windows installer (like 7-Zip), Zorin OS will check if a native Linux equivalent exists. If not, it runs the Windows installer smoothly and adds a desktop shortcut automatically.

2. Zorin Connect

Similar to KDE Connect or Microsoft Phone Link, Zorin Connect lets you pair your Android phone to sync notifications, share files, and manage your device directly from the desktop.

3. Terminal Personalization

Using AI to tweak configuration files, I set up Neofetch to auto-run every time a new terminal window opens—a essential rite of passage for any Linux user wanting to show off their system specs!

6. The Roadblock: Waydroid & NVIDIA GPUs

No distro hopping test is complete without a small hiccup!

I tried installing Waydroid (an Android container/emulator for Linux) to run mobile apps. While it installed easily, it hit a known roadblock with NVIDIA GPU compatibility, resulting in a blank screen. Even with AI troubleshooting assistance, getting Waydroid to route through the integrated Intel GPU on a dedicated NVIDIA system takes extra tweaking.

Final Thoughts: Is Zorin OS Worth It?

Zorin OS is easily one of the most polished, user-friendly distributions I’ve tested so far.

• Who it’s for: Anyone transitioning from Windows or macOS who wants a familiar experience without a steep learning curve.

• The Verdict: The customization options, built-in Windows app support, and sleek aesthetic make it a top contender for beginner and intermediate users alike.

I’ll be daily-driving Zorin OS for the next week to see how it performs in real-world productivity before giving it an official score in my next update.

I’ve also made a video on this topic — you can watch it below.

https://youtu.be/hZwqFmaXJgs

Check out my other posts, I post useful tutorials and tech tips, maybe you will find something useful 😉.