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Linux distribution

MX Linux 23.1 Pi

Les Pounder spends all day tinkering with Raspberry Pis and the latest MX Linux has got him in a spin.

IN BRIEF

A Raspberry Pi OS alternative based on Debian Bookworm, it offers a refined desktop experience but without the bloat. Everything is easy to find and we can use the OS for watching media, writing code or browsing the internet. Designed for the Raspberry Pi 4 and upwards, MX Linux benefits from the speed of the Raspberry Pi 5.

IN BRIEF

A Raspberry Pi OS alternative based on Debian Bookworm, it offers a refined desktop experience but without the bloat. Everything is easy to find and we can use the OS for watching media, writing code or browsing the internet. Designed for the Raspberry Pi 4 and upwards, MX Linux benefits from the speed of the Raspberry Pi 5.

While Raspberry Pi OS is the official – and, for many, default – OS, there are alternatives. MX Linux has released the MX 23.1 Raspberry Pi OS respin for the Raspberry Pi 4, 400 and the new flagship 5. We tested it on a Raspberry Pi 5 with 8GB of RAM, and after flashing a fast microSD card, we booted to a harsh-looking setup screen. By harsh we mean small white text on a black background. It made our eyes go a bit weird, but we managed to configure our system ready for the first boot.

On boot, we are greeted with a login screen, then we get access to the glorious MX Linux desktop. In the top-right we get back system details (disk usage, CPU temp and memory usage) and the time and date. To the left is the main menu and system tray. From here we can quickly open network settings, Bluetooth and so on, and via the MX Linux in the bottom-left, access the main menu. Connecting to our Wi-Fi was a simple task thanks to the Network Manager. Ethernet just worked, as it should. Bluetooth connections to mobile devices were easy and we soon had files copying across.

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Linux Format
April 2024
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