System76 has announced COSMIC Desktop 1.4, the latest update to its Rust-based desktop environment. The most visible changes include enhancements to the COSMIC System Monitor, which can now normally quit applications or force them to close if they become unresponsive. Furthermore, the interface has received visual updates, and GPU performance monitoring has been expanded. COSMIC’s compositor has also undergone critical fixes, improving game performance and pointer accuracy. Other new features include updates to COSMIC Files and COSMIC Launcher, enhancing reliability during copy operations. Volume customization has been enriched with a new volume-step setting. Finally, a new sound theme has been added that will eventually become the default.

Critical Analysis

COSMIC Desktop 1.4 marks a significant step forward for System76, showcasing its commitment to continually enhance user experience with the platform. Bug fixes and performance improvements are always welcome. However, users may notice that while progress has been made, there are still areas where further optimizations could be required, such as window border management and file transfer reliability. Overall, the update presents a useful solution for those heavily using graphic applications and gaming.

Pros and Cons

Pros	Cons
Significant performance improvements to the System Monitor	Some bugs remain in window management
New visual interface and improved GPU monitoring	MTP functionality still being adapted
Greater volume customization

Sources

Author: Bobby Borisov
URL: https://linuxiac.com/cosmic-desktop-1-4-improves-system-monitor-with-app-controls-and-gpu-stats/
Publication Date: 2023-10-24

Rights and Attribution

Images, logos, and photographs are the property of their respective owners. Used for commentary purposes.

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