Official Ubuntu 24.04 variants available for download

In addition to the main version of Ubuntu 24.04 LTS, new versions of the official Ubuntu variants are appearing, including Kubuntu, Xubuntu and Ubuntu Cinnamon.

What follows is a succinct, high-level overview of the key new features and changes in some of the most popular Ubuntu flavors, as well as the corresponding download links to help you grab an ISO you need to be enticed to get a few Try out variants first hand.

Unless otherwise noted, all variants share the same basic footprint as the main version, e.g. Such as Linux kernel, graphics drivers, tools, etc. However, there are some concerns, such as the Flutter-based OS installer and the Snap-centric one App Center are not used in all flavors.

Additionally – and this is an important point for those who prefer LTS (Long-Term Support) versions – Ubuntu variants receive three years of ongoing support instead of the five years that the main edition receives. It's a small difference, but worth knowing.

What's new? Well, a lot if you go by the respectable 22.04 builds of some of these flavors. As with regular Ubuntu, a number of these editions have a cumulative change set that includes versions 22.10, 23.04, and 23.10.

The KDE based editions, Kubuntu 24.04 LTS And Ubuntu Studio 24.04 LTSare equipped with the desktop environment KDE Plasma 5.27.11, applications and utilities in KDE Gear 23.08.5 and KDE Frameworks 5.114.

Education focused Edubuntu 24.04 LTS comes with GNOME 46 (and all associated improvements), offers a minimal installation option and two new metapackages available in the Edubuntu installerand adds Grade book reset to the default software set.

Lubuntu 24.04 LTS features the LXQt 1.4.0 desktop environment and a number of new utilities including a (pretty nice) new Snap Monitor tool, an SDDM configuration editor (login screen), Lubuntu update Checker and Redshift-Qt for melatonin-friendly blue light reduction.

Ubuntu Unity 24.04 LTS promotes the Unity 7.7 desktop environment and, as Kubuntu has this cycle, uses it now Calamares as its installer. As the latest Ubuntu variant, this version marks the first long-term support edition of Ubuntu Unity.

Ubuntu Cinnamon 24.04 LTS brings the latest Cinnamon 6.0.4 desktop environment, which offers fans of a more traditional *buntu base some of the coolest features of Linux Mint 21.3. This is the first long-term support release of Ubuntu Cinnamon.

Ubuntu Budgie 24.04 LTS comes with the latest Budgie 10.9.1 desktop version, Welcome App updates and a variety of new and improved applets. Ubuntu Kylin 24.04 ships with a small set of tweaks to its custom Windows 7-style UKUI desktop.

Elsewhere, Ubuntu MATE 24.04 LTS makes some jarring software swaps and drops them Welcome Tools and replacement Software boutique with Ubuntu's Flutter-based app centerbut switches to the Flutter-based one Firmware updater Tool for GNOME firmware.

Finally, Xubuntu 24.04 LTS – which I can’t lie: I have a real weakness for it 😅.

The latest Xubuntu version offers (as expected) the Xfce 4.18 desktop. There is also an exchange GNOME software for the snap based App Center and adds Gdebi (to enable outra repo DEB installs) and the snap based Firmware updater to his default seed.

While Xubuntu 24.04 LTS uses Ubuntu's Flutter-based installer, it does not perform a minimal install by default (although a minimal option is present). Hence a number of software, including the new ones Thunderbird snap and LibreOffice 24.2 series is now ready for use.

Download links? Sure, brother:

Unlike regular Ubuntu (which I both use and follow obsessively), I'm less familiar with the variants, which makes it a little harder to “spot” (and therefore cover) the changes between releases.

If you're a fan of a flavor, don't be shy: share your love for the latest release (and mention any specific improvements you like) in the comments below!