Zorin OS 17 is FINALLY Here! But is it Too Late?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 27 ธ.ค. 2023
- After an incredibly long wait and immense anticipation, Zorin Os 17 has finally released! It brings a host of new features and improvements that continue to make Zorin one of the best Linux distributions both for new users and Linux veterans. But it also comes at a time where its Ubuntu 22.04 base is beginning to show its age, posing concerns for the longevity of this release. Let's take a look!
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I am a Zorin zealot. It makes Linux so pleasant to use. As Microsoft is pushing their AI agenda, merging it with Windows whether you like or not, and Apple continues to be Apple, I'm happy to have a polished OS that I can customize and doesn't get in my way. Major Zorin Pro releases are a day 1 buy for me, I'm happy there is a Linux distro with a paid component that keeps people employed and dedicated to its development over the long term.
It’s refreshing to have a distro that takes the good aspects of a Windows-style workflow and implements it around a system that stays out of your way and actually works well as an operating system.
I spent a lot of time in Zorin 10, and am really stoked about trying this new one. :)
If only I was able to bring my machine with me - am missing it.
Not too late for me. I installed Zorin OS 17 on 2 Dell laptops and a 12-year old all-in-one. With Windows 10, computer performance was dreadful. Zorin OS 17 changed all that. The PCs are all running faster and smoother than they ever have. Kudos and accolades to the Zorin OS development team!
Very professional review, thanks Elliot
Excellent video, have been watching many to decide whether to switch from Mint to Zorin and this one was probably the best, convinced me to switch. Zorin handles my 3 displays much better (with individual fractional zooming actually working) and my audio devices too (I switch a lot between speakers and various bluetooth headphones and Mint wouldn't switch when they connect, even though they appear selected as output; have to go into sound settings each time, deselect and re-select them+random disconnections... very annoying). Love the look and the quick settings menu in Zorin; the deskstop GUI is way more efficient imho. Also comes with plenty of basic tools pre-installed that are intuitive and work well (eg. camera, screenshot software, windows support, etc.), no need to look for alternatives---and if I do, love having access to all repos and not have to go through terminal for stuff not in Mint's Software Manager (which is a slog on my laptop for some reason). Snap tiling windows works much better too (fiddly and buggy on Mint with my 2 landscape and one portrait displays, and apps wouldn't remember or partly, so I had to tile again each time I re-opened them). These are all small things, but felt like I wasted so much time on them pointlessly in Mint!
Great review again 👍
Thank you! Glad you liked it.
I'm glad the software app is not completely linked to the deb repositories. In Fedora it is really slow to start because of syncing via dnf
Fair enough. If that’s the reason that they keep the separate updater around, I suppose it’s a worthwhile reason. Still irks me though, having two separate places for updates. 🙂
@@PlanetLinuxChannel definitely, it's like Android where the OS updates from the settings app rest with Play Store
Very interesting and informative
Very honest review, I really like how you pointed out the strengths and weaknesses compared to Mint. I have tested both in VMs and came to similar conclusions. Both are very nice systems, but I think I slightly prefer Mint. It feels more flexible and less "freemium". Right now, Zorin 17 might have the edge, its customized Gnome is really nice, it feels like Cinnamon based on Gnome 4x. But as soon as Mint is based on Ubuntu 24.04, Mint will probably have the lead again. And I really like that there's also LMDE. I wonder if they'll eventually switch to Debian as their primary base, I'd appreciate it.
I came to the opposite conclusion. I love Mint. But I hate how it gets software to my desktop. They just aren't set up for global distribution.
Yeah, I completely agree with that. The Mint team created LMDE as a sort of failsafe if there ever became a reason they couldn’t continue to base it on Ubuntu anymore, but with the numerous decisions Canonical has made with Ubuntu, it has become harder and harder for them to keep doing things the way they want to. Considering that LMDE is getting very close to feature parity with the regular Ubuntu-based Mint, they could decide to make that change sooner than we think.
@cejannuzi That’s an interesting thought. Why is it that you feel it doesn’t work for global distribution?
I've never really understood the concept of "Workspaces" like, at all, i've always just used the same workspace for everything and i don't get why it exists.
(I'm a windows user......... for now...)
I think Workspaces comes over from GNOME. I didn't see much point to it at first until I started using it. Having most apps in their own Workspace and seamlessly scrolling between whatever you need works quite well to be fair.
I used workspaces recently in the middle of a project. It helped because I could leave documents open on two workspaces (think: desktops) at the same time for editing purposes. But normally I only use one workspace.
I'm considering switching to Linux after all the Microsoft changes. My only question is, what is the best AV for Linux desktops? I know a lot of people say "You don't need one", but I would still be more comfortable with one. I know some hardening would be a good way to secure it, but I still am curious about an AV suggestion.
I migrated from Windows to Zorin for the look I am used to, no issues so far. I didnt mind paying the devs a small sum. Mostly works out of the box for someone who has never daily drived linux. This and Mint are good choices for first time users.
i tried it. it nearly damaged one of my external hardrive. not sure why i have to do the fix file system command thing on it. it is faster in desktop. havent had a chance to test it in games, since it keeps telling me the zorin 17 missing so many things with .SO extensions on it. the xwayland works better with window and desktop animations. but has issue on legacy context, when you try to launch wine with its virtual window for example. so, since its way too much for me to having to do long troublehoots on those missing .SO libs in the zorin 17, i rather headback to LMDE 6. the zorin 17 core also mising some important codecs at clean install. it practically EMPTY after you finish installing the OS. you have to fetch so many things. and that with ISO size of 3.8 gigs. for example, LMDE has about merely 2 and half gigs ISO. but packed with so many useful apps. which i dont feel as a bloat at all. its not a bloat if YOU USE IT.
I’ve also run into the missing .so libraries. I don’t think it’s Zorin-specific, but rather an Ubuntu 22.04 base issue of lacking some of these libraries.
That's why I stopped using it,it ruins disc's including windows partitions
Definitely not too late. I'm still using 16.3 and I'm happy with it.
That’s the conclusion I’ve come to the more I’ve been using 17. It’s just so good!
Planet Linux: Which Zorin are you running in this video? Zorin OS 17 Pro, or Zorin OS 17 Core, or Zorin OS Lite?
I’m running Core. The Pro edition adds the additional desktop layout options, wallpapers and included software (though you can get most of those apps from the Software centre anyways). The Lite edition uses a more lightweight interface that doesn’t have quite as many features, but runs better on old or low-end hardware.
I’d personally give Zorin 17 Core edition a try first. If you like it and want the extras, you can upgrade to Pro directly in Zorin (there’s an Upgrade app). You shouldn’t need to use the Lite edition unless it’s a particularly old or low-spec computer.
@@PlanetLinuxChannel I have Linux Mint 21.2 on THIS laptop, and I have an old Zorin Lite Xfce on my OTHER laptop. I will be replacing the old Zorin with either a newer Zorin or BlendOS. Which DE does Core have?
@cimbakahn Core (and Pro) uses GNOME, though with Zorin’s customized layouts. I know that GNOME has a reputation of being resource-hungry, but it actually seems to run pretty well even on older hardware, so it might still be worth a try. They haven’t released the Lite edition for version 17 yet (it’s still 16.3) but hopefully that’s coming soon.
@@PlanetLinuxChannel Thank you very much for your response!
Thanks planet Linux I hope you also recommend pop os after they're switched to cosmic
Unless something goes horribly wrong with it, I expect that I’ll be giving it a strong recommendation. I love Pop!_OS even now, but as most of their current efforts are focused on the future Cosmic release, I don’t currently recommend the one that’s been out for nearly two years.
@@PlanetLinuxChannel OK fare point but do you use Bazzite
I’ve looked into it, but haven’t tried it yet. It’s certainly an interesting option, especially as I’m getting more into Linux gaming.
@@PlanetLinuxChannel its a really nice option for gaming along with Nobara Linux And Of Course Steam os
Definitely. Along with Garuda.
I have a problem with zorin 17. in 16 the touchscreen on my asus machine worked fine but not in 17.
That’s interesting. Did you do a fresh / clean install of 17? Or was it an upgrade from 16?
@@PlanetLinuxChannel it was indeed an upgrade from 16 to 17. however now after some update later, it now works as it suposed to. well somewhat. can be hard to hit the X to close apps sometimes
Is in the Zorin 17 Core any charging settings like in the myAsus App for windows ? Or can suggest an similar battery care app ?
I don’t personally know of anything quite like MyASUS, though there are a few utilities to adjust performance / battery consumption on Linux, including: Auto-CPUFreq, Slimbook Battery, and TLP / TLPUI. They’re not quite as straightforward though, and might require a bit of tinkering. I’ll have to look around for a nicer graphical tool.
I've been wondering about this distro. I want to try it
I think it’s definitely worth a try. Zorin 17 and Mint 21.x have quickly become my top two recommendations for most users. I personally think that Mint might be the better all-rounder as a solid Linux system, but I think Zorin does a better job of providing a seamless user experience for people switching from Windows (or even macOS in some ways).
Sadly, many long-standing Linux usability issues remain unfixed, or regress when new versions come out. "Cool" features and bling generally win out over boring troubleshooting, fixing issues like missing drivers, or ensuring the desktop actually makes sense in the real world. Adding numerous duplicative setttings/control centers is one way to drive users away. I tried Zorin, but just didn't see any advantage over Mint at this time.
For anyone already happily using Mint (or any other distro), I agree, I don’t think Zorin is necessarily worth switching to. But for someone that’s coming from Windows and just wants something that looks the part and (at least usually) works similar to how they’d expect, Zorin might be a good first option.
@@PlanetLinuxChannel I agree that newbies should at least take a look at it; the less they know about KDE, the more likely the duplicative settings, etc. will actually seem helpful.
@markh.6687 Right? They find it a bit to easy to delete their whole panel or something! 🙂
Mint looks oldish....
@@migue018 I agree it looks old compared to the trendy dark screen junk, but it's a solid UI that works well. The look can be changed in various ways. I'm not against Zorin, I just wasn't happy about another Debian Stable-based version, and fighting with dependencies to get newer version apps.
If an old man has been using Linux for a very short time, is he a new Linux user or an old Linux user?
Hmmm. Well by the definition I meant in the video, he would be a new Linux user. But I think Zorin might be adequate for an old Linux user as well!
An old new Linux user.
Well, old users can learn new OSes.
Yes.
"What is the sound of you remaining silent?" -- Ah Choo
Well, I had to use a Solid State hard drive before I could install Zorin,,,
It hasn't installed any apps yet. they won't download.
Maybe I will wait for version 18 here..
I have had Zero problems with Linux Mint...
I've only had one problem with Zero Linux - - - everything is completely different, so it's a learning experience every day,
They really need to get it running natively under Windows VM. The only options inside of that are Ubuntu. I tried to install it into Windows VM using the ISO and it wouldn't boot.
My Zorin 16 install direct to an SSD as boot drive went pear shaped after a week or two of using it, the software installer store or package manager whatever installed stuff but they were always broken. When I tried to run the upgrader tool to 17 it didn't work at all.
I really want Zorin to be a Windows replacement but it's just not there yet. It needs to be able to run Windows apps... natively. My video editor. My steam games. Paint dot neet. Yes, it's got ports of Firefox, VLC, Audacity, that run natively on Linux... but you need it to be able to run Windows apps... because many things don't have a Linux port... Sony Vegas, for example.
I saw it had a port of Steam, but I never got it working...
Also, it needs to default to using a dark theme, because trying to navigate it while I was blind to change it to a dark theme... was a blinding blazing white nightmare. People with visual impairments can not tolerate light themes, it's like staring at the sun to them. You literally can not read the words on the screen because the pixels next to the shapes of the letters blaze them out. Clicking through all those installation dialog boxes during install with a light theme was an absolute hellscape.
If there's one thing that needs to be pounded into developers... dark theme.... dark theme... dark theme everything.
There was a reason old computer terminals were always green or orange or white characters on black.... it was for the visually impaired and to reduce eye strain.
That big mountain desktop wallpaper on your video, for example, needs to go, if it were a default install, and be replaced by solid black. Those dialog boxes... need to be black background with white text, not Macintosh black text on white background...
To you it may look pretty and aesthetically pleasing, but to a visually impaired person, that is a 100% unusable OS install.
I can certainly appreciate the visual concerns. I’m legally blind myself and am also rather sensitive to those things. But I do try to showcase both the defaults as well as various options throughout my videos.
I do believe that if you choose to Try Zorin OS (which launches into the Live desktop environment) you can toggle to the dark theme from the quick settings at the bottom right, then launch the installer.
Software availability and compatibility is the biggest issue hindering Linux adoption. We do absolutely need more apps made available natively on Linux, but in the meantime, we can only try to make compatibility with Windows apps better and better.
My first ever version of zorinos was 7
Very cool! I remember briefly using version 6 and then later trying 7 or 8. I liked it a lot even back then, but never stuck with it as a daily driver for very long.
My first Zorin release was version 9, and the ISO failed to work, then I went to 10.
The Lite one worked well on some things, but I had stuck with v 10 Core.
Daily drove that until I had to move and pack everything up.
Windows 10 helped to make me want to find something else for daily use, and a lot of
the Windows 10 updates are starting to get annoying.
Other than that, I have a lot of fun with 10, and enjoy using it.
I've also keep an old version of Knoppix around - v 5.1. :)
Surely, Zorin OS is a nice starting point, but be prepared for hardware compatibility issues and allegedly other software issues.I personally stick to Mint for my mother's laptop as it has a broader hardware support and more customisability while staying relative beginners-friendly.
But if you're really interested in becoming a cyber witch/wizard, delving into the world of Arch Linux is definitely worth considering. It's all about mastering the terminal penguin spells, gaining a deeper understanding of Linux, and embracing the concept of ultra-cleanliness. With a dash of patience, a love for maximum flexibility, and an appreciation for newness, up-to-date, and advanced technology, Arch Linux is the perfect realm to explore.
What's your opinion on Manjaro and SteamOS? They both use Arch as a base but install the programs necessary to make them as user-friendly as possible. Of course, such distros kind of spit in the face of what made Arch, well, Arch (the installation of software that the user might not need). SteamOS also has the problem of not having an actual distro but rather a repair image for the Steam Deck (despite cries from people like me wanting a Steam-supported distro of Linux).
@@crazymcgee3604 well, despite SteamOs being built on Arch it has as end product not much in common with Arc, because Valve has made it impossible to access Pacman (package manager) and AUR (Arch user repository), unless you disable the read-only mode (Your babysitter lock). And being an image is only a good thing for such platforms, because messing with individual packages comes always with more risk of breaking things. So instead of providing building bricks, they provide you with a plug&play solution and modifications you've done will be reversed to default.
That all being said, the OS is meant to run on a plug&play steam deck device. Yes, just like the PlayStation you can modify (with the right skills) its operating system, but that defeats the whole purpose what it was intended for.
As for Manjaro, I would like to compare it with a sandwiches from a bakery or something that are fully prepared and ready to eat. You have the option to either consume it as is, accepting all the toppings, or you can select the toppings you prefer and enjoy the rest. On the other hand, Arch is akin to purchasing the bread, toppings separately etc., assembling them all together and relishing the outcome. So bluntly said, one flavour for more lazy people and one for those willing to put a bit more effort into it.
If you want to taste a bit of Arch without going complete hardcore, I would personally suggest this distro.
@@crazymcgee3604 So if you want to mess with Arch that has user friendly GUI out of the box, some stable Arch updates (instead of the newer and more experimental ones), I would suggest to use Manjaro. It also comes with some nice pre installed utilities.
I tried to stay briefly, but I feel I carried a bit away lol
The only thing stopping me from ditching Win11 is one program that's not available on Linux - Topaz Photo AI. Not interested in the hassle of dual boot system. Can this or Windows programs in general be run reliably and easily from within Zorin?
you can use bottles, an application that alows you to "emulate" windows by translating syscalls to ones linux can understand. other than that you can use vurtualbox to vurtualise windows, that said this is only an option if you use Debian based distro and have enough resources.
theres no garantee that any of your windows only programs are going to be easaly runnable, if at all on linux.
Try to compare Big Linux. My grade 5 & 6 find Big Linux is very easy compared to Linux Mint & KDE neon. I haven’t ask yet their answer in Zorin is yet. I hope you can make a comparison between this and Big Linux in the future aside from my comparison as your fellow TH-camr.
I’ll have to check out Big Linux. It looks very intriguing.
I really like your Linux content. Keep it up!
I enjoyed Big Linux very well when I ran it for a couple months last year. It put Brazil on my map as a Linux hub. But it slowly fell to second place for me after Garuda because of Garuda's amazing set of system tools (One-click performance or battery life optimizations that actually WORK are a highlight!). But as an overgrown kid myself, and remembering how I was in 5th and 6th grade, it would be "Install Garuda on their classwork computers and let the foolishness begin!" It's gaming-centric, and I know I wouldn't have been able to resist slipping in a video game or twelve for when I should be studying/working lol.
OOPS! I just checked out your channel (and subscribed), and I see that you recently did a Garuda review...so you know EXACTLY from whence I speak lol.
Garuda really is great! I should definitely cover it at some point.
I can definitely relate to messing with Linux on school computers! Those are some fond memories…
Zorin is awesome. I still use 12.4 daily.
@@delta.5 No it's not. It still does what I need it to do though so why change?
Zorin kde plasma is the ticket
That would be a really nice combination! Perhaps they feel that KIE might provide a bit too many options for users to mess up-I mean, tweak. 🙂
@@PlanetLinuxChannel They have it in system - just not specifically supported - I and others run it - for upgrades you just switch back to the default desk top and when done switch back to kde DT
@EZBlast Pretty cool! I’ll have to try it out.
i just wish they used a more recent base, the new base is already 2 years old. instead of useless cube animation maybe it would be better to focus on what users complain all the time about..
But why did the price go up 25%? Too rich for my blood thanks
Yeah, it’s much cheaper to leech of the works of others and never pay for anything.
I thought it seemed higher, but couldn’t remember for certain. I presume inflation just like almost everything else these days.
Regardless of the reason, you certainly don’t have to buy it. The Core edition has nearly all the features (other than the extra layouts) and I believe you can find any of the bundled software in the Software centre anyways. I believe they accept donations of any amount too if that’s your thing.
@@MiningForPies this is a stupid comment. Zorin is built on the backs of free software. Do you think they're forwarding heaps of cash to all those projects? Think before you attack strangers on the internet ffs.
Good points, I think I'll go that route.. I bought v16 a few months ago for $39, i guess i was just shocked that they want me to shell out another $48 so soon. But you're right, their free offering is very capable. Cheers.
@@jeremiahbullfrog9288 and that software is built of the back of other people’s money. You think Linus does his work for free 😂
Bless.
Zorin OS is idiot proof perfect for a school computer or super old boomer laptops
Until you copy and paste whatever chat bots say into your terminal... Don't make this mistake
At 6:16 minutes, a resource manager with 2.5 GB of memory was noticed. This is too much. I definitely don't need this.
Four points, although that wasn’t anywhere near a clean boot. I had been using the system for a good couple hours with numerous apps open prior to recording, not to mention the stuff I had opened during the video while screen capturing. A lot of that stuff stays cached in memory since I hadn’t rebooted.
On first boot, RAM usage was right around 1.0 to 1.1 GB for me.
@@PlanetLinuxChannel It's still a lot
It is, especially compared to other feature-equal desktop environments like KDE that use closer to 600 MB on boot. But considering the Zorin team says it can run on systems with as little as 1.5 GB of memory, I doubt it’s a huge deal these days when almost all PCs have at least 4 GB and even much older or low end machines have 2 GB or more. Still, plenty of lighter options for systems like that, including Zorin OS Lite edition.
Linux users are obsessed with updates.
I just feel they should be handled in an intuitive way. They’re annoying on Windows for different reasons, but if we claim that Linux does them better, then I feel that’s an important part of the whole experience.
It's to have hope the u forgivable flaws may get fixed lol.
Why Zorin? all I can picture is Maximillian Zorin lol I wish they picked a better name
Haha, yes. I believe it’s the last name of the original creator. But it does seem like it could use a different name if it wants more mainstream appeal.
You lost me when you mentioned Ubuntu.
Zorin OS is such a shitty OS. I do not recommend.
No problem, on the hardware front, I just said bye bye to M$ siht permanently on a 4 year old platform. Works like a charm.