When comparing Parabola GNU/Linux-libre vs Garuda Linux, the Slant community recommends Parabola GNU/Linux-libre for most people. In the question“What are the best Linux distributions for desktops?” Parabola GNU/Linux-libre is ranked 15th while Garuda Linux is ranked 26th.
Specs
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro Protects your freedom, certified free by the FSF
Pro Option to use OpenRC or Systemd
Parabola has an OpenRC edition and a Systemd edition, so users can choose which init system they want.
Pro All the benefits of Arch Linux, only 100% certified free software
Pro Very Secure
Pro Has its own repos
Parabola has its own repos (which are almost as large as Arch Linux) and the IceCat browser is included.
Pro Can be migrated from Arch Linux without a CD/USB
Pro Based on Arch Linux
Pro Super-fast
Uses vram, and a zen kernel.
Pro Themes
The dr460nized KDE theme is awesome.
Pro Easy entrance to Arch Linux
Filled to the brim with lots of quality-of-life changes and optimizations that are simple enough for long-time Windows, long-time Mac users, and Arch newbies to understand. Though, it also leads to bloat or not necessarily helpful extra software. If you're not into the "bloat" added in, try checking out the barebones version, you'll need to know a lot of things bout Arch to fully use barebones.
Pro Highly customized interface
You already have most of the customization done for you out of the box.
Pro Unused RAM is wasted RAM
It takes just a bit more RAM than Manjaro. Edit: This statement is only true if it helps the user and since this could be running on a low end machine this will not.
Cons
Con Won't work out-of-the-box on the most PC's
Almost all PCs need non-free drivers but Parabola has none to offer.
Con Same cons that apply to Arch Linux
Con Not compatible with AUR
Unlike other Arch-based distros, this free distro doesn't support AUR.
Con Small repositories
Since Parabola is a completely free distro, there is no non-free software available and the community repositories are small compared to the AUR.
Con Incompetent developers
They only care about removing "non-free" software, rather than making a properly working OS.
Con Serves no purpose
It's just Arch without non-free software and is basically a niche OS with few users.
Con Not really free
People have to pay hundreds to maintain this distro.
Con Needs a lot of RAM
Minimum is 4GB, for most Linux distributions it's 2GB or less.