The CachyOS distribution, which is based on Arch Linux and emphasizes KDE Plasma, has announced a new ISO release for September 2024 that includes a range of enhancements and optimizations aimed at boosting performance.
This release is powered by the cutting-edge Linux 6.11 kernel series, which introduces optimizations for additional packages utilizing PGO (Profile Guided Optimization). This results in a 10 percent performance increase for both LLVM and Clang compilers and a 1.5% gain for the GCC compiler.
“Packages such as
svt-av1,nodejs, andripgrephave been optimized using PGO. We are committed to further enhancing our packages and boosting their performance. Additionally, we have integrated cherry-picked patches intoglibcandgccfromclearlinux,” shared the CachyOS developers in a blog announcement.
The in-house package cachyos-kde-settings has been refreshed in this release to include a configuration file for the SDDM login manager tailored for GPUs that are compatible with Wayland (legacy NVIDIA). This modification sets Wayland as the default for SDDM users, facilitating the application of refresh rates, resolution, and other display settings during the session.
The cachyos-settings package has undergone several improvements, including enhanced support for NetworkManager. This update utilizes systemd-resolved as the backend, resolves issues with Steam downloads, and introduces an NTP Server for systemd-timesyncd, effectively tackling problems users reported with the default time servers.
Additionally, the CachyOS release for September 2024 updates the Calamares graphical installer to ensure it properly unmounts the root file system post-installation. It also improves the “Launch Installer” feature to synchronize the time with the hardware clock and modifies the repository synchronization frequency, reducing the wait time between the Arch Linux repositories and CachyOS’s optimized packages from three hours to one hour.
“Beginning from 27.09.24, we will automatically apply -fno-semantic-interposition to -fpic compiled packages, which can significantly enhance the performance of many shared packages,” noted the CachyOS developers. “Furthermore, we have commenced the transition from zlib to zlib-ng […] a more contemporary alternative to zlib, offering improved performance and advanced techniques.”
CachyOS can be downloaded from the official website. It is available in both Desktop and Handheld editions. The Handheld edition is compatible with various devices, including Rog Ally, Steam Deck OLED and LCD, and Legion GO handhelds. Following a rolling-release model akin to Arch Linux, once you install CachyOS, you will receive continuous updates. Therefore, current users of CachyOS simply need to run the sudo pacman -Syu command to keep their systems up to date.
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