Debian 12-based MX Linux 23.6 is the Windows 11 alternative of your dreams
You know what, folks? Sometimes, the best updates are the ones that don’t try too hard. That’s exactly the case with MX Linux 23.6. There’s no nonsense to be found here -- just a strong Linux distribution that continues to get better.
While Microsoft continues to push AI distractions and questionable design changes in Windows 11, MX Linux sticks to what matters: speed, stability, and letting the user stay in control. In fact, MX Linux 23.6 could truly be the Linux distribution of your dreams!
MX-23.6 is based on Debian 12.10 “bookworm,” and if you’re already running a previous MX-23 release, you don’t have to reinstall anything, you’ll get everything from this refresh just by updating your system as usual. That includes the latest packages from both Debian and MX repositories, which bring better performance and fewer bugs. New users can download an ISO here.
For Xfce users, this release includes version 4.20 of the desktop environment and a bunch of small (yet helpful) changes. The login sound feature has been tuned to wait for the sound server to fully start before trying to play audio. It’s a minor touch, obviously, but it shows attention to detail. The MX Package Installer has been cleaned up visually and now handles privilege elevation more intelligently.
One of the more interesting additions is the new UEFI Manager. It’s a standalone tool that lets users take more direct control over UEFI settings. In fact, you can even boot directly into UEFI mode without using GRUB if you want. It’s ideal for those who like a little more say in how their system starts up.
The kernel has thankfully been bumped up. Standard versions now ship with 6.1.133, while the AHS edition runs 6.14 from the liquorix line. That’s great news for newer hardware, and Realtek networking support is now baked into the AHS kernel! And for those who struggled with NVIDIA drivers on newer kernels, MX has addressed that too -- you won’t need to mess with xorg.conf anymore just to get a working display. Hallelujah!
As you can see, this isn’t some flashy, AI-filled spectacle. MX Linux 23.6 is about getting out of the user’s way and letting them use their computer without nonsense. And in a world where Windows 11 feels more like a marketing platform than an operating system, that’s a welcome change.