Cinnamon 6.4 is here.
A new default Cinnamon theme debuts with this release (revamped Mint-X), which should enhance your Cinnamon desktop experience on distros apart from Linux Mint.
While the new release is not available for Linux Mint yet, you can get the latest package on Arch Linux (or any Arch-based distro).
I always try Cinnamon's latest releases with the help of EndeavourOS (an Arch-based Linux distribution) and in my brief testing, I would say it is a pretty nice update.
Some part of the redesign could feel like GNOME to you (you will see why), but it is not that big of a problem.
Cinnamon 6.4: What's New?
Cinnamon 6.4 features a new theme out-of-the-box and new UI elements to provide a modern experience. The start menu also looks tidier than usual.
To start with, the buttons and prompt windows come with rounded corners (and they're colored). It is also known as "Clutter" dialogs.
This is what feels GNOME-y to me, but it finally embraces a modern design language in some parts, which makes up for a better experience.
While we know that the Cinnamon desktop team was slowly pivoting to rounded elements, this time it is more evident with other UI elements such as the calendar area:
You also get the "Night Light" feature in the system settings to replace Redshift that should help you minimize eye strain. And, this is tailored to work for both Wayland and Xorg sessions.
There is also the addition of overamplification feature in the sound settings. You need to enable it before you can go past 100% volume from the system tray, as shown in the screenshot below.
The rest of the changes include improvements to the Nemo file manager, subtle visual tweaks (volume slider, icons, etc), and other under-the-hood refinements for a smooth user experience.
You can notice the differences in its look and feel, even if you haven't been using Cinnamon desktop for a while. And, if you ask me, it was much-needed because of how monotonous the visuals for the Cinnamon desktop have been for a while (at least, in my opinion).
Furthermore, you can also expect changes like:
- Power profile support in power applets
- Notifications in full-screen mode
- An audio queue when you change the volume using the slider
All such upgrades should result in a better experience.
Ready for Linux Mint 22.1
Currently, the Cinnamon desktop version has been bumped to 6.4.1 on GitHub with the Linux Mint 22 master package.
So, you can expect the latest Cinnamon 6.4.1 release to be included with Linux Mint 22.1 slated to release later this month.
If you cannot wait, you can opt for Arch Linux or EndeavourOS to try the latest Cinnamon desktop experience.
💬 What do you think about the Cinnamon 6.4 desktop update? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
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