Pop!_OS is an Ubuntu-based Linux distribution featuring its own GNOME-based desktop environment called COSMIC. It is designed with productivity in mind; it has fluid windows, search navigation via the Super key, workspaces that can hide clutter, and efficient auto-tiling of windows. The distribution is developed by US-based Linux computer retailer System76.
To compare the software in this project to the software available in other distributions, please see our Compare Packages page.
Notes: In case where multiple versions of a package are shipped with a distribution, only the default version appears in the table. For indication about the GNOME version, please check the "nautilus" and "gnome-shell" packages. The Apache web server is listed as "httpd" and the Linux kernel is listed as "linux". The KDE desktop is represented by the "plasma-desktop" package and the Xfce desktop by the "xfdesktop" package.
Colour scheme:green text = latest stable version, red text = development or beta version. The function determining beta versions is not 100% reliable due to a wide variety of versioning schemes.
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POP OS seems to be the only one of the many distributions I've tested that delivers excellent performance. Windows and games simply fly, and fonts, which are usually blurry or have varying scaling in Java, work perfectly.
All these parameters are crucial for working with a computer: the responsiveness to pressing a mouse button, switching between programs—the speed gives the feeling of flying and the almost instantaneous performance that I so valued in MacOS.
I think this distribution deserves consideration if you're looking for the fastest operating system optimized for gaming and high-quality, seamless computing.
Stable distro with a bleeding-edge DE and few annoyances.
In general, Pop!_OS draws a lot from the Debian world and feels familiar to a long-time Ubuntu user. The desktop environment - COSMIC - it comes with feels sleek and fast, however it still lacks the customizability GNOME or KDE Plasma have. Here you can tinker only with some basic settings, which is understandable, as it is still in development. I do appreciate how problem-less it is, but there are things that I'm used to, which are possible to set in Plasma, but not (yet) here. I'm sure it will change sometime in the future - I get their goal for now is to show the new, inexperienced users that Linux can be easy to setup, and I'm not their target at the moment.
That said, I got Pop!_OS 24.04 on my travel laptop, which I use less often than the desktop PC, and it works perfectly fine there. However, the defaults it comes with weren't optimized enough - it felt like a downgrade in terms of battery time in comparison to Windows 11 it ran before. It's nothing I can deal with myself (all you need to have is the console after all), but I'd say it should take it into account when aiming to grow the user base broader than just superusers.
The COSMIC apps are well-thought, clearly still under development, but so far so good!
The OS is stable, doesn't scare the user with old and obscure GRUB menu, the desktop is clean and smooth, it gets more and more features with each release.
I see Pop!_OS as a rising competitor in the Linux world, they clearly draw inspiration from Mac OS by creating their own integrated ecosystem, which is a great thing. Looking forward to new updates, polishing apps and customizations, I wish system76 well in this endeavour!
Version: 24.04 Rating: 8 Date: 2026-05-12 Country: United States Votes: 8
I find myself coming back to this distro -- with its bold and beautiful COSMIC desktop -- time after time. (The other competitor for my heart is Gnome.) It is progressing nicely over time, but it's not quite there. On the upside, this is by far the easiest way to have an i3-style tiling environment that Just Works (tm). The graphics are solid, the default interface choices are first-rate. But, yes, there are a few quirks yet.
I'd like to move window controls to the left, a la macOS. Currently, there's no unified way to do so for all windows.
AppImages sort themselves in idiosyncratic ways in the Overview window.
You can only add one custom wallpaper at a time, not a bunch in a bunch.
So ... pretty unimportant quirks that are nevertheless quality-of-life issues.
Putting the cursor in the upper-left corner does ... nothing. (I'd like an overview view.)
I'm sure Pop!_OS will get there in time. This is an exciting new environment, and a FAST one, but ... early days.