Considering dual booting but overwhelmed by hundreds of Linux distros? Want to avoid the common trap of ending up with two operating systems where one just sits there unused? Here are my top three distro picks—chosen based on why you’re dual booting in the first place.

There are many desktop Linux distributions, and just as many opinions about which ones are best for beginners, gaming, low-end hardware, or general productivity. It can be all be overwhelming and confusing, so here's my advice: start with Ubuntu or Fedora.