Linux vs Windows 10 - Which is the best OS for my Dell XPS 13?

Linux vs Windows 10 - Which is the best OS for my Dell XPS 13?

I've been reading online where Linux is faster and and trouble free to use.
Also you have to pay $119+ for Windows 10 and ZERO $ for Linux.
I'm tired of Microsoft’s monopoly, arrogance and proneness to viruses.

Also a good friend back on eastern USA who has a large computer sales, repair, HDD/SSD retrieval shop for 40 years and runs Linux on his 12 company computers/laptops in his shop and won't run anything else. He says: "If you can figure out how to run the programs you use, it's light years better than Microsoft."

So, I'm looking for input here by real users, especially XPS 13 users. I'm searching online as well on sites such as this:
https://www.pcworld.com/article/297...-out-if-your-pc-is-compatible-with-linux.html

My laptop is pretty darn fast and I want to keep it that way. Right now I have nothing installed on the SSD other than the Windows 8.1 - I use two 4TB Passport external drives for files, folder backups and photography photos and such.

The laptop is primary used for:

I use Adobe CS6 everyday... is that compatible with Linux?

I'm online a lot surfing and searching for info. So I use Firefox and Google Chrome. Explorer... never. What does Linux use for a browser?

That said, it is very important that WiFi works with Linux. If not, then it's a deal breaker.

I've used Gmail for 18 years now... can I keep it on Linux? If not, what?

I like to use Delorme's Maps, is that compatible on Linux?

I'm going to ditch MS Word and Excel and find something else to use. So what do you use?

I “may” watch some streaming from Sling TV. Is that compatible with Linux?
(If not, I have my phone and tablet for that)


If I have to, I can do most of the above on my Tablet which is also fast with SSD.

I have all of the above on my Tablet and other Samsung & Lenovo Laptops.


If I make the jump and I'm pretty sure I'm going to, do you know the links on how to do this properly?

Thanks in advance!

 

My personal opinion is that Linux for desktop has never taken off (even though I use it). For a series of reasons, mainly fragmentation and lack of a major corporate backing ($).
The kernel side/server side is top notch.

You can use chrome or firefox natively. The other programs you mentioned, I doubt. Maybe indirectly with some emulator.

Given the types of questions you are asking, I assume you are a complete notice.
You don't have to choose. You can use both on the same machine.
If you are really motivated, I would suggest you try a well-established distro for "non-nerds", such as Mint or Ubuntu.
Actually, Dell sells a version of the XPS13 with Ubuntu and I am sure there are posts on the internet to help you with it.

 

Maybe a novice with Linux, but not computers. I've owned many over the years, my first two computer/laptop in 1985 still run.
http://1-4u-computer-graphics.com/Old_New_Computers.htm
I've built and repaired many desktops/laptops over the years,
http://1-4u-computer-graphics.com/Antec900.htm
Painted them too. See sig.
Anyways not a novice. I probably can find all my questions asked online, but I like the input here as well, been here since 2006.

 

Below are quick answers to some of the software questions you asked. The great thing is you don't have to wait to run all of them! Gimp, Thunderbird, LibreOffice and many others run on both Linux and Windows. I recommend that since this is your first foray in to Linux, that you install some of the software on Windows to see how you like it and if it can is up to your standards. The next step after this would be to attempt to run a version of Linux in a Virtual Environment via virtualization software. This will allow you to use Linux on top of windows without causing any long term changes. The best software to use for this is call Virtual box. I recommend Ubuntu, Linux Mint, or Fedora for beginners, you can find a breif overview of how to set this up at: https://www.lifewire.com/run-ubuntu-within-windows-virtualbox-2202098

After a couple of weeks/months of using Linux on a virtual box and getting comfortable with it, then you can dive in and install it either dual boot with windows or completely wipe the windows install using only Linux.


Adobe CS6: No, but there are Linux alternatives i.e Gimp

Browser: Firefox, Chrome and Many others run on Linux in fact Firefox is usually the default now days.

WiFi: Depends on the laptop and hardware. Dell XPS's 13 are sold from Dell with Linux, so it is compatible.

Gmail: Yup you can use it in the browser, or if you need a mail client you have options. Thunderbird, Evolution, etc.

Delorme's Maps: At this time DeLorme does not have any products that are designed for or tested on the Linux (Unix) operating system.

MS Office: LibreOffice is a great replacement.

SLing TV: Yes, may need some browser tweaks though.

 

I have a macbook with Linux mint on it. I hate MacOS, so I ditched it for Linux. If I were you on your xps I would run windows. Using Linux is like going back in time. Most everything looks and acts dated. like your using windows 3.11. Just does not have the feel windows 10 has. I love the fact that I have touch, etc all baked into my computer now. Everything is so nice to use on my computer. I have not used anything else. I actually fired up my macbook yesterday to "see" what it was like. And I just shut it off again, and went back to using my dell. Everything is just …...BETTER.

 

After reading the above two posts and as I already know after research (I did a lot) that the programs I use every day Adobe CS6, PureImage, ON1 Photo RAW 2018, and Delorme Maps won't work with Linux. So I'm stuck with Windows 8.1

I decided to plunk down the $$$ and get Windows Pro. After all this XPS 13 is a top notch laptop and I should run the best OS I can get. My friend back east who has the large PC shop got me a great discount on Windows Pro... his price of $43.99. Can't beat that. Now to install it.

 

Win 10 would be the better option.

 

Plus one for the dual boot option. If you're comfortable with repartitioning your hard drive (since you're experienced with computers I'd suppose that you might well be) then this is a pretty straightforward thing to set up.

A few other hints: if you want to get a feel for Mint or Ubuntu or any of the other major linux distributions then burn the installation media to a disk or a USB stick and boot it up: both will give you the option to run the OS from the installation media. This gives you a nice idea as to whether you will like the desktop environment and if your hardware is going to work straight out of the box. As for wifi specifically, my understanding is that the intel wifi cards work straight away and the Killer ones take some playing with.

If you do decide to do a windows/linux dual boot, just make sure that you install windows first. I don't think windows gives you as many partitioning options and, in any case, doing the windows installation second will overwrite the master boot record and kill your access to linux.

I hope that any of that is helpful