Choose a desktop
TunaOS ships the same bootc image model across several desktop experiences. Choose the workflow that fits how you use your computer, then use the download page to find a matching image and base.
The resource figures below are rough idle-use ranges, not guarantees. Apps, extensions, services, display settings, and hardware drivers can change the result. Availability follows the current site catalog and image picker; a desktop listed as a related product is not automatically a TunaOS variant.
| Desktop | Best for / workflow | Typical idle RAM | Hardware fit | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GNOME | A polished, focused workflow with opinionated defaults and minimal setup. | ~1–1.2 GB | Modern hardware; 16 GB RAM is comfortable. | Standard TunaOS flavor across the main bases; also available through Dakota (GNOME OS). |
| KDE Plasma | A familiar, highly configurable desktop for users who want control over panels, shortcuts, and window behavior. | ~0.8–1 GB | Modern or mid-range hardware; a good fit from 8 GB RAM upward. | Standard TunaOS flavor across the main bases; also available through Tromsø. |
| COSMIC | A modern, keyboard-friendly desktop with a clean layout and Rust-based components. | ~0.8–1 GB | Mid-range and modern hardware; test graphics support on newer hardware. | Standard TunaOS flavor on supported bases; availability varies by base. |
| Niri | Keyboard-driven, scrollable tiling for people who prefer layouts over overlapping windows. | ~0.4–0.6 GB | Efficient on modest systems; best with a Wayland-compatible GPU and a keyboard-centric workflow. | Standard TunaOS flavor on supported bases; availability varies by base. |
| XFCE | A traditional, lightweight desktop for older hardware, VMs, or users who want a conventional panel-and-menu layout. | ~600 MB | The best fit for 4–8 GB systems and older machines. | Available on supported TunaOS bases and as the separate XFCE Linux project; not every main base publishes it. |
| Pantheon | A simple, cohesive desktop centered on straightforward navigation and a curated default experience. | Varies by implementation | Modern or mid-range hardware is the safe starting point; verify hardware support for the specific build. | Not currently offered in the TunaOS image picker or canonical variant catalog. |
Availability notes
- The desktop name is not the same thing as a TunaOS variant. Albacore, Yellowfin, Skipjack, Bonito, and the other base images are variants. GNOME, KDE Plasma, COSMIC, Niri, and XFCE are desktop flavors layered onto them.
- HWE, NVIDIA, and CachyOS tags are editions or hardware options, not separate desktop environments.
- Availability changes as image builds mature. Start with the picker on the download page. Then check the selected variant’s page for the exact image tag and architecture.