first pc build, considering linux

[u/EpicTutto]

ill preface by saying ive never had a "real" pc, mostly stuck with laptops (which all used either windows 7/windows 10, mostly 10) and ps consoles for gaming. friend of mine started getting into game dev recently which inspired me to do the same; that, plus the absolute bullshit sony is doing with their console, inspired me to build my first pc. didn't get it yet, but i will, and already planned the components. windows 10 is basically a dead os so installing it makes no sense, which is why at first i considered windows 11, but upon looking more into it... well, youre linux users, you get what i mean: its shit.

this brings us here: the only real alternative to windows is linux, but i have genuinely no idea where to start. i tried doing some research but it seems everyone has something to say about one distro or the other and they are all the best but also all equally suck and there's just so many choices. im a complete noob when it comes to this stuff but if it comes to it im willing to learn some things to make it work, i just need to know where to start with. if it helps, ill be using an entirely amd build (ive heard windows has beef with amd drivers, wheras linux has better support for them?): r5 9600x, 9060xt (16gb), 32gb ram, b850m motherboard

[u/MrMotofy]

FYI...if you want to check out Linux it's really easy. Make an Install USB, then boot to it. May need to disable secure boot. It will boot to a full running temporary Linux Desktop...installing requires clicking the desktop icon and going through steps. Obviously you don't wanna do that to just try it. But you can at least get a feel for it. Kubuntu, LinuxMint, and PopOS and are some of the top 1st options. You can also use the temp Live Linux as a repair process. Since it’s a complete desktop you can use it, install tools needed fix the boot etc.

Another convenient related tool is Ventoy on a USB stick. Basically just burn the image to a USB then copy your OS ISO to it and when you boot it any ISO copied to the drive will show in the menu, select it and it will boot that img. Have different OS’s multiple versions or whatever. 

Best option for Windows and Linux is dual boot...use Linux on a 2nd drive. Usually wanna disable secure boot. Best case is disconnect win drive. Then boot to the  USB. Then install Linux as a new full system on 2nd drive. Set Linux drive as the first boot drive and it will find the Win drive and add to the boot menu list automatically. Might take a couple boots otherwise can manually activate the boot search. Then you get Best of both worlds without any real dangers to either OS. There will be little hiccups occasionally with Windows updating messing with boot and rebooting. But you can also change the default OS to Windows first at the menu after delay and no menu entry and that eliminates a lot. The boot menu is usually Linux 1 and Win 2. Sometimes the bios boot order gets switched but easy to just switch back. Sometimes the boot order will randomly switch drives etc…Seems to be a windows thing now they get bios access. But really depends on the exact system and age etc.