Merry Christmas everyone!
In this holiday season, are you looking forward to trying out new distributions on your Linux system?
Fret not, we have you covered. Here, I shall be listing some of the latest Linux distribution releases.
Linux Distributions Arriving Just in for the Christmas Holidays
Note that this list is in no particular order of ranking. You are welcome to try what you like.
1. Manjaro Linux ‘Qonos’
Manjaro Linux 21.2.0 is an interesting upgrade with major improvements to Calamares and enhanced support for the btrfs file system.
You can expect GNOME 41.2 for the desktop environment update and KDE Plasma 5.23.
The GNOME edition has received some significant visual refresh to the layout, while you can expect some subtle improvements for KDE.
The Xfce edition features the latest 4.16 update along with necessary improvements to the window manager.
Not to forget, you should expect Linux Kernel 5.15 LTS with this release. You can read more about the changes introduced in its official announcement post.
2. Neptune 7
Neptune 7 “Faye” was released with Debian 11 “Bullseye” as its base, resulting in better hardware and software support.
The default icon theme received some improvements while keeping KDE Plasma 5.20.5 as the desktop environment. It features Linux Kernel 5.10, offering better hardware compatibility.
With the latest release, the memory usage was also optimized to make efficient use of the memory.
You can learn more about the technical changes in its official release news.
3. elementary OS 6.1
elementary OS 6.1 focuses on improving the features and the dark style preferences introduced with its last release.
This release introduces AppCenter upgrades, desktop enhancements, and several subtle changes.
To explore more about it, you can refer to our elementary OS 6.1 coverage.
4. Pop!_OS 21.10
Pop!_OS happens to my daily driver for work. With every update, they tend to introduce something different.
With Pop!_OS 21.10 release, there is a new application library along with GNOME 40 powering up the desktop environment. Even though there are no major visual changes, you can notice several improvements and a more recent Linux Kernel 5.15 included.
You can read our original coverage to learn more about it.
5. EndeavourOS 21.4
EndeavourOS aims to make Arch experience seamless for both beginners and advanced users.
With EndeavourOS 21.4, there are significant improvements to ensure that it works well with modern hardware. You will also find upgrades for the Calamares installer to make the user experience as easy as possible.
Overall, they have been working on changes to present Arch Linux that’s equally interesting for new users and experts. To explore more about the release, you can refer to the official announcement.
6. nixOS 21.11
nixOS is a unique Linux distribution where you can find the Linux Kernel, Desktop Environment, and applications, built using the Nix package manager.
It also features one of the most extensive collection of packages to install.
With its latest nixOS 21.11 ‘Porcupine’ release, they worked on improving the stability which should encourage more users to try nixOS for their Linux adventures. I haven’t tried it yet, but I’d like to give it a spin this Christmas; what do you think?
7. CentOS 9 Stream
Unless you are looking for CentOS replacements, CentOS 9 Stream should be an exciting release for you to try.
With this release, they have clarified that every CentOS Stream will start from Fedora’s stable release. In this case, it is Fedora 34.
So, on top of Fedora 34, you should expect changes with CentOS 9 Stream, which will eventually make it to the next Red Hat Enterprise Linux release.
Bonus: Linux Mint 20.3 (Upcoming Release)
Linux Mint 20.3 is expected to arrive at the end of this month. It brings in Cinnamon 5.2, a new application for all desktop environment editions, and more goodies.
They have also started to focus on user experience improvements, which is a much-needed change to blend with the modern desktop experience.
As of now, you can find the beta release available for testing. You can keep an eye on our coverages to learn what’s new in Linux Mint 20.3 release.
Wrapping Up
If you are looking to test and try new Linux distributions, this holiday season should be one of the best opportunities!
Is there any other distribution that we missed mentioning for this holiday season? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.
Here's why you should opt for It's FOSS Plus Membership
- Even the biggest players in the Linux world don't care about desktop Linux users. We do.
- We don't put content behind paywall. Your support keeps it open for everyone. Think of it like 'pay it forward'.
- Don't like ads? With the Plus membership, you get an ad-free reading experience.
- When millions of AI-generated content is being published daily, you read and learn from real human Linux users.
- It costs just $2 a month, less than the cost of your favorite burger.
