Microsoft’s Windows 11 and macOS remain the two best-looking operating systems ever. When you think of Linux, you rarely worry about its appearance. The main idea is to revive a system or use an alternate OS with better privacy control and a “usable” interface. Linux distros use desktop environments to offer a distinct appearance. Some try to look like Windows while others aim to mimic the macOS design. It’s not a bad thing because you get to use something familiar while enjoying Linux.

But some distros try to look sharp and avoid using a standard version of GNOME, Trixie, XFCE, etc. Deepin OS is a true standout, specifically in terms of its design and UI, and a custom desktop environment. After using it, no distro looks better in terms of pure visual appeal. Deepin's aesthetics are its personality, and here's why you must try it.

What's Deepin OS?

A visual treat

Deepin OS existed as Hiweed for a long time before switching to the new name. It has a long history of using XFCE and other desktop environments before settling on a custom one. It's called Deepin Desktop Environment (DDE) and is responsible for the visually pleasant experience that you can't get anywhere else with a fresh Linux OS install.

Elementary OS with the Pantheon desktop environment was my go-to good-looking Linux distro for a long time. But its appearance mimics older versions of macOS, which isn't a good approach in 2025. It looks outdated, and doesn't offer the appeal of a modern-looking OS.

Even Ubuntu with the GNOME desktop environment looks far better than Elementary OS. Deepin OS steps up the game and stands toe to toe with KDE Plasma.

Installation and setup

Pretty standard

From a GUI standpoint, I love the distros that cater to small details while installing the OS. Deepin’s installation wizard is well-designed and guides you through multiple pages for selecting language, storage, and configuration. It requires 64GB of storage space, which is odd for a Linux distro.

Even Ubuntu can work with 20–30GB storage space, but Deepin insists on a minimum of 64GB. I encountered a warning when I tried installing it on a virtual machine with a 30GB virtual drive. Space wasn’t an issue on my laptop with the 500GB hard disk, but still, the requirements are similar to a fresh Windows 11 install.

After configuring everything, I landed on the desktop with a welcome screen. It used a mix of English and Chinese to guide what each OS element is, and suggested installing some apps. I didn't install any of them and closed the welcome screen window after selecting the launcher style.

The desktop mode has two app launcher styles. The first one is the full screen mode, where the app icons cover the screen, while the other one aligns left and looks similar to Windows’ start menu. The Launchpad (app launcher) has a dual-pane design and links to some useful directories on the left. Its search bar is a nice addition, and you can expand the app launcher to full-screen mode using the button in the bottom right corner.

In fact, most of the design inspiration seems to stem from the Windows 11 desktop, and it's not a bad thing at all. If you are someone switching from Windows 10 or 11 to Linux, it'll feel very familiar. There's a “Computer” icon on the desktop, which takes you directly to the File Manager. Even the flyout menu on the right side of the screen is called Quick settings, just like Windows.

You can control some settings like networks, time, and audio from the collapsible tray on the main bar. Scrolling the cursor on the speaker icon adjusts the volume, which is a nice touch for a Linux distro. Small design efforts like these contribute to the visual appeal of Deepin.

Design and appearance

Nailing the look

You get abundant theming options in the Control Center app. The default theme is okay, but I can't praise the wallpaper, which has a blue background with Deepin's logo. The bottom dock (or the taskbar) had too many app icons by default, and I had to unpin many items. The centered icon mode is practical and places most of the apps in the center alignment, with two icons on the left.

Each theme has a distinct iconography, but I settled for a custom theme with the Bloom classic icon set because it looked the best. Ubuntu is nowhere close to this level of appearance customization. You can only change some elements of the UI: color, wallpaper control, and minor Dock settings. To do more, you must use GNOME extensions.

The personalization section in Deepin OS neatly lists everything you can tweak to your heart's content. It includes themes, wallpaper, icons, transparency effects, screensavers, and dock control. Even the apps have a distinct look, be it the file manager or the system monitor app. It's different from Ubuntu’s implementation and has a graphical view combined with a side panel for selecting components.

There are plenty of built-in apps, so you wouldn't need to rush to the store for commonly used apps. I find the Manual app interesting, as it explains every OS element in detail, making it a perfect distro for newbies switching to Linux. App animations, system sounds, and window management work great, and you won't find major inconsistencies.

I'm happy that I don't need to download extra tools just to add or modify the visual appearance in Deepin. There's a link to a small library of themes and wallpapers you can install, and combining that with a font manager makes it better. I also like the idea of including boot menu customization, which is also available in MX Linux.

A polished distro

Deepin's is undoubtedly one of the best-looking distros that heavily draws inspiration from Windows and macOS. I found it easy to configure, manageable even for newbies, and the documentation guides you through the OS. I didn’t find any glaring stutters that brought the system to a halt and made it unusable. Window switching, customization, or apps worked without hiccups.

Its resource consumption is on the higher side, and you'll find ample Reddit threads questioning the Chinese influence on the distro. Using it or not is a personal choice, but you cannot ignore the stunning desktop environment. Give it a go on a virtual machine to check if it fits the mold of a good-looking OS.