An Outstanding Discovery: iDeal OS – The Ultimate Linux Distribution for Privacy and Performance!
As a long-time Linux user, I was on the hunt for a distribution that prioritizes privacy out-of-the-box without sacrificing usability. iDeal OS absolutely blew me away! Based on MX Linux and Debian, this distro delivers everything you could want and more. I installed it on my old iMac, and it breathed new life into the machine – smooth, stable, and resource-efficient, like it was brand new!
First off, privacy: iDeal OS is the best choice for privacy right out of the box. With the built-in iDeal DNS Switcher, you can switch between secure DNS providers with one click, including a leak test – no tracking, no ads, no logs. Browsing, shopping, and banking finally feel truly secure without any tinkering required. Simply brilliant!
The desktop is KDE Plasma 6, and Wayland runs flawlessly – buttery smooth and modern. Gaming? No issues at all! I installed Steam, and thanks to Proton, even demanding titles run seamlessly. No crashes, great performance, even on older hardware. Finally, a distro that takes gaming seriously without hours of optimization.
Another huge plus: No bloated systemd! Instead, iDeal OS uses the proven sysVinit, keeping the system lightweight and straightforward. No unnecessary complexities – just efficient and reliable.
Installation was a breeze, and the pre-installed tools (like LibreOffice, GIMP, and MX Tools) make it ready to go right away. There are two editions (Emerald and Diamond), and with a small donation, you unlock pro features – fair and worth supporting.
Overall: 10/10! iDeal OS is a revolution for anyone seeking security, performance, and simplicity. Give it a try – especially on older Macs. Thanks to the developers for this gem!
Version: 2026.01.31 Rating: 9 Date: 2026-03-09 Country: United States Votes: 1
The iDealOS distro is a very nice improvement on the MX Linux version of Debian. I ran MX-23 & updated to MX-25 & there were problems upon loading the image onto my HP Z620 which has a 6 core Xeon processor and 64G of DDR3 RAM. I really like the MX Tools & the way MX-23 was so I was hopeful I could continue to leverage the iDeal OS to remain on the same track. The installation went smooth & the operation of iDeal OS is really responsive, maybe a bit more so than MX-23. Since my Z620 is from 2012 with a K2200 graphics card & only a PCIe 2.0 bus I was concerned the resources would prove to be a bit of a challenge. This has not really been an issue at all. iDeal OS boots up reasonably well & feels stable as can be. The installation of MX based upon Debian 13 went really bad but iDeal OS based upon the same Debian 13 is much cleaner & the issues with the Nvidia driver vanished. I am still running the Emerald edition but plan to unlock the Diamond edition & go for it. i know the Nvidia driver kernel support/inclusion for older cards is going away towards the end of 2026 but I will just have to deal with that challenge when it comes or find another way to keep the z620 alive. I haven't really given the OS much exercise yet but I am optimistic that it will be more than adequate for the workflow I intend to do with it. My experience with the distribution has been very positive & it feels fairly snappy, given the age of the workstation. It will never be a gaming rig as it's purpose is a general workstation for support of other systems I have.
Since I am familiar with Debian & the reliability & stability over the years I really don't expect too many issues. I move from one distro to another on various machines looking for the sweet spot. For a number of years Mint was on the z620 & fine but I moved to MX-Linux after a period of Debian & now to iDeal OS. This is really the best in my opinion. I love that they incorporated the MX-Tools & the DNS switcher & additional security emphasis. It is clear to me the development of iDeal OS was don with care & thought. If you are looking for a solid clean linux image that is easy to use & like the KDE desktop environment it is well worth the time to check out iDeal OS. I have been distro hopping since the early 90s & found many interesting distributions but most have been short time loads. MX lasted a couple of years & only had to go due to the installation issues with the graphics. It is clear to me the team at iDeal OS has improved the video card detection in some way as it had no issue installing everything. Once I have more time with iDeal OS with the Diamond edition I will probably update my review. My initial reaction is just very happy it has worked so well to recover my workstation plus my user experience so far has been extremely positive. I sent a message to the iDeal OS support email inbox & had a response within 2 hours. That my friends is also a huge plus to know the team is responsive and appreciates the user base.
MX Linux with both KDE and Xfce desktops have been my go-to distributions for many years, so whenever a spin pops up i like to see what's cooking. The very first thing that strikes home is how iDeal manages to get wrong what has otherwise been one of the easiest and fasted installation sequences of all distributions I've come across. Despite setting localisation for the keyboard and location from the first installation screen, unlike MX Linux which correctly uses the settings throughout the process and sets the completed installation accordingly, iDeal seems to disregard them completely. I believe I what saw was in German, but I could be wrong, in any event it was certainly not what was expected. There's more instances throughout the completed install where chosen localisation seems have been ignored too, all easily fixed I know but it's not encouraging to see basic fundamentals gotten wrong like this. Overall, I found iDeal to be somewhat less than ideal, but interesting enough to keep an eye open for future releases. The addition of things like the DNS tweaker might swing it for some, but so far I'm unconvinced.
English (Canada) :
No, it's no, I don't recommend it at all. What's this junk,... Frankly, those who think and say that it's better than the original MX Linux, well they say anything.
I know it well the official and original Linux MX, I have been using it since 2021.
And this iDeal version is no better than the original, it's even worse than the original, go put the KDE plasma desktop on it is a very bad idea. This iDeal version consumes 4 GB of RAM.
While the original as 1.2 GB with the XFCE interface.
By installing the KDE Plasma interface, they have degraded performance, it's heavy, it's slow.
for those who are looking for something light and efficient, do not imstall this version all the.
French (Canada) :
Non, c"est non, je ne le recomande pas du tous. C'est quoi cette cochonnerie la....Franchement, ceux qui pense et dise que c'est mieux que le MX Linux original, et bien ils disent n'importe quoi.
Moi je le connais bien le MX Linux officiel et original, je l'utilse depuis 2021.
Et cette version iDeal, c'est pas mieux que l'original, c'est encore pire que l'original, allez mettre le bureau KDE plasma la dessus c'est une très mauvaise idée. Cette version iDeal consomme 4 Go de mémoire RAM.
Alors que l'original comme 1,2 Go avec l'interface XFCE.
En installant l'interface KDE Plasma, ils ont dégradé les performances, c'est lourd, c'est lent.
pour ceux qui cherche de quoi de léger et performant, n'imstaller sourtout pas cette version la.
I often try out new Linux distributions, and I had already tested iDeal OS last November.
My first impression was good at the time, but essentially it was MX Linux with minimal changes, as stated on their website anyway.
This latest version proves that the project is maturing: it is stable, requires fewer resources, has a better selection of applications and an interesting new utility: the iDeal DNS Switcher is particularly useful for quickly changing your DNS resolver.
The Emerald Edition is now installed on my laptop. I think it deserves a chance in real-life situations, and it has performed well so far.
Very happy with this spin from MX Linux. Works straight out of the box, I prefer the KDE desktop which comes as standard here but is a choice on MX. There is a large selection of apps, many of which I wont use but they are part of the MX flavour and someone will want them.
Betterbird is the mail app which is interesting and is reputed to be better than Thunderbird.
It seems fairly light on resources and doesn't eat memory. I have it running on an old Dell Inspiron laptop and it has detected all the hardware and is running flawlessly.
The only problem I had was I first attempted to install it with Ventoy - failed every time. Once I used Rufus to write the ISO then everything went perfectly.
The developers were super quick to reply to my query which is a big plus point.
I tried the new OS iDeal OS, which focuses on privacy, with features like Quad9-DNS and ad-blocking. The install process is like MX's, so it's fast and snappy, especially in Emerald. It's similar to MX, with some changes like a creative software bundle. All of the software is available in the Debian/MX repos, so it's not much different from MX. The privacy claims are vague. The OS has some good privacy features, like no telemetry, but there's no privacy policy or legal imprint on the website, which is odd, especially for a privacy distro. Another concern is the project's overall feel. There's no public forum or documentation, and it feels like a freemium distro, especially with the Diamond edition. In summary, iDeal OS is a remix of MX with some preinstalled extras and privacy add-ons. But it's not offering enough over MX to justify switching, and the lack of transparency is a bit odd. Also, one side note: There is a very famous payment service provider called iDEAL (Netherlands, but offering services globally). This could cause potential brand confusion or trademark claims by Dutch/EPI/IDEAL stakeholders.
Esasy fast security very interesting OS facile à installer sur mon vieux HP
I downloaded and installed the Emerald Edition on an old laptop that hasn't been used for years.
It runs relatively smoothly, and the selection of apps, as well as the colour and desktop tweaks, is at the developer's discretion.
My favourite apps are Betterbird, a refined version of Mozilla Thunderbird, and FreeFileSync, which is excellent for backing up files. It's an unusual choice from the developer of iDeal OS.
The Firefox ad blocker is effective, but it does slow things down a bit. You may need to disable the ad blocker on specific pages, for example, I had to do this on my bank's website to make it load properly.
The office suite is the well-known LibreOffice, and another pleasant surprise is the PDFsam application, which adds extra functionality for handling and editing PDFs.
The strong MX Linux base makes iDeal OS a safe choice. Overall, I think it is a nice, well-balanced, complete package that works just fine out of the box for most users
As a long-time MX Linux user, I was curious to explore what iDeal OS has to offer.
I downloaded and installed the Emerald Edition on an old laptop that hasn't been used for years.
It runs relatively smoothly, and the selection of apps, as well as the colour and desktop tweaks, is at the developer's discretion.
My favourite apps are Betterbird, a refined version of Mozilla Thunderbird, and FreeFileSync, which is excellent for backing up files. It's an unusual choice from the developer of iDeal OS.
The Firefox ad blocker is effective, but it does slow things down a bit. You may need to disable the ad blocker on specific pages, for example, I had to do this on my bank's website to make it load properly.
The office suite is the well-known LibreOffice, and another pleasant surprise is the PDFsam application, which adds extra functionality for handling and editing PDFs.
The strong MX Linux base makes iDeal OS a safe choice. Overall, I think it is a nice, well-balanced, complete package that works just fine out of the box for most users.
I have been distro-hopping quite a lot over the last year, and my previous-last choice was MX Linux XFCE edition, which I like very much, although I had to personalise some applications.
By chance, I came across iDeal OS, which is a respin of MX Linux, and somehow I felt immediately "at home" with it, despite the desktop switch to KDE.
The custom selection of applications is exactly what I need (Emerald edition): everything works fine on both my desktop and my laptop.
So I would like to say thanks to the "respinner"!
Mx Linux with minimal changes, makes an impossible to achieve claim of full privacy and safety plus fully ad free experience. Pushes a paid version. Website is illegal in EU as missing the all important contact information.
The OS works, it is after all the hype is disregarded MX Linux.
Beneath the surface the changes from MX are minimal, there is no forum or Wiki, proper documentation is absent.
My verdict, I will stay with MX. Except for the anonymous dev trying to make quick money I see no point in this OS clone.
The iDealOS distro is a very nice improvement on the MX Linux version of Debian. I ran MX-23 & updated to MX-25 & there were problems upon loading the image onto my HP Z620 which has a 6 core Xeon processor and 64G of DDR3 RAM. I really like the MX Tools & the way MX-23 was so I was hopeful I could continue to leverage the iDeal OS to remain on the same track. The installation went smooth & the operation of iDeal OS is really responsive, maybe a bit more so than MX-23. Since my Z620 is from 2012 with a K2200 graphics card & only a PCIe 2.0 bus I was concerned the resources would prove to be a bit of a challenge. This has not really been an issue at all. iDeal OS boots up reasonably well & feels stable as can be. The installation of MX based upon Debian 13 went really bad but iDeal OS based upon the same Debian 13 is much cleaner & the issues with the Nvidia driver vanished. I am still running the Emerald edition but plan to unlock the Diamond edition & go for it. i know the Nvidia driver kernel support/inclusion for older cards is going away towards the end of 2026 but I will just have to deal with that challenge when it comes or find another way to keep the z620 alive. I haven't really given the OS much exercise yet but I am optimistic that it will be more than adequate for the workflow I intend to do with it. My experience with the distribution has been very positive & it feels fairly snappy, given the age of the workstation. It will never be a gaming rig as it's purpose is a general workstation for support of other systems I have.
Since I am familiar with Debian & the reliability & stability over the years I really don't expect too many issues. I move from one distro to another on various machines looking for the sweet spot. For a number of years Mint was on the z620 & fine but I moved to MX-Linux after a period of Debian & now to iDeal OS. This is really the best in my opinion. I love that they incorporated the MX-Tools & the DNS switcher & additional security emphasis. It is clear to me the development of iDeal OS was don with care & thought. If you are looking for a solid clean linux image that is easy to use & like the KDE desktop environment it is well worth the time to check out iDeal OS. I have been distro hopping since the early 90s & found many interesting distributions but most have been short time loads. MX lasted a couple of years & only had to go due to the installation issues with the graphics. It is clear to me the team at iDeal OS has improved the video card detection in some way as it had no issue installing everything. Once I have more time with iDeal OS with the Diamond edition I will probably update my review. My initial reaction is just very happy it has worked so well to recover my workstation plus my user experience so far has been extremely positive. I sent a message to the iDeal OS support email inbox & had a response within 2 hours. That my friends is also a huge plus to know the team is responsive and appreciates the user base.
An Outstanding Discovery: iDeal OS – The Ultimate Linux Distribution for Privacy and Performance!
As a long-time Linux user, I was on the hunt for a distribution that prioritizes privacy out-of-the-box without sacrificing usability. iDeal OS absolutely blew me away! Based on MX Linux and Debian, this distro delivers everything you could want and more. I installed it on my old iMac, and it breathed new life into the machine – smooth, stable, and resource-efficient, like it was brand new!
First off, privacy: iDeal OS is the best choice for privacy right out of the box. With the built-in iDeal DNS Switcher, you can switch between secure DNS providers with one click, including a leak test – no tracking, no ads, no logs. Browsing, shopping, and banking finally feel truly secure without any tinkering required. Simply brilliant!
The desktop is KDE Plasma 6, and Wayland runs flawlessly – buttery smooth and modern. Gaming? No issues at all! I installed Steam, and thanks to Proton, even demanding titles run seamlessly. No crashes, great performance, even on older hardware. Finally, a distro that takes gaming seriously without hours of optimization.
Another huge plus: No bloated systemd! Instead, iDeal OS uses the proven sysVinit, keeping the system lightweight and straightforward. No unnecessary complexities – just efficient and reliable.
Installation was a breeze, and the pre-installed tools (like LibreOffice, GIMP, and MX Tools) make it ready to go right away. There are two editions (Emerald and Diamond), and with a small donation, you unlock pro features – fair and worth supporting.
Overall: 10/10! iDeal OS is a revolution for anyone seeking security, performance, and simplicity. Give it a try – especially on older Macs. Thanks to the developers for this gem!
MX Linux with both KDE and Xfce desktops have been my go-to distributions for many years, so whenever a spin pops up i like to see what's cooking. The very first thing that strikes home is how iDeal manages to get wrong what has otherwise been one of the easiest and fasted installation sequences of all distributions I've come across. Despite setting localisation for the keyboard and location from the first installation screen, unlike MX Linux which correctly uses the settings throughout the process and sets the completed installation accordingly, iDeal seems to disregard them completely. I believe I what saw was in German, but I could be wrong, in any event it was certainly not what was expected. There's more instances throughout the completed install where chosen localisation seems have been ignored too, all easily fixed I know but it's not encouraging to see basic fundamentals gotten wrong like this. Overall, I found iDeal to be somewhat less than ideal, but interesting enough to keep an eye open for future releases. The addition of things like the DNS tweaker might swing it for some, but so far I'm unconvinced.
English (Canada) :
No, it's no, I don't recommend it at all. What's this junk,... Frankly, those who think and say that it's better than the original MX Linux, well they say anything.
I know it well the official and original Linux MX, I have been using it since 2021.
And this iDeal version is no better than the original, it's even worse than the original, go put the KDE plasma desktop on it is a very bad idea. This iDeal version consumes 4 GB of RAM.
While the original as 1.2 GB with the XFCE interface.
By installing the KDE Plasma interface, they have degraded performance, it's heavy, it's slow.
for those who are looking for something light and efficient, do not imstall this version all the.
French (Canada) :
Non, c"est non, je ne le recomande pas du tous. C'est quoi cette cochonnerie la....Franchement, ceux qui pense et dise que c'est mieux que le MX Linux original, et bien ils disent n'importe quoi.
Moi je le connais bien le MX Linux officiel et original, je l'utilse depuis 2021.
Et cette version iDeal, c'est pas mieux que l'original, c'est encore pire que l'original, allez mettre le bureau KDE plasma la dessus c'est une très mauvaise idée. Cette version iDeal consomme 4 Go de mémoire RAM.
Alors que l'original comme 1,2 Go avec l'interface XFCE.
En installant l'interface KDE Plasma, ils ont dégradé les performances, c'est lourd, c'est lent.
pour ceux qui cherche de quoi de léger et performant, n'imstaller sourtout pas cette version la.
I often try out new Linux distributions, and I had already tested iDeal OS last November.
My first impression was good at the time, but essentially it was MX Linux with minimal changes, as stated on their website anyway.
This latest version proves that the project is maturing: it is stable, requires fewer resources, has a better selection of applications and an interesting new utility: the iDeal DNS Switcher is particularly useful for quickly changing your DNS resolver.
The Emerald Edition is now installed on my laptop. I think it deserves a chance in real-life situations, and it has performed well so far.
Very happy with this spin from MX Linux. Works straight out of the box, I prefer the KDE desktop which comes as standard here but is a choice on MX. There is a large selection of apps, many of which I wont use but they are part of the MX flavour and someone will want them.
Betterbird is the mail app which is interesting and is reputed to be better than Thunderbird.
It seems fairly light on resources and doesn't eat memory. I have it running on an old Dell Inspiron laptop and it has detected all the hardware and is running flawlessly.
The only problem I had was I first attempted to install it with Ventoy - failed every time. Once I used Rufus to write the ISO then everything went perfectly.
The developers were super quick to reply to my query which is a big plus point.
I tried the new OS iDeal OS, which focuses on privacy, with features like Quad9-DNS and ad-blocking. The install process is like MX's, so it's fast and snappy, especially in Emerald. It's similar to MX, with some changes like a creative software bundle. All of the software is available in the Debian/MX repos, so it's not much different from MX. The privacy claims are vague. The OS has some good privacy features, like no telemetry, but there's no privacy policy or legal imprint on the website, which is odd, especially for a privacy distro. Another concern is the project's overall feel. There's no public forum or documentation, and it feels like a freemium distro, especially with the Diamond edition. In summary, iDeal OS is a remix of MX with some preinstalled extras and privacy add-ons. But it's not offering enough over MX to justify switching, and the lack of transparency is a bit odd. Also, one side note: There is a very famous payment service provider called iDEAL (Netherlands, but offering services globally). This could cause potential brand confusion or trademark claims by Dutch/EPI/IDEAL stakeholders.
Esasy fast security very interesting OS facile à installer sur mon vieux HP
I downloaded and installed the Emerald Edition on an old laptop that hasn't been used for years.
It runs relatively smoothly, and the selection of apps, as well as the colour and desktop tweaks, is at the developer's discretion.
My favourite apps are Betterbird, a refined version of Mozilla Thunderbird, and FreeFileSync, which is excellent for backing up files. It's an unusual choice from the developer of iDeal OS.
The Firefox ad blocker is effective, but it does slow things down a bit. You may need to disable the ad blocker on specific pages, for example, I had to do this on my bank's website to make it load properly.
The office suite is the well-known LibreOffice, and another pleasant surprise is the PDFsam application, which adds extra functionality for handling and editing PDFs.
The strong MX Linux base makes iDeal OS a safe choice. Overall, I think it is a nice, well-balanced, complete package that works just fine out of the box for most users
As a long-time MX Linux user, I was curious to explore what iDeal OS has to offer.
I downloaded and installed the Emerald Edition on an old laptop that hasn't been used for years.
It runs relatively smoothly, and the selection of apps, as well as the colour and desktop tweaks, is at the developer's discretion.
My favourite apps are Betterbird, a refined version of Mozilla Thunderbird, and FreeFileSync, which is excellent for backing up files. It's an unusual choice from the developer of iDeal OS.
The Firefox ad blocker is effective, but it does slow things down a bit. You may need to disable the ad blocker on specific pages, for example, I had to do this on my bank's website to make it load properly.
The office suite is the well-known LibreOffice, and another pleasant surprise is the PDFsam application, which adds extra functionality for handling and editing PDFs.
The strong MX Linux base makes iDeal OS a safe choice. Overall, I think it is a nice, well-balanced, complete package that works just fine out of the box for most users.
I have been distro-hopping quite a lot over the last year, and my previous-last choice was MX Linux XFCE edition, which I like very much, although I had to personalise some applications.
By chance, I came across iDeal OS, which is a respin of MX Linux, and somehow I felt immediately "at home" with it, despite the desktop switch to KDE.
The custom selection of applications is exactly what I need (Emerald edition): everything works fine on both my desktop and my laptop.
So I would like to say thanks to the "respinner"!
Mx Linux with minimal changes, makes an impossible to achieve claim of full privacy and safety plus fully ad free experience. Pushes a paid version. Website is illegal in EU as missing the all important contact information.
The OS works, it is after all the hype is disregarded MX Linux.
Beneath the surface the changes from MX are minimal, there is no forum or Wiki, proper documentation is absent.
My verdict, I will stay with MX. Except for the anonymous dev trying to make quick money I see no point in this OS clone.
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