When comparing Ubuntu GNOME vs Manjaro Linux, the Slant community recommends Manjaro Linux for most people. In the question“What are the best Linux distributions for Mac?” Manjaro Linux is ranked 1st while Ubuntu GNOME is ranked 20th. The most important reason people chose Manjaro Linux is:
Manjaro allows the user to access of the Arch User Repository, a very large user-maintained repository of packages for Arch Linux and derivatives.
Specs
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro Combines the most popular desktop environment and the most popular Linux distribution
Ubuntu Gnome is an officially recognized Ubuntu derivative. Ubuntu is the most popular Linux Distribution for Desktop and Laptop Personal Computers and is also widely used on Servers. Gnome is the most popular Desktop Environment for Linux Operating Systems.
Gnome's Desktop environment is modern, sleek and designed to get out of your way, so you can just work. It is customizable and once you click around, and see some of the features you can add and change, you will find Ubuntu Gnome provides for a very fast and comfortable work or play environment.
Pro Offers a pure Gnome desktop experience
The Gnome desktop environment included in this distribution is untouched, offering a pure Gnome desktop experience. In addition, all the important Gnome apps are already installed, such as Nautilus file manager, Evince document viewer, Evolution personal information management application, Gedit text editor, Cheese webcam software, Empathy multi-protocol instant messenger, and many others.
Pro Simple and easy to use
Has been designed to be easy to use, modern looking and attractive, and easy to customize and personalize.
Pro Very easy
Pro High modifiability of interface by GNOME - shell extensions
With extensions may looks GNOME environment like Unity, Mac, Windows, Cinnamon or what would you like.
Pro Interface is 'lighter'
Not as graphics intensive as the Ubuntu desktop. Seems to run better and faster with fewer resources.
Pro Hot corner brings up favorite list bar, previews of all windows AND extra desktops
Hot corner brings up favorite list bar, previews of all windows AND extra desktops. Or just hit "windows" key and anything you want is there. Much faster than shortcuts. Gnome 3 speed, with Ubuntu software and support. Bang!
Pro Arch User Repository access
Manjaro allows the user to access of the Arch User Repository, a very large user-maintained repository of packages for Arch Linux and derivatives.
Pro Support for multiple kernels
Manjaro has built-in support for multiple kernels as well as a way to easily install them. Using LTS kernel makes this distro stable and less buggy.
Pro Based on Arch and user friendly
Manjaro is an Arch-based distribution with all the benefits of the Arch ecosystem and community but with the added benefit of being much more user-friendly than Arch.The overall features it provides is hard to beat. Arguably be the best desktop distro with lts kernel. Consumes very less ram.
Pro Excellent graphical package manager (Pamac)
Features include: providing notifications of available updates; mirror management; Snap support, Flatpak support and AUR support (with the option to suppress unnecessary confirmations during the install process); update settings (frequency, whether to check for updates from the AUR, packages to ignore updates for); and a history of packages installed, updated, or removed (from the official repositories - AUR packages are not currently tracked).
Pro Improved stability due to a longer testing period for new packages
Packages from Arch's repositories are tested (about two weeks) longer for stability and compatibility issues. Patches are applied, when necessary, before being made available in the stable repositories.
Pro Friendly community
If you ask questions of users in their forums or on other platforms, they are willing to help you. Also according to the developers, they are open to new ideas in order to make the distro better.
Pro Very good looking desktops
All desktops look good by default.
Pro Stable and consistently up to date
Manjaro receives regular updates, but more importantly these updates are stable. The updates are rolled out, which means you can easily update the software without needing to re-install.
Pro Installation is a breeze
Calamares installer and MHWD is the reason why this distribution is good for desktop user- friendliness! Audio codecs, latest packages,latest kernel and easy upgrade to the latest build makes it the best choice for new users.
Pro Good documentation and forum
The Manjaro community is very helpful, and there are lots of tutorials.
Pro A rolling-release distribution
Manjaro uses a rolling release method for all updates, so once a system is installed, as long as the user regularly updates there is no need to re-install.
Pro All major desktops and even less common ones like Budgie, Lumina, LXQT, Deepin, Enlightenment, etc. can be directly installed from official repositories
Also available as independent variants.
Pro Uses low memory
By using Xfce or Plasma (or LXDE, Fluxbox, supported by community) as default desktop environments, Manjaro is able to have a low memory footprint.
Pro Manjaro provides its own distribution-specific tools such as the Manjaro Hardware Detection (mhwd) utility, and the Manjaro Settings Manager (msm)
Run automatically during the installation process, it allows for Manjaro to work fully on your system 'straight out of the box', without the need to manually identify and install the necessary drivers or to manually edit the appropriate configuration files. Also usable via the terminal after installation, the features of the mhwd command include:
- The choice of free (i.e. open-source) or non-free (i.e. proprietary) drivers
- Identification and listing (general or detailed) of your system's hardware
- Identification and listing (general or detailed) of installed drivers
- Listing of available drivers for installation (free and proprietary)
- Support of hybrid graphics cards (e.g. Nvidia Optimus)
- Easy removal and installation of drivers (selected automatically, or you can identify and choose your own)
Pro Different editions to select from + Manjaro community
You can choose between different Manjaro editions which have their own change in features, and there is also Manjaro community editions where the community can make their own changes.
Pro Steam installed by default
Pro Deepin desktop environment is worthy attraction
Pro Full access to AUR
Pro an Nvidia ISO version with drivers pre-installed.
Works perfectly.
Cons
Con Ubuntu is already using GNOME
As of 16.04
Con Relatively high system requirements
The Gnome desktop environment is a resource hog which requires hardware accelerated graphics rendering in order to run smoothly, making out of the box Ubuntu Gnome unsuitable for low end systems and older hardware. Even mildly aged hardware, you'll get far better performance out of a lighter desktop environment like LXDE or XFCE.
Con Redundant
There is absolutely no reason to install it, since it uses the same package repositories as Ubuntu and you can transform any Ubuntu install into a Ubuntu GNOME install.
Con Some areas of Gnome are unpolished and lack features
Some aspects are still unpolished and lack features - the Gnome design team works well, but seems to not be taking input from the outside world.
Con Slightly bloated
Con Can still be unstable
Here are the details of it.
Con Bad dependencies
This is similar to the mac0S experience in that you're not allowed to remove plank.
Con All the small community editions are gone
No architect edition anymore, no edition with a tiny stacking WM like openbox or fluxbox that could be used as install base.
Con No real installer
It just boots the livecd and copies the livecd to the disk which gives you no choices in software selection.
Con Installation is extremely buggy
There's no easy way to switch from local keyboard layout if non-Latin installer language is selected.
Con Very slow development for 32-bit hardwares
ArchLinux-32 community maintain their forums every day. They upload new ISO's every month. But Manjaro-32 community upload new ISO's in every 6 month. And provide only a DE-mate.
Con Weekly manual updates
Since it is rolling release, it needs updates nearly every week, which (though are checked for automatically) must be manually downloaded, confirmed and installed. That may annoy or scare off many new users.
Con The Manjaro unstable repository is slow to sync with the Arch stable repository
The Manjaro unstable repository syncs with the Arch stable repository and if any package has moved, it gets moved to stable.
Manjaro gets package updates a bit than Arch.
Con Imcompatible with Arch User Repository and archlinuxcn
Because Manjaro packages are not synced with Arch, using AUR or archlinuxcn could break dependencies.
Con You can't change the default theme in certain applications
Although it is possible to change the default dark theme, this has no effect on Firefox, which appears to have the dark theme "hard coded". Hardened Linux pros may find a way to change this, but for the rest, it renders an otherwise nice distro a no-go.
Con Deepin desktop environment is not a worthy attraction, there is a problem with changing Multi language layout
Con Nothing new
There is nothing new in Manjaro compared to any other Arch based distribution.
Con Redundant
It's just Arch Linux with an easier installer so there is no reason to use it.
Con Same cons that apply to Arch Linux
Since it is based on Arch Linux.
Con It's Archbuntu
Con Black screen after boot, no login possibility
Con No gfvs pre-installed
So no Trash (and possibly smartphone file system access via USB) support.
Con Bad way of handling dependencies
Manjaro is based on Arch Linux. Arch Linux and its derivatives have a bad way of handling dependencies. To handle dependencies, it installs a whole another program which contains the required dependencies.