After thinking about this some more, let me please add....

I have nothing against anyone using btrfs and someday, when it is default on Ubuntu, I will probably follow the crowd and use btrfs; but as long as ext4 is the Ubuntu default, I will stick with ext4.

However, for anyone who wants to get into btrfs, one approach is to start with btrfs on a non-root partition (as Peasant suggested, as I recall). Maybe you can stress-test btrfs in that way by crashing your system, unplugging the power cord, etc and see if you are happy with how btrfs recovers. When you are comfortable, then maybe try a root partition with btrfs with proper backups on your desktop machine.

After all, the OP was talking about his desktop machine, not some remote linux server on the other side of the planet where you want a very safe filesystem like ext4.

Some people (unlike me) prefer to be early adopters of these kinds of technologies and if you really want to use btrfs, then go for it. I am not really an "early adopter" of any technology which I don't really have an operational need for, so I am waiting for tech like btrfs to be the OOTB default with Ubuntu. That is the signal I am looking for.

Where Ubuntu goes (default and mainstream), I will follow, generally speaking.

However, I was not always like this with Linux and in the early days (over 20 years ago), I was keen to be a very early adopter. However, over the years, I am less of an "early adopter" and more of a "late adopter" of new tech like btrfs. This is only me.

I encourage others to march to the beat of your own music, not the beat of my music. I only offer my opinion about what I do and do not do. This is only my opinion and in no way is presented as "the truth" or "the way to go".

btrfs has a lot of great features. If btrfs fits into your current plans, then go for it as you deem appropriate. Just because "Neo" is stuck on ext4 until Ubuntu makes btrfs the Ubuntu default, there is no reason not to use btrfs if the spirit moves you, especially on your desktop machine (not a server in a data center far, far away....).