The Linux ecosystem is huge. Although almost all distros start from the same Kernel, each developer, or group of developers, adapts it according to their ideals to satisfy the needs of a certain group of users. These developers usually modify the kernel, add or remove packages, install default programs and, of course, customize the desktop. And if what we are looking for is Linux with a modern, flexible and customizable desktop, then we must give KDE neon a try.
KDE is one of the most popular Linux desktops we can find. This desktop ranks second in popularity, behind Gnome. This desktop was highly criticized, in its version 4.x, due to the large amount of resources it consumed. However, luckily, with the arrival of version 5.0 things changed. Today it is a very light and complete desktop, as well as being the most customizable. And although we can install it on any distro from its repository, one of the best ways to test it thoroughly is through a specialized distro such as KDE neon.
Main features
Unlike other distros, which are usually based on the development of its base and on it apply a version of KDE, neon bases its development directly on Plasma, always offering users the latest version of the desktop and based on the latest LTS version from your base system , Ubuntu.
In this way, the main goal of KDE neon is to offer users as robust a distro as possible, with extended long-term support, while offering the latest Plasma desktop experience and all its default applications. This distro is the best way to be able to test before anyone else all the news of KDE, since it always brings the latest version of this customizable desktop. However, it is exposed to possible failures and problems precisely for this very reason, something that we must always bear in mind.
Differences with Kubuntu
At first glance, both distros are the same. That is, they both use Ubuntu as the base system, and on top of it they use the KDE Plasma desktop and programs. The difference, as we have explained in the previous point, is that neon always uses an LTS version of Ubuntu, offering a longer support in exchange for sacrificing being able to be up to date with all the news of the distro. However, while Kubuntu uses a stable version, or LTS of KDE, neon always bets on the latest version of the desktop.
- KDE neon : Ubuntu LTS and latest version of Plasma and programs.
- Kubuntu: latest version of Ubuntu stable and stable version of Plasma and programs.
- Kubuntu LTS : Ubuntu LTS and KDE LTS.
Download KDE neon
This Linux distro, of course, is totally free. If we want to try it, or install it on our computer, we can do it for free from the following link . We must look for the latest version of it in the download directory, in order to keep our computer as up-to-date as possible. We can choose how we want to download the distro in ISO format: directly from the servers, or with a torrent client.
To update
This distro has also greatly simplified the way to update. The system brings us a tool called “Discover” that allows us, through a very simple GUI for pckon, to search for new versions of KDE and download and install them on our computer.
KDE neon uses the KDE Plasma repositories in a similar way to a Rolling Release distro. This means that, for better or for worse, we will always be up to date, and each time a new version comes out we can update to it to start enjoying its improvements. We can also check for updates manually with the command “sudo pckon refresh && sudo pckon -y update”.
Finally, when Ubuntu launches a new LTS, we can see a message that will invite us to update the system base. Although it is true that we can use the typical “apt dist-upgrade”, the easiest way to go from one version to another is through the window that will appear.
Minimum requirements
To be able to use KDE neon without problems on our computer, we must meet, at least, the following requirements:
- 64-bit processor at 1 GHz speed.
- RAM memory: 2 GB (4 GB recommended).
- Available space: 10 GB.
- Graphics card with 3D accelerator.
In the end, since they are a distro like Ubuntu, their requirements are not very different from Canonical’s distro.
Other KDE-based distros
Although the truth is that the concept of KDE neon is the most interesting, and the easiest way to always be up to date and try, before anyone else, the novelties of this desktop, is to choose it. But it is by no means the only option we have.
Kubuntu
This is the quintessential KDE distro. Kubuntu is a version of Ubuntu, with Plasma desktop, developed and maintained directly by Canonical. We can say that it is the KDE version of Ubuntu. This distro is based on the LTS version of Ubuntu, or the normal one, and both bring stable versions of the desktop that, although they are not the latest, allow us to enjoy it to the fullest.
We can download this distro from here .
KaOS
KaOS is one of the most complete Linux distros when what we are looking for is a light and functional system. This distro uses the Linux kernel, although its developers are thinking of breaking with it to switch to a different one, the illumos kernel (Unix). It has a Rolling Release update system that allows us to always be up to date and is one of the first systems, along with Ubuntu, that does not include the necessary libraries to run 32-bit programs and games.
We can download this distro for free from the following link .
MX Linux
Although this distro originally mounted an XFCE desktop, its developers have released a version with a KDE desktop in 2020. This desktop breaks a bit with MX’s philosophy of being a fast, light and simple distro, but in exchange it offers an edition for all those who are looking for something more quality and customization. In its early months, the KDE edition of MX Linux gained the trust of a large number of users, both new and old.
We can download this distro from this link .