Solus OS in 2025: What’s New from “Fortitude” to “Endurance” and Beyond

Solus OS continues to evolve rapidly. Though version 4.1 “Fortitude” marked a big leap at the time, the distro has since advanced significantly. As of January 2025, Solus has released version 4.7, codenamed “Endurance”, bringing substantial updates in kernel, desktop environments, and software management. Here’s a fresh look at where Solus stands today.

What’s Changed Since 4.1

1. Solus 4.7 “Endurance” Is the Latest ISO

Solus 4.7 was officially released in January 2025 with major improvements:

• Kernel: Ships with Linux 6.12.9, while still offering an LTS kernel option (6.6.70).
• Graphics Stack: Mesa is upgraded to 24.3.3.
• NVIDIA Support: The new ISOs include firmware for more NVIDIA GPUs, including some RTX 4000-series models.
• Software Center: A refreshed Software Center supports Flatpaks by default, moving the distro toward GNOME Software or Plasma Discover instead of the older Solus Software Center.
• Applications: Default apps are updated:
  • Firefox → 134.0.2
  • LibreOffice → 24.8.4.2
  • Thunderbird → 128.6.0

Desktop Environments Updated for 2025

Since the 4.1 release, Solus has also overhauled several desktop editions:

Budgie: Now running Budgie 10.9.2, which brings better stability and polish.

GNOME: Updated to GNOME 47.3, offering new features like accent colors, improved capture dialogs, and refined GTK rendering.

Plasma: The Plasma edition now ships with KDE Plasma 6.2.5, updated frameworks, and applications: KDE Gear 24.12.1, Frameworks 6.10.0, Qt 6.8.1.

Xfce: The Xfce edition jumps to Xfce 4.20, with experimental Wayland support.

Key System Improvements

• Rolling-release model remains strong: As a rolling distro, Solus continues shipping frequent updates. Users on older versions automatically receive updates rather than needing to reinstall.
• Epoch Transition Completed: The “epoch bump” for package management was completed in October 2025 — for users on Shannon (the release branch), this transition is now automatic.
• New ISO in the Works: According to recent posts, a Solus 4.8 ISO is being prepared, making fresh installations more up to date.

Why These Updates Matter

1. Better Hardware Support: The new kernel and firmware mean improved compatibility with modern GPUs and CPUs — including newer NVIDIA cards.
2. Improved Software Experience: With the Software Center doubling down on Flatpaks, users get a more modern, flexible package management system.
3. Polished Desktops: All four major desktop editions benefit from newer, more stable versions with added features.
4. Future-Proofing: The rolling-release model and upcoming ISO make it easy for both long-term users and new adopters to stay current.

Final Thoughts (as of November 2025)

If you were thinking about trying Solus back when version 4.1 Fortitude was the latest release, now is the perfect time to take another look. Solus 4.7 Endurance delivers major upgrades across the kernel, desktop experience, and application ecosystem. Combined with stronger hardware support and a shift toward more modern app management, Solus is now more stable, responsive, and refined than ever.

Whether you’re a gamer, developer, or everyday user, Solus 4.7 makes a compelling case. And with version 4.8 already on the horizon, the momentum behind this distribution is only continuing to grow.