5333 private links
Manjaro is faster to load applications, swap between them, move to other workspaces, and boot up and close down. And that all adds up.
systemctl list-unit-files --state=enabled --no-pager
These are two fresh installs. As you can see, Manjaro has 24 enabled daemons, and Ubuntu has 90. That kind of overhead cannot fail to have an impact.
Ubuntu comes fully-loaded with a wealth of applications. Manjaro is based on Arch Linux and adopts many of its principles and philosophies, so it takes a different approach.
Compared to Ubuntu, Manjaro might seem undernourished. You get a stripped-back installation—which means a speedy install time—and then you decide which applications you want. It comes with an email client, web browser, office suite, and some of the other staples, but apart from that, you decide which applications you want and install them.
Manjaro feels like driving a go-kart you’ve built yourself. Ubuntu feels like a big, comfy, well-stocked RV. There’s something to be said for both approaches. It might seem more logical to you to start light and load up only with what you want. If you prefer the “everything and the kitchen sink” approach, then it’s a point for Ubuntu.
If Manjaro feels like a homemade go-kart, Arch feels like smelting your own iron ore to make the materials to make the go-kart. But that’s the glory of Arch—nothing is preordained.
If you’re not a purist, or you don’t need that degree of granularity, Manjaro is probably as close to unadulterated Linux as you need. Compared to Ubuntu, it’s quite a different experience. It feels pure, crisp, and responsive.