TL;DR ? Scroll down to MANJARO
I have been using a Framework 12th Gen (i7) for 10 months now.
I started with Ubuntu, and went down some bad config paths (my fault). My initial problem was getting Windows 10 to work using any VM (I worked with 3). None of them ‘just worked’ out of the box. But I made Windows work in the end - and then never, ever used it. The LibreOffice tools are ‘good enough’.
But, in my journey to get Windows working, I did many weird config contortions - many of which I only partially understood (even after much research). I get scolded on this forum for ‘doing things I don’t fully understand’ - but I need to get work done, so sometimes, efficacy over-rules deep research. And, as I have explained before, I am mostly a U*NIX server side person - so all the subtleties of the desktop are of less interest to me (other than survival).
So, after many config changes to make Windows work, one day I simply could not login to Ubuntu. I had a backup account on the machine, and I could login to that, but my personal account just dead screened (no crash - just nothing). I did A LOT of research to determine what what wrong. The best I could determine is that some GNOME config file got corrupted and I could not find it. There was nothing useful in the logs and dmesg, etc.
In the end, I reinstalled Ubuntu from scratch and all was fine.
THEN, it happened again after 3 months. Just could not login to my main account - screen freeze. So I did yet another Ubuntu install and had the problem occur once more after a few months. Trust me when I say I did as much deep digging as I could. I switched from Wayland back to Xorg, etc. All to no avail. (I had been using both Xubuntu and Ubuntu - both screen froze). But it was never ‘the machine’ because my backup account could login.
MANJARO
I resisted Arch and Manjaro at first because my deployment servers really need Ubuntu LTS and I wanted symmetry between my laptop and my servers. But, over a weekend, I installed Manjaro with XFCE.
I had a learning curve because several of my main tools have a different install path: VSCode, DBeaver, and a couple more. But all is working and I have a fully documented install path now.
Results: I am much happier with Manjaro than I ever was with Ubuntu or Xubuntu. I prefer XFCE and the Manjaro install is clean and simple.
As for symmetry between my Desktop and Servers - only one issue has arisen: a HubSpot API library version ‘upgrade’ broke working code. I isolated it down to a 5 line example the proved the new API lib did not conform to the HubSpot documents. I reverted to the older, working version. That is it. Zero other issues. (And that one issue was a perfect learning experience).
I have also installed Manjaro on a very low powered emergency backup laptop: works very well - much better than the same laptop worked with Ubuntu (or Windows 10/11).
So THANKS for keeping Manjaro supported. It has become my daily driver.
My only issue with Manjaro/XFCE is that new WiFi SSIDs can be a challenge. There can be an awfully long hang time between clicking on a visible SSID and having the password/config screen pop up. In my world. this is a minor issue. I normally rotate between 3 well know SSIDs and they always just connect fine.