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Desktop Operating System Performance Comparison
This is a comparative analysis of various desktop environments, window managers, and display managers across different operating systems. It presents quantitative metrics to help make informed decisions when choosing a desktop environment.
Desktop Services
Display Manager
The graphical login screen that allows users to authenticate and launch a specific window manager or desktop environment.
Window Manager
Responsible for managing the placement and appearance of graphical application windows on the screen. It handles tasks such as opening, closing, resizing, and moving windows, as well as providing keyboard shortcuts and other window management features.
Desktop Environment
A suite of applications bundled with a Window Manager to provide a cohesive graphical user interface (GUI) experience. It typically includes an application launcher, panel, file manager, and other utilities.
Metrics Explained
- Timing: All metrics are measured 10 seconds after the environment has started.
- Memory Usage: RAM consumed by all currently running software.
- Load Average: Measure of the system’s CPU load, averaged over a specific time period. Lower values indicate better performance.
- Disk Usage: Disk space occupied by the installed software.
- Reboot Time: Time taken for the system to reboot from an open terminal to an open terminal.
Hardware Specifications
Tests were conducted on a system with the following specifications:
- CPU: AMD 6800H 1vCPU
- RAM: 8GB LPDDR5
- Storage: SK Hynix Platinum P41 M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME SSD
Desktop Environment Comparison
| Rank | Desktop Environment | Window Manager | Display Manager | Operating System | Memory Usage (M) | Load Average | Disk Usage (M) | Reboot Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | - | - | - | Alpine Linux 3.20 24.05 | ✔️ 85 | ✔️ 0.00 | ✔️ 347 | 🔵 8s |
| 2 | - | Wayland Labwc 0.7.2 24.05 | - | Alpine Linux 3.20 24.05 | ✔️ 96 | ✔️ 0.00 | ✔️ 415 | 10s |
| 3 | - | Wayland Sway 1.9 24.02 | - | Alpine Linux 3.20 24.05 | ✔️ 97 | ✔️ 0.00 | ✔️ 413 | 11s |
| 4 | - | - | - | postmarketOS 24.06 | 🟢 101 | ✔️ 0.00 | ✔️ 459 | 🔴 21s |
| 5 | - | Wayland Sway 1.9 24.02 | 🟧 greetd agreety 0.10.0 24.03 | Alpine Linux 3.20 24.05 | 🟢 102 | ✔️ 0.00 | 🟢 606 | 10s |
| 6 | - | Wayland Sway 1.9 24.02 | emptty 0.12.1 24.06 | Alpine Linux 3.20 24.05 | 🟢 107 | ✔️ 0.00 | 🟢 612 | 11s |
| 7 | - | X11 dwm 6.5 24.03 | SDDM 0.21.0 24.02 | Alpine Linux 3.20 24.05 | 🟢 114 | ✔️ 0.00 | 🟢 710 | 🔵 9s |
| 8 | - | 🟥 X11 Spectrwm 3.5.1 23.11 | SDDM 0.21.0 24.02 | Alpine Linux 3.20 24.05 | 🟢 119 | ✔️ 0.00 | 🟢 710 | 10s |
| 9 | - | 🟥 X11 i3 4.23 23.10 | SDDM 0.21.0 24.02 | Alpine Linux 3.20 24.05 | 🟢 120 | ✔️ 0.00 | 🟢 720 | 11s |
| 10 | - | Wayland Sway 1.9 24.02 | SDDM 0.21.0 24.02 | Alpine Linux 3.20 24.05 | 🟢 120 | ✔️ 0.00 | 🟢 732 | 🟡 12s |
| 11 | - | - | - | NixOS 24.05 | 🟢 120 | ✔️ 0.00 | 2443 | ✔️ 5s |
| 12 | - | Wayland Labwc 0.7.2 24.05 | SDDM 0.21.0 24.02 | Alpine Linux 3.20 24.05 | 🟢 121 | ✔️ 0.00 | 🟢 732 | 10s |
| 13 | - | 🟧 X11 IceWM 3.5.0 24.05 | SDDM 0.21.0 24.02 | Alpine Linux 3.20 24.05 | 🟢 128 | ✔️ 0.00 | 🟢 721 | 10s |
| 14 | - | 🟧 Wayland River 0.3.1 24.05 | SDDM 0.21.0 24.02 | NixOS 24.05 | 🟢 147 | ✔️ 0.00 | 🟡 3345 | 🟢 6s |
| 15 | Sxmo 1.16.3 24.06 | Wayland Sway 1.9 24.02 | tinydm 1.2.0 23.12 | postmarketOS 24.06 | 🟢 153 | 🟡 0.46 | 🔵 1152 | 🔴 24s |
| 16 | - | 🟥 X11 LeftWM 0.5.1 23.11 | SDDM 0.21.0 24.02 | NixOS 24.05 | 🟢 153 | 🟢 0.08 | 🟡 3416 | ✔️ 5s |
| 17 | - | 🟧 Wayland Weston 12.0.4 24.04 | SDDM 0.21.0 24.02 | Alpine Linux 3.20 24.05 | 🟢 155 | ✔️ 0.00 | 🟢 744 | 🔵 9s |
| 18 | - | X11 FVWM3 1.1.0 24.03 | SDDM 0.21.0 24.02 | NixOS 24.05 | 🟢 169 | 0.27 | 🟡 3394 | 🔵 8s |
| 19 | - | 🟧 X11 Qtile 0.25.0 24.04 | SDDM 0.21.0 24.02 | NixOS 24.05 | 🟢 179 | 0.20 | 🟡 3479 | 🟢 7s |
| 20 | - | X11 Enlightenment 0.26.0 23.12 | ❌ LightDM 1.32.0 22.07 | NixOS 24.05 | 🔵 211 | 0.20 | 🔴 5671 | 🟡 13s |
| 21 | 🟥 LXQt 1.4.0 23.11 | 🟧 🟪 X11 KWin 5.27.10 23.12 | SDDM 0.21.0 24.02 | Alpine Linux 3.20 24.05 | 🔵 243 | ✔️ 0.00 | 🔵 1122 | 10s |
| 22 | - | - | - | FreeBSD 14.1 24.05 | 🔵 258 | ❌ 5.62 | 🟢 985 | 🔴 22s |
| 23 | - | - | - | Debian 12.6 24.06 | 🔵 280 | ✔️ 0.00 | 🔵 1853 | 11s |
| 24 | ❌ KDE 4.2.2 09.04 | ❌ X11 KWin 4.2.2 09.04 | ❌ KDM 4.2.2 09.04 | ❌ Hannah Montana Linux v2 09.06 | 337 | ✔️ 0.00 | 2534 | 🔴 23s |
| 25 | MATE 1.28.2 24.03 | X11 Metacity Marco 1.28.1 24.02 | ❌ LightDM 1.32.0 22.07 | NixOS 24.05 | 337 | 🟢 0.07 | 🔴 5992 | 🔴 16s |
| 26 | - | - | - | EndeavourOS Gemini 24.04 | 355 | ✔️ 0.00 | 🔴 5587 | 🟢 6s |
| 27 | - | - | - | Ubuntu Server LTS 24.04 | 403 | ✔️ 0.00 | 🟠 4859 | 10s |
| 28 | - | 🟧 X11 IceWM 3.4.5 23.12 | ❌ slimski 1.5.0 21.01 | antiX Full 23.1 24.02 | 444 | ✔️ 0.00 | 🔴 7395 | 🔵 9s |
| 29 | Phosh 0.39.0 24.05 | Wayland Phoc 0.39.0-r0 24.04 | tinydm 1.2.0 23.12 | postmarketOS 24.06 | 467 | 🔴 1.04 | 🔵 1603 | 🟠 15s |
| 30 | 🟥 Pantheon 7.1.1 23.09 | 🟥 X11 Mutter Gala 7.1.3 23.11 | ❌ LightDM 1.32.0 22.07 | NixOS 24.05 | 499 | 🟡 0.40 | 🔴 6329 | 🔴 18s |
| 31 | 🟧 Gnome-Mobile 45.rc 24.06 | 🟥 Wayland Mutter-Mobile 45 23.09 | 🟧 GDM 46.0 24.03 | postmarketOS 24.06 | 🟡 530 | 🔴 1.17 | 🔵 1851 | 🟠 14s |
| 32 | 🟧 Budgie 10.9.1 24.02 | 🟧 X11 Mutter Budgie 10.9.1 24.02 | ❌ LightDM 1.32.0 22.07 | NixOS 24.05 | 🟡 531 | 🟠 0.67 | 🔴 6476 | 🔴 19s |
| 33 | 🟧 Gnome 46.1 24.04 | 🟧 Wayland Mutter 46.1 24.04 | 🟧 GDM 46.0 24.03 | Alpine Linux 3.20 24.05 | 🟡 556 | 🟡 0.48 | 🔵 1843 | 🔴 19s |
| 34 | - | - | - | NetBSD 10.0 24.03 | 🟡 563 | ✔️ 0.00 | 🔵 1450 | ❌ 30s |
| 35 | 🟧 Plasma 6.0.4 24.04 | 🟧 Wayland KWin 6.0.4 24.04 | SDDM 0.21.0 24.02 | Alpine Linux 3.20 24.05 | 🟡 578 | 🟠 0.88 | 2618 | 🔴 16s |
| 36 | 🟧 Cinnamon 6.0.4 24.01 | 🟧 X11 Mutter Muffin 6.0.1 23.12 | ❌ LightDM 1.32.0 22.07 | NixOS 24.05 | 🟠 617 | 🟠 0.68 | 🔴 7135 | 🔴 20s |
| 37 | Budgie 10.9.2 24.06 | 🟥 X11 Mutter Magpie 0.9.3 23.08 | ❌ LightDM 1.32.0 22.07 | Solus 4.5 24.01 | 🟠 633 | 🔴 1.70 | 🔴 7586 | 🔴 21s |
| 38 | 🟧 🟪 Cosmic 24-05 | 🟧 🟪 Wayland Cosmic-session 24-05 | 🟧 greetd 0.10.0 24.03 | NixOS 24.05 | 🟠 676 | 🟠 0.59 | 🟠 4323 | 🟡 12s |
| 39 | ❌ LXQt 1.2.0 22.11 | ❌ X11 Openbox 3.6.1 15.07 | ❌ LightDM 1.26.0 18.03 | SparkyLinux 7.4 24.06 | 🟠 690 | 🔴 1.66 | 🔴 6417 | 🟠 15s |
| 40 | 🟧 Cinnamon 6.0.4 24.01 | 🟧 X11 Mutter Muffin 6.0.1 23.12 | ❌ LightDM 1.30.0 19.05 | Linux Mint 21.3 24.01 | 🔴 741 | 🔴 1.28 | ❌ 11141 | 🟠 15s |
| 41 | ❌ Xfce 4.18 22.12 | ❌ X11 Xfwm4 4.18.0 22.12 | ❌ LightDM 1.32.0 22.07 | Kali Linux 2024.2 24.06 | 🔴 822 | 0.27 | ❌ 13410 | 10s |
| 42 | 🟥 Gnome 43.9 23.09 | 🟥 Wayland Mutter 43.8 23.08 | ❌ GDM 42.0 22.03 | Zorin Core 17.1 24.03 | 🔴 847 | 🟠 0.81 | 🔴 9074 | 🔴 18s |
| 43 | ❌ Xfce 4.18 22.12 | ❌ X11 Xfwm4 4.18.0 22.12 | ❌ LightDM 1.30.0 19.05 | Linux Lite 7.0 24.06 | 🔴 848 | 🟠 0.89 | ❌ 11842 | 🔴 29s |
| 44 | ❌ Xfce 4.18 22.12 | ❌ X11 Xfwm4 4.18.0 22.12 | ❌ LightDM 1.26.0 18.03 | MX Linux 23.3 24.05 | 🔴 876 | 🟠 0.61 | 🔴 8734 | 🔴 19s |
| 45 | ❌ Mate 1.26.0 21.08 | ❌ X11 Metacity Marco 1.26.1 22.11 | ❌ LightDM 1.26.0 18.03 | Parrot OS Home 6.1 24.06 | 🔴 923 | 🟡 0.47 | 🔴 7054 | 🔴 20s |
| 46 | 🟧 Plasma 6.0.5 24.05 | 🟧 X11 KWin 6.0.5 24.05 | SDDM 0.21.0 24.02 | Manjaro 24.0 24.05 | ❌ 1011 | 🔴 1.56 | 🔴 7552 | 🔴 26s |
| 47 | 🟧 Gnome 46.0 24.03 | 🟧 Wayland Mutter 46.0 24.03 | 🟧 GDM 46.0 24.03 | Ubuntu LTS 24.04 | ❌ 1038 | 🟠 0.74 | 🔴 9154 | 🔴 19s |
| 48 | 🟥 Gnome 43.9 23.09 | 🟥 Wayland Mutter 43.8 23.08 | ❌ GDM 43.0 22.09 | Debian 12.6 24.06 | ❌ 1065 | 🟡 0.43 | 🔴 5146 | 🔴 19s |
| 49 | ❌ Gnome 40.10 22.03 | ❌ Wayland Mutter 40.9 22.02 | ❌ GDM 40.1 21.07 | AlmaLinux 9.4 24.05 | ❌ 1080 | 🟠 0.60 | 🟠 4407 | 🔴 18s |
| 50 | 🟧 Plasma 6.0.5 24.05 | 🟧 Wayland KWin 6.0.5 24.05 | SDDM 0.21.0 24.02 | EndeavourOS Gemini 24.04 | ❌ 1102 | 🔴 1.47 | 🔴 6323 | 🔴 23s |
| 51 | ❌ Gnome 40.10 22.03 | ❌ Wayland Mutter 40.9 22.02 | ❌ GDM 40.1 21.07 | Rocky Linux 9.4 24.05 | ❌ 1143 | 🟠 0.83 | 🟠 4532 | 🔴 17s |
| 52 | Gnome 46.2 24.05 | Wayland Mutter 46.2 24.05 | GDM 46.2 24.05 | Fedora Workstation 40 1.14 24.04 | ❌ 1285 | ❌ 2.63 | 🟡 3866 | 🔴 24s |
| 53 | 🟧 Plasma 6.0.5 24.05 | 🟧 X11 KWin 6.0.5 24.05 | SDDM 0.21.0 24.02 | openSUSE Tumbleweed 24.06 | ❌ 1400 | 🟠 0.99 | 🔴 6103 | 🔴 22s |
| 54 | Cosmic 0.1.0 24.09 | Wayland Cosmic-Comp 0.1 24.09 | Greetd Cosmic-Greeter 0.1.0 24.09 | Pop!_OS Alpha 2 24.04 24.09 | ❌ 1526 | 🔴 1.65 | 🔴 6674 | 🔴 18s |
| 55 | 🟧 Plasma 6.1.0 24.06 | 🟧 Wayland KWin 6.1.0 24.06 | SDDM 0.21.0 24.02 | Bazzite 40 3.0.1 24.05 | ❌ 1635 | ❌ 15.04 | ❌ 17566 | ❌ 93s |
| 56 | 🟧 MATE 1.28.0 24.02 | X11 Metacity Marco 1.28.1 24.02 | ❌ LightDM 1.30.0 19.05 | OpenIndiana Hipster 24.04 | ❌ 1832 | ❌ 2.17 | 🔴 7071 | ❌ 36s |
| 57 | Windows Shell | Desktop Window Manager | ❌ Windows 11 21.10 | ❌ 2916 | ❌ 25720 | ❌ 57s | ||
| 58 | Aqua | Quartz Compositor | ❌ MacOS 13.6.7 22.10 | ❌ 3252 | ❌ 126.37 | 🔴 8912 | ❌ 47s |
Legend:
- 🟪 Non-default option of distribution
- 🟧 Newer version available
- 🟥 More than 1 year since release
- ❌ More than 2 years since release
Additional Information
Request an Operating System Benchmark
Request a benchmark of an Operating System by submitting a new Issue.
Multiple Terminals Without a Window Manager
It’s possible to show multiple terminals on a screen without a Window Manager using a Terminal Multiplexer like tmux or screen.
Instructions
- Improve Alpine Linux Reboot Time
- Install Labwc with SDDM on Alpine
- Install Sway with greetd + GTKGreet on Alpine
- Install Sway with SDDM on Alpine
- Install Weston with SDDM on Alpine
Related Resources
- Window Manager Keyboard Shortcuts
- Open Source Hardware and Software Comparison List
- Eylenburg’s Operating System Comparison
- Eylenburg’s Desktop Environment Comparison
Alpine Linux VPS Hosting Providers
| Provider | DDoS Protection | Pricing | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vultr | ❌ $10 extra fee per VPS | $2.50 | |
| Linode (Akamai) | Included | $5 | ❌ Litigation ❌ Controversies |
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