Garuda Linux “Temeraire” release with Linux kernel 7.2 & KDE, Hyprland and Sway updates

Arch-based distribution Garuda Linux “Temeraire” has been released, arriving more than a year after its previous major update, and powered by the latest Linux 7.2 kernel. Both KDE Plasma editions and live environments now use Plasma Login Manager instead of SDDM, offer updated theming, and have removed the better blur plugin following reports of decreased performance with that feature.

While Plasma changes affect a wide audience, the Hyprland edition has undergone a full configuration rewrite in Lua, offering new Lua-based presets and profiles to help users customize their experience. This edition also sets Kitty as the default terminal, migrates the wallpaper backend from swww to awww, features an updated Waybar theme, and introduces conveniences like an emoji selector, new brightness hotkeys, low battery alerts, and enhanced automatic keyboard layout detection.

Following these desktop changes, the Sway edition now accommodates NVIDIA hardware out of the box, expands the SwayFX configuration with added transparency, shadow adjustments, and introduces window animations. For installations, the process now selects the largest disk sector size supported and adopts LUKS2 with argon2 encryption, adapting sector size to match disk specifics. The new release also delivers a refreshed kernel, expanded system toolbox, updated FireDragon 13 web browser, streamlined package lists, and an additional Arch mirror.