I've been using Linux since the early 2000s and Zorin just reminds me of the commercial-grade Linux days of Xandros and Mandrake. Zorin is a distro that's a good fit for a small business or home office because of its focus on the desktop and availability of paid professional support (most paid support for Linux is only available on the server side, not consumer side). One downside is that it tends to be further behind in updates because of its Ubuntu LTS base, which can hurt hardware compatibility, but gives it more stability. That said, it was the perfect "office distro" to throw on my aging Microsoft Surface Go 2 device to give it new life.
I have been using LINUX since 2007 and have always had older, dated laptops to work with. Zorin 17.1 is a great distro, and about the same as any distro running xfce desktop. I program in C language with an old DOS compiler, so I use DOSBOX for that purpose. MX LINUX was a bit easier to use because you could just click on a file in the file manager and it would open them with DOSBOX because they were .EXE files and I didn"t have do do anything more. Zorin is not quite as efficient in that respect, but I was able to work around the problem and it works fine. Linux Mint xfce is junk and I would not use it. The cinnimon edition is better but slow on older computers. Zorin is just as fast and looks great. The software manager is still a bit slow but much better than the MX LiNUX package manager. I will continue to use ZORIN 17.1. I have the Zorin Pro edition but use the 17.1 core edition because its not as bloated as the pro version and if I want to change the desktop, I'll just upload GNOME tweaks and change it. I don't have any plans on doing this as the Zorin core desktop is fine as is and I don't want to change.
The new version perfected again, on an already proven basis. Zorin Os suits me in all aspects of my operating system requirements. I really appreciate that the repository contains all the applications I'm used to from years of using Linux. In my subjective opinion, I can say that Zorin Os 17.2 is noticeably faster than the previous version. The appearance of the environment is purposeful for using this system, and I have nothing to complain about. I bought the PRO version, and I can say that it was not a wasted investment. Team ZorinOs is doing a great job, and I really appreciate that. Thanks.
For those of you who needed the newer 6.8 kernel its here and working great. Stability is excellent and the overall user experience is excellent. Zorin continues to be a great choice for Windows users looking to get into Linux. Windows app compatibility is good and so far gaming has been a great experience. The appearance as well as the overall user interface makes it a joy to use. Im using the free Core version which I still believe to be the best version for most users. Its such an end user focused distro that its hard find things to complain about. Again those of you that moved away from Zorin because of the need for the 6.8 kernel, its here with 17.2 so why bother with Ubuntu?
Version: 17.1 Rating: 4 Date: 2024-08-29 Votes: 4
Trying out Zorin Pro Lite. Could not get bluetooth to work with speaker. Detected it but would not connect. Then it would not even detect the speaker. Will go back to Zorin (free). I was under impression that Zorin Pro Lite would use the gnome desktop but instead it uses the xfce desktop. I liked it but must have the bluetooth working. I tried rebooting a few times but with no luck. Seems like always some issue with linux distributions. MX linux was previous distro used and I used it for several years until I got bored with the xfce desktop.
I previously posted about not being able to connect to my bluetooth speaker with Zorin Pro Lite. After a few more re boots I noticed that I did not select "trusted" when the device came up. My new problem was that the device was not even being listed but the reboot fixed that. Then I selected "trust" this device and then I was able to pair wth it. Previously, I never selected "trust" device, but instead just selected the connect device at the top menu and it would just work. Long story short, I was something I wasnt doing and not the fault of Zorin. I'll continue to use Zorin Pro (lite) because of Zorins work to improve on xfce. I am a previous user of MX Linux for several years. Have used Fedora (gnome, mate), Debian (gnome), Mint (cinnimon, mate), PopOs (2022 version).
Version: 17.1 Rating: 8 Date: 2024-07-25 Votes: 2
I've been using Zorin since 15.X and found it very nice to use, easy to look at, very stable and polished. However all this shiny-shiny and stability comes at a cost: 7.1 is still based on Ubuntu 22.04 and is already 2 years out of date with kernel 6.5. When I finally upgraded my home desktop to something more modern (Ryzen 7700X/RX 7900 XT) I found that I either had to force a kernel update to 6.8 and lose compatibility/stability or settle for abandoning any control over my GPU. Mind you the RX 7000 series has been available for close to two years so is nowhere near bleeding edge tech.
I settled for Ubuntu 24.04 and sadly said goodbye to Zorin after all these years. I'll miss all the lovely spit and polish but I love my gaming more. I'll certainly jump back to Zorin if they updated more frequently.
Zorin laptop user here for 3 years. I started with 15.3. I installed Zorin on my wife's laptop also.
I do some distro hoping, but I came back to Zorin. Stable, bug-free, end-user oriented, clean design.
I tried fedora (and I still have fedora kde on my desk computer), manjaro, MX linux, Mint cinamon, ubuntu, elementary, kubuntu, tuxedo... I largely prefer KDE on desk computer, but touchpad gestures on Gnome on my laptop are essential.
Some cons ? It's definitly a boring distro... which is also a big pro !
Zorin-OS-17.1-Core-64-bit-r1 installed on Lenovo ideapad slim1 14Anm7: I did some distro-hopping to find one, Zorin that worked well. I am more familiar with MX, or Mint but sensing the RTL wifi driver out-of-the-box only worked with Zorin, Ubuntu (and a few derivatives), Fedora, and a few other distros all of which had issues. The Zorin installation was easy, in dual Win-11 boot mode, sensing and overwriting a partition previously used for Linux. In the set up with a Brother laser printer Zorin auto-found and installed the drivers. I was a bit put off by the software repositories using Snap or Flathub, where I was used to installing from .deb files but about a dozen useful applications were found (or their equivalents) and easily installed. Zorin is fast and has a clean (lacks a few features) desktop.
Version: 17.1 Rating: 1 Date: 2024-06-03 Votes: 0
There is something wrong with the iso! then after the last step in the installation process the installation crashes. Have downloaded over three times and burned to a usb but with the same result. Note, I don't have this problem with other distros I've tested. I suspect that zorin is not fully compatible with nvidia cards, as most linux distros are not! For example, manjaro does not tolerate nvidia, many have had many strange results and crashes with that s´distro in the last year, gave up. Now I'm looking for a stable distro that is compatible with my nvidia 2060 card. Have win10 on the machine too, but have no problem with nvidia.
Zorin OS is one of the most user-friendly and visually appealing Linux distributions I've ever tried. It's an excellent choice, especially for new Linux users. Here are a few key reasons why Zorin OS stands out:
User-Friendly Interface: Zorin OS features a clean and modern interface that is incredibly easy to get accustomed to. The desktop layout options, designed especially for users transitioning from Windows, make the transition seamless. The menu structure and settings are intuitive and user-friendly.
Visual Appeal: The desktop environment of Zorin OS is truly stunning. Its aesthetic design, sleek themes, and customizable desktop options offer a functional yet beautiful user experience. With various theme choices, you can personalize the interface to your liking.
Performance and Stability: Zorin OS runs smoothly on both old and new hardware. Its efficient use of system resources ensures you can work without performance issues. Additionally, being based on Ubuntu, it benefits from extensive software support and regular updates.
Easy Installation and Software Support: The installation process of Zorin OS is incredibly simple and fast. Even for beginners, the step-by-step guided setup makes it easy. With the software center, you can quickly access and install all the applications you need.
Strong Community and Support: There is an active community behind Zorin OS. Online forums and resources provide quick solutions to any issues you might encounter. Additionally, the official support services are very helpful.
In conclusion, Zorin OS is a perfect choice for anyone looking to step into the world of Linux. If you are seeking an operating system that is both visually satisfying and exceptionally user-friendly, you should definitely give Zorin OS a try.
One of the best distro-installations and ease-of-use experiences I've had with Linux yet. I've been a fan of Fedora but this is my new favorite distro. It works really well on both the old Macbook and Dell laptop that I installed the pro version on. I've committed to making it my daily-driver for most things. I did experience an issue with sound drivers on the Macbook10,1 (2017 Macbook 12 inch), which I found a community fix. Outside of that, that machine felt new. The installation on the 4 year old Dell Latitude couldn't have gone better, it really was install, and go; no issues what so ever.
Version: 17.1 Rating: 5 Date: 2024-04-02 Votes: 0
I have tested dozens of distros since Ubuntu 5.10 in 2006. And though Zorin looks "pretty" it is just another rendition in a long line of Ubuntu derivatives. That, along with its use of Snaps and Flatpak instead of Synaptic and apt (and the hassle it takes to remove them from the distro), makes it an undesirable distro for daily use. In addition, I have never had any liking for the hideous looking GNOME desktop but have used Gnome 2/MATE for the past 18 years. Since MX seems to have lost its way and become very buggy since 19.4 I will continue using Linux Mint and LMDE as my daily drivers on my Lenovo & Dell laptops for the foreseeable future.
Very good replacement alternative from PikaOS (which also Ubuntu based and they completely broken distribution by migration from 23.04 to the mess with updates on 23.10). It's fast, works from the first run with new Nvidia RTX 4070 Ti Super card, which requires 550 driver minimum. Very important flatpak support in apps and appstore instead of snaps. I'm not sure if it's really important but "powerful" 3rd mode in power management absent, only "balanced" and "power saver" present. In everything else very capable and not limiting in capabilities users distribution (like Ubuntu way to lock on snaps or prevent python, etc). We use this OS to create new Ai advancements (full Python freedom is very important and support of latest best GPU accelerators drivers).
It doesn't matter if you're a beginner/intermediate/advanced Linux user, if you're looking for a distro that "just works" and doesn't waste your time, this is the one to get. Period.
I've been a Linux user for years, I'm not scared of using the terminal to troubleshoot and fix things, but as I get older I find myself getting less and less tolerant about having to open it even for basic tasks that could be accomplished with 1 or 2 clicks. Zorin does a fantastic job at managing that part of using Linux.
Mainly by:
- Supporting all packages and installing them like you'd expect, click on the file and let the OS do its job, no terminal, no fuss. Even .exe files are easily installed by default (And if that .exe is also available as a Linux package, Zorin will ask you if you prefer to download that one instead, fantastic feature in my opinion)
The Software Center has plenty of content and you'll likely find anything you use in there, it also lets you choose between all available packages for a given app with a simple drop down menu.
- Beautiful out of the box, it's likely that at least one of the built in themes will fit your needs and you'll be up and running immediately instead of having to spend 30 minutes installing GNOME extensions just to make the UI usable.
It's based on Ubuntu LTS, so as we know this can be a blessing and a curse depending what you're looking for. It's of course very stable and reliable but that also means that it can get quite old. And this is really the only negative thing I think of about this distro.
It feels like a commercial, polished OS. It functions like a normal user expects an OS to function. It's stable, it's quick. What more do you want? Highly recommended.
Version: 16.3 Rating: 8 Date: 2024-02-21 Votes: 3
My version is a couple of years old now.
I liked it, it is lean, efficient, and fairly fast.
It has some really nice backgrounds for those (of us) who like eye-candy.
It has (I forget) either Libre Office included or readily accessible;
this is critical as it works just like (MS) Office, and no use having a computer
if you can't read and write documents in the common formats.
My only reason for quitting it was the lack of the "SUSPEND" feature as seen in Mint, MX, and Manjaro.
SUSPEND causes the system to "STOP," and almost shutdown.
This process takes seconds, and when you hit the power on it starts again in seconds.
Version: 17 Rating: 10 Date: 2024-02-17 Votes: 39
What an amazing distro !
I've installed Zorin 17 to a friend's pc (she's not tech-savvy) and got surprised of how nice and elegant everything is.
So, i decided to give it a go myself.
Coming from Arch, it was very easy to customize it to my needs.
It runs smoothly, it is extremely snappy, the 3-finger gestures through a touchpad can do miracles and the aesthetics are fantastic!
All hardware got detected correctly, wayland is default, and i've activated 'pipewire' as the default sound server as well, instead of 'pulseaudio' (you can find online tutorials for ubuntu 22.04 # Attention: tutorials in the end suggest to enable 'wireplumber.service' --> this is not needed, so skip it #
Then, i installed (downloaded the standalone .deb) 'JamesDSP' for Linux and the audio turned awesome.
I've also installed 'qemu-kvm' succesfully ( there's online tutorials for this too # Attention: 'libvirtd.service' gets activated automatically --> skip enabling it #) and then installed succesfully 'Arch Linux' inside the VM,
also activated 'Windows Apps Support' by the click of a button, which let me install 'FL Studio' DAW, and it works like a charm!!
Flatpak & Appimage & Snap & Windows .exe support, plus Operating System support until 2027 June, makes everybody's life rosy !
I don't feel i miss anything !
Linux Kernel as of now (February 2024) is "6.5.0-18-generic", which is insanely good for an LTS-based distro (22.04), probably a 'HWE-stack' thing of ubuntu-based distros!
Updates come every now and then, showing up automatically in a window, and finish succesfully.
Language support is great.
Congrats to the developers! Amazing work !
Give it a try.
Version: 17 Rating: 10 Date: 2024-02-08 Votes: 24
I have been doing distro hoping for the last month since I have to replace wife's Win10 notebook which was running slowly, I ran into this distro, downloaded and installed in a few minutes, every single hardware component was properly detected and its driver was automatically loaded during the setup, even the touch screen feature, I can't explain how amazed I am, I remember having to download source file and compile drivers myself years ago.
I believe this is one of the best distro at this time. Great job!.
Version: 17 Rating: 10 Date: 2024-02-08 Votes: 11
I have tried Zorin OS several times throughout the years, but Zorin OS 17 core is by far the best. All my hardware worked perfectly right out of the box (wifi, printers, nvidia). It runs smooth and fast. I have had zero issues, so far.
As far as the paid version goes, I would only pay for it to support the developers. It is definitely not worth it for the "extras". I can customize the themes and layout myself with out any of the extra themes in the paid version.
I think its a good easy to use distro for general day to day computing (web browsing, multimedia, office, etc).
Version: 17 Rating: 6 Date: 2024-02-06 Votes: 1
Great work from the developer. I've really enjoy it but the big downer is the very slow internet connection. i have another distro on the same computer and the internet connection is super fast. It's bugging as to why the connection cannot work like it supposed to. i searched online for a fix but it seems there's several users experiencing the same issue.
i feel i have a nice car with a fast engine but when i pressed the accelerator the car runs like a turtle.
Too bad, i will pass on this one. Time is too important to waste.
Version: 17 Rating: 10 Date: 2024-01-17 Votes: 34
I've hopped a ton of distros and I am sick of dealing with inconsistencies of different pieces of software not working together. I don't want to have to deal with it. I want my system to look and feel like a unified whole. Zorin delivers exactly this. It makes sense of all the different pieces and makes sure that everything... just... works...
In my opinion we need more distros like this one that actually do something with the desktop instead of just repackaging a vanilla gnome experience with minor modifications, we already have enough of those. I miss creativity in the desktop linux ecosystem and it's a delight to see Zorin do something unique and do it well.
Version: 17 Rating: 1 Date: 2024-01-02 Votes: 0
Good grief what a mess. Way better off just using the Ubuntu flavor of choice.
Zorin OS is a hodgepodge of GNOME bits, pieces and extensions. A franken-gnome of sorts. Both Snap Store and Flathub are ready to go out of the box. I'm of the mindset that you either use one of the other... not both. Just makes things a bit more sloppy than they already are. Which brings me to the fact that you're tethered to flatpaks whether you want it or not. No need to include and/or activate Snap Store software.
Also, there is no central place besides the CLI to perform updates. There's the software center and Ubuntu system updater for those not familiar with the CLI.
All in all, it's mostly flash over function just like elementary OS. Looks nifty enough to draw you in but once you start using it, that's when you start to feel the annoyances. Hard pass, would not recommend. Way better off just using the Ubuntu flavor of choice.
Version: 16.3 Rating: 9 Date: 2023-12-29 Votes: 8
Simple
Stable
full ubuntu compatible !
perfect for newbies
This distribution, with the graphics, easy interface is perfect to permit the Microsoft users to begin with linux OS.
I use it personnaly and in my work.
why not 10 ? because I'm waiting for zorin grid and still waiting again and again ...
System is easy to update and new version are not problem.
For old computers there are a lite version with excellent performance ! All my familly use it now and old computers still working this is good for the planet !
If you use your computer to do things (like work and play) and not to spend time tinkering and getting under the hood of your system and you are looking for an alternative to M$ Windows then your should try Zorin OS. It just works and if you are a Windows user then you will be productive with it right away. There are only minor differences with Windows. Plenty of websites and Youtube videos on how to install, set it up and customizing it. There is also a good and helpful user support forum where newbies are welcome to ask questions. The OS has different versions including a "Lite" version that will run on old PC's. You can still have a modern, slick looking OS running on an old system that you can give to your kids, charity or use for getting on public wifi's.
Version: 17 Rating: 8 Date: 2023-12-24 Votes: 4
It's much better than the previous version. Beautiful, Ubuntu based, thats why it stable. I have one problem with it : the animations still lagging sometimes (closing windows) another gnome based distros are more fluid. The Zorin OS will be flawless if the developers fixed/optimised that.
Recommended for first linux distro. Much better than any Windows version.
Perfect hardware support (scanner, printer, etc), easy installation.
Dear devs keep up the good work!
A proud Pro supporter.
Version: 17 Rating: 9 Date: 2023-12-23 Votes: 8
I have just installed 17 on a 4-year old Toshiba laptop.
Version 17 is a considerable improvement over 16.3. I really like this distro. This latest version reminds me a lot of Pop! I really like the latest software / apps store.
Pros:
Easy to install.
Most Win and Mac users, if switching over, will find it easy to navigate.
The software has a lot of native apps (Zorin's version of deb pkgs), but also comes with flatpaks. And snaps are easy to enable and install as well. All can be managed from the app store.
Cons:
The kernel is 6.2.0, so I think this is not a distro for some of the newer hardware.
Not really for the Linux power user.
For beginners with old hardware, something based on Debian with LXQT DE (like Sparky or Emmabuntus) would be better.
The Lite version is still at 16.3, and 16.3 users can't upgrade yet. An upgrade path is coming later. I went with a clean install just to get into 17, as I didn't feel like waiting.
Version: 17 Rating: 5 Date: 2023-12-22 Votes: 2
"Zorin OS 17" works without bugs but despite the fact that it only uses 1.4 GB of RAM when idle and 2.5 GB of RAM again in full activity.
For me with snap and flatpak it works but it's really slower...
I found the applications menu quite locked despite the fact that "Zorin" is the only system to offer different styles of panels...and lots of funny effects but not necessarily useful and installable in other Linux distributions for free.
I remind you that "Zorin" uses certain Ubuntu and Debian repositories...
I left "Debian" to try "Zorin" because according to some it was the "Linux of the year" personally I'm not convinced...I'm going back to "Debian"...
Version: 17 Rating: 10 Date: 2023-12-21 Votes: 6
The best one. Zorin is an open-source operating system based on the Linux kernel. It is designed to be user-friendly and provide a familiar interface for Windows users, making it a good choice for those transitioning from Windows to Linux. Zorin Linux offers a variety of editions, including a Core edition that provides essential features, a Lite edition for older hardware, and an Pro edition with more advanced features and additional software. Overall, Zorin Linux is a versatile and accessible operating system that can be customized to suit individual needs.
Version: 16.3 Rating: 9 Date: 2023-12-20 Votes: 4
Pretty much the best of all the Ubuntu distros, especially if you go with the PRO version. Many things you have to set up on other Ubuntu distros require you to know more. This one was very easy for my elderly parents to adapt to, one who preferred Mac OS, one preferring Windows OS. With the pro version you can basically make it visually look much like either, making it an easy transition.
I also do like most of the programs preinstalled, very useful, but easy to remove if you dont need or want them. Works well with flathub, Snap store, and their own repositories
Version: 16.3 Rating: 9 Date: 2023-12-05 Votes: 6
Zorin 16 has been on my production boxes and laptops since 16 first came out. I quickly purchased the Pro versions. It has been a very stable and reliable system for use and maintain. Newcomers to linux immediately took to it with ease, with many saying something to the effect of "How did you get Windows to look like this?" or "How did you install Mac OS on a Dell?"
The software store could use a little work. Status messaging, feedback on updates, installs, etc. could be better. Sometimes the status' hung , yet the package was installed or updated. Krita was the biggest offender. Never did find a workaround for it. It always was "available" for an update. Version tracking of what needs updates sometimes remained as needed to be updated, yet when the version was checked in the CLI, it already was.
Responsiveness in Zorin is fantastic. Very smooth. Even on older laptop hardware. After installation of Zoring 17 Beta, I am really looking forward to the release of Zorin 17 -proper for my production machines. Overall, I give Zorin 16 a 9/10.
I'm using a Dell Optiplex 9020 quad core with speed 3.7 GHz, Intel Graphics 4600,
with 16 GB RAM and Zorin 16.3 Lite is installed on an externally connected 2 TB SATA
hsrd drive, sharing with 14 other Linux distros. Windows 10 Pro is on a separate
1.19 GB SSD. The Zorin has proven very reliable for me and I would definitely at a future date consider buying a desktop computer with Zorin pre-installed. This computer does not support Secure Boot so I have not
had to disable that feature. I have installed several Windows executable applications with Wine
using the "Install Windows Applications" feature included in Zorin. Although some of those
Applications installed with Wine do not appear in separate "Wine" or "other" category in my Zorin
Lite menu, I have been able to use several of them through a right click in the included
Thunar file manager. I have not edited the application menu to change the access to those
"Wine" applications, at my choosing, and I find that the current accessibility does not
impede my use of the OS as is. I definitely will consider obtaining the Zorin release to be based
on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS and then consider upgrading or installing a fresh Zorin st that time.
Of course a new Linux user can consider Ubuntu or another Ubuntu-based OS as a first dive
into Linux, but Zorin could be another option, as it is very user-friendly and easy to adapt
to in my opinion.
Zorin OS 16.3 has truly impressed me with its outstanding stability. From the moment I started using it, I could tell that the developers put a strong emphasis on ensuring a rock-solid user experience. Here are some key highlights that make Zorin OS 16.3 stand out:
Reliability: Zorin OS 16.3 is one of the most reliable operating systems I've had the pleasure of using. It consistently performs without hiccups or crashes, making it an ideal choice for both casual users and professionals.
Smooth Performance: The overall performance of Zorin OS 16.3 is incredibly smooth. It handles multitasking and resource-intensive applications with ease, ensuring that your computer runs efficiently.
User-Friendly Interface: Zorin OS has always been known for its user-friendly interface, and the 16.3 version is no exception. Whether you're new to Linux or a seasoned user, you'll find the interface intuitive and easy to navigate.
App Compatibility: It's heartening to see that Zorin OS 16.3 maintains excellent compatibility with a wide range of applications. This ensures that users have access to the software they need to get their work done.
Security: Zorin OS 16.3 also puts a strong emphasis on security. The built-in tools and features help keep your system and data safe from potential threats.
Long-Term Support (LTS): Being an LTS release, Zorin OS 16.3 benefits from an extended support period, which is particularly reassuring for those who want a stable environment for an extended period.
In conclusion, Zorin OS 16.3 is a shining example of a Linux distribution that places stability at the forefront. Whether you're using it for daily tasks, development, or as a reliable platform for work, it delivers exceptional performance and stability. If you're in search of a dependable and user-friendly operating system, Zorin OS 16.3 is a top choice.
Zorin Os 16.3 (Pro version) runs like a charm with a few technical issues caused by my incompetence and solved by my incompetence
though a few notes:
installs easy from the boot (if running on old or technically inferior pc, expect Windows but better just don't expect to run 20 chrome tabs while playing minecraft)
beginner accessible and easy to use (but if your looking to use certain installable applications like brasero Learn the Terminal)
wifi and bluetooth work like charms
Can't speak on the professional applications as i don't use them at all but they are nice to include
Background; I'm a 50 year techy, College Engineering trained, process Controls, Electrical and electronic systems and instrumentation. I've used and worked on most systems since 1974.
OS experience; DOS, OS2 Warp, Windows versions from original through NT to present, Unix, ....
I've tried various linux versions, even an early Corel version, Later versions tried are Redhat, Mint, Ubuntu and now Zorin 16.3 (pro).
Installation; I downloaded the iso image and burnt it on a USB stick to boot and install from. I still can't see average consumers doing this and all existing publications that include bootable DVD versions are IMHO superior because of this. Relative to other distros this was the easiest so far including hardware recognition. It is now successfully installed on an old Lenovo T500 (i7) and 2012 Macbook Pro (i5) with no issues on either for installation. I didn't both with dual boot or boot manager for either.
Included/default software is the best so far IMHO. Updates are easy, Office suite, graphics editing and we browsing are all pretty standard, powerful, pro quality and reliable. Audio recording, editing and is still the weakest link compared to commercial pro stuff. I can't speak to video editing.
The Wine and Playonlinux is the best yet. I just saved an expensive Sony, Professional, Active crossover by running it's editing software in a (Win95 original) in a Playonlinux environment while accessing comunications through a USB to RS-232 adaptor to communicate with it. It works perfectly.
Printing and scan were flawless and fast to a Epson 3800 series printer/scanner.
WiFi is seamless with no bottle neck to my 100 M/sec wireless router. All possible wifi connections were identified and easliy connected.
Bluetooth has been great to a mouse and various BT enabled, active speakers.
I installed zorin core 16.3.
My PC runs like a train.
All installed apps are updated to the latest version.
Zorin appearance gives me the possibility of having more interface and changing various colors of the folders.
I have installed many PCs at school with Zorin OS.
Very stable and safe.
The community has a forum when necessary for various issues or other issues.
The lite version reflects all the functions of the Core version.
I have recommended Zorin Os to many friends for its ease of use and continuous security updates.
I recommend it to everybody.
I bought Zorin OS Pro after a complete system failure on Windows 11. I originally bought my PC with Windows 10 then upgraded to 11 though I can say with both the 10 & 11 ports it was a real struggle getting games like Halo, Arkham Asylum and Dirt 5 to run consistently on my 1660 Super. For my daily needs as a student, researcher, amateur beat-maker and casual gamer, I'm very happy with the stability and capabilities of the Zorin Linux distro for a new Linux user like myself. It was easy to install, has easy app management, easy to customize, Updates are regular. It just works!
As far as my experience with Linux is concerned, Zorin (Lite) in my case, and with Upgrade gives me a lot of life to my old computers.
It would be appreciated to be able to choose to install an .iso creator in a graphical environment to customize the distro and thus be able to contribute to the community, based on the user experience for the Zorin version.
You can install Wine from the store without problems, it starts quickly and with the lightweight desktop based on drop-down menus and windows, we don't need much else. It is very customizable, free office from the store is also available. Simply great!
Zorin is exactly what we needed for our daily work. In our small team we run six laptops on Zorin pro and Core, so we got some experience by now. The installation is so easy, a beginner in Linux can do it without tutorial. Runs every time, be it lenovo or hp.
We need our OS mostly for productivity in our home office, for presentations on zoom etc. or just browsing the web or streaming - we never ever had any issue. Zorin is much more stable than other distros we worked with, it is fast. And what is very important for us: our laptops don't get as hot as we experienced with other distros.
it looks good enough, if you are not searching something spectacular like Garuda, if you just want the OS to get out of the way and let you do your work.
We want to concentrate on our work, not on mending our software. Zorin has proven to be perfect for us.
Version: 16.3 Rating: 9 Date: 2023-09-08 Votes: 1
I downloaded and installed Zorin OS Lite on a decade old Toshiba Laptop. TLDR: Everything works and has a lot of polish.
Zorin Os Lite is proof that XFCE can look great. The developers have done all the customization and made sure that everything will work right out of the box. Of course, a more advanced Linux user can get Ubuntu (which is the base of Zorin) and make it work like this, however, it's just nice to have a distro where you don't need to spend time to do so. It would replace Linux Mint as my main recommendation for Windows users who want to try out Linux.
Is the Pro version worth it? I'd say, pay for the Pro just to support the developers. They did do a lot of things for this OS to work.
Version: 16.3 Rating: 1 Date: 2023-09-01 Votes: 0
I recently tried out Zorin OS Linux and was thoroughly disappointed with my experience. From the start, the installation process was cumbersome and complicated, requiring me to jump through numerous hoops just to get it properly installed on my computer.
Once I finally managed to get Zorin OS up and running, I found that the user interface was clunky and unintuitive. The design felt outdated and there were limited customization options, making it difficult to personalize the operating system to my preferences.
Moreover, the performance of Zorin OS was subpar. Opening simple applications took longer than expected, and there were frequent lags and freezes that hindered productivity. The system also had compatibility issues with certain software and hardware, forcing me to troubleshoot and find workarounds just to get things running smoothly.
One of the biggest disappointments was the lack of software availability. The package manager was limited and didn't offer a wide range of applications. Many popular software that I rely on for my work were simply not available on Zorin OS, making it impractical for me to use as my primary operating system.
Overall, I was highly dissatisfied with Zorin OS Linux. Its installation process was frustrating, the user interface was dated and inflexible, performance was lackluster,
First off you can customize it a good bit so you can make the taskbar be similar to windows 11 or have no taskbar at all and keep it similar to vanilla gnome, there's a lot of ways to customize it yet not to many unlike KDE. The Software store is rather nice and has everything I need for my day, and all the apps that are exclusive to windows that I used I found alternatives for (For Example, Pinta to replace Microsoft Paint) And the ones I didnt find alternatives for I could still run via the play on linux app that is included with the installation!
To simply put it, it has all I need and no problems for me!
Version: 16.3 Rating: 2 Date: 2023-08-25 Votes: 0
Old foggie 69 been using Windows prolly 15 years, my old desktop computer 15 plus years. Just a few back it had a hard drive mess up it said, my guess prolly due to software foul up, not sure, anyway old desktop can't up grade or re-upgrade anymore, so, did some search, found Zorin, put that on old desktop, ran good one day, froze up, good thing didn't install, was in try mode running off usb, bugs prolly, and, noticed error messages from display when boot from usb, something was goofy. Wha'd I do? Finagled Chrome onto boot usb without signup to Google or anything of them, the Flex thing, all it is, is a glorified browser operation what it looks like. Works tho. Great to run guest mode as well without signin. Just use that like for watching tv, good enough for me. My opinion go Chrome, stable, works, upgradeable, can run off usb, also do private modes like incognito guest, or run signed in, whatever. Zorin didn't work, bugged out after one day, not gonna do anymore distros prolly, less it be a hobby. Thanks Linux, tried ya, didn't like ya, bail out to Google.
Version: 16.3 Rating: 1 Date: 2023-08-24 Votes: 0
As newer to linux, I have tested MX linux and linux mint without any problem.
I decided to test Zorin OS , but as soon as it starts loading, it gets stuck.
I disconnected the ethernet cable and tried a second time the test, zorin finished loading until the desktop appeared,
but as soon as I plugged in the ethernet cable to use the internet, zorin has blocked. no movement
I don't know why the developers of this zorin ignore this little problem.
The other distros I have tested respond well. I don't know in what this zorin is good for.
I remember when I was using this operating system just after Windows XP lost its support with Zorin OS 8. There were some hurdles that came with it. That all changed with 15.3 when I got a new PC, and oh man it runs so well, and it's a lot more robust, meaning I can do any everyday tasks without any other disadvantages.
My only issue is that it has a very limited library of software, at least up-to-date ones, which means having to install it by commands. At least critical packages like NVIDIA support works well for my main PC!
I Installed Zorin OS 16.3 Lite on an old notebook Acer Travelmate 5730 from 2009, with Intel Core 2 Duo P8400 processor, upgrading RAM till 4Gb (max allowed) and SSD 256Gb.
Everything works correctly and runs like a charm. No problems or issues till now.
Very easy to use and immediately ready out of the box.
Very suggested to Windows switchers and to all the people don't want to lose a lot of time for the configurations.
Thank you so much to the developers!
Keep going this way!
Zorin is one of those distros when you're tired of hopping around. You try to replace it but realize that your computer is about getting tasks accomplished first and foremost. Sometimes you dont need a hobbyist distro, sometimes you just need things to work. Even if its not your primary os, definitely give this a try. I bought the $40 pro version, mainly to just support the project as they're doing great work. It's a distro I will eventually put on my mom/dads computer for ease of use, but a distro I can still use due to its packages, package installers, layout, and general comfiness. You wont impress your arch/gentoo friends with it, but you will be doing far less work maintaining your machine like they will.
I use primarily the Core version and it is fantastic. Very clean and polished interface. Solid, static, stable release with newer packages from their own repositories. I especially like their software store - it has a graphical user interface for Ubuntu packages, Debian packages, Snap packages, and Flatpaks. AppImages are available too. The Zorin brothers have created a distribution that is cohesive and easy to use with minimal fuss of where to get the packages/programs. Plus, you can still install Synaptic or use the terminal. The base is older with Zorin OS usually running behind the Ubuntu LTS release. Currently 16.3 is based on the older Ubuntu 20.04 LTS released April 2020 and Zorin OS 17 will be based on newer Ubuntu 22.04 LTS from April 2022. By the time 17 is released in a few months, we will be a few months away from the Ubuntu 24.04 LTS release - for some users this might be a problem since Zorin is never on the newest/current base. With Zorin OS the base is irrelevant and for the majority of users. The best part is recently they came out with an upgrade tool that allows you to upgrade from 15 to 16 and later 16 to 17 without having to reinstall the operating system. Or you can upgrade from free Core version to the $39USD paid version. This new feature puts Zorin on-par with Ubuntu, Mint or Pop!_OS in ease of use and ease of upgrade. Great distribution for new Linux users or experienced Linux users like me. I like it because everything works right and there is no troubleshooting needed to make things function as they should. Zorin OS works especially well on a laptop too - it has Wayland and gestures by default plus... wobbly windows! The GNOME desktop is the older 3.38 perhaps but the new 17 version coming out later this year will have a newer GNOME 42 I think which is on the Ubuntu 22.04 LTS. This is not the latest but it is more modern. Again, it is not much of an issue since Zorin customizes the desktop to create their own look/feel and offers several layouts from a traditional desktop like Windows or something modern like GNOME. If you are new to Linux don't waste your time - just install Zorin OS (or Linux Mint Cinnamon) and you will have everything you need and more to get things done.
Version: 16.2 Rating: 8 Date: 2023-07-23 Votes: 5
I'm using Zorin OS 16.2 Lite which has one of the most polished implementations of Xfce. Things run decently quickly even on this old 11-inch Dell 3180 machine with 32gb emmc storage and 4 gb of RAM. Zorin also attempts to fill in the space left behind by old "boxed desktop Linux" distributions like Mandrake and Xandros, especially as mainstream Ubuntu (which Zorin is based on) and Red Hat have pivoted to focus more on the enterprise space.
Zorin is perfect for prolonging the lifespan of old machines (with its Lite edition), new Windows switchers who want a familiar environment, education settings, and small businesses who need the reliability of paid-support. I don't mind paying for a Linux distro as long as they are upfront about what you're getting (in Zorin's case paid support) and aren't misrepresenting themselves and charging for free as in beer software like Lindows/Linspire did in the early 2000s with their Synaptic front-end CNR.
Moved out from Windows after almost 25 years. have been using Linux in WSL for many purposes. I don't feel alienated when I moved to this desktop. it is very easy to setup and I loved their search where they automatically was searching packages from internet. I almost got everything other than office suite and snagit alternatives. So far, I am very happy to work on this OS.
The only downside I heard about is upgrading to a newer version of zorin. I didn't have to do it because I am using their latest. But as a professional i can't just clean install without valid reason. Hope they would provide that in their future updates
I have a relatively new laptop, Ryzen 5 and Zorin OS is a perfect on it, no issues whatsoever.
Out of the box it is easy to customise and works as it should, I find the XFCE desktop environment easy to manipulate compared to others.
Fast and efficient for all of my everyday and work requirements, comes with all of the pre installed programs to get you up and running. Added to this the OS looks great too, unlike many other OS's that appear clunky by comparison.
I have hopped about a lot and tried many other distros but Zorin OS is always my return go to when others fail to impress or simply have not got the same stability.
Of course with any distro we all have our useer preferences as to how they look and feel, personally I like the task bar at the top and to add plank dock at the bottom as it seems more instictive in use. As said, customising is easily achieved with the Zorin OS XFCE desktop.
Overall, a great, uncomplicated distro and not trying to be too clever where many are failing!
Version: 16.2 Rating: 5 Date: 2023-07-02 Votes: 2
The os is beautiful, fully featured and fast and I really do like it. The issue for me is that I bought a new laptop and installed zorin 16.2 and some of the hardware did not work.
This is because it is using a relatively old kernel by todays standards. It will work fine if you have a laptop between 2014 and 2020 but not after or before these years generally. Preceding 2014, it will be too slow because it is too heavy and after 2020, newer hardware simply wont work and wont be seen by the operating system even if you compile the driver yourself.
In my case the webcam and the fingerprint reader did not work because zorin is still on ubuntu 20.04 with its kernel.
You also cannot upgrade the kernel and i have tried, it wont boot, so your stuck with a new laptop.
Its a shame because its a beautiful os that is let down by dated foundation.
Another issue I encountered was because it uses gnome as the base, it has the gnome-software process which memory leaks and slows down older systems because it over utilises the ram.
This process seems to start leaking when you install apps and continues to rise.
Zorin also does not play nice with gnome tweaks.
Steer clear if you have a post 2020 laptop.
When zorin developers start updating to an expected standard and stop following older ubuntu lts versions, I might give it another look.
There is old, stable up to date and bleeding edge but unfortunately zorins back end is just old. Zorin 17 will be based off 22.04 of ubuntu and will have the same issue with newer laptops.
I have been dabbling in Linux for a few years now (having dumped Windows after it killed my hard drive) and have found that Zorin installed the easiest, ran the quickest, identified on its own all of my peripherals, and has NOT HAD ONE FREEZE UP OR CRASH! A few years back I had to locate and install Cheese to operate the camera and Zoom so that I could stay connected with family and colleagues. They were easily found and installed. And running Software Updater daily has kept me up to date on patches and improvements. So it is the #1 Linux distro I recommend particularly for those coming over from Windows, Mac or even a complicated Linux distro like Arch.
Version: 16.2 Rating: 9 Date: 2023-05-31 Votes: 7
I have been dabbling with Linux since red hat 4.0 ( I was clueless) and have mostly used variations of Ubuntu, Though like others I have trialed many others before Zorin. I can make it run but I am still mostly a novice.
I have an HP all in one (with not enough RAM and too expensive to redo the board and add ram), from 2016, upgraded to running win 10. Joined with my HP 9020 printer scanner. I was ok but started runnning slow, required multiple reboots of both devices. Making life in the office a pain.
I loaded Zorin OS (I liked it well enough to pay for it) my inital challenge was the documentation ( yeah that much of a novice I read the directions) for partitioning as the documentation was not exactly what’s was on the screen. I talked to support but they were not as helpful via email as I might have liked.
Once I got past they and was fully setup .ZorinOS had that machine running like a scared cat
I downloaded the scanner software from the available options to find the combination of Zorin and the simple scanner software worked better and was more functional than the HP printer scanner software on my HP computer with Windoz 10 had been as long as I owned the combination. I have no had connectivity issues since staring ZorinOS
Because of my specific quirks I ended up buying a scanner suite ( can’t remember the name, everything is at the office and I am at home right now) that is phenomenal .
I will be slowly moving any devices except my current macs to Zorin OS as I can readily access my windows office files though the partition to pull the up in libre office.
I have an older Mac mini no longer getting new MacOS updates that will be a learning tool to have it run Zorin too.
I really like the ZorinOS
I find this distro to be very fast and efficient. It's gorgeous to look at and gives UI options to match essentially any desktop you'd like, which is impressive given its speed.
I'm still pretty new with Linux, and I've found ZorinOS to have the least amount of difficulties in doing what I need to do. I downloaded the Pro version and made my donation as I do value the team's efforts.
I've tried Pop_OS, Fedora, Ubuntu, and others I can't recall. At the end of the day I am sticking with Zorin because of its speed, ease of use, and compatibility with Ubuntu.
I have been a Linux user for over 20 years. I think I still have a Breezy Badger live cd around here somewhere, probably next to my old OS X Snow Leopard install cds that I just can't seem to toss. Currently I'm using Ubuntu, openSuse, and Fedora VM's for different work projects because I like variety and I can get paid to play with each.
I have two older laptops at home. And old MBP that no longer runs the latest Mac OS, and an old Dell Latitude. I have tried so many different distos ( I actually have the MBP ssd partitioned to run Ubuntu, Debian, Mint, openSuse Leap, and Zorin). Previously, I had the best experience with openSuse Tumbleweed, but I ran into problems with a kernel update. After spending a ton of time debugging, it was just apparent it was time to give up and try something else.
Came across Zorin OS on this site. Sounded like something that might fit my use case, as I wanted a stable distro that would not randomly update something important and I'd be stuck reinstalling again. I installed Zorin Core on the MBP and Zorin Lite on the Dell about a month ago, and I couldn't be happier. I think I've found a distro for these two computers that I can trust to work for quite some time.
Easy install, even installed the wifi and graphics drivers for the MBP, which are often something I need to do post-install via CLI. Beautiful interface and easy to customize as it comes with a custom Zorin Appearance control panel that allows you to change desktop themes in the GUI (not a common feature of Linux distros).
Version: 16.2 Rating: 9 Date: 2023-05-14 Votes: 9
Hello, as a long-time user of Ubuntu and its derivatives, I came across this system by accident. Everywhere on forums and various sites, this system was presented as an alternative to Windows and MacOS. Since I used to use on my old laptop Lenovo G575 with 2 GB ram and integrated graphics on Linux mint 17 board, later I bought an older Lenovo B50-30 4 GB ram and ran it on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS. What did not suit me in Ubuntu were frequent problems with wi-fi, spontaneous disconnection of sound and problems with stability (while Canonical itself declares how stable their system is), so I decided that it would be more ideal to use some derivative of Ubuntu. at first it was Mint again, but somehow I didn't like the same desktop scheme anymore. then I caught Zorin OS 16 based on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS, I tell myself that I won't give anything for the test. I don't know why, but every time I decide to try another distro, I always end up going back to zorin. The desktop, connectivity, reliability is on a completely different level than the base from which it is derived.
+ Stability
+ design
+ Zorin connect
+ speed and clarity, simplicity
- HDMI input, when connected to the TV I have to manually adjust the sound from the internal speakers to the TV and vice versa when disconnected. in the new version, they could add some dialogue box where they ask me when connecting, whether to adjust the sound, or even better not to ask at all and just plug it in :)
Hi.
I have been using this O.S. (with updates) on a 10 year old SAGER laptop with the optimus GT650 video card.
This O.S. was easy to install and has run flawlessly. This old laptop lives on! I even can play Steam games and watch all kinds of videos. I had to download another app to get the camera to work correctly but this O.S. is great for salvaging old, but once high- end hardware like this old Sager laptop with the I7 3rd Gen CPU.
I also like the fact that this O.S. knows enough to use the Nvidia graphics instead of the lesser intel graphics. This laptop has both and has caused issues with other operating systems including situations with Windows 7 that came on it way back then. This O.S. also runs faster than Windows 10 on this machine.
Keep up the good work!
Version: 16.2 Rating: 7 Date: 2023-05-01 Votes: 5
Zorin is actually the distro that got me into Linux and I would have to give them a ton of credit for that. It has a BEAUTIFUL interface, friendly support, and AWESOME wine integration. However besides that, I just can't recommend them to anyone besides ABSOLUTE beginners or people on really good hardware.
First of all, I noticed for some unknown reason, the desktop kept on lagging for no reason. I blamed that on my old laptop, but it got to the point where it just completely froze, and when I tried to boot this distro it wouldn't boot. Since this was my first time using it, I decided to give it another chance and reinstalled it (I had to do it twice as when I did it the first time, the installer crashed). It went really well and it didn't take long to get all my apps back in place. That was when I discovered timeshift and wanted to create a separate partition to store my timeshift backups and some other personal files. So I went to a live disk to resize the partitions. Guess What? The gparted crashed and the distro wouldn't boot again. I ended up restoring from a timeshift backup, which didn't work. I was just having a real headache which this distro and installed Linux Mint. WOW OMG! It was fast, everything seemed to integrate really well, the installer didn't crash, gparted disk resize didn't crash either, and there was a ton of support on the internet. Sure the interface and WINE integration isn't as great, but those are 2 small things I would be willing to trade for faster speed, better documentation on the internet, and better reliability (notice how I didn't say stability). For most people,I would recommend Linux Mint for beginners, OpenSUSE for people who want the most reliable/stable distro and/or people who are Windows power users, and EndeavourOS for developers, gamers, and people who want the newest technology.
TL;DR: Zorin is great for Linux Beginners, people who want good Windows Apps support, and people who have good hardware. I won't recommend people who want something more than a "beginner's distro", somebody with moderate to older hardware (including lite), people who value reliability,and people who want something that won't get in their way all the time.
Zorin Os is an excellent distribution, very well thought out, especially for Windows newcomers.
Thanks to Zorin Os Lite I was able to rescue an old laptop I acquired in 2014.
It is sometimes forgotten that Zorin's philosophy, just like Windows, does not favor extreme customization, so if you use it, as most users do, for work and leisure, it is ideal.
In favor:
Stability.
Friendly and familiar environment.
Modern and beautiful appearance.
Stability.
Easy and quick installation.
Support (Pro version).
Easy installation of Windows games via Lutris.
Very complete software.
Excellent software store.
Lots of help available on their website and community forum.
Easy customization via Zorin Appearence.
Against:
Takes a while to release a new version.
Version: 16.2 Rating: 9 Date: 2023-04-24 Votes: 0
I have been using Zorin on and off for about 3.5 years. Great distribution. Everything looks consistent and everything works fast.
Some people complain about the Ubuntu base being old (all to common among Linux fanboys). Their 16 series Zorin came out about 16 months after Ubuntu 20.04 and that is the base for Zorin OS 16. They come out with their versions significantly after the most recent Ubuntu. Ubuntu 22.04 came out about a year ago - expect Zorin 17 based on Ubuntu's 22.04 LTS base to come out sometime between July and December 2023 based on what the Zorin developers have posted on their website. For some people that may be a limitation but it really does not hurt the OS.
Anyway, I say all this because the age of the base is NOT relevant with Zorin OS. They tweak and polish the packages to look consistent and work right with Zorin - that's why it takes them time to put out the next version I suppose. Furthermore, they have the newest packages for their default programs with their own PPA repositories. They back-port newer packages like LibreOffice which makes the base moot. One nice feature of Zorin is that it includes Ubuntu/Debian packages, Snap packages, and Flatpak pages by default. Nothing additional to install to get Flatpaks and Snaps. Also, Flatpaks & Snaps offer you newer packages that again, is another reason the underlying Ubuntu base is not that important.
The one thing that I would like to see on Zorin is what Canonical has on their flavors - the ability to upgrade from within the OS and not have to do a fresh installation in order to upgrade. The developers are promising that feature. Will it be on Zorin 17? That is unknown for now. But that is definitely one feature many people including myself would like to see that other distributions like Pop!_OS, Mint, and Ubuntu already have.
Regardless, Zorin is fast and looks good too. It is simple for the new user and has all the features an advanced user needs/wants. It has a few layouts on Zorin Core which makes it look better than traditional GNOME. Their Lite version based on Xfce is good too but I prefer the GNOME version which is Zorin Core. The Pro version is $39 which gives you some support with installation, additional pre-installed packages, and a few additional layouts. If you are thinking of giving Zorin a donation, just give them the $39 and you get a few extra features. Most experienced Linux users probably won't need the Pro version.
Zorin is a very nice Ubuntu based distribution that is rock solid, looks great and is very stable.
Very stable, no problems so far. I have been using it since over two months ago and I am still very satisfied.
Have tested and used many different Linux versions since I started using Linux over twenty years ago. I've always been looking for a well-thought-out, stable, day-to-day usable Linux distribution, Zorin OS is exactly that. I have made some adjustments and use, for example, Synaptic, Vokoscreen, ClipIt, digikam, Telegram desktop, VLC, KeePassXC, Timeshift, Stacer etc. which are not installed by default.
Then I have installed deepin icone theme and I use dark theme. But this is also the case with Linux, you have many customization possibilities, yes almost endless possibilities. You install roughly what you want, adapt what you want and use it how you want. Zorin is significantly simpler and less complex than windows. So are you looking for a flawless free operating system that works every day? then install Zorin OS.
Version: 16.2 Rating: 8 Date: 2023-04-14 Votes: 1
I’m kind of a veteran Linux user so probably not the most obvious “target” of Zorin still I value simplicity, user-friendliness and every effort to bring my OS of choice to the “masses”. I installed and thoroughly tested Zorin Lite 16.1 in one of my machines which was uneventfully upgraded to 16.2 in the meantime.
“Looks” is an asset in my books but not the ultimate criterion by which to judge a distribution. Zorin surely has the looks though the effort to simulate the feeling of Windows and MacOS is evident in its choice of palette. Zorin’s custom-themed Xfce looks polished and the desktop layout is absolutely sensible and functional. Nevertheless there is a single detail which is almost a deal-breaker for me. Other will find this inessential. It is a classic “bug” in certain themed Xfce (and sometimes Mate) desktops: the mouse cursor is offset when you try to diagonally resize application windows. It is very annoying to me. There are many threads on Zorin forum about it but proposed solutions are either installing third-party themes or editing the default one. Not acceptable when it comes to a distro which aspires to work out of the box and on top of that to charge its users for using a premium version. Linux Mint 19.3 Xfce for instance shipping its own version of customized Xfce had solved this problem long before Zorin 16’s release.
Other users of Zorin Lite complain that the lite version is not so light yet it has been performing very well on a 6-year old middle-of-the-run setup turning increasingly to low-end by today standards. Software selection is satisfactory. My sole objection concerns “Parole” as default video player. It cannot provide accurate seeking with large video files encoded with h264 or h265 codecs. Albeit a member of the Xfce family of apps, other Xfce-based distros justifiably skip it. MPV or VLC would be excellent.
The major problem Zorin developers have to address but not specific to the Lite edition is their excessively slow release cycle. With the latest Ubuntu LTS released a year ago and every major Xfce-based distro out there already migrated or migrating to latest and greatest Xfce 4.18, the development of new Zorin lags markedly behind.
Version: 16.2 Rating: 1 Date: 2023-04-12 Votes: 1
Zorin OS is a privacy nightmare. But if you're not worried about that perhaps you're not aware or you simply don't care?
I encourage people to read their Privacy Policy.
That aside, Zorin OS standard, and only, install is just packed with too much stuff out of the box.
Both GNOME and XFCE edition feels very heavy. As a result, the performance just isn't there.
If you want to steer from the built in theme options expect some issues.
With Flatpak and Snap available expect some inconsistencies amongst the app lands. Pick one or the other and make it simple for beginners as you boast who you cater to.
To me, this feels extremely cobbled. More isn't always better.
Zorin OS 16.2 is an excellent operating system that offers a user-friendly interface and a wide range of features. It is based on Ubuntu and comes with a lot of pre-installed software that makes it easy to get started with your work or entertainment needs. The desktop environment is sleek and modern, and the overall design is very polished. Zorin OS 16.2 is also very stable and reliable, making it a great choice for anyone who wants a hassle-free computing experience. I recommend this system to everyone.
The Zorin OS is awesome! Lots of stability combined with a consistent, unified and extremely beautiful interface. The care that the development team took in this interface was exemplary, always attentive to details (icons, buttons, options, the system as a whole is very concise and beautiful, even in an XFCE for modest PCs). Another extremely positive point is the perfect integration with Windows apps through a good wine implementation.
Undoubtedly, Zorin Os is the right distribution for anyone looking for a definitive migration from Windows to the Linux world!
My experience is the following. For more than 20 years that I have known Linux, I have tried to move and put aside the Adobe applications, MS Office, Macromedia, Corel, Cubase, Ezdrummer, and an endless number of small applications that I used to develop my work.
My first step was to start using Freeware applications instead of all the pirated software I was using, portable versions of things like Photoshop, installing GIMP and Krita as an alternative, etc. In short, I was first replacing the Software.
Just this year I decided to move completely and my choice was Zorin OS core for which I bought a specific SSD in case of anything.
I've been using the OS for a couple of months now and the truth is that it's wonderful, stable, light, fast, usable, as well as a very polished and beautiful aspect. The console used it very little.
To be honest, it is a Distro that for people who develop in product environments, be it design, editing, music or in any other environment that needs an OS that works immediately and start working, this is one of the best alternatives. especially for its light environment by default, a real delight.
I have been a ubuntu user for a while and familiar with the Ubuntu desktops and which I typically like to use as a dual boot with Windows. Ubuntu has lot of support through packages and lot of community help with troubleshooting issues. I started with Old Pc with very old hardware and upgraded from Puppy Linux to lite versions of Ubuntu.I have even tried Mint for a while ,which I like being minimalistic but getting the job done. I was looking for something where I wanted to spend less time on the command line and have it integrated well into the desktop experience, therefore gave Zorin an try. It is snappy, aesthetically good and lot of support for packages. Zorin connect is a good feature to have.I hope this OS continues to be supported and stay around for long and would like to see it grow.
Version: 16.2 Rating: 7 Date: 2023-02-24 Votes: 3
I really like Zorin and have been using it daily. But there are problems that cannot be reported! as there seems to be no bug report page or contact! and their forum doesn't work! I have tried to write in their forum about my technical problems but the first post is never approved! so i gave up. Tragic when you see how good this distribution is.
If I will use this distribution again! hard to say, in any case they must be significantly better at support in the future. Their Facebook page is very poorly updated, the forum seems to have major technical problems! and no place to report bugs!
For the last 20 years or so I have been a Linux user, needless to say I have tried countless distros. Years ago I actually enjoyed spending hours settings things but nowadays I want something very simple, something I can get running as quickly as possible. The fact that I am maintaining half-a-dozen computers makes ease of setup a priority to me.
Anyway, with Zorin I can get a system up and running exactly to my liking from install to completion in less than an hour. I have been using it for a month and haven’t had a single issue in all that time. Of course, not everyone will be using the same programs etc. that I have selected but you should give it a try if you are looking for something that is simple to setup.
I really can’t put myself in a noobie shoes but I think anyone with a minimal amount of experience installing operating systems won’t have any trouble using Zorin
I love Zorin Os.
It's stable, fast, intuitive, user friendly.
All the time I've been using it, I've only twice resorted to the terminal, the first time to install Microsoft sources, and the second time to install neofetch. Anyway it was very easy to do it thanks to the instructions that guide you through the process.
The software store is very complete and has everything I need, just a click away.
As for games, thanks to Steam the offer has improved substantially. Also, through Lutris I have been able to install two Blizzard games, which are not available for Linux.
The Zorin Os website is very complete to provide the necessary help. There is also the community that is always ready to help, especially the newbies.
In my case, I have installed Zorin Os Pro, as a way to support the project, and I receive support from the developers.
In summary, I am very happy with Zorin Os, I don't have to suffer from telemetry, unwanted advertising or being forced to try to impose programs that I am not interested in.
I've bought an old Fujitsu lifebook T4215 touchscreen laptop and
had been trying to install a Linux distro that would
recognize stylus input for its touchscreen.
Tried Ubuntu, Nobara GNOME, Artix XFCE, Artix plasma,
EndeavourOS, GhostBSD, Voyager.
None of them showed stylus events.
Tried to install some recommended packages,
to compile and install driver source code for this,
perhaps having made mistakes,
and not succeeded.
Installing Zorin OS 16 Lite solved this problem out of the box.
I just started using it,
maybe some tweaking will be necessary, but the stylus works.
Thanks to the developers.
Version: 16.2 Rating: 4 Date: 2023-02-04 Votes: 0
Good Ubuntu Linux distro but there are quite a few bugs and is quite slow compared to faster distros like Ubuntu Budgie. Some bugs include how the "Authentication required" popup for the keyring keeps on popping up even if I input my password, running "howdy" for password facial recognition does not work well as often time the face detection "times out", when I open the lock screen it goes back to the lock screen and so each time I have to open the lock screen twice which takes a lot of time from me just to get to the app I want to use, sometimes when I have a search app running the entire computer would freeze and the icon images would disappear and so I would have to restart the computer and lose my unsaved work from apps like Xournal++, and I uninstalled the built in python3 accidentally and it also uninstalled the gnome desktop packages also (Ubuntu Budgie does not have a built in python) and thus my entire computer crashed and would only be in TTY mode so I had to switch distros on my computer. The pros of this OS is how there seems to be a large community of Zorin users, it runs on Ubuntu which supports a lot of apps I run like Matlab and Miniconda, and is quite better than Windows and Mac with ease of use and great Linux specific software to use like Libre Office and the Lutris game engine. Overall though, I would not recommend this distro and in fact would recommend people not to use this distro until the bugs I mentioned are fixed.
Switched to Linux from Windows. I chose Zorin OS because of its good looking Interface. I love it. Would never want to use Windows again. I love that you can easily customize it and the Zorin Connect App works super well. I really enjoy using my Smartphone to controll my PC. It is super cool to see how good the performance is compared to Windows. ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ
Version: 16.2 Rating: 9 Date: 2023-01-15 Votes: 9
I've been using Zorin OS for a while now and I have to say, I'm really impressed. The user interface is sleek and easy to navigate, making it perfect for both Linux beginners and experienced users. The GNOME desktop environment is a great choice and it's inherited all the powerful features of Ubuntu.
One of the things I love about Zorin OS is how lightweight it is. My computer runs smoothly and quickly, even with multiple windows and applications open. The ability to run Windows applications on Zorin OS is a huge plus and makes the transition from Windows to Linux much easier.
One of the standout features of Zorin OS for me is the Zorin Connect app. This app allows you to easily sync your android phone's notifications with Zorin OS, browse photos from your phone, reply to text messages and share files and web links between your computer and phone. Unfortunately, I have an IOS device and I couldn't test this feature, but it's a great option for android users.
For tech-savvy Linux users, Zorin OS is a great choice. It's based on Ubuntu, so it's stable and reliable, and it has a wide range of software available. The terminal is fully functional and you can run commands and scripts easily. Additionally, you can customize the look and feel of Zorin OS with the built-in customization options.
Overall, I highly recommend Zorin OS to anyone looking for a powerful, easy-to-use, and attractive Linux distro. It's perfect for those new to Linux as well as seasoned users, and it has a lot of features that make it stand out in the crowded Linux distro market.
Version: 16.2 Rating: 7 Date: 2023-01-06 Votes: 7
Attractive is about the best to describe this distro. Most distros are basically all stirred with the same stuff only dressed up a little differently. Many offer at least a couple if not more desktop environments. That's really all that changes in these over kill of distro choices. Everyone has got to make their own rather than just customizing a few distros. Yeah, choice is great except when it's far too many and cannibalizes the whole ideal of choice. After trying a few distros, you discover they all start looking like the same recipe only the ingredients are added in a different order. Why rebuild a house when you can just throw a different color on the outside and rearrange the furniture? Distros sort of happen this way, and it's too bad because if we had more people working a fewer distros' things would actually work better and advance the platform sooner. But I never see that happening, all I see if more distros and more fragmentation doing no good to a decent OS desktop platform.
Version: 16.2 Rating: 9 Date: 2023-01-05 Votes: 4
I like it !!
I only give it a 9 because (so far) it does not seem to have the "SUSPEND" or "SLEEP" options for shutting down in such a way that it can be brought up again quickly.
On the plus side, it has Libre Office built in, and the option to install "Only Office."
I feel that one of these is critical as so many of us are used to the expensive office, and so most of us need something like that
Plus number 2 - one can choose from several common browsers. I have nothing against Firefox except that it doesn't work the way I, personally, am used to.
So far, the only negative I've found is that when I did a "search" for CALENDAR, one came up, but I still don't know how to set up a shortcut to it.
I am expecting a cheap laptop soon which will probably not have an OS on it, and I am NOT going to put out the big bucks for the common one most people use, when I can have a clean, simple, trustworthy version of Linux for FREE.
The two ultra light distros I tried do not have the features I think I will need, so it looks like Zorin may be the best bet.
This is not an easy decision as there are several great distros out there.
Version: 16.2 Rating: 9 Date: 2022-12-22 Votes: 6
I am using Linux on and off for 25 years. I tried multiple times to completely abolish Windows (later MacOS), but I always fell back into the professional arms of Microsoft (later Apple).
But after installing Zorin Pro on an old MacBookPro 7,1 , I switched to Zorin on all my older Macs and now all but one of my Computers run on Zorin (or Pop!).
With Zorin I could keep the look and feel of my Macs and use a modern OS, regardless the age of my systems. It just works and it performs better than MacOS.
Version: 16.2 Rating: 9 Date: 2022-12-19 Votes: 0
This is a gorgeous distro; the screenshot doesn't do it justice. And if you run the Lite version you get the single best implementation of xfce I've seen anywhere.
This may be the single best distribution for Windows users coming over from the dark side. Not only is the interface and workflow familiar but you can even run (some) Windows programs via the highly integrated Wine infrastructure. Audacious!
All in all, this is a quite impressive effort and one that I come back to frequently, even though I don't personally have (or want) any Windows connection to my OS.
In my opinion, after having tried various Linux distributions, and I'm not an expert on these platforms, because I've always used Windows, Zorin is the best distribution for those of us who don't understand anything about Linux. Easy to install, easy to configure, and easy to use. I recommend it to all Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 users who don't want to install Windows 10, try ZorinOS, you'll love it just like me. Or for users who have a team of more than 10 years, that Zorin is the best distribution and easier than the others. It would have to be ranked 1 for ease and speed.
I tried this distro in its Lite version on my 2010's Lenovo C200 and I was satisfied with it: all the applications worked very well, XFCE desktop was eye-candy (in my opinion, it is the best distro equipped with XFCE I have ever used before!) and RAM consumption by idle was really low (about 510/520 MB) such as Linux Mint 21 MATE which I usually use as primary OS. I also loved Flatpak support out-of-box, even though not all the packages worked properly maybe because of my PC's age. Really recommended distro both for beginners and experienced GNU/Linux users!
Version: 16.2 Rating: 9 Date: 2022-11-22 Votes: 7
I've been using linux for at least 6 years, i started with ubuntu, then moved to mint, then to ubuntu mate, then KDE neon, back to mint and recently tried Zorin. Even though i've distro-hopped a few times I am by no means an expert, although the main reason I distro-hopped was to find an OS with a clean and beautiful interface without imposing too many limitations (elementary cough cough) and which would allow me to be as productive as possible.
I used KDE neon but I was not happy with the vanilla theme that came out of the box, I customized so much I ended up breaking the OS lol, I stuck with KDE for 3 years. I switched to mint cinnamon which was nice but the interface always left me wanting to change things, so I customized it and still didn't like what I ended up with.
Then I switched to Zorin and OMG, what a difference! I no longer have to spend hours trying to customize the interface to try to make it look the way i want. The icons look great right out of the box, fonts are gorgeous, theming is amazing! I have not had o do much to the desktop environment to get going the way I like it. I know more experienced users love arch, live and die by it but for me Zorin is gorgeous and works for my purposes. I totally recommend it!
Version: 16.2 Rating: 9 Date: 2022-11-07 Votes: 7
Having tried at least half a dozen of the top suggested distros for me zorin was a no brainer,the transition from windows was made as easy as a new distro could be,I'm only a casual user and found everything I needed from the startup apps to get myself going,installation of a few more apps went seamlessly including some windows apps that i thought were just that little bit better than the supplied ones,but overall the out of the box experience was fantastic,I've switched from windows because of a few security issues that I had with it despite having good antivirus programs on my pc, only downside I've had with this distro were a few long winded opening off apps especially the windows one,but that's a small price to pay for the extra security that this distro has provided, by the way I'm no spring chicken as I'm 70 yrs old and the thought of switching to linux did worry me a bit,but overall its been a great experience with a minor learning experience,
I am in the process of migrating to Linux after 40 years as a Windows and Mac user. My many systems include an iMac, several MacBooks, and a half-dozen P51, P52, and X1 Extreme Thinkpads. I've more or less settled on Zorin OS Pro after distro-hopping between it, Ubuntu, Fedora 36, and several others. Zorin strikes me as a very user-friendly OS that allows me to be productive immediately without a lot of wasted time and effort, which is what I am looking for. I'll leave the experimenting up to those with more time to burn than I can afford.
I opted to pay the $39 for Zorin Pro for the extra functionality, installed software apps, and the knowledge that I'm not missing out on any Zorin features. In my opinion, it's a small price to pay. My use case is one of a software and app user; i.e., I create content such as photos and documents, send and receive emails, manage investments, consume multimedia, etc. I don't play any video games or do any software development.
Software availability in Zorin is excellent, and I find the software store to be well-stocked with FOSS apps. Also, many of the more specialized apps I use are web-based and are thus independent of the OS -- i.e., they work equally well with Linux, Windows, or MacOS, so the fact I'm using Linux is irrelevant in those cases.
Installation of Zorin is made very simple and easy with its graphical interface, which is great because I'm still learning basic terminal commands. However, I can see that it will be very useful in the long run if I learn to use the terminal. In a way, it reminds me of the early pre-Windows days of computing and the need for a good knowledge of DOS commands.
I had been using 16.1 for the past year and have recently upgraded to 16.2.
Zorin OS is based on Debian and Ubuntu LTS. This means it doesn't upgrade frequently. But when it does, in my experience, it has a smooth path to do a distribution upgrade just by using the software apps in Zorin.
Zorin OS is an admirable attempt to make a Linux desktop distro that installs and works well for former Win 7, 8, and 10 users. I went deep into Zorin OS last year when I had two Japanese laptops that just couldn't upgrade to Win 11. After I backed up a huge amount of files and folders for my teaching at Google Classroom, book manuscripts, videos, audio, etc from the Win computers, I wiped an install Zorin core 16.0. And soon after I upgraded smoothly to 16.1 without any issues. Wiping Win 10 (which had bogged horribly down in MS update hell) lead to both the Sony laptop from 2011 and the Panasonic laptop from 2013 running like new computers. I did upgrade the onboard RAM to 8GB in both machines, but Win 10 had me wondering if I really needed 16GB. 8GB is plenty for comfortable computing and webbrowsing on Zorin.
I think Zorin is misunderstood or perhaps not appreciated by some because some suspect it is too much of a mix of things. Consider, it is based on Debian and Ubuntu. Its desktop environment is a mashup of Gnome and XCFE. For software it fuses GNOME, Snap and Flatpak. This can lead to confusing situations where a user might install a DEB package and then also install the same program as a Snap. However, this is a minor issue (and you might find one version works better, or updates sooner). I have found it very helpful that three different package management methods are used (and integrated from the software management program) because, otherwise, some apps I just can't get or get to run on my computer. For example, it's surprising how difficult it has been to get the once-popular DVD authoring program, DEVEDENG, installed and running on Linux desktop distros. But I really need this program.
I also run Anti-x and Xubuntu on other machines (and the Sony laptop is dual-boot with Zorin 16.2 and Anti-x), so I'm not exclusively locked into Zorin. However, Zorin is the OS is do most of my office work, online teaching, and eve home computing on. I highly recommend it for those shifting from Win 10 to Linux--people stuck in Win 10 ought to consider it. They have also recently improved capabilities to run Win apps on Zorin, so that is an added benefit--you can continue to use those legacy Win apps if you can't find Linux replacements.
Version: 16.2 Rating: 3 Date: 2022-10-29 Votes: 1
Disappointed - from the description it was supposed to be a distro aimed at users looking for a smooth transition from Windows or Mac. I tried three versions of Zorin: Core failed to install the kernel, Light didn’t have the pre-built themes configured to mimic Windows or Mac, so I then paid for the Pro version. The latter would not recognize the Wi-Fi card and would not complete the installation since it couldn’t access the Internet.
Zorin support responded quickly but wanted diagnostic details not easily provided from an incomplete installation. Working from Terminal to find a workaround for a failed installation defeats the promise of a seamless experience.
Request for a refund was declined as I had already downloaded the Pro file.
I would not recommend this distro, certainly not for the intended target audience seeking a smooth transition to Linux.
Version: 16.2 Rating: 6 Date: 2022-10-28 Votes: 2
I'm reviewing version 16.2 pro. Still finding bugs that have been not been fixed since the initial 16.0 release. It's not horrible, but it's not great either.
Although Zorin gives the user many options on how the distro desktop looks, it is still a dated distro with lots of things that can break. Zorin still has issues with Nvidia video cards. I was finally able to get the Nvidia drivers loaded, but it took awhile and a few tries. I ended up watching a YouTube video several years old to get a clue on how to load them.
It can look good, but a distro needs to be more than just "looks good". It needs to be reliable, and not subject to breakage from all of its extensions.
Zorin is not a distro that I could recommend to others.
Version: 16.1 Rating: 1 Date: 2022-10-25 Votes: 0
Ummm... this is a bloated mess. There is nothing streamlined about this distribution. Seems more attention has been placed on looks rather experience and performance. This is so slow and jenky it's painful. Spent the first hour going through all the prepackaged junk and removing it. Only to have it crash trying to remove an application. After reboot, there were issues with the interface. I was surprised how temperamental this distribution is. And it's for beginners?
Sorry but this is a very hard pass for me.
Highly NOT recommended.
Version: 16.1 Rating: 7 Date: 2022-10-18 Votes: 5
Takes too long to update... when it releases a new version, almost two years have passed, even Ubuntu isn't that slow. Now they created a version based on Ubuntu 20.04 while 22.04 is already there... When they decide to create a version based on 22.04, Ubuntu 24.04 would be already released for months.
The same issue applies to ElementaryOS. If you don't like to live in the past, you enjoy having access to latest technologies of the market, then Zorin is not for you. It never releases a version at the same time of Ubuntu's, it takes more than 1 year to update itself so when they did, it's too late, they're closer to Debian stable than Ubuntu's.
Version: 16.1 Rating: 6 Date: 2022-10-13 Votes: 1
Installed and used Zorin fo rover a month on a computer for my neighbor kid. I have 15 years experience as Linux user and distro hopper. On the surface looks good, but alas there are snap and flatpak package installed by default. If removed something needs fixed. Very stable if your carefult but there are still missing items. Hdmi sound would not work out of box install pulse(not installed by default) and conflicted with alsa items and other multimedia programs. Start Over new install and removed most also and many snap packages imediated and rethemed. I cound of done the same things with a new installed of x ubuntu or debian 11.4 xcfe. Was really a deal break, not recommened for new linux users. Needs more work before claims of Windows replacement out of box.
I've tried many distributions, but Zorin worked right out of the box better than expected. Any issues that arose from my own misdoings were easily corrected. This is by far my favorite distro to date and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a reliable and capable OS. I hope to see Zorin successful in helping people, companies, and institutions make the switch to open source software. The path they've taken with making Zorin familiar to Windows and Mac users will certainly help them be successful.
After distrohopping for a long time, I found a distro which feels like home.
Works like a charm, looks great, no snaps preinstalled.
I removed the snap service, increased the swap size in my encrypted LVM, adapted some small settings and it simply works.
After my opinion there is no need to go for the PRO version, but it is great to support them. If you come from Windows, you will appreciate all shortcuts your are used to use before. I have used Archlinux for a long time, but I never looked back.
Very stable compared to other Ubuntu based versions like Pop Os. It is my daily operating system and I use web browsers like Edge, which in my experience, only Zorin works correctly. The same has happened to me with Steam and Proton, they work perfectly. I have returned to Zorin after using Pop Os for a long time and now I do not change it for anything. I use it daily to program, play and office. Many say that the UI is similar to Windows and that this distribution "is perfect" for those who come from there, Zorin OS is more than that. Zorin OS is currently working on a project called Zorin Grid, which is very useful for those of us who work with many networked computers.
i am relatively new to Linux, i have now test driven most of the Linux distros, especially the ones aimed at new people and especially those coming from a windows background, my feeling is Zorin OS, is the best of them all, for ease of use, for getting a feel for the Linux system and for getting things done, they seem to have done the really hard work for us, my hat off to them for that, still i keep looking at other distros, but i am sure i will stay with this one, i think for anyone new to Linux they could do no better than to start with Zorin OS, for me it was worth paying for, all though you can also get it free, the paid for version has everything the normal user would need, well done Zorin OS, it all just seems to work, something i haven't really found with other distros,
First, a little background: I am a computer repair technician with 20+ experience, focusing on ease-of-use for the end-user. As far as I'm concerned, if it's too complicated to use, there's no point in using it. I've been an Ubuntu user since 6.06, and only recently began looking at other distros in earnest.
When I came across Zorin, I was immediately impressed by the layout: It was simple, yet reminiscent of Android. You're given the option during your welcome tour to make it look Mac-Like, Windows-Like, or neither. The dark theme is very pleasant, and everything feels like it's where it should be,
While form is fantastic, functionality matters more. I found Zorin to be both capable of being a solid workstation that's mindful of your workflow, while not getting in your way; a capable gaming OS with Steam, Lutris and Wine installs working well; and a fantastic, HTPC distro with much lower RAM requirements than other "premium" distros.
Under the hood, it's Ubuntu, so users who are already comfortable with Debian-based distros can take off with Zorin immediately, but that's not where it shines...
New users to Linux can also quickly grasp how to use and decorate the operating system. So far, I've had ZERO calls for support on this OS. I strongly suggest this distro for new Linux users, whether coming from Windows, Apple, or Android/ChromeOS. While advanced users would benefit from a more robust entry, for example, MX w/ KDE, there is, in my opinion, no better distro to introduce new users to the world of Linux than Zorin Core.
The only issues that I've encountered have been typical of Ubuntu based distros: limited 5G WiFi support, and no native way to span a single picture across multiple displays.
Also, don't let the name fool you: Zorin Pro doesn't add anything to the mix as far as functionality. It's a large assortment of hand-picked programs and themes aimed at ease-of-use, but its purchase helps to finance further development of the OS.
They have a fantastic community, as well as a very helpful Telegram channel.
The Core version is amazing. It looks really good and it's really fast. I was using another xfce distro before and applications are opening more fast on Zorin Os than my old distro.
But I can't say the same things about the lite version. It needs more compassion and love. The lite version isn't lightweight and I think core version more optimized than the lite version :lol I readed some negative comments on here and these confirms me.Zorin OS's scores fall because of the Lite version.
The idle ram usage of lite version is 1 gb. Applications are opening very slowly. Come on guys it can't be a lightweight distro.
My advice to Zorin OS team, get a damn real old computer(max 4 gb ram) and try to optimize the Lite version. You can do it guys!
Over the past 25 years, I've worked with every distro under the sun from Mandrake to PopOS. I finally settled on Zorin as my daily driver. The Wine and Nvidia integration is well integrated and smooth. Games under Steam run as smoothly on Zorin as Windows with very few exceptions. The desktop options are brilliant, even on the free "Core" edition. Zorin is blazing fast, a joy to use, and very much overlooked.
Every time I switch out of Windows 11 and boot Zorin, it's like a breath of fresh air. I've never enjoyed a Linux distro as much as this one.
Version: 16.1 Rating: 6 Date: 2022-08-26 Votes: 0
I really have mixed feelings with this distribution, I love the way it is worked and how they seek to make a comfortable, intuitive and uniform operating system. Visually it is beautiful, both its Gnome and XFCE versions. The problem I have with this distro is that it feels heavy, it feels slower than it should, I don't know if it's because of the Ubuntu base or what, but that really brings down everything good that it has... I wish they made this distribution with another base such as Fedora, OpenSUSE or Debian, because I repeat, the focus and direction of this project seems very correct to me and the work they do to give us a comfortable desktop is excellent. Hopefully they can improve the performance of this distribution, I would use it as my main operating system without a doubt, but given the above, sadly it won't be like that...
Version: 16.1 Rating: 2 Date: 2022-08-21 Votes: 0
Zorin is nice if you come from Windows and have a state of the art computer, new and powerful.
But if you have an old computer that needs a new life I dont suggest Zorin. Once upon a time It had a fast and good ISO named Zorin LXDE a couple of years ago for those old computers.
Nowadays it has Zorin XFCE but it is much heavier than the LXDE version.
For what I need . A Packard Bell laptop... It is impossible to install. Too heavy. I have to give it a 2. The 2 points are for the looks,. It's a pretty distro. As for my laptop I am going to run on it the linux distro called LXLE with LXDE ;)
This distro seems to be what many other distros want to be. It is so reliable that I often forget that I have others on other machines and on another hard drive that I swap out; I find myself just staying on Zorin.
Yes, it's Ubuntu based and relies heavily on Ubuntu updates etc, but it's a polished, glitch-free operating system. I paid for it and am running the "pro" version and it's money well spent.
It installed very rapidly and pulled in all the new updates during installation. It recognized all of my hardware and was ready to do anything I wanted, including multimedia.
Boot up is very fast at about 12 seconds from off to login screen, then 3 seconds from that screen to the desktop. Nice!
Tweaking and personalizing is a cinch with plenty of menus to do what you desire for your own experience. The version I use is a Gnome based desktop with modifications by default that make it seem more like XFCE or early KDE. You can do anything you want with it if you prefer to make it look and function like regular Gnome, if you wish.
I've been using Linux since the early 2000s and Zorin just reminds me of the commercial-grade Linux days of Xandros and Mandrake. Zorin is a distro that's a good fit for a small business or home office because of its focus on the desktop and availability of paid professional support (most paid support for Linux is only available on the server side, not consumer side). One downside is that it tends to be further behind in updates because of its Ubuntu LTS base, which can hurt hardware compatibility, but gives it more stability. That said, it was the perfect "office distro" to throw on my aging Microsoft Surface Go 2 device to give it new life.
I have been using LINUX since 2007 and have always had older, dated laptops to work with. Zorin 17.1 is a great distro, and about the same as any distro running xfce desktop. I program in C language with an old DOS compiler, so I use DOSBOX for that purpose. MX LINUX was a bit easier to use because you could just click on a file in the file manager and it would open them with DOSBOX because they were .EXE files and I didn"t have do do anything more. Zorin is not quite as efficient in that respect, but I was able to work around the problem and it works fine. Linux Mint xfce is junk and I would not use it. The cinnimon edition is better but slow on older computers. Zorin is just as fast and looks great. The software manager is still a bit slow but much better than the MX LiNUX package manager. I will continue to use ZORIN 17.1. I have the Zorin Pro edition but use the 17.1 core edition because its not as bloated as the pro version and if I want to change the desktop, I'll just upload GNOME tweaks and change it. I don't have any plans on doing this as the Zorin core desktop is fine as is and I don't want to change.
The new version perfected again, on an already proven basis. Zorin Os suits me in all aspects of my operating system requirements. I really appreciate that the repository contains all the applications I'm used to from years of using Linux. In my subjective opinion, I can say that Zorin Os 17.2 is noticeably faster than the previous version. The appearance of the environment is purposeful for using this system, and I have nothing to complain about. I bought the PRO version, and I can say that it was not a wasted investment. Team ZorinOs is doing a great job, and I really appreciate that. Thanks.
For those of you who needed the newer 6.8 kernel its here and working great. Stability is excellent and the overall user experience is excellent. Zorin continues to be a great choice for Windows users looking to get into Linux. Windows app compatibility is good and so far gaming has been a great experience. The appearance as well as the overall user interface makes it a joy to use. Im using the free Core version which I still believe to be the best version for most users. Its such an end user focused distro that its hard find things to complain about. Again those of you that moved away from Zorin because of the need for the 6.8 kernel, its here with 17.2 so why bother with Ubuntu?
I previously posted about not being able to connect to my bluetooth speaker with Zorin Pro Lite. After a few more re boots I noticed that I did not select "trusted" when the device came up. My new problem was that the device was not even being listed but the reboot fixed that. Then I selected "trust" this device and then I was able to pair wth it. Previously, I never selected "trust" device, but instead just selected the connect device at the top menu and it would just work. Long story short, I was something I wasnt doing and not the fault of Zorin. I'll continue to use Zorin Pro (lite) because of Zorins work to improve on xfce. I am a previous user of MX Linux for several years. Have used Fedora (gnome, mate), Debian (gnome), Mint (cinnimon, mate), PopOs (2022 version).
Trying out Zorin Pro Lite. Could not get bluetooth to work with speaker. Detected it but would not connect. Then it would not even detect the speaker. Will go back to Zorin (free). I was under impression that Zorin Pro Lite would use the gnome desktop but instead it uses the xfce desktop. I liked it but must have the bluetooth working. I tried rebooting a few times but with no luck. Seems like always some issue with linux distributions. MX linux was previous distro used and I used it for several years until I got bored with the xfce desktop.
I've been using Zorin since 15.X and found it very nice to use, easy to look at, very stable and polished. However all this shiny-shiny and stability comes at a cost: 7.1 is still based on Ubuntu 22.04 and is already 2 years out of date with kernel 6.5. When I finally upgraded my home desktop to something more modern (Ryzen 7700X/RX 7900 XT) I found that I either had to force a kernel update to 6.8 and lose compatibility/stability or settle for abandoning any control over my GPU. Mind you the RX 7000 series has been available for close to two years so is nowhere near bleeding edge tech.
I settled for Ubuntu 24.04 and sadly said goodbye to Zorin after all these years. I'll miss all the lovely spit and polish but I love my gaming more. I'll certainly jump back to Zorin if they updated more frequently.
Zorin laptop user here for 3 years. I started with 15.3. I installed Zorin on my wife's laptop also.
I do some distro hoping, but I came back to Zorin. Stable, bug-free, end-user oriented, clean design.
I tried fedora (and I still have fedora kde on my desk computer), manjaro, MX linux, Mint cinamon, ubuntu, elementary, kubuntu, tuxedo... I largely prefer KDE on desk computer, but touchpad gestures on Gnome on my laptop are essential.
Some cons ? It's definitly a boring distro... which is also a big pro !
Zorin-OS-17.1-Core-64-bit-r1 installed on Lenovo ideapad slim1 14Anm7: I did some distro-hopping to find one, Zorin that worked well. I am more familiar with MX, or Mint but sensing the RTL wifi driver out-of-the-box only worked with Zorin, Ubuntu (and a few derivatives), Fedora, and a few other distros all of which had issues. The Zorin installation was easy, in dual Win-11 boot mode, sensing and overwriting a partition previously used for Linux. In the set up with a Brother laser printer Zorin auto-found and installed the drivers. I was a bit put off by the software repositories using Snap or Flathub, where I was used to installing from .deb files but about a dozen useful applications were found (or their equivalents) and easily installed. Zorin is fast and has a clean (lacks a few features) desktop.
There is something wrong with the iso! then after the last step in the installation process the installation crashes. Have downloaded over three times and burned to a usb but with the same result. Note, I don't have this problem with other distros I've tested. I suspect that zorin is not fully compatible with nvidia cards, as most linux distros are not! For example, manjaro does not tolerate nvidia, many have had many strange results and crashes with that s´distro in the last year, gave up. Now I'm looking for a stable distro that is compatible with my nvidia 2060 card. Have win10 on the machine too, but have no problem with nvidia.
Zorin OS is one of the most user-friendly and visually appealing Linux distributions I've ever tried. It's an excellent choice, especially for new Linux users. Here are a few key reasons why Zorin OS stands out:
User-Friendly Interface: Zorin OS features a clean and modern interface that is incredibly easy to get accustomed to. The desktop layout options, designed especially for users transitioning from Windows, make the transition seamless. The menu structure and settings are intuitive and user-friendly.
Visual Appeal: The desktop environment of Zorin OS is truly stunning. Its aesthetic design, sleek themes, and customizable desktop options offer a functional yet beautiful user experience. With various theme choices, you can personalize the interface to your liking.
Performance and Stability: Zorin OS runs smoothly on both old and new hardware. Its efficient use of system resources ensures you can work without performance issues. Additionally, being based on Ubuntu, it benefits from extensive software support and regular updates.
Easy Installation and Software Support: The installation process of Zorin OS is incredibly simple and fast. Even for beginners, the step-by-step guided setup makes it easy. With the software center, you can quickly access and install all the applications you need.
Strong Community and Support: There is an active community behind Zorin OS. Online forums and resources provide quick solutions to any issues you might encounter. Additionally, the official support services are very helpful.
In conclusion, Zorin OS is a perfect choice for anyone looking to step into the world of Linux. If you are seeking an operating system that is both visually satisfying and exceptionally user-friendly, you should definitely give Zorin OS a try.
One of the best distro-installations and ease-of-use experiences I've had with Linux yet. I've been a fan of Fedora but this is my new favorite distro. It works really well on both the old Macbook and Dell laptop that I installed the pro version on. I've committed to making it my daily-driver for most things. I did experience an issue with sound drivers on the Macbook10,1 (2017 Macbook 12 inch), which I found a community fix. Outside of that, that machine felt new. The installation on the 4 year old Dell Latitude couldn't have gone better, it really was install, and go; no issues what so ever.
I have tested dozens of distros since Ubuntu 5.10 in 2006. And though Zorin looks "pretty" it is just another rendition in a long line of Ubuntu derivatives. That, along with its use of Snaps and Flatpak instead of Synaptic and apt (and the hassle it takes to remove them from the distro), makes it an undesirable distro for daily use. In addition, I have never had any liking for the hideous looking GNOME desktop but have used Gnome 2/MATE for the past 18 years. Since MX seems to have lost its way and become very buggy since 19.4 I will continue using Linux Mint and LMDE as my daily drivers on my Lenovo & Dell laptops for the foreseeable future.
It doesn't matter if you're a beginner/intermediate/advanced Linux user, if you're looking for a distro that "just works" and doesn't waste your time, this is the one to get. Period.
I've been a Linux user for years, I'm not scared of using the terminal to troubleshoot and fix things, but as I get older I find myself getting less and less tolerant about having to open it even for basic tasks that could be accomplished with 1 or 2 clicks. Zorin does a fantastic job at managing that part of using Linux.
Mainly by:
- Supporting all packages and installing them like you'd expect, click on the file and let the OS do its job, no terminal, no fuss. Even .exe files are easily installed by default (And if that .exe is also available as a Linux package, Zorin will ask you if you prefer to download that one instead, fantastic feature in my opinion)
The Software Center has plenty of content and you'll likely find anything you use in there, it also lets you choose between all available packages for a given app with a simple drop down menu.
- Beautiful out of the box, it's likely that at least one of the built in themes will fit your needs and you'll be up and running immediately instead of having to spend 30 minutes installing GNOME extensions just to make the UI usable.
It's based on Ubuntu LTS, so as we know this can be a blessing and a curse depending what you're looking for. It's of course very stable and reliable but that also means that it can get quite old. And this is really the only negative thing I think of about this distro.
It feels like a commercial, polished OS. It functions like a normal user expects an OS to function. It's stable, it's quick. What more do you want? Highly recommended.
Very good replacement alternative from PikaOS (which also Ubuntu based and they completely broken distribution by migration from 23.04 to the mess with updates on 23.10). It's fast, works from the first run with new Nvidia RTX 4070 Ti Super card, which requires 550 driver minimum. Very important flatpak support in apps and appstore instead of snaps. I'm not sure if it's really important but "powerful" 3rd mode in power management absent, only "balanced" and "power saver" present. In everything else very capable and not limiting in capabilities users distribution (like Ubuntu way to lock on snaps or prevent python, etc). We use this OS to create new Ai advancements (full Python freedom is very important and support of latest best GPU accelerators drivers).
My version is a couple of years old now.
I liked it, it is lean, efficient, and fairly fast.
It has some really nice backgrounds for those (of us) who like eye-candy.
It has (I forget) either Libre Office included or readily accessible;
this is critical as it works just like (MS) Office, and no use having a computer
if you can't read and write documents in the common formats.
My only reason for quitting it was the lack of the "SUSPEND" feature as seen in Mint, MX, and Manjaro.
SUSPEND causes the system to "STOP," and almost shutdown.
This process takes seconds, and when you hit the power on it starts again in seconds.
What an amazing distro !
I've installed Zorin 17 to a friend's pc (she's not tech-savvy) and got surprised of how nice and elegant everything is.
So, i decided to give it a go myself.
Coming from Arch, it was very easy to customize it to my needs.
It runs smoothly, it is extremely snappy, the 3-finger gestures through a touchpad can do miracles and the aesthetics are fantastic!
All hardware got detected correctly, wayland is default, and i've activated 'pipewire' as the default sound server as well, instead of 'pulseaudio' (you can find online tutorials for ubuntu 22.04 # Attention: tutorials in the end suggest to enable 'wireplumber.service' --> this is not needed, so skip it #
Then, i installed (downloaded the standalone .deb) 'JamesDSP' for Linux and the audio turned awesome.
I've also installed 'qemu-kvm' succesfully ( there's online tutorials for this too # Attention: 'libvirtd.service' gets activated automatically --> skip enabling it #) and then installed succesfully 'Arch Linux' inside the VM,
also activated 'Windows Apps Support' by the click of a button, which let me install 'FL Studio' DAW, and it works like a charm!!
Flatpak & Appimage & Snap & Windows .exe support, plus Operating System support until 2027 June, makes everybody's life rosy !
I don't feel i miss anything !
Linux Kernel as of now (February 2024) is "6.5.0-18-generic", which is insanely good for an LTS-based distro (22.04), probably a 'HWE-stack' thing of ubuntu-based distros!
Updates come every now and then, showing up automatically in a window, and finish succesfully.
Language support is great.
Congrats to the developers! Amazing work !
Give it a try.
I have tried Zorin OS several times throughout the years, but Zorin OS 17 core is by far the best. All my hardware worked perfectly right out of the box (wifi, printers, nvidia). It runs smooth and fast. I have had zero issues, so far.
As far as the paid version goes, I would only pay for it to support the developers. It is definitely not worth it for the "extras". I can customize the themes and layout myself with out any of the extra themes in the paid version.
I think its a good easy to use distro for general day to day computing (web browsing, multimedia, office, etc).
I have been doing distro hoping for the last month since I have to replace wife's Win10 notebook which was running slowly, I ran into this distro, downloaded and installed in a few minutes, every single hardware component was properly detected and its driver was automatically loaded during the setup, even the touch screen feature, I can't explain how amazed I am, I remember having to download source file and compile drivers myself years ago.
I believe this is one of the best distro at this time. Great job!.
Great work from the developer. I've really enjoy it but the big downer is the very slow internet connection. i have another distro on the same computer and the internet connection is super fast. It's bugging as to why the connection cannot work like it supposed to. i searched online for a fix but it seems there's several users experiencing the same issue.
i feel i have a nice car with a fast engine but when i pressed the accelerator the car runs like a turtle.
Too bad, i will pass on this one. Time is too important to waste.
I've hopped a ton of distros and I am sick of dealing with inconsistencies of different pieces of software not working together. I don't want to have to deal with it. I want my system to look and feel like a unified whole. Zorin delivers exactly this. It makes sense of all the different pieces and makes sure that everything... just... works...
In my opinion we need more distros like this one that actually do something with the desktop instead of just repackaging a vanilla gnome experience with minor modifications, we already have enough of those. I miss creativity in the desktop linux ecosystem and it's a delight to see Zorin do something unique and do it well.
Good grief what a mess. Way better off just using the Ubuntu flavor of choice.
Zorin OS is a hodgepodge of GNOME bits, pieces and extensions. A franken-gnome of sorts. Both Snap Store and Flathub are ready to go out of the box. I'm of the mindset that you either use one of the other... not both. Just makes things a bit more sloppy than they already are. Which brings me to the fact that you're tethered to flatpaks whether you want it or not. No need to include and/or activate Snap Store software.
Also, there is no central place besides the CLI to perform updates. There's the software center and Ubuntu system updater for those not familiar with the CLI.
All in all, it's mostly flash over function just like elementary OS. Looks nifty enough to draw you in but once you start using it, that's when you start to feel the annoyances. Hard pass, would not recommend. Way better off just using the Ubuntu flavor of choice.
Simple
Stable
full ubuntu compatible !
perfect for newbies
This distribution, with the graphics, easy interface is perfect to permit the Microsoft users to begin with linux OS.
I use it personnaly and in my work.
why not 10 ? because I'm waiting for zorin grid and still waiting again and again ...
System is easy to update and new version are not problem.
For old computers there are a lite version with excellent performance ! All my familly use it now and old computers still working this is good for the planet !
If you use your computer to do things (like work and play) and not to spend time tinkering and getting under the hood of your system and you are looking for an alternative to M$ Windows then your should try Zorin OS. It just works and if you are a Windows user then you will be productive with it right away. There are only minor differences with Windows. Plenty of websites and Youtube videos on how to install, set it up and customizing it. There is also a good and helpful user support forum where newbies are welcome to ask questions. The OS has different versions including a "Lite" version that will run on old PC's. You can still have a modern, slick looking OS running on an old system that you can give to your kids, charity or use for getting on public wifi's.
It's much better than the previous version. Beautiful, Ubuntu based, thats why it stable. I have one problem with it : the animations still lagging sometimes (closing windows) another gnome based distros are more fluid. The Zorin OS will be flawless if the developers fixed/optimised that.
Recommended for first linux distro. Much better than any Windows version.
Perfect hardware support (scanner, printer, etc), easy installation.
I have just installed 17 on a 4-year old Toshiba laptop.
Version 17 is a considerable improvement over 16.3. I really like this distro. This latest version reminds me a lot of Pop! I really like the latest software / apps store.
Pros:
Easy to install.
Most Win and Mac users, if switching over, will find it easy to navigate.
The software has a lot of native apps (Zorin's version of deb pkgs), but also comes with flatpaks. And snaps are easy to enable and install as well. All can be managed from the app store.
Cons:
The kernel is 6.2.0, so I think this is not a distro for some of the newer hardware.
Not really for the Linux power user.
For beginners with old hardware, something based on Debian with LXQT DE (like Sparky or Emmabuntus) would be better.
The Lite version is still at 16.3, and 16.3 users can't upgrade yet. An upgrade path is coming later. I went with a clean install just to get into 17, as I didn't feel like waiting.
"Zorin OS 17" works without bugs but despite the fact that it only uses 1.4 GB of RAM when idle and 2.5 GB of RAM again in full activity.
For me with snap and flatpak it works but it's really slower...
I found the applications menu quite locked despite the fact that "Zorin" is the only system to offer different styles of panels...and lots of funny effects but not necessarily useful and installable in other Linux distributions for free.
I remind you that "Zorin" uses certain Ubuntu and Debian repositories...
I left "Debian" to try "Zorin" because according to some it was the "Linux of the year" personally I'm not convinced...I'm going back to "Debian"...
The best one. Zorin is an open-source operating system based on the Linux kernel. It is designed to be user-friendly and provide a familiar interface for Windows users, making it a good choice for those transitioning from Windows to Linux. Zorin Linux offers a variety of editions, including a Core edition that provides essential features, a Lite edition for older hardware, and an Pro edition with more advanced features and additional software. Overall, Zorin Linux is a versatile and accessible operating system that can be customized to suit individual needs.
Pretty much the best of all the Ubuntu distros, especially if you go with the PRO version. Many things you have to set up on other Ubuntu distros require you to know more. This one was very easy for my elderly parents to adapt to, one who preferred Mac OS, one preferring Windows OS. With the pro version you can basically make it visually look much like either, making it an easy transition.
I also do like most of the programs preinstalled, very useful, but easy to remove if you dont need or want them. Works well with flathub, Snap store, and their own repositories
Zorin 16 has been on my production boxes and laptops since 16 first came out. I quickly purchased the Pro versions. It has been a very stable and reliable system for use and maintain. Newcomers to linux immediately took to it with ease, with many saying something to the effect of "How did you get Windows to look like this?" or "How did you install Mac OS on a Dell?"
The software store could use a little work. Status messaging, feedback on updates, installs, etc. could be better. Sometimes the status' hung , yet the package was installed or updated. Krita was the biggest offender. Never did find a workaround for it. It always was "available" for an update. Version tracking of what needs updates sometimes remained as needed to be updated, yet when the version was checked in the CLI, it already was.
Responsiveness in Zorin is fantastic. Very smooth. Even on older laptop hardware. After installation of Zoring 17 Beta, I am really looking forward to the release of Zorin 17 -proper for my production machines. Overall, I give Zorin 16 a 9/10.
I'm using a Dell Optiplex 9020 quad core with speed 3.7 GHz, Intel Graphics 4600,
with 16 GB RAM and Zorin 16.3 Lite is installed on an externally connected 2 TB SATA
hsrd drive, sharing with 14 other Linux distros. Windows 10 Pro is on a separate
1.19 GB SSD. The Zorin has proven very reliable for me and I would definitely at a future date consider buying a desktop computer with Zorin pre-installed. This computer does not support Secure Boot so I have not
had to disable that feature. I have installed several Windows executable applications with Wine
using the "Install Windows Applications" feature included in Zorin. Although some of those
Applications installed with Wine do not appear in separate "Wine" or "other" category in my Zorin
Lite menu, I have been able to use several of them through a right click in the included
Thunar file manager. I have not edited the application menu to change the access to those
"Wine" applications, at my choosing, and I find that the current accessibility does not
impede my use of the OS as is. I definitely will consider obtaining the Zorin release to be based
on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS and then consider upgrading or installing a fresh Zorin st that time.
Of course a new Linux user can consider Ubuntu or another Ubuntu-based OS as a first dive
into Linux, but Zorin could be another option, as it is very user-friendly and easy to adapt
to in my opinion.
Zorin OS 16.3 has truly impressed me with its outstanding stability. From the moment I started using it, I could tell that the developers put a strong emphasis on ensuring a rock-solid user experience. Here are some key highlights that make Zorin OS 16.3 stand out:
Reliability: Zorin OS 16.3 is one of the most reliable operating systems I've had the pleasure of using. It consistently performs without hiccups or crashes, making it an ideal choice for both casual users and professionals.
Smooth Performance: The overall performance of Zorin OS 16.3 is incredibly smooth. It handles multitasking and resource-intensive applications with ease, ensuring that your computer runs efficiently.
User-Friendly Interface: Zorin OS has always been known for its user-friendly interface, and the 16.3 version is no exception. Whether you're new to Linux or a seasoned user, you'll find the interface intuitive and easy to navigate.
App Compatibility: It's heartening to see that Zorin OS 16.3 maintains excellent compatibility with a wide range of applications. This ensures that users have access to the software they need to get their work done.
Security: Zorin OS 16.3 also puts a strong emphasis on security. The built-in tools and features help keep your system and data safe from potential threats.
Long-Term Support (LTS): Being an LTS release, Zorin OS 16.3 benefits from an extended support period, which is particularly reassuring for those who want a stable environment for an extended period.
In conclusion, Zorin OS 16.3 is a shining example of a Linux distribution that places stability at the forefront. Whether you're using it for daily tasks, development, or as a reliable platform for work, it delivers exceptional performance and stability. If you're in search of a dependable and user-friendly operating system, Zorin OS 16.3 is a top choice.
Zorin Os 16.3 (Pro version) runs like a charm with a few technical issues caused by my incompetence and solved by my incompetence
though a few notes:
installs easy from the boot (if running on old or technically inferior pc, expect Windows but better just don't expect to run 20 chrome tabs while playing minecraft)
beginner accessible and easy to use (but if your looking to use certain installable applications like brasero Learn the Terminal)
wifi and bluetooth work like charms
Can't speak on the professional applications as i don't use them at all but they are nice to include
Background; I'm a 50 year techy, College Engineering trained, process Controls, Electrical and electronic systems and instrumentation. I've used and worked on most systems since 1974.
OS experience; DOS, OS2 Warp, Windows versions from original through NT to present, Unix, ....
I've tried various linux versions, even an early Corel version, Later versions tried are Redhat, Mint, Ubuntu and now Zorin 16.3 (pro).
Installation; I downloaded the iso image and burnt it on a USB stick to boot and install from. I still can't see average consumers doing this and all existing publications that include bootable DVD versions are IMHO superior because of this. Relative to other distros this was the easiest so far including hardware recognition. It is now successfully installed on an old Lenovo T500 (i7) and 2012 Macbook Pro (i5) with no issues on either for installation. I didn't both with dual boot or boot manager for either.
Included/default software is the best so far IMHO. Updates are easy, Office suite, graphics editing and we browsing are all pretty standard, powerful, pro quality and reliable. Audio recording, editing and is still the weakest link compared to commercial pro stuff. I can't speak to video editing.
The Wine and Playonlinux is the best yet. I just saved an expensive Sony, Professional, Active crossover by running it's editing software in a (Win95 original) in a Playonlinux environment while accessing comunications through a USB to RS-232 adaptor to communicate with it. It works perfectly.
Printing and scan were flawless and fast to a Epson 3800 series printer/scanner.
WiFi is seamless with no bottle neck to my 100 M/sec wireless router. All possible wifi connections were identified and easliy connected.
Bluetooth has been great to a mouse and various BT enabled, active speakers.
I installed zorin core 16.3.
My PC runs like a train.
All installed apps are updated to the latest version.
Zorin appearance gives me the possibility of having more interface and changing various colors of the folders.
I have installed many PCs at school with Zorin OS.
Very stable and safe.
The community has a forum when necessary for various issues or other issues.
The lite version reflects all the functions of the Core version.
I have recommended Zorin Os to many friends for its ease of use and continuous security updates.
I recommend it to everybody.
I bought Zorin OS Pro after a complete system failure on Windows 11. I originally bought my PC with Windows 10 then upgraded to 11 though I can say with both the 10 & 11 ports it was a real struggle getting games like Halo, Arkham Asylum and Dirt 5 to run consistently on my 1660 Super. For my daily needs as a student, researcher, amateur beat-maker and casual gamer, I'm very happy with the stability and capabilities of the Zorin Linux distro for a new Linux user like myself. It was easy to install, has easy app management, easy to customize, Updates are regular. It just works!
As far as my experience with Linux is concerned, Zorin (Lite) in my case, and with Upgrade gives me a lot of life to my old computers.
It would be appreciated to be able to choose to install an .iso creator in a graphical environment to customize the distro and thus be able to contribute to the community, based on the user experience for the Zorin version.
You can install Wine from the store without problems, it starts quickly and with the lightweight desktop based on drop-down menus and windows, we don't need much else. It is very customizable, free office from the store is also available. Simply great!
Zorin is exactly what we needed for our daily work. In our small team we run six laptops on Zorin pro and Core, so we got some experience by now. The installation is so easy, a beginner in Linux can do it without tutorial. Runs every time, be it lenovo or hp.
We need our OS mostly for productivity in our home office, for presentations on zoom etc. or just browsing the web or streaming - we never ever had any issue. Zorin is much more stable than other distros we worked with, it is fast. And what is very important for us: our laptops don't get as hot as we experienced with other distros.
it looks good enough, if you are not searching something spectacular like Garuda, if you just want the OS to get out of the way and let you do your work.
We want to concentrate on our work, not on mending our software. Zorin has proven to be perfect for us.
I downloaded and installed Zorin OS Lite on a decade old Toshiba Laptop. TLDR: Everything works and has a lot of polish.
Zorin Os Lite is proof that XFCE can look great. The developers have done all the customization and made sure that everything will work right out of the box. Of course, a more advanced Linux user can get Ubuntu (which is the base of Zorin) and make it work like this, however, it's just nice to have a distro where you don't need to spend time to do so. It would replace Linux Mint as my main recommendation for Windows users who want to try out Linux.
Is the Pro version worth it? I'd say, pay for the Pro just to support the developers. They did do a lot of things for this OS to work.
First off you can customize it a good bit so you can make the taskbar be similar to windows 11 or have no taskbar at all and keep it similar to vanilla gnome, there's a lot of ways to customize it yet not to many unlike KDE. The Software store is rather nice and has everything I need for my day, and all the apps that are exclusive to windows that I used I found alternatives for (For Example, Pinta to replace Microsoft Paint) And the ones I didnt find alternatives for I could still run via the play on linux app that is included with the installation!
To simply put it, it has all I need and no problems for me!
I recently tried out Zorin OS Linux and was thoroughly disappointed with my experience. From the start, the installation process was cumbersome and complicated, requiring me to jump through numerous hoops just to get it properly installed on my computer.
Once I finally managed to get Zorin OS up and running, I found that the user interface was clunky and unintuitive. The design felt outdated and there were limited customization options, making it difficult to personalize the operating system to my preferences.
Moreover, the performance of Zorin OS was subpar. Opening simple applications took longer than expected, and there were frequent lags and freezes that hindered productivity. The system also had compatibility issues with certain software and hardware, forcing me to troubleshoot and find workarounds just to get things running smoothly.
One of the biggest disappointments was the lack of software availability. The package manager was limited and didn't offer a wide range of applications. Many popular software that I rely on for my work were simply not available on Zorin OS, making it impractical for me to use as my primary operating system.
Overall, I was highly dissatisfied with Zorin OS Linux. Its installation process was frustrating, the user interface was dated and inflexible, performance was lackluster,
Old foggie 69 been using Windows prolly 15 years, my old desktop computer 15 plus years. Just a few back it had a hard drive mess up it said, my guess prolly due to software foul up, not sure, anyway old desktop can't up grade or re-upgrade anymore, so, did some search, found Zorin, put that on old desktop, ran good one day, froze up, good thing didn't install, was in try mode running off usb, bugs prolly, and, noticed error messages from display when boot from usb, something was goofy. Wha'd I do? Finagled Chrome onto boot usb without signup to Google or anything of them, the Flex thing, all it is, is a glorified browser operation what it looks like. Works tho. Great to run guest mode as well without signin. Just use that like for watching tv, good enough for me. My opinion go Chrome, stable, works, upgradeable, can run off usb, also do private modes like incognito guest, or run signed in, whatever. Zorin didn't work, bugged out after one day, not gonna do anymore distros prolly, less it be a hobby. Thanks Linux, tried ya, didn't like ya, bail out to Google.
As newer to linux, I have tested MX linux and linux mint without any problem.
I decided to test Zorin OS , but as soon as it starts loading, it gets stuck.
I disconnected the ethernet cable and tried a second time the test, zorin finished loading until the desktop appeared,
but as soon as I plugged in the ethernet cable to use the internet, zorin has blocked. no movement
I don't know why the developers of this zorin ignore this little problem.
The other distros I have tested respond well. I don't know in what this zorin is good for.
I remember when I was using this operating system just after Windows XP lost its support with Zorin OS 8. There were some hurdles that came with it. That all changed with 15.3 when I got a new PC, and oh man it runs so well, and it's a lot more robust, meaning I can do any everyday tasks without any other disadvantages.
My only issue is that it has a very limited library of software, at least up-to-date ones, which means having to install it by commands. At least critical packages like NVIDIA support works well for my main PC!
I Installed Zorin OS 16.3 Lite on an old notebook Acer Travelmate 5730 from 2009, with Intel Core 2 Duo P8400 processor, upgrading RAM till 4Gb (max allowed) and SSD 256Gb.
Everything works correctly and runs like a charm. No problems or issues till now.
Very easy to use and immediately ready out of the box.
Very suggested to Windows switchers and to all the people don't want to lose a lot of time for the configurations.
Thank you so much to the developers!
Keep going this way!
Zorin is one of those distros when you're tired of hopping around. You try to replace it but realize that your computer is about getting tasks accomplished first and foremost. Sometimes you dont need a hobbyist distro, sometimes you just need things to work. Even if its not your primary os, definitely give this a try. I bought the $40 pro version, mainly to just support the project as they're doing great work. It's a distro I will eventually put on my mom/dads computer for ease of use, but a distro I can still use due to its packages, package installers, layout, and general comfiness. You wont impress your arch/gentoo friends with it, but you will be doing far less work maintaining your machine like they will.
I use primarily the Core version and it is fantastic. Very clean and polished interface. Solid, static, stable release with newer packages from their own repositories. I especially like their software store - it has a graphical user interface for Ubuntu packages, Debian packages, Snap packages, and Flatpaks. AppImages are available too. The Zorin brothers have created a distribution that is cohesive and easy to use with minimal fuss of where to get the packages/programs. Plus, you can still install Synaptic or use the terminal. The base is older with Zorin OS usually running behind the Ubuntu LTS release. Currently 16.3 is based on the older Ubuntu 20.04 LTS released April 2020 and Zorin OS 17 will be based on newer Ubuntu 22.04 LTS from April 2022. By the time 17 is released in a few months, we will be a few months away from the Ubuntu 24.04 LTS release - for some users this might be a problem since Zorin is never on the newest/current base. With Zorin OS the base is irrelevant and for the majority of users. The best part is recently they came out with an upgrade tool that allows you to upgrade from 15 to 16 and later 16 to 17 without having to reinstall the operating system. Or you can upgrade from free Core version to the $39USD paid version. This new feature puts Zorin on-par with Ubuntu, Mint or Pop!_OS in ease of use and ease of upgrade. Great distribution for new Linux users or experienced Linux users like me. I like it because everything works right and there is no troubleshooting needed to make things function as they should. Zorin OS works especially well on a laptop too - it has Wayland and gestures by default plus... wobbly windows! The GNOME desktop is the older 3.38 perhaps but the new 17 version coming out later this year will have a newer GNOME 42 I think which is on the Ubuntu 22.04 LTS. This is not the latest but it is more modern. Again, it is not much of an issue since Zorin customizes the desktop to create their own look/feel and offers several layouts from a traditional desktop like Windows or something modern like GNOME. If you are new to Linux don't waste your time - just install Zorin OS (or Linux Mint Cinnamon) and you will have everything you need and more to get things done.
I'm using Zorin OS 16.2 Lite which has one of the most polished implementations of Xfce. Things run decently quickly even on this old 11-inch Dell 3180 machine with 32gb emmc storage and 4 gb of RAM. Zorin also attempts to fill in the space left behind by old "boxed desktop Linux" distributions like Mandrake and Xandros, especially as mainstream Ubuntu (which Zorin is based on) and Red Hat have pivoted to focus more on the enterprise space.
Zorin is perfect for prolonging the lifespan of old machines (with its Lite edition), new Windows switchers who want a familiar environment, education settings, and small businesses who need the reliability of paid-support. I don't mind paying for a Linux distro as long as they are upfront about what you're getting (in Zorin's case paid support) and aren't misrepresenting themselves and charging for free as in beer software like Lindows/Linspire did in the early 2000s with their Synaptic front-end CNR.
Moved out from Windows after almost 25 years. have been using Linux in WSL for many purposes. I don't feel alienated when I moved to this desktop. it is very easy to setup and I loved their search where they automatically was searching packages from internet. I almost got everything other than office suite and snagit alternatives. So far, I am very happy to work on this OS.
The only downside I heard about is upgrading to a newer version of zorin. I didn't have to do it because I am using their latest. But as a professional i can't just clean install without valid reason. Hope they would provide that in their future updates
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