Zorin OS vs. Solus: I tested two great Linux distros for beginners to find out whic...

Written by Jack Wallen, Contributing WriterContributing Writer April 25, 2026 at 3:00 a.m. PT Jack Wallen/ZDNETFollow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. I recently tested Zorin OS 18.1 and dubbed it the best Linux distro - for anyone. I would go so far as to say that it's the best OS I've ever used. That same day, I learned that Solus had a new release as well.  Version 4.9 of Solus was released on April 18, and I opted to download the Budgie version of the OS. I've used the Budgie desktop many times and thought it would be a good comparison against Zorin OS. Why make this comparison? That's simple: I'm often asked which distribution is best suited for new users, and I always want to make sure I'm suggesting the right option. Because of that, I like to compare them -- such as when I compared Linux Mint to Zorin OS.  As I was testing Solus, it dawned on me that this Linux distribution could be easily recommended to those who've never used the open-source operating system. The more I dug in, the more I embraced that proposition. But can it stand up to the mighty Zorin OS 18.1? That's a high bar -- let's see if Solus 4.9 can reach it. Just like Zorin OS, Solus has everything you need to get started without installing a single piece of software. You've got Firefox, Thunderbird, LibreOffice, Rythmbox, Celluloid, gedit (text editor), and all the usual bits and pieces that make up a desktop operating system. And if you don't find what you need, there's a