The wait is over: TUXEDO OS with Plasma 6 - TUXEDO Computers

On 28 February 2024, the KDE project released Plasma 6, a rock-solid release with sensible changes. We have integrated Plasma 6 into TUXEDO OS for you over several weeks and tested it extensively so that it now acts as the updated desktop environment for TUXEDO OS.

X11 or Wayland

The most important technical change with Plasma 6 is the default setting of Wayland as the display server instead of the previous X11 display server. We have already described the differences between X11 and Wayland in an article in our knowledge base.

The new display protocol promises, among other things, less tearing and artifacts as well as better configurability for multi-monitor environments. In the best case scenario, you will not notice the change or even perceive it as positive. However, there are cases where you should stick with X11 for the time being. This applies in particular to owners of older Nvidia cards that require drivers older than v495.44.

We make it easy for you to test which session type is the most suitable for you at the moment. To provide you with a quick and easy way to switch between X11 and Wayland, we have included an easy selection option. It does not matter whether you use the ISO image or the WebFAI for installation. After installation, you can continue to choose X11 or Wayland every time you restart. You will find the selection at the bottom left in the login manager. You can therefore safely test whether Wayland already fulfills all your requirements, or whether you want to stay with X11 for the time being.

Single or double click?

The KDE developers have taken the change to a new major version as an opportunity to set new standards. The most noticeable of these is the double-click to open directories and files. KDE is thus adapting to the standards of other operating systems and desktop environments. This has the advantage for new users that they do not have to get used to a new method. If you prefer to stay with the single-click previously used in KDE, simply change it back in the system settings.

New background image

Plasma 6 comes with a new background image that marks a departure from the wallpaper style of Plasma 5. Changing your wallpaper can also be done via the system settings. Select whether you want to change the wallpaper for a specific screen or all connected displays. TUXEDO OS has also been given a new default background image, which you can of course also change.

Configuration of the control panel

Since Plasma 5.25, the control panel at the bottom of the screen can be set to float. This becomes standard in Plasma 6, can be anchored in the middle and only takes up the space required by the elements it contains. Depending on the setting, the floating state is reset when a window touches the panel or is maximized.

The panel has been given a new, clearer editing mode, which makes it much easier to set up. You open the editing mode from the context menu (right mouse button) by selecting Start editing mode.

Colour management

Plasma now offers partial support for High Dynamic Range (HDR) in the standard Wayland session. This gives you richer and deeper colours for your games, videos and visual creations on compatible monitors and supported software. However, there are no plans to port this feature to X11.

Set a separate ICC profile for each screen and Plasma will adjust the colours accordingly. Applications are still limited to the sRGB colour space, but the developers are working on increasing the number of supported colour spaces in the near future. To improve the accessibility of plasma, support for filters to correct colour blindness has also been added.

The cube is back!

If you were already involved with KDE 4, then you will remember this one: the desktop cube, with which you could rotate the desktop as a cube to impress your Windows-using friends. Now it’s back and can be activated in the desktop effects in the system settings. For it to work, firstly, at least three virtual desktops must also be created under Window Management.

Once you have switched on the effect using the key combination Meta+C, use the left and right arrow keys to rotate the cube. Pressing the Enter key or the space bar switches to the currently displayed desktop; the ESC key cancels the effect.

How do I get Plasma 6?

If you would like to install TUXEDO OS for the first time or install it again, our above mentioned ISO image and the WebFAI offer you two ways to install Plasma 6 on your computer. If you are an existing user, we will guide you through the upgrade with a script. We explain the process in detail in a separate article.

Once you have completed the upgrade, the first indication of success is the new TUXEDO background image. A look at the InfoCenter will then provide you with some technical specs.