I always test distros in VMware Workstation / Workstation Player / Player (or whatever VMware calls it this week).
Zorin OS is smooooth.
It just works, mind that I first downloaded Core, and then bought Pro.
But, as I understand it, the difference is supporting the devs and don't have to download tweaks manually.
The VMs scale out-of-the-box without problem across a multi-monitor system.
I sometimes use VMware KVM, Zorin works.
As a desktop distro (we run RHEL on the servers at work) Zorin is the most hassle-free solution I have ever tested.
I'll rather pay for the Pro with Gnome Shell 3.38....that works, than effing around with version hell....
If you want to use Linux on your desktop, Zorin is the way to go.
(Is it perfect, no, not at all, but it is the best desktop distro I subjectively have tested? Yes!)
Thank you for sharing your experience with Zorin. I'm glad you found it hassle free and easy to work with.
Usually issues arise when people attempt to install on the latest hardware (when the kernel devs are still working on drivers and compatibility). As long as the hardware has been out for a little more than six months and you don't have a custom setup (multiple monitors, amplifiers/ media processors and such) there shouldn't be any issues. Older hardware can be problematic also because of dropped support for mainly video cards, but other parts are deprecated at times. The hardware must be extremely dated for those issues though (and should be retired if it's more than two decades old).
I've tried to run a bunch of distro's in VM's along the years, and at regular intervals check out the two or three "big ones".
Note that I use VMware, and that is a big no-no for some because it is closed source, for me it is ok.
The latest one I tested (before Zorin) was MX, a pretty (Word Filter Bypass removed by Moderator) great distro....
But, it lacked some quality-of-life/end-user slickness, for me.
Zorin checked all the boxes.
If you want a fast distro, imho, check out MX, or the even more stripped down ones.
As a total package, ease vs speed, Zorin is the best I've tried. It suits me, but ymmv.
