Solus
Solus is a free, independent Linux operating system for personal computers, including desktops and laptops with 64-bit x86-64 processors.
What Solus is
Solus is a free, independent Linux operating system for personal computers, including desktops and laptops with 64-bit x86-64 processors. It is available in Budgie, GNOME, Plasma, and Xfce desktop editions. Budgie includes Budgie Desktop Settings and Raven for notifications, media playback, and sound-device controls; Xfce is described as a lightweight option for less powerful hardware. Solus follows a stable rolling release model, with updates intended to avoid system breakage; the project describes updates as tested and pushed weekly, without requiring system reinstalls. Software Center provides graphical software management, and the eopkg command-line tool handles package operations. Solus has its own package repository and supports Flatpak, which it prefers for third-party applications; Snap is also listed among compatibility options. Included software includes Firefox, Thunderbird, and LibreOffice. The listed minimum requirements are a 64-bit x86-64 processor, 4 GB RAM, and 10 GB of free disk space. Installation help is available through documentation, a Matrix community, and a forum.
Good
- Four desktop editions are available.
- Updates are described as weekly and tested.
- Software Center and eopkg support software management.
- Flatpak applications are supported.
Watch out
- Requires a 64-bit x86-64 processor.
- Minimum requirements include 4 GB RAM.
- Requires 10 GB of free disk space.
- No fixed support duration is specified.
Who it suits
Solus suits desktop and laptop users with 64-bit x86-64 hardware who want a rolling Linux system and a choice of desktop editions. The Xfce edition is described for less powerful hardware, subject to the listed minimum requirements.
Verdict
Solus offers four desktop choices and rolling updates for x86-64 personal computers. Its minimum hardware requirements and lack of a fixed support duration are worth considering before installation.
Plans and prices
From Solus's own pricing page, checked 9 Oct 2026.
| Plan | Price | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| Solus | Free | Linux operating system · four desktop editions |
The facts
Each one read from Solus's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- Budgie
- The Budgie edition includes Budgie Desktop Settings and Raven for notifications, media playback, and sound-device controls.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Community contributions
- The project welcomes contributions to package maintenance, issue reporting, and documentation.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Desktop editions
- The download page offers Budgie, GNOME, Plasma, and Xfce editions.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Download verification
- Solus provides image hashes and signature files, and says checking them helps determine whether a download was corrupted or tampered with in transit.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Editions
- Solus is available in Budgie, GNOME, Plasma, and Xfce desktop editions.checked 9 Oct 2026
- For creators
- The site lists creative applications including GIMP, Inkscape, Kdenlive, and Shotcut, and says it maintains ROCm support for AMD GPU acceleration.checked 9 Oct 2026
- For developers
- Solus supports development editors, programming languages, compilers, version control systems, Docker, and Podman.checked 9 Oct 2026
- For gaming
- The site lists Steam, Proton, and Heroic Games Launcher among the ways to play games on Solus.checked 9 Oct 2026
- GNOME
- The GNOME edition includes extensions such as Speedinator and AppIndicatorSupport.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Hardware requirements
- The download page lists minimum requirements of 10 GB free disk space, 4 GB RAM, and a 64-bit x86-64 processor.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Included software
- Solus ships with Mozilla Firefox, Mozilla Thunderbird, and LibreOffice.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- Solus supports Flatpak applications, according to its technology information.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Minimum requirements
- The listed minimum requirements include a 64-bit x86-64 processor, 4 GB RAM, and 10 GB free disk space.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Organization
- The Solus Organization describes itself as an independent organization dedicated to creating and maintaining Solus, a Linux-based operating system.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Plasma
- The Plasma edition provides a curated desktop experience with sensible defaults.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Product
- Solus is an independent Linux-based operating system designed for home and office use.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Project funding
- Solus says it is volunteer-run and relies on community donations.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Release model
- Solus provides rolling software updates without requiring system reinstalls.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Security contact
- The Solus security page provides a channel for reporting security issues.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Security reporting
- Solus accepts vulnerability reports through GitHub security issues or email to [email protected].checked 9 Oct 2026
- Security updates
- Solus says both unstable and stable (“Polaris”) package releases are supported with security updates.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Support
- Installation help is available through Solus documentation, its Matrix community, and its forum.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Update cadence
- Solus says updates are pushed weekly after testing.checked 9 Oct 2026
The company
- Maker
- The maker identifies itself as the Solus Project, an independent organization maintaining the Solus operating system.checked 9 Oct 2026
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