This is the best-looking Linux desktop of 2025 (so far)

One thing you can certainly say about Linux is that it does not lack variety. You can find desktop distributions that are equal parts art and functionality, as well as those created purely for the sake of efficiency.

For a while now, Garuda Dr460nized (aka “Dragonized”) has been that distribution — the one that makes eyes pop and jaws drop. It’s just so cool.

But then the developers of Garuda go and one-up themselves with the “Broadwing” release. If you’re a big fan of the Dr460nized release, fear not, as it will most likely always be a part of the Garuda lineup, which features several different releases.

One of those releases is the Mokka Edition, a Catppuccin-themed KDE Plasma desktop experience that offers a fresh and inviting take on the KDE environment. It’s this edition I’m reviewing, and it’s a game-changer for those who place a premium on aesthetics.

Also: The 5 best rolling-release Linux distributions – and why you should be using one

For those who aren’t familiar, the Catppuccin theme is a popular, visually appealing theme for Linux desktops that offers soothing pastel colors and supports GTK-based desktop environments like GNOME, Cinnamon, XFCE, and Mate. Well, the Garuda team has applied this theme to KDE Plasma, and it’s spectacular.

What’s new Garuda’s Broadwing?

Before we get too far into this, know that Garuda is an Arch-based distribution. So, if Arch isn’t your cup of kefir, you might want to pass on this fantastic distribution. Or, if you’re adventurous and have always wanted to try out Arch, Garuda is a great place to start.

Other than the Catppuccin theme, what else is new with Broadwing?

• Garuda Rani Welcome App: A new unified tool that combines the functionality of the previous welcome, gamer, and assistant apps to make system setup and management easier for users of all types.
• Linux Kernel 6.13: The latest kernel ensures better hardware support and improved performance.
• Updates to the Chaotic-AUR infrastructure.
• Improved customization for the Dr460nized edition.
• Enhancements/improvements for the Hyperland, i3, and Sway desktop environments.
• The usual bug fixes, performance enhancements, and security patches.

I’ve reviewed and used KDE Plasma for a long time, and the Mokka Edition of Broadwing might be the best-looking take on this open-source desktop I’ve ever seen. Of course, such opinions are quite subjective, and if you’re not a fan of pastel purples, you might be repulsed by the color scheme. I find it quite beautiful.

Also: The 4 most Windows-like Linux distros to try because change is hard

Out of the box, the only thing missing for me is an office suite. Of course, I’m a writer by profession, so the ability to work with documents is crucial for me. The good news is that there’s the Octopi GUI, which allows you to easily install applications. Even though this is a KDE Plasma desktop, you won’t find the Discover app store. Why? Because this is all based on Arch, which prefers GUIs like Octopi. Although I’d much rather have Discover at my disposal, Octopi does a fine job.

Other than the lack of an office suite, you’ll find apps like the FireDragon web browser, the Dolphin file manager, Snapper Tools (to create and manage system snapshots), the fish shell, a firewall GUI, the Garuda Network Assistant, the Kate text editor, System Monitor, VLC media player, and more.

From the Garuda Setup Assistant, you can take your pick of all sorts of apps to install (from software centers, kernels, office tools, browsers, email clients, communication/internet tools, audio tools, and more). I would highly recommend starting there for your software installation.

This is one of the first distributions I’ve tested where I said to myself, “I wouldn’t have to tweak this desktop at all!” That’s big for someone who regularly configures, reconfigures, tweaks, bends, and changes his desktop on a whim. As I look at the Mokka desktop, I seriously cannot think of anything I would change.

How does Broadwing perform?

OK, enough with the aesthetics. How does Garuda Broadwing perform?

Given that Broadwing was only recently released, it should come as no surprise that it’s not exactly the smoothest experience. That could very well be because I ran my test as a virtual machine with limited resources, but it seems to me the Catppuccin theme lacks a bit of stability. For example, when I open the FireDragon web browser, it opens fairly quickly, but some of the theme elements appear with a slight delay. On top of that, after opening the web browser, things started slowing down a bit.

Also: What’s the best tiling window manager for a Linux beginner?

When that happened, I shut down the virtual machine and increased the RAM from my usual 3GB to 6GB. That certainly helped with the speed, but the theme elements continued to feel a bit unstable. Next, I ran the upgrade tool to see if there were any updates. After applying the updates, I rebooted again but found the Mokka edition still felt a bit “wobbly.”

Also: This Linux distro can be used without installation (and it’s totally free)

In the end, I decided the state of the Mokka edition was due to a combination of it being tested as a virtual machine and the newness of the release. I’m confident this will improve as bugs are filed and updates are made available.

I would suggest, if you’re interested in seeing the majesty that is Garuda Broadwing Mokka edition, do so on a spare computer and not as a virtual machine. My guess is that much of the “wobbliness” of Mokka will not appear when running on bare metal.

Either way, Garuda Broadwing is a brilliant take on Arch Linux, and if you’re looking for what might well be the most beautiful Linux distribution of 2025, this could be it.