When I first stepped into the Linux rabbit hole ages ago, there were a couple of features that I found equal parts intriguing and equal parts jarring. The ability to switch between different desktop environments was one such example, and it seemed especially weird for someone who had used Windows all his life. Like most users, I used GNOME to familiarize myself with the intricacies of Linux before eventually settling on the feature-rich KDE Plasma and adding it to practically every distro in my Linux arsenal.
While I still consider KDE Plasma and GNOME two of the best desktop environments, they are far from the only options for Linux enthusiasts. Having spent the last couple of weeks with different desktop environments, I can confirm that there are plenty of other alternatives out in the wild – some of which can even surpass my favorites in certain respects.
COSMIC
It still needs some fine-tuning, though
Pop_OS! is another Debian-based Linux distro, though its terrific support for Nvidia GPUs and slick aesthetic are what initially got me hooked on it. However, the distro recently decided to transition to an Iced-based desktop environment called COSMIC. Weirdly enough, COSMIC is a lot more functional than I initially expected it to be, especially since the DE had its first alpha release last year. The dynamic window tiling is already my favorite aspect of COSMIC, and the multi-workspace support and solid collection of themes make it worth checking out.
The caveat? COSMIC is still stuck in the alpha version. Although it’s surprisingly usable for normal tasks, it’s missing quite a few built-in apps and has some odd bugs to tackle. My experience with COSMIC was mostly stable, though I encountered a crash after loading one too many apps. With the way things are headed, I’m certain COSMIC will become a key player in the desktop environment race once it’s finally developed.
MATE
For GNOME 2 lovers
A bit of a history lesson before I talk about MATE. Back when GNOME 3.0 was first released, it received a lot of hate from the community for its overly simplified UI elements. So much criticism, in fact, that other desktop environments were born to continue GNOME 2’s legacy. MATE is the most popular example, and it still follows the GNOME 2 design to this day.
It’s extremely stable, doesn’t consume too many resources, and has a simple, menu-driven UI aesthetic that can appeal to certain users. However, I have to admit that I’m not its biggest fan. I get the retro appeal of MATE, but its appearance is a little too outdated for my liking, especially since I started using GNOME after the devs had ironed out the shortcomings of the early GNOME 3 interface.
Cinnamon/Budgie
You'll love them if you're an ex-Windows user
If you’re having a hard time getting accustomed to the UIs on Linux distros after switching from Windows, you can try switching to Cinnamon or Budgie. Cinnamon (which I consider the more polished desktop environment between the two) has some neat built-in apps, packs some solid customization options, and is stable enough to be used by folks who despise troubleshooting.
Budgie is the other beginner-friendly desktop environment that features a Windows-esque UI, especially when it comes to the notification panel and widgets. Budgie developers intend to add more Wayland capabilities going forward, and I’ll probably start using it more extensively once Budgie 10.10 comes out.
LXQt/Enlightenment
Slick appearance, despite their lightweight nature
The low system requirements and resource overhead of Linux distros make them ideal for resurrecting old systems, and you can curb their CPU and RAM consumption by switching to a light desktop environment. LXQt is my recommended option for Linux lovers who want an optimized DE that looks rock-solid without requiring too many config file tweaks. There’s also Enlightenment, which offers a slightly older design, but looks just as neat as LXQt while consuming minimal system resources.
Xfce
It can look gorgeous once you customize it
As one of the most popular lightweight desktop environments, Xfce is ideal for folks looking to resurrect their old machines without resorting to a command-line-only interface. Even on decade-old systems, Xfce can deliver a snappy experience – and I can attest to this statement since I recently armed my aged laptop with an Xfce-based Manjaro setup.
On its own, Xfce looks fairly decent with its clean appearance and minimalist animations, though it can seem somewhat dated when compared to the likes of LXQt. However, Xfce has a surprising amount of depth for customization. With the right set of tweaks to the XFCE4 panel, window manager, and terminal emulator, even Xfce can look like a Linux ricing maestro’s UI.
And there’s even more to choose from!
If you’re still hunting for other desktop environments that can serve as decent alternatives to KDE Plasma and GNOME, I’ve got a couple of other recommendations. Trinity Desktop is another lightweight DE that works exceedingly well when paired with Q4OS, while Pantheon provides a sleek macOS-like UI. Or, if you’re into Linux ricing, you could ditch desktop environments altogether and build your own GUI using the all-powerful Hyprland.