Why Ubuntu Outshines Windows 11: 6 Key Advantages for New Users

Published Jan 22, 2026, 8:30 AM EST

From the first time Shaun laid eyes on a DOS computer, he's been obsessed with tech to an unhealthy degree. After spending 4+ years in the Games Journalism field, it was time for him to take his passions to the next level. Working with companies such as Prima Games and The Escapist, Shaun decided it was time to let his true colors shine and spread his love, positivity, and excitement about the world of tech. 

While tech may be a massive part of his daily life, Shaun has also been an avid Gamer since the mid-90s. From the first time he picked up an SNES controller, a lifelong hobby was born. Outside of the realm of gaming, he loves to spend time with his wife, building up his collection of Metal Gear Solid merchandise in his "Metal Geario Cabinet", and squishing on his three adorable kitties.

About a month ago, I decided that it was time to repurpose the old Chromebook that I had lying around and turn it into a Linux-powered Home Assistant Hub. Rather than fully removing the Ubuntu build in favor of Home Assistant OS, I decided to keep Linux on this laptop so I could experiment with it for a while. While I experimented with Linux Mint back in High School, this is my first "dedicated" Linux machine.

I'm glad that I kept Ubuntu on here, because I've learned that Linux is nowhere near as terrifying as it was always made out to be. In fact, there are quite a few things I prefer over my Windows 11 desktop. Maybe it's time to finally make the plunge after all?

The user interface is incredibly nice

Mixing style and usability into one compact package

Before jumping into Ubuntu, I figured that Linux was just going to be terminal lines and outdated interfaces. Okay, not really — I knew that Linux had some very nice looking builds, but Ubuntu took me by surprise. Before migrating to Windows 11 after building my own PC, I had always used macOS, and Ubuntu has that perfect mesh of both. It's beautiful to look at, runs incredibly well, even on outdated hardware, and breathed a ton of life into my little Chromebook.

Plus, it's easy enough to navigate around that I could sit my parents down in front of this laptop, and they would even know how to navigate it. And that's saying something, as they still refer to Google Chrome as "the beach ball" when they're trying to get onto their emails.

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The App Center is actually useful

The Microsoft Store drives me nuts when it actually works

One of my biggest issues with Windows 11 lies within the Microsoft Store. It baffles me that Microsoft knows how to create an attractive and intuitive user interface, as they did with the Windows Phone, only to create something as bafflingly boring and cumbersome as the Microsoft Store. More often than not, trying to get apps to update through the Microsoft Store feels like pulling teeth, and trying to download anything new from there can be confusing for some. I mean, are you going to download Discord from the Microsoft Store, or just from their website?

The App Center, on the other hand, is quick to navigate, simple to use, and visually pleasing. Rather than overloading your screen with a million different applications, Raid: Shadow Legends, and whatever else is trending, you can see exactly what you're looking for. Plus, there aren't any ads, which is something that the Microsoft Store is very guilty of.

Ubuntu is arguably more protected than Windows 11

A smaller install base makes it less appealing to those with bad intentions

I'm dating myself by saying this, but remember those old "I'm a Mac, and I'm a PC" commercials starring Justin Long and John Hodgman? And remember the myth that Macs were unable to get viruses? Yeah, those were the days. It feels like every day, we're seeing more scams than ever, and many of them target PC users. From phishing emails to database breaches that put our information at risk, online security is more important than ever. With Windows being the most-used OS on the market, viruses and malware are very common to encounter.

Ubuntu, on the other hand, is quite a bit more secure to use. Yes, you can still get viruses and malware. But because of the operating system's install base and the need to download software directly from the App Center or more trustworthy sources to run things properly, everything is a bit more protected here. Plus, you'll need to use sudo commands if you want to make any big changes to the OS.

Ubuntu is much less resource-hungry than Windows 11

Even lower-end PCs can run Ubuntu better than Windows ever could

In my main PC, I'm running an AMD 5600X, an ASUS NVIDIA 4060Ti, and 32GB of DDR4 RAM. My little ASUS Ubuntubook, on the other hand, is powered by an Intel Celeron N3350 Processor, Intel HD Graphics 500, and 4GB of DDR4 RAM. Yet, surprisingly enough, it's speedy and efficient, and it can handle standard browsing and other tasks without breaking a sweat. It's genuinely surprising because I can only imagine that trying to run any form of Windows on this laptop would feel like I was trying to pilot it through molasses.

Even back in the day, when I replaced Windows 10 on a Netbook (remember those?) with Linux Mint, the difference was noticeable right off the bat. Since I replaced ChromeOS, I'm able to do a bit more with this little laptop, and I'm a happy camper.

Customization is king on Ubuntu

Linux gives users a lot more options to customize

If you want to customize nearly every aspect of your experience, Linux seems to be the best way to do so. Windows does offer a lot of third-party applications that allow for expressive customization, but Ubuntu and other Linux distributions allow users to tweak just about everything about their OS.

Even when it comes to the installation package, there are at least 10 different Ubuntu installation packages available to download. Extensions, plug-ins, and application support make this OS even more customizable, and it's shocking to see what power-users can do with their computers after learning more about the software.

It breathed life back into my Chromebook

I can't fathom trying to run something like Windows on this machine

Finally, the reason I'm a big fan of Ubuntu at this point? It let me use my Chromebook again, and rather than it just gathering dust that I, admittedly, need to blow off, it's a near-daily driver for me. Getting to experiment and learn about Ubuntu has been a blast and a half, and I'm genuinely considering putting it on my main PC.

If I can figure out workarounds for my favorite games that use anti-cheat software, I'm ready to board the Linux train and kiss Windows goodbye. There's a lot of neat stuff here in this neck of the woods, and what better way to learn about it than to make my daily-use PC into an Ubuntu-powered beast?