Drivers made easy
One of Linux’s many strengths is that “it just works” applies to hardware. When you install a Linux OS, you’re not left trying to source key drivers. Everything should work straight out of the box.
Ubuntu will happily work with your graphics card or chipset, although if you’re planning on using your PC for gaming you may have to investigate third-party alternatives. Both NVIDIA and AMD users should open System Settings and go to Software & Updates > Additional Drivers. After a short delay, choose the latest version marked “proprietary, tested” and click Apply, wait then reboot when done.
If you’re planning to add a printer, then go to System Settings > Printers and click Add to see if it’s automatically detected; then follow the wizard to see if drivers are included. If not, visit the manufacturer’s website to see if a Linux driver is available. If it’s a .deb package then installation is straightforward; if not, you may have to look for a .sh installer – make sure the file is executable (tick ‘Allow executing file as a program’ on the Permissions tab of the file’s properties in Nautilus), then open Terminal, navigate to the file’s directory and launch it thus: $ ./filename.sh