MX Linux vs Pop!_OS
MX Linux draws more interest (#3 vs #5).
your computer is older or low on memory.
you play games on PC, you write software or you run AI models or LLMs on your own GPU.
| MX Linux #3 · Debian | Pop!_OS #5 · Debian | |
|---|---|---|
| Popularity rank (12 months) | 3 | 5 |
| Rank last month | 4 | 9 |
| Index | 299 | 298 |
| Family | Debian | Debian |
| Based on | Debian | Ubuntu |
| First released | 2014 | 2017 |
| Latest release | 25.3 | 24.04 LTS |
| Supported until | Aug 2028 | May 2029 |
| GitHub stars | 23 | 5,290 |
| Commits, last 30 days | 0 | 0 |
| Telemetry (OS default) | - | None |
Pros and cons
MX Linux
Good
- Handy graphical MX Tools for common tasks
- Light enough for older computers
- Debian stable base
Trade-offs
- Xfce default looks dated to some
- Older software than rolling distros
- Smaller community than Mint or Ubuntu
Pop!_OS
Good
- NVIDIA ISO with drivers ready
- COSMIC desktop with built-in tiling
- Made by a hardware vendor (System76) that tests it on laptops
Trade-offs
- Release timing follows System76, not Ubuntu's calendar
- COSMIC is newer and less mature than GNOME or KDE
- Fewer desktop choices than Ubuntu flavours
Questions
Is MX Linux or Pop!_OS more popular?
MX Linux draws more interest over the last 12 months (#3 vs #5 in our popularity ranking). That measures interest, not installs.
Which is better for beginners, MX Linux or Pop!_OS?
Both suit people new to Linux. The choice mostly comes down to the desktop you prefer.
Is MX Linux or Pop!_OS better for gaming?
Pop!_OS is set up with gaming in mind. MX Linux can run Steam and Proton too, but needs more setup.
Which runs better on an older computer?
MX Linux is the lighter choice and is known for running well on older hardware.
Rankings from our composite index: English Wikipedia article views, DistroWatch page hits, GitHub stars and views on this site, built 2026-11-12. All of these measure interest, not installs. Repository activity from GitHub. Ratings come from signed-in LinuxStatistics users. "Pick if", pros and cons are LinuxStatistics editorial notes based on each project's own documentation. Release dates and support from endoflife.date (CC BY-SA 4.0).