Looking for a lightweight GUI OS to breathe new life into an older PC? Start here.
After a four‑year hiatus, Raspberry Pi Desktop reappears, bypassing Debian 12 and launching a new build founded on Debian 13 “Trixie”.
The update brings the familiar Pi desktop experience to PCs and Intel Macs, offering a straightforward, lightweight Linux option for revitalizing older hardware.
While Raspberry Pi’s core business revolves around producing affordable Arm‑based single‑board computers, the company also maintains a custom Debian‑based distribution. Despite coverage of various alternative Pi operating systems over the years, most Pi users likely stick with the official Pi OS.
Pi OS is a trimmed‑down Debian variant designed to consume minimal memory and storage. Its custom desktop, evolved from LXDE and originally branded PIXEL, has long been available for x86 PCs and Intel Macs, providing a comparable experience minus the bundled Mathematica package.
We previously reported on the Raspberry Pi Desktop’s last major update—a Debian 11‑based release that arrived mid‑2022. Debian Bullseye debuted in 2021, and although the Pi Desktop continued receiving updates for several years, its long‑term support concluded on August 31.
Pi OS 5 launched in 2023, built on Debian 12 and featuring a new Wayland‑based desktop, yet an x86 PC variant never materialized. With the first point release of Debian 13, Pi OS 6 appeared in October 2025, and a year later the PC edition has finally caught up.
The PC edition retains the same Wayland desktop, now equipped with the Raspberry Pi Connect remote‑control service. A significant shift is that the build is x86‑64 only, supporting compatible PCs and Intel Macs while excluding Apple Silicon machines; current users must perform a clean install rather than attempt an in‑place upgrade from the previous 32‑bit version.
We have not yet evaluated the release firsthand, but intend to return for a more detailed examination shortly. ®
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