CachyOS is the Arch Linux distro to try if you want serious speed and performance

ZDNET key takeaways

• The latest CachyOS release is all about speed.
• This Arch-based distribution is a user-friendly powerhouse.
• You can download and install CachyOS for free.

Power. Performance. Luxury. OK, this isn’t a car commercial, so scrap that last one. 

However, power and performance are the name of the game with CachyOS, and with the latest update, the OS has improved a lot of under-the-hood bits to make this one of the best-performing desktop distributions available.

What exactly have the developers done? It all starts with the Linux kernel. First and foremost, CachyOS now ships with kernel 7.0.0.1. However, this isn’t just any old Linux kernel; this is the CachyOS kernel. What does that mean? Well, the CachyOS kernel uses a specifically tuned scheduler, options for BORE, sched-ext, BMQ, and RT.

Also: You can use Linux 7.0 on these 7 distros today – here’s what to expect

At the same time, every app in the CachyOS repository is compiled for x86-64-v3, x86-64-v4, and Zen4 instruction sets, plus LTO. The core CachyOS packages also receive additional PGO and BOLT optimization, with zero manual rebuilds required.

That’s a lot of acronyms, but it all boils down to speed. And with those patches and customizations, the 7.0.0.1 kernel is a well-oiled machine. And with the 7.0 kernel’s improved swap performance, everything just seems faster. According to OMGUbuntu, the swap improvements result in “20% better throughput in workloads where multiple processes share the same swapped-out memory (tested using Redis with persistence).”

Even though Linus Torvalds (the creator of Linux) states that there’s nothing special in the latest kernel, working with the latest updates to CachyOS would suggest otherwise.

Also: I customized an Arch-based distro my way in under 5 minutes – and it’s glorious

That kernel is special in several ways. Not only does it include the optimizations for speed, but also for improved write performance for concurrent direct I/O writes with EXT4 filesystems, self-healing XFS filesystems, smoother 4K video playback, and much more.

Who does this really benefit?

My impulse is to say these performance gains really benefit gamers, and they certainly do. Those performance boosts also benefit those who use local AI, edit and render video with Davinci Resolve (as long as you have the GPU for it…hint, hint NVIDIA), PID allocation improvements, and much more.

I ran a quick test with Davinci, and it ran like a champ (after resolving some library issues).

I also did my usual installation of Ollama local AI, and the query responses I received were faster on CachyOS than on just about every Linux distribution I’ve used.

Also: 6 reasons a minimal Linux install might be the smartest move you make

Essentially, the latest CachyOS release benefits anyone who needs a desktop OS with sheer power. Install this distribution on a modern desktop system, and you’ll be shocked at how well it performs.

One thing to keep in mind, however, is that CachyOS is based on Arch Linux, which does mean that users with no experience using Linux need to take heed. Even though there are GUI apps for nearly every aspect of the OS, even when you run the system update tool, you’ll find that a terminal app opens to prompt you for your password and to OK the installation. Anyone who has an irrational fear of the command line interface might not want to bother with this OS.

It’s also about choice

This is another area where the latest version of CachyOS really shines. Consider this: you get the CachyOS Kernel Manager, where you can install various iterations of the Linux kernel (including hardened options for higher security, release candidates, and even Zen kernels).

During the installation of CachyOS, you also get the choice between nineteen different desktop environments. Nineteen! You can even install multiple DEs (if you’re not sure which one you want).

Make it make sense!

Also: After 30 years with Linux, I gave Windows 11 a chance – and found 9 clear problems

OK, let me cut to the chase: If you want an Arch-based distribution with a high level of performance, CachyOS is, hands down, the way to go. If you’ve never used an Arch-based distribution, CachyOS is still a viable option because it has a GUI for everything (even though, as I said earlier, sometimes those GUIs open terminal windows), and an outstanding Welcome app.

Ultimately, it boils down to performance. This latest release of CachyOS is impressive in that regard, and anyone looking for the fastest OS they can get their hands on could do a lot worse than this.

CachyOS is making it really hard for me to continue avoiding Arch Linux as a go-to OS. Given how much I’ve loved Debian and Ubuntu distros for decades, that’s saying something. Even if you’re just curious as to what running an Arch-based Linux distribution is like, skip all other derivatives and go directly to CachyOS.

Download the CachyOS ISO, burn it to a USB drive, boot it, install it, and behold the speed.