DistroWatch has a filter for that
https://distrowatch.com/search-mobile.php?category=Live+Medium#simple
Try be sure to include various DEs or WMs for your friend to see (KDE, Xfce, GNOME, LXQt, and maybe a tiling WM?)
this post was submitted on 03 Nov 2024
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For all those suggesting Bazzite, Ublue (including Bazzite) images are offline installers only, see: https://universal-blue.discourse.group/t/couldnt-get-aurora-into-test-mode-in-live-usb/4567
Be sure to include Nobara and Bazzite, both of which are gaming focused distros. Both are Fedora based, but Bazzite is known more as a SteamOS 3 clone. There's also another gaming focused distro, it just escapes my mind. But I love Fedora KDE as is and then just installing the required software. So I'd say add Fedora, Nobara, and Bazzite for sure!
Might check out distrowatch. Just note that popularity for them just means how many times had that entry been looked up.
I think a better option than live boot is VM. Live boot doesn't always save settings, and you may not get a full-install experience, since certain things are set up after install.
For gaming try:
- Bazzite (Atomic Fedora)
- Nobara (Fedora)
- Garuda Dragonized Edition (Arch)
- Linux Mint (Ubuntu)
- EndeavorOS (Arch)
- CachyOS (Arch)
This is the most accurate answer. I have found Nobara to be everything I could ask for gaming.
I might add that, if he also wants a normal desktop experience, separate from gaming, he should consider trying Zorin or Mint.
Iirc, Zorin comes with nvidia/amd drivers already installed and the experience is close enough to Windows that he might stay on Linux.
New users shouldn't be recommended to use Arch flavors.
Not all new users should be treated the same. There are technical new users and those who don't care the technical details or updates. Arch based distributions are good for new users too, especially if we are talking about gaming. WE shouldn't treat every new users like it they are the dumbest people on earth (generally speaking). Instead these blind recommendations, we should talk with the new users what type of user they are, what they want and what they are willing to do. We should utilize the strength of Linux instead just recommending the same distribution all again.
/rant over
I agree, and also, the Arch distros I recommended have varying levels of preset configurations. Garuda is about as opinionated and complete as any green user could want, whereas Endeavor and Cachy are blank slates but not as bare as starting from scratch.
Arch also has the biggest community and the hands-down-best wiki out there, so when something happens, there's a lot of people who can help.
This is just for him to get a basic feel for the various distros, before choosing one to permanently install; setting up a VM properly is probably going to be too technical
And that's exactly my point. You aren't going to get a basic feel by booting a live USB. Better for him to try out the update mechanisms, install a few programs, and maybe test some theming from within a VM.
Plus, some of the ones I listed don't have live environments but would be great choices for gaming distros and better than some of the ones that do have live environments. You'd be limiting your options by having this unnecessary requirement.
Endeavouros has a live bootable version which is just basically better Nobara in my humble opinion, you just need to install steam through pacman and for the most part you are good to go.
For first-time Linux users, I always recommend one of the main user friendly distributions - it is much easier to ask or look for help this way.
So, Fedora, Ubuntu or Opensuse.
Their installers all can live boot
The three "normal" suggestions are:
- Mint - https://www.linuxmint.com/download.php
- Pop!_Os - https://pop.system76.com/ ; and
- Bazzite - https://bazzite.gg/
Tails is the closest I know
Mint can be live bootable and is the most often recommended distro for newbies.
Mint slaps
So does mIRC.
I typically search distrowatch for any need. Just use search filters. You’re likely to get the most comprehensive list in this way.
Everyone is replying as if the OP is asking about normal live environments, but I think he's asking about having Linux actually fully installed on a usb instead of the ssd. In that case, most of the replies don't apply. However, Mint has a way to install itself properly on a usb drive. Boot with the burned iso, insert a second usb drive, unmount it, and then install on it (you choose it during installation). It has to be unmounted first.