Impressions of CachyOS

min read

At 175 words per minute.

2025-09-27 Back to posts

CachyOS Desktop

My thoughts on CachyOS, as an engineer and gamer.

Impressions of CachyOS

Introduction

CachyOS is a powerful operating system that combines the flexibility of Arch Linux while addressing it’s pain-points.

I’ve tried a lot of distros at this point. My longest standing was Pop!_OS which is an amazing operating system but the stability of it didn’t feel amazing to me personally.

The good

  • NVIDIA Support – My graphics card worked right away.

  • Performance – This OS feels incredibly smooth on my system, even with multiple applications and tasks running at the same time. Gaming performance has also been top-notch, with no noticeable lag or stuttering.

  • Engineer-Friendly – As someone who codes daily, having a solid Linux environment without excessive tinkering was a plus.

  • Aesthetics and UX – The Plasma Desktop experience is great. I loved the ability to choose from a variety of Desktop Enviroments

The not so good

  • No Ableton – As a longtime Ableton user for music production, I am going to have to find an alternative (possibly Reaper) if I want to try to using Linux for this as well.

  • Hardware - This could be a skill issue, but I am struggling to find a way to stop my microphone from playing in my gaming headset. This happens on other operating systems but I can usually find a way to stop it. Not major or applicable to most.

My Experience So Far

Installing CachyOS is the easiest way of running Arch. Hassle free!

My overall experience with CachyOS has been overwhelmingly positive.

The installation was straightforward, and the system was up and running in no time.

I was able to get my development environment set up and my favorite games installed without any major issues.

The performance boost compared to my previous distros has been significant, and the stability has been rock solid.

Conclusion

CachyOS is a fantastic choice for anyone who wants the power and flexibility of Arch Linux without the difficult setup process.

It’s perfect for both engineers and gamers who need a reliable and high-performance system.

The team behind CachyOS has done a great job creating a polished and user-friendly experience. I highly recommend giving it a shot if you’re looking for a new daily driver.

Nick Stambaugh

Nick Stambaugh

Full Stack Engineer

Entrepreneur & Enterprise Software Engineer

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