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.
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.