I finally found a visually-pleasing Linux distro that doesn’t skimp on performance

There are so many Linux distributions on the market, and they range from the command line only all the way to functioning works of art. The majority of distros fall somewhere in the middle, of course, and that’s perfectly fine because most users prefer a blend of aesthetics and functionality. That’s why the likes of Linux Mint, ZorinOS, elementaryOS, and Ubuntu are so popular.

But every once in a while, a team releases an update to its distribution that reminds you that Linux is capable of so much more. 

Also: 10 lessons I’ve learned from the open-source community that aren’t about tech

Such is the case with the latest release of BlueStar Linux: a distro that essentially takes KDE Plasma and twists it into a different kind of desktop, one with a highly functional top bar, a well-designed dock, desktop icons, and more. You’re getting the best of all worlds:

• A Linux-like top bar
• A MacOS dock
• Windows-like desktop icons

You might think of BlueStar Linux as the chimera of operating systems. 

I’ve covered BlueStar Linux before, and, like many Linux distributions, there’s a new release available. The best thing about the new release is that little has changed on the aesthetics front. BlueStar is still the gorgeous, Arch-based desktop distribution that we’ve all come to know and love.

So, why bother with another review? Because things change, and, in the case of BlueStar Linux, it’s the under-the-hood things that have evolved, and they actually make a difference.

If I had one complaint about the previous release of BlueStar Linux, it would be that the performance was just okay. It was exactly what you would have expected from an eye-candy-heavy OS. It performed admirably, but if you’ve experienced a truly high-performing operating system, you probably wouldn’t be impressed. 

But then, version 2025.05.30 came along and showed that the development team could improve — so much so that it feels supercharged. My guess is that increased performance is due to two things: the latest release of KDE Plasma, and Linux kernel 6.14.9. 

Also: The Linux tool you forgot about: How Synaptic makes software installation a breeze

With kernel 6.14.9, you get uncached buffered I/O support and other features that help improve performance. For more information about how kernel 6.14 improves performance, check out this article, which breaks down the facts. 

So, yeah, BlueStar Linux noticeably outperforms the previous iteration. In fact, had it not been for that performance upgrade, I might have thought twice about reviewing a distribution that I’d already reviewed a few short months ago. But then again, Linux evolves faster than other operating systems, so if you blink, you might miss something. In this case: speed.

It’s all about the user

If you want to eke out the most speed from your hardware, you’d use a Linux distribution geared specifically for that very thing. But when you want a more robust desktop environment with all the bells and whistles, speed can be compromised. 

That’s one of the reasons why BlueStar is so impressive — it doesn’t compromise. To that end, you get everything you need: all of the productivity applications (LibreOffice, GIMP, Calibre, etc.), plenty of internet tools (Firefox, FileZilla, BlueSky, Pidgin), and tons of other utilities. 

The end result is a perfect balance of speed, beauty, and usability. The only thing missing (out of the box) is Flatpak, which you can easily install with:

sudo pacman -S flatpak

It’s a rare occasion that you find an operating system that is so out-of-the-box ready and beautiful, but that’s what you get with BlueStar Linux.

Also: I’m a Linux power user, and the latest Ubuntu update put a smile on my face

Sure, it’s based on Arch Linux, and many would tell you that any operating system based on Arch should be avoided by the average user. But I believe BlueStar Linux proves that opinion wrong. I would gladly place this distribution in front of any user and say, “Have at it.”

BlueStar Linux has impressed me so much over the years, but the latest release is something special. If you’re looking for a high-performing, beautiful desktop operating system, run, don’t walk, to the BlueStar Linux download page, grab an ISO, burn the ISO to a flash drive, boot it up, and install this brilliant distribution.

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