I’ve often confessed my undying affection for Linux Mint. It’s simple to install, politely installs your video drivers without nagging you, and Cinnamon is sleek without trying too hard—like a good loaf of sourdough, it just works.
But the other day, disaster struck: World of Warcraft suddenly stopped working. I fiddled with Lutris, poked at Steam, sacrificed a digital goat (don’t ask), and still—nothing. Could I have fixed it? Probably. Did I instead rage-install a new distro? Absolutely.
Enter Garuda Dragonized—a Linux distro specifically designed for gaming. And guess what? WoW ran like a champ! So, let’s talk about this dragon-themed beast.
A Little Background
Garuda is Arch-based, meaning you get all the bleeding-edge goodness of Arch without needing a PhD in Terminal Wizardry. It was released in March 2020 by Shrinivas Vishnu Kumbhar, with help from SGS in Germany. Basically, it’s an international effort to bring you a desktop that looks like it belongs on a gamer’s spaceship.
Garuda comes in many flavors—GNOME, KDE, XFCE, and more. But the Dragonized edition is the one that flexes its scales for gamers. It’s heavy on resources, but that’s because it comes loaded with every Linux gaming tool you could possibly want.
No office suite included out of the box, though. Because really—if you’re installing Dragonized, chances are you’re not thinking about spreadsheets. (But if you are, Octopi makes installing LibreOffice a two-click job.)
And yes, you still get Pacman at the command line plus access to Arch repositories and the glorious AUR. Translation: if it exists in the Linux universe, you can install it.
Oh, and the aesthetics? KDE on Garuda is heavily customized—think glowing neon, wobbly windows, and a vibe somewhere between Tron and a cyberpunk rave.
Pros of Garuda Dragonized
- Gamer Ready: Comes preloaded with gaming tools like Steam, Lutris, and Wine. No fussing. Just play.
- Arch Power Without the Tears: All the bleeding-edge software of Arch Linux, but actually installable without summoning Cthulhu.
- Beautiful Desktop: Wobbly windows, glowing themes, and so many effects you’ll feel like your desktop is running on Red Bull.
- AUR Access: Anything you want, someone’s already packaged. Mods, emulators, obscure apps—it’s all there.
- Performance Tweaks: Built-in optimizations for gaming and responsiveness.
Cons of Garuda Dragonized
- Resource Hungry: This dragon eats RAM for breakfast. Don’t even think about it on older hardware unless you enjoy stutter.
- Not for Minimalists: If you like your desktop plain and functional, Garuda will feel like a rave in your living room.
- Rolling Release Risk: Arch-based means you’re always up to date—sometimes a little too up to date. Updates can break things if you’re unlucky.
- No Office by Default: Because apparently dragons don’t do spreadsheets. (Fair.)
- Learning Curve: Easier than pure Arch, but still more complex than Linux Mint or Ubuntu. Expect to do some tinkering.
Final Thoughts
Garuda Dragonized is like ordering the triple-smoked brisket instead of the plain burger. It’s bold, it’s flashy, and it’s made for a specific appetite: gaming on Linux. If you want a stable, office-friendly daily driver, maybe stick with Mint or Ubuntu. But if you want a distro that makes your desktop look like it could breathe fire—and also finally lets you play World of Warcraft—Garuda Dragonized might just be your new best friend.
Just make sure your PC has enough horsepower. Dragons don’t fly on breadcrumbs.