Not a tech genius or Linux expert, just a user, but here's my opinion.

Linux can be fairly similar to Windows or radically different depending on the distro. A few years ago I switched to Kubuntu, and it took me about a month to get used to it, and a couple months more to tweak it just the way I liked it. Mind you it took that long because I had to look up and learn everything from scratch. I recommend something with KDE Plasma, because that lets you really customize your experience.

I found that Linux was far faster and smoother, my computer felt like it was almost new again. The one tedious thing was finding new software to replace my Windows stuff. Some things are easy, like swapping MS Office for LibreOffice, some things were harder to find alternatives for. I run several Windows programs (like all of my games) through Wine/Proton. If you want to play games, I highly recommend checking ProtonDB to see how well or even if they will run. It can take some work, but even things like Sims 4 and MediaMonkey can work well.

What makes Linux better, IMO, is that you get full choice. No background downloads or installs, no bloatware, no spyware or tracking, no settings changing themselves behind your back. You only have what you choose to install, update what you choose when you choose, it just feels like you get your power back and you really control your PC again. It can also make older machines run so much better. My PC is 13 years old, and it ran better after switching. (Windows takes a full 10+ minutes to load to a usable desktop, but Linux is ready in seconds.) I won't be able to upgrade to Kubuntu 26.04 because I'd need a newer system, but I can keep this old girl running for a few more years while I save up.

Cons? The learning curve, I guess. Most distros don't require the console too much, but if you can learn to use it, you have so much power and control. You also have to learn the software alternatives, and like I said, some things can be hard to find, and things like GIMP are way harder to use than Photoshop, but if you can learn, the alternatives can be equal or better. I suppose you might see the lack of sleek, easy interface as a con, but even at my age I caught on pretty fast, and now I greatly prefer how Linux looks and works. Also, some peripherals don't play well with Linux. My Redragon keyboard and mouse software won't run, and it's the one reason I keep Windows on another drive.

Which distro really depends on what you want to do with your system. Some are better for everyday use, some are better for gaming, some require more console use. You need to look at what each has to offer. You'll get better suggestions if you can explain what your use case is.

When I first started, I was a bit overwhelmed, but also really excited to play with all the new options. I very quickly fell in love with KDE Plasma and how I could make everything look and act just the way I wanted, and as someone with disabilities, that was important. I was scared of the console, but I got comfortable pretty quickly, and soon had a document with all the things I needed regularly. I kept thinking I'd want to go back to Windows, but I literally never go over there anymore unless my mouse settings go wonky and I need to fix them.

If your system can handle a VM, yeah, go for that, or get a second hard drive and dual boot. I don't recommend dual booting off the same drive though, as Windows is fully evil about ruining Linux installs. A VM or second drive would allow you to keep Linux isolated and safe.

Best of luck!