Linux computers with KDE Plasma

No, it isn't. Modern Linux systems with KDE Plasma are as easy to use as Windows for everyday tasks. The desktop has a familiar layout with a taskbar at the bottom, start menu, system tray and a file manager (Dolphin) that is very similar to Windows Explorer. Browsing, email, documents, films and music work just like you're used to - you'll hardly notice the difference in everyday life. And we're here if you get stuck.
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No, not for everyday use. KDE Plasma has graphical tools for everything you need in everyday life: installing applications via Discover (an app store), updating the system, connecting to Wi-Fi, configuring printers and managing files. The terminal is there as a powerful tool for those who want it, but you never have to open it. Think of it like the Windows command prompt - it's there, but most Windows users have never used it.

Yes, it does. For those who have Mobile BankID, it works exactly the same regardless of which operating system the computer is running, as everything is handled by the browser and a smartphone with the BankID app installed. You log in to the bank, the Swedish Tax Agency, 1177 or other e-services via the browser on your Linux computer and verify by scanning a QR code with your phone. In fact, banking on Linux can be considered safer due to the lower risk of malware and keyloggers. Unfortunately, BankID stopped its native Linux support back in 2014, so if you need the BankID application on your computer, you will need to have a separate Windows installation, either on a separate disc/partition (like on Desktop Gamer) or on a virtual machine from within Linux.

There are several good options. LibreOffice comes pre-installed and opens Word, Excel and PowerPoint files. For the vast majority of documents, it works excellently, although complex formatting can sometimes differ marginally. Microsoft Office Online (via the browser) provides access to Word, Excel and PowerPoint for free via Microsoft account and looks just like the desktop version. Google Docs, Sheets and Slides are also available for those who prefer it. For most home users, these options cover all needs.

Specific Windows software cannot always be run directly, but tools such as Wine and CrossOver can run many Windows programmes in Linux. Browser-based services (webmail, social media, banking, streaming) work identically regardless of the operating system. Most everyday applications also have excellent Linux alternatives. Examples of common ones include GIMP/Krita (image editing), Kdenlive (video editing), Thunderbird (email) and VLC (media player) - all free.

Yes, gaming on Linux has improved dramatically thanks to Valve's Proton/Steam Play and the success of Steam Deck (running Linux). Over 90 % of the most popular Steam games now work on Linux via Proton, and any difference in performance is usually within 5-10 % compared to Windows, sometimes for the better. Single player and co-op games generally work fine. The important limitation: some multiplayer games with kernel-level anti-cheat systems (e.g. Valorant, Fortnite) do not work on Linux. The ProtonDB.com website provides detailed information on which games work. Desktop Gamer also comes with Windows on a separate disc for those games that do not yet support Linux. Guide: Playing in Linux →

Printer compatibility has improved significantly. HP printers have the best Linux support and often work instantly. Brother also has good support with downloadable drivers. Modern ”driverless” printers using IPP Everywhere or AirPrint generally work well. Canon and Epson can be more variable. For scanning, USB connection works better than wireless. A pre-configured computer comes with printer drivers pre-installed - you plug the printer in and it should be found automatically. If you are unsure of your printer model, please contact us before purchase.

Yes, it does. Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max and Spotify all work in the browser. Spotify also has a dedicated Linux app. SVT Play, TV4 Play and other Swedish streaming services are fully HTML5-based and work seamlessly in Firefox or Chrome. A little tip: Netflix can be limited to 720p in Firefox but works in 1080p in Chrome.

Yes, they are. All these services are web-based and work in standard browsers. Login is via BankID, read more about this in the corresponding question. The Swedish Tax Agency's e-declaration, 1177 Vårdguiden and all the Swedish Social Insurance Agency's e-services work without problems from a Linux computer.

Yes, absolutely. A hard drive can always be reinstalled with Windows. There is nothing irreversible about using Linux - your files can be copied to an external hard drive and you can install Windows at any time.

You pay for the hardware, guaranteed compatibility, professional configuration, support and peace of mind. A pre-configured Linux computer means everything works out of the box - Wi-Fi, audio, graphics, printers - without you having to troubleshoot drivers yourself. It also includes pre-installed software, VPN, disc encryption and access to Swedish customer service. Think of it as the difference between buying a pre-built bike versus buying the parts and assembling it yourself.

Yes. We offer PC conversion as a service - you send your computer to us and get it back fully configured. Good for the environment and your wallet.

KDE Plasma features Discover - a graphical app store that works much like Google Play or the App Store. You search for the application you want, click ”Install” and you're done. Discover manages applications from the system's official package repository as well as Flatpak (via Flathub), which offers thousands of applications. You never have to download installation files from websites. This is actually safer than the Windows model, as all programs come from verified sources.

These are different ways of packaging and distributing applications in Linux. Flatpak is the most common format and integrates directly into Discover - it packages applications in isolated environments (sandboxes) for extra security. AppImage is a portable file that can be run directly without installation. Snap is Ubuntu's format and works similar to Flatpak. In practice, you only need to use Discover - it handles the formats for you automatically without you having to think about it.

In Discover, there is an ”Updates” tab that shows available updates for the whole system and all installed applications at once - unlike Windows where each application is updated separately. You click ”Update all” at your convenience. No forced restarts, no ”Wait while we set up updates” screens, and no interruptions in the middle of work. Most updates don't even require a reboot. You decide when and if updates are applied.

Your personal files are located in the Home folder, which contains folders such as Documents, Pictures, Downloads and Music - just like in Windows. In the Dolphin file manager, you'll see ”Home” in the left-hand sidebar, and USB drives and external hard drives automatically show up under ”Devices” in the same sidebar. Linux doesn't use drive letters like C: and D:, but in practice you never have to think about the underlying directory structure.

Here are the most common equivalents: Microsoft Office → LibreOffice (or Microsoft Office Online in the browser). Photoshop → GIMP. Outlook → Thunderbird. Windows Media Player → VLC Media Player. Notepad → Kate. Paint → Chalk. Movie Maker → Kdenlive or OpenShot. Explorer → Dolphin (KDE's file manager, often considered better than Explorer). All these programmes are free and available through Discover.

USB file transfer works in the same way as you are used to. In addition, KDE Plasma has a unique advantage: KDE Connect. It's a built-in feature that wirelessly connects your Android phone to your computer, provided your computer has Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. You can transfer files, synchronise notifications, share clipboards, control the media player remotely and even reply to SMS from your computer. Just install the KDE Connect app from Google Play on your phone.

Two types of backup are recommended. Timeshift creates system restore points - if something goes wrong, you can restore the system to a previous working state (similar to System Restore in Windows). Déjà Dup or Back In Time copies your personal files (documents, photos, music) to an external hard drive or network storage. The best combination is Timeshift for the system and Déjà Dup for personal files.

The big advantage of a pre-configured computer from us is that you have access to Swedish customer support - you can call or email instead of searching forums. Beyond that, there are plenty of resources: the distribution's official forums and wiki, Reddit groups like r/linux4noobs, KDE Community forums for Plasma-specific questions, and Swedish communities like the SweClockers Linux forums.

Yes, for several structural reasons. Linux uses strict separation of user and administrator rights - programs cannot make system changes without your explicit password authorisation. Software is installed from verified package repositories instead of being downloaded from random websites (the most common source of malware in Windows). Open source means that thousands of developers review the code continuously. In addition, Linux's low market share on the desktop makes it an unprofitable target for malware. Linux also doesn't have espionage built into the system (see next question). However, no platform is invulnerable - your browser and online habits are still the most important factors.

No, it doesn't. Windows collects mandatory ”diagnostic data” - hardware information, system events, error reports and usage patterns - which cannot be completely disabled. With Windows 11, telemetry has been further extended with AI capabilities and Copilot. Most Linux distributions collect zero telemetry data by default. Since the code is open-source, hidden tracking features would be immediately detected and exposed by the community. Important to note: The Linux operating system itself does not track you, but applications you install (e.g. Chrome, Discord) can still collect data - that's why we recommend privacy-friendly alternatives like Brave.

No, for home use, dedicated antivirus software is not required. Linux architecture with permission system (files are not executable by default), centralised package repositories and low incidence of malware makes antivirus software unnecessary for desktop users. Instead, the most important security measures are to keep the system up-to-date, only install programmes from trusted sources (Discover/Flathub), use strong passwords and be careful with browser downloads.

Disk Encryption (via LUKS) encrypts the entire contents of your hard drive with AES-256 encryption - the same standard used by banks and governments. In practical terms, this means that if your computer is stolen or lost, no one can access your files, photos, documents or passwords without your encryption password. With modern processors, performance is barely noticeably affected. Without encryption, anyone who gains physical access to your hard drive can read everything - no matter how strong your login password is.

Unfortunately, you're screwed. If you forget your encryption password and have no backup, your data is permanently inaccessible. There's no backdoor, no ”forgot password” option, and no customer service to unlock the disc - that's the whole point of encryption. However, LUKS supports up to 32 password slots, so you can add a spare password for extra security. Our advice: choose a strong but memorable passphrase (preferably four or five random words) and keep the password safe in a separate place.

Linux protects your computer, but not your network traffic. Without a VPN, your ISP can see which websites you visit. A VPN encrypts all internet traffic between your computer and the VPN server, so neither your ISP nor anyone on the same network can see what you're doing online. However, your VPN provider may be able to, so it might be worth considering which of them you trust the most (or least). VPNs are especially important on public Wi-Fi networks (cafés, airports, hotels). Our computers come with VPN pre-installed - you just need to switch it on.

You decide when to install updates - no forced restarts in the middle of a presentation or overnight. The update manager notifies you when new updates are available, and you choose when to install them. Most updates don't even require a reboot. The entire system and all installed applications are updated through a single update manager, instead of each application updating itself as in Windows. Security updates are released quickly by the open source community - often faster than for proprietary systems.

Linux can read Windows formatted storage devices (NTFS) without problems. The easiest migration method is to copy the files to a USB stick or external hard drive. Browser bookmarks and passwords are automatically synchronised if you use the same browser account (e.g. Firefox Sync or your Google account).

KDE Plasma is the most customisable Linux desktop. You can change the theme, icons, colours, fonts, window decorations, panel layouts and desktop widgets - all through System Preferences. There are even themes that make KDE Plasma look exactly like Windows 10 or Windows 11. But the important thing for beginners: you don't need to customise anything at all - the default setting works just fine and is already familiar to Windows users.

Press Alt+Space to open KRunner, a universal search box. From there, you can launch programs, search for files, do mathematical calculations, convert units, search the web, and much more. It's like a faster and more powerful version of the Windows search bar. A feature that few new users know about but which is quickly becoming indispensable in everyday life.

If you are looking for help on the internet and someone suggests you type a command into the terminal - don't run it if you don't understand what it does, especially if it starts with ”sudo” (which gives administrator rights). Malicious commands do appear in forums and comments sections, just as with other operating systems. If you are unsure, contact our customer service instead.

AMD and Intel graphics cards have excellent support with open drivers built directly into the Linux kernel. NVIDIA requires proprietary drivers which work but have historically caused more problems. A pre-configured computer comes with the correct drivers already installed, but it's good to know for future upgrades.

With Windows 10 support ending and Windows 11”s even more invasive behaviour and hardware requirements excluding many older computers, interest in Linux has increased significantly. Linux works great on older hardware and KDE Plasma is surprisingly resource efficient despite its feature set. A computer that is ”too old" for Windows 11 can be given a new lease of life with Linux - without compromising on performance or security.