The new SysLinuxOS 13 Mate build has officially dropped, bringing a massive 6GB image aimed squarely at sysadmins, integrators, and power users. Based on Debian 13 “Trixie”, this release is the first in the updated SysLinuxOS line, with a Gnome edition scheduled to follow in just a few days.
SysLinuxOS 13 Mate targets system integrators and network pros
SysLinuxOS has always been tailored to serious users who want more than just a pretty desktop. With version 13 Mate, that strategy hasn’t changed. The distro ships with an impressive lineup of tools pre-installed, everything from Angry IP Scanner and Zenmap to Docker Compose and OpenStack clients. It’s a no-nonsense kit designed to work straight out of the box.
This build uses the Liquorix 6.16.8-1 kernel, a low-latency, performance-tuned option that’s often favored by gamers and desktop tinkerers. For system admins juggling virtual machines, network scans, and container orchestration, it’s a fitting choice.
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A heavyweight distro with serious tools preloaded
At nearly 6 GB, SysLinuxOS 13 Mate doesn’t hold back. Here’s a quick look at the kind of software it packs in:
- Networking & Security: Nmap, Bettercap, Firewalk, Cisco Packet Tracer, SSHGuard, Angry IP Scanner
- Internet: Firefox, Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Zoom, Teams for Linux, TeamViewer, FileZilla
- Cloud & Containers: Docker Compose, Amazon EC2 tools, OpenStack clients, Rclone, VirtualBox 7.2
- Accessories: Balena Etcher, Raspberry Pi Imager, KeePassXC
Wine is also bundled, just in case there’s a need to run legacy Windows utilities or, more casually, launch a game that’s still trapped on the other side.
SysLinuxOS 13 Mate benefits from Liquorix kernel tuning
The Liquorix kernel gives this release more than just a version bump. Its key features include:
- Zen Interactive Tuning for snappier desktop feedback
- 1000 Hz tick rate and aggressive preemption for multitasking
- BMQ/PDS scheduler combo to handle varied workloads
- BFQ I/O scheduler, improved virtual memory, and TCP BBR2 for optimized throughput
- LZ4 swap compression to keep RAM usage efficient
That makes this distro especially appealing for sysadmins who need responsiveness and reliability under load.
Gnome flavor of SysLinuxOS 13 lands next week
While the Mate edition is out now, the Gnome variant of SysLinuxOS 13 is just around the corner. For users who prefer a different desktop feel or want to deploy across multiple environments, that second release rounds out the offering.
SysLinuxOS 13 Mate isn’t here to impress with minimalism or aesthetics, it’s a serious distro for serious work. With its tool-rich base and custom-tuned kernel, it aims to do one thing very well: give technical users the gear they need without wasting time.
