The Arch Linux-based CachyOS distribution has issued its January 2026 ISO snapshot, featuring KDE Plasma 6.5.5 with Wayland as the default session and the new Plasma Login Manager replacing SDDM. This update includes kernel options, hardware enhancements, and installer improvements to boost performance and compatibility. Existing users can apply changes via a standard system update.
On January 24, 2026, developers of CachyOS, an Arch Linux derivative focused on performance, announced a new ISO snapshot incorporating recent package updates and features. The release ships with Linux kernel 6.18, offering both stable and LTS variants, with the stable kernel selected by default in the live environment.
A key change is the adoption of KDE Plasma 6.5.5, where the Wayland session is now enabled by default, replacing the previous X11 setup. The live ISO and new installations use the Plasma Login Manager—introduced in the forthcoming KDE Plasma 6.6—in place of SDDM. Xorg dependencies have been removed from Wayland-based desktop environments to streamline the experience.
The Calamares installer has undergone significant rework to minimize errors. It now detects architecture early, cutting download sizes by about 1GB, integrates bootloader selection with Limine as default, and applies the --needed flag to pacman for efficient package handling. Btrfs setups on NVMe drives default to single-level compression, balancing speed and storage, while GRUB uses LUKS2 encryption.
Hardware support sees enhancements: an updated NVIDIA module enables aggressive VBlank for low-latency displays, and nouveau firmware is installed automatically for older Kepler GPUs to support VA-API acceleration. AMD GPUs gain backing for newer models, including FSR4 machine-learning frame generation on RDNA3 and RDNA4 cards via Proton-CachyOS. Framework laptops with AMD Zen 5 CPUs receive improved compatibility.
Gaming improvements in Proton-CachyOS include d7vk module support for legacy DirectDraw titles, DualSense haptic feedback patches, better DLSS/XeSS/FSR preset handling, and Wine-on-Wayland fixes for keyboard layouts and NVIDIA HDR. The GNOME installation is cleaner with a dedicated apps subgroup, while Niri uses the Noctalia Shell with revamped settings. Handheld detection now relies on steamos-manager and inputplumber.
A mirror syncing status service has been added, and various stability fixes address issues like 1% low-FPS degradation, small EFI partitions, and game controller inputs. Users can download the Desktop and Handheld ISOs from the official site or update existing systems with sudo pacman -Syu. Plasma users on SDDM may manually switch to the new login manager.
