The holidays are upon us, and System76 is bringing some festive cheer with the 4th COSMIC Alpha release. Looks like Christmas came early this year!
Packed with exciting updates, fresh features, and a hefty batch of bug fixes, this new version of the Rust-based desktop environment is a step closer to what many Linux users have been waiting for—a fresh desktop environment poised to shake up the Linux desktop landscape.
First things first—COSMIC is incredibly fast. And when I say fast, I mean lightning fast. Testing out the new Alpha 4 release felt almost unreal; the desktop environment is so snappy and responsive that it left me speechless. Now, let’s dive into the rest.
This latest alpha release brings the much-anticipated Region & Language settings to COSMIC. With this addition, users can now choose their preferred language, as well as how they want dates, times, and numbers formatted. This flexibility ensures that COSMIC caters to the specific needs of its users, no matter where they are in the world.
Another exciting addition is the Default Applications settings page, now available in System & Accounts Settings. This page lets you select your preferred browser, file manager, email client, and even your go-to music and video player.
Interestingly, COSMIC Media Player is now listed as the default for both music and video. This Rust-based media player is still in development, and more details will come as it nears completion.
The COSMIC Store also gets a delightful improvement: a new “Details” button in the bottom-left corner of the updates screen, which opens a context menu tracking all ongoing and completed operations. It’s a small but significant addition that makes keeping tabs on software updates much easier.
Power users, rejoice! The power management settings for displays are now fully implemented in COSMIC. Under Power & Battery Settings, you’ll find a new range of options to control when the screen turns off and suspension behaviors for when the system is plugged in or on battery power.
These new options give you more control over energy savings, helping your system stay efficient without compromising usability.
Accessibility is key, and COSMIC takes its first step in that direction with the new Accessibility applet. Though still in its early stages, it includes a toggle for turning screenreader support on and off. Currently, the screenreader works for COSMIC Settings, Firefox, and GNOME apps, making the desktop more inclusive for visually impaired users.
And now be ready for another big shot – if you’re into gaming or graphics-heavy activities, you’ll appreciate that the cosmic-comp compositor now supports Variable Refresh Rate (VRR).
This feature allows the display to sync with the content’s frame rate, eliminating screen tearing and enhancing the overall visual experience. You can set VRR to always be on or configure it to activate automatically for fullscreen content.
But COSMIC Alpha 4 isn’t just about new features; it also includes a long list of fixes and performance improvements to enhance your overall experience. Some notable bug fixes include:
- Fixed high CPU usage and window freezing after monitor hot-plugging.
- Addressed a scaling issue with the Shut Down pop-up.
- Fixed memory leaks causing crashes in panel applets and COSMIC Files.
- Improved responsiveness when toggling desktop icons on or off.
- Fixes for overlapping panels, crashes in Steam games, and improved drag-and-drop behavior for panel applets.
Ready to explore? COSMIC Desktop Alpha 4 is available for testing on Pop!_OS 24.04 LTS alpha, with ISOs available for both Intel/AMD and NVIDIA systems. Furthermore, if you prefer to try COSMIC on your favorite Linux distribution, you’re in luck.
The desktop environment is available for installation in the repos of Fedora, NixOS, Arch, openSUSE, Serpent OS, Redox OS, and CachyOS—detailed instructions for each are readily available.
For more information, visit the System76’s official announcement.
