egpu-switcher VS website

If you're ok with running X11, you can use egpu-switcher and modify the Xorg configuration yourself afterwards.

Only using Xorg since Wayland gave me more issues than fixes. I'm using egpu-switcher

Try installing eGPU-switcher, make sure you have the right drivers installed, and as others have said make sure you have the right cable. Last thing, only plug in or unplug the eGPU when the laptop is off.

You didn't mention the problems you ran into but it should be plug and play. You will have to set up the proper config for it to work properly, and I would recommend using hertg's egpu-switcher if you are having issues: https://github.com/hertg/egpu-switcher

I've been using egpu-switcher every single time.

The scripts are all-ways-egpu for Wayland and egpu-switcher for X11.

here is the hotplug script that seemed promising, but did not work for me (nVIDIA only) here is a more sophisticated-looking script that seems intended for Desktop-users though, and also specifically excludes hotplugging options...

It is not plug&play, but almost. https://github.com/hertg/egpu-switcher

The A750 is now a recognized PCIe device, and works with connected displays to an extent. During boot, KMS/Plymouth shows on connected displays, as well as GDM (albeit, laggy, but it did that before anyways). The problem starts with Xorg, where during startx, I get a No screens found error. My Xorg configuration was autogenerated by egpu-switcher, where it only fails in egpu mode (connected displays do not work in internal mode). GNOME on Wayland works surprisingly with my laptop display working as normal, but the eGPU's external displays come with various graphical glitches, stuttering, outputting to 1080i30 on a 1440p60 display, etc.

There's Zorin OS Pro: https://zorin.com/os/pro/

And elementaryOS is kinda-sorta paid (you can pay $0 too): https://elementary.io/

Finally, while this is not a proper distro as such, ParterdMagic makes for an excellent rescue option: https://partedmagic.com/

I hear you, but they've all moved along in leaps and bounds. Some options if you ever look again -

* ElementaryOS(https://elementary.io/)

I’ve seen Raycast adjacent apps for Linux, but I don’t know what the current go-to all the kids are using these days. I used Quicksilver on OS X back in the day, which kind of defined the category I think. But these days I try to keep it simple.

Elementary OS seems to be trying to solve for the design issue, but it’s not as polished as macOS and there are still all the 3rd party apps to contend with. I’ve tried it, and it didn’t have me considering a full time switch.

https://elementary.io/

For me, one of the big things keeping me on macOS is the sync between devices. 20 years ago it seemed much easier to move to Linux, because I didn’t have to worry about my contacts, calendar, etc being in sync everywhere. Having all that stuff, and the handoff between devices, just work is a huge benefit. There are probably ways to sync various things between iOS and Linux, but then researching all the options, setting it up, and keeping up on it all, becomes a hobby. That’s not a hobby I want at this stage of my life.

I thought ElementaryOS was dead due to infighting between the two cofounders, but it still seems to be going: https://elementary.io/

(I installed it on one box a few years ago and liked it, but moved back to Ubuntu once I learned about its conflict in the team.)

As an alternative to the other (great) suggestions, check out ElementaryOS.

But get an old laptop, download and install on it https://elementary.io/, or PopOS or Debian (they all resemble macOS) or whatever distro you like the most. And start tinkering.

I would suggest installing elementaryOS inside a VM, and follow their getting started guide

Elementary OS e un distro de Linux cu aspect de macos