Arch-based CachyOS promises speed but trips over its laces
CachyOS, a performance-focused Arch Linux distribution, offers speed and customization but faces installation challenges and reliability issues. It supports various desktop environments but may not suit older hardware users.
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CachyOS is a performance-focused Linux distribution based on Arch Linux, designed for users seeking speed and customization. It features a simplified installation process and a variety of performance optimizations, appealing to tech enthusiasts with modern hardware. The latest release, version 2407, includes the new kernel 6.10 and supports the bcachefs file system. However, users have reported significant installation challenges, including slow performance and frequent failures during the bootloader installation process. The installer requires an internet connection to download packages, which can be problematic for users with limited bandwidth.
CachyOS offers a wide selection of desktop environments, including KDE Plasma, Budgie, and MATE, but some less common options like Cutefish and UKUI encountered issues during testing. The distribution includes a custom Firefox variant and various system monitoring tools, but overall, it lacks extensive bundled applications. While it aims to provide high performance for media, development, and gaming, users with older hardware may find it less suitable due to compatibility issues with drivers and kernels.
Despite its potential, CachyOS struggles with reliability and user experience, reminiscent of earlier, less polished Linux distributions. The abundance of desktop choices may lead to inadequate testing, resulting in a frustrating experience for users. For those seeking maximum performance, a more hands-on approach with raw Arch or Gentoo might be preferable.
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6 comments---- [Author here]
> it is time you replaced that 13 year old laptop
You tell me where I can buy one that's as good, has lots of ports and easily-expanded RAM, disk etc, with above all else an excellent full-sized keyboard that isn't flat, isn't chiclet style, doesn't have half-size Fn keys that default to pointless media controls, and I'll think about it.
The reason I use the things is because every more modern device I have seen or tried is inferior.
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Like the author acknowledges in the last few paragraphs, CachyOS is great on modern hardware. But using it to draw out performance from an old laptop is not it.
I'm not surprised by the outcome of this article.
Here is a nice little graph, done on a Ryzen 5800X: https://imgur.com/a/ByXpvuW
It is fairly clear to see that the EEVDF scheduler is pretty terrible under load, making it a bad choice for desktop work. Hell, the original BORE scheduler (CFS-BORE) is even better in that regard, sacrificing a tiny bit of extra fairness for much better loaded responsiveness.
Unfortunately the setup crashed on my notebook and my proxmox VM, so I could not really test it. What a pitty...
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41050333
This really _is_ a dupe.
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