"Faster more powerful Windows alternative" Zorin OS teases release of big update

Windows 10 is ending support soon next month and , right to repair activist groups are starting to raise their voices regarding concerns about the upcoming change. It can render an estimated 400 million PCs worldwide unprotected, as those devices cannot be upgraded to Windows 11 officially.

Zorin Group pitches its Zorin OS as the “alternative to Windows and macOS designed to make your computer faster, more powerful, secure, and privacy‑respecting,” and wants those who cannot upgrade to consider switching to Zorin OS. It is built on Ubuntu Linux’s Long‑Term Support (LTS) base and, as mentioned above, promises a better experience than what Windows currently offers.

The platform targets home users, schools, and businesses seeking a familiar interface without the hardware demands or telemetry of mainstream operating systems. The Zorin Group claims that its OS is optimized to run on PCs up to 15 years old, with minimum requirements of a 1 GHz dual‑core processor, 2 GB RAM, and 15 GB storage. This optimization is essentially what should lead to the snappier overall experience.

First released in 2009, Zorin OS is currently at version 17.3 (released this March), and offers Core, Education, Lite, and Pro editions. Core and Education are free; Pro is priced at $47.99 and adds six premium desktop layouts, among other goodies. Lite, based on the XFCE desktop, is tuned for very low‑spec hardware, and Core and Pro are based on the GNOME Shell.

Speaking of the desktop, the OS ships with the Zorin Appearance app, enabling quick switching between layouts resembling Windows 11, Windows Classic, macOS, ChromeOS, GNOME 2, or Ubuntu.

If you are wondering about app compatibility, Windows apps can be installed through integrated Wine and Bottles compatibility layers. Zorin says that most EXE and MSI Windows Installer based software should work, but there is also a dedicated Windows App Support layer, which essentially packages Wine and PlayOnLinux.

Zorin Group says upcoming releases will further optimize performance, expand hardware compatibility, and enhance cross‑device integration. On its official X handle, the company just teased its upcoming Zorin OS 18's release date.

Stick around on Neowin to read about what this latest major release will bring.

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Posted Friday 19 September 2025 at 12:15 pm AEST (my time).

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