Fedora 43 is here, and in this review I’ll show you what’s new, what’s improved, and whether this release is worth upgrading to. We’ll explore the latest GNOME 49 desktop, installation process, and my honest impressions after hands-on testing.
Fedora 43 Review
Intro
As you’ll see in my review, Fedora 43 doesn’t reinvent the wheel this time around — instead, it focuses on polishing what’s already great and updating the software stack to deliver some of the best tools the Linux community has to offer.
Under the hood, this release ships with Linux kernel 6.17 and GNOME 49, which together bring most of the improvements you’ll notice day to day. Fedora 43 is also fully Wayland-only now, giving the desktop a noticeably smoother and more consistent experience.
As always, GNOME 49 feels right at home here. Fedora continues to be one of the best distributions for those who prefer the GNOME desktop. In this review, we’ll take a closer look at some of the highlights in this release and see what’s new.
First Look
And here it is! Fedora 43 brings the usual round of software updates along with a series of small refinements that make the platform feel even more polished. The headline change for desktop users is GNOME 49 — the latest version of the popular desktop environment. Like Fedora itself, GNOME 49 focuses on incremental improvements rather than major new features, offering subtle tweaks that enhance usability while keeping the overall experience familiar.
One notable change, though, is what’s missing. Fedora 43 drops X11 entirely, making Wayland the only supported display server. For those new to Linux, a display server is what handles how graphics are drawn on your screen. X11 has served that role for decades, but Wayland is its modern replacement — faster, more secure, and better suited for today’s hardware. Fedora adopted Wayland by default years ago, and it’s now stable enough that the old X11 fallback is no longer needed. Most users won’t notice the difference, but it’s a big milestone for the Linux desktop.
When it comes to changes in GNOME that you’ll actually notice, let’s start with the default apps. In GNOME 49, there’s a new video player and a new document viewer. The long-time Totem app has been replaced by Showtime, and Papers now takes over for Evince. Both serve the same purposes as their predecessors but are built with the modern GTK 4 toolkit, bringing them in line with the rest of the GNOME desktop.
Another improvement comes with GNOME Software, the app store used for installing and updating software. It looks and works mostly the same, but it’s faster now—especially when dealing with large Flatpak repositories like Flathub. This means browsing, searching, and updating apps in Fedora 43 feels noticeably smoother and more responsive.
The lock screen also gains some long-overdue functionality. You can now reboot or shut down your computer right from the lock screen, and media controls have been added too. That means you no longer have to unlock your system just to skip a song or stop playback. These are small but welcome quality-of-life additions that bring GNOME closer to what other desktops have offered for a while.
Finally, GNOME 49 includes a handful of smaller refinements. The Do Not Disturb toggle has been moved from the notification area to Quick Settings, where it makes more sense alongside Wi-Fi and Bluetooth controls. And if you use HDR displays, there’s now a brightness slider, addressing one of the most common complaints and making HDR far more practical to use.
While GNOME 49 won’t reinvent how you use your computer, and none of its changes are going to represent flagship features, the changes I’ve just mentioned along with a multitude of smaller tweaks are sure to make the experience better.
Installation
Next, let’s talk about the installation process. Fedora introduced a brand-new installer back in version 42—a welcome update, since the old one was starting to feel dated. There wasn’t anything wrong with the previous installer, but compared to Ubuntu’s more modern experience, it felt a bit behind. The catch in Fedora 42, though, was that the new installer was only available for the flagship GNOME edition, while other spins still used the old version. With Fedora 43, that’s finally changed: every official edition now uses the new installer, giving the entire Fedora lineup a more consistent and polished experience.
As for the installation process itself, it’s straightforward and familiar. You’ll start in live mode, where you can test Fedora and check hardware compatibility before installing. Once you’re ready, the installer walks you through a few simple questions, and within minutes Fedora will be set up and ready to use. On my system, the whole process took under ten minutes—though your results may vary depending on your hardware. Overall, it feels modern, quick, and easy to navigate, making it approachable even for newcomers.
Upgrading is just as seamless. Fedora 43 uses the same reliable upgrade process as before, and honestly, it’s one of the best in the Linux world. When a new version becomes available, you’ll see a prompt right inside GNOME Software. Just click, reboot, and you’re done. Having both normal updates and full version upgrades handled in the same place makes the whole experience feel unified and effortless.
Overall Thoughts
Simply put, Fedora 43 is a fantastic release — even if it’s not the most exciting one. It works beautifully and delivers a great Linux experience, but there’s not a lot that feels brand new. Fedora once again sticks to its proven formula: providing the latest open-source software without trying to reinvent itself. Rather than chasing flashy changes, Fedora focuses on refinement and reliability. GNOME 49 follows the same pattern — no major overhauls, but plenty of small improvements that make everyday use smoother. When you combine Fedora’s stability with GNOME’s incremental updates, you end up with a release that feels familiar but polished.
That consistency is actually one of Fedora’s biggest strengths. It remains the best-in-class GNOME distribution. For users who prefer GNOME, Fedora offers the desktop exactly as its developers intend — clean, fast, and tightly integrated. From installation to daily use, GNOME feels perfectly at home here, and Fedora’s thoughtful implementation sets a standard other distros often follow.
Of course, Fedora’s “vanilla” approach means you won’t get some of the quality-of-life tweaks found in other distributions. For example, Ubuntu 25.10 also ships with GNOME 49, but adds conveniences like a dock, desktop icons, and tray support — things GNOME doesn’t include by default. Fedora leaves those decisions up to you, sticking closely to upstream GNOME without extra customization.
That makes Fedora ideal for users who want to experience GNOME as it was designed — clean, minimal, and distraction-free. Whether you choose Fedora or something like Ubuntu ultimately depends on whether you prefer a pure environment or one enhanced with usability tweaks.
So, in my opinion, Fedora continues to set the bar for what a polished GNOME experience should be. Fedora 43 builds on that legacy — stable, well-integrated, and thoughtfully crafted. It may not change your life, but it absolutely delivers one of the best Linux desktops available today.
