GNOME 3 Vs KDE Plasma | Which is the Best Linux Desktop Environment?

GNOME desktop and KDE Plasma are definitely the top 2 desktop environments used in Linux. In this video, we will be seeing how they both compare against each other in terms of visual aesthetics, looks and style, performance, customizability, stability and workflow.

GNOME has a top panel based design. The top panel has all the essential elements like basic controls, notifications, and the calendar.
The application menu is a fullscreen one with large icons and a search.
Pressing the windows button invokes an overview with all the running windows. This does make switching easier, but I feel that this setup is somewhat distracting.

GNOME is a modern desktop environment that is keeping up with technology. The animations and effects are generously incorporated which make the desktop look LIKE a graceful dance. A large number of Linux apps are built for GNOME desktop so the themes and the integration work really well, making all the applications look so uniform. This is a huge plus point for gnome desktop.

KDE PLasma desktop, on the other hand, is built using the Qt framework. The desktop layout is rather traditional with a bottom panel.
KDE has a very polished look with slick animations and a clean desktop. The animations are very different from what we see in other desktops.
The themes are really good with a very high level of detailing work done on them.

All in all, KDE Plasma is a gorgeous desktop environment as far as looks are concerned and it has this touch of superiority to it.

[RedVelocityTV]

Desktop structure cannot be altered in KDE? Hahahahahaha don't think you've used plasma enough lad

[JezdziecBezNicka]

"Gnome desktop and KDE are very similar in terms of performance". I got a challenge for you - open 10 applications in Gnome and enter the activities overview. Enjoy the glorious 15 fps.

[Psychx_]

You have no idea about how customizable KDE is. Therefore this comparison is a bit biased towards GNOME.

[DanielRios]

KDE is awesome, it is better than everything today and it was better in the past too, including Windows and MacOS, KDE always had more features than the others...

[praetorxyn]

You can't change the KDE desktop much at all.

Wut?

You can add a panel at the top with an application launcher, workspace switcher, separator, and system tray in seconds, then delete the bottom one and you have a top bar like Gnome.

You have three alternatives for the application launcher. The default, a more classic Windows 98 style, or a full screen one that looks almost exactly like the Gnome one.

You can install and configure Latte dock to have a dock if you want one, same as whatever the Gnome dock extension is.

You can also assign a theme for Plasma, QT and GTK apps separately, so if you pick a theme that supports all of them you have a uniform look. Doing this on Gnome is hacky in my experience.

KDE is the most customizable DE by miles. You can like Gnome fine, but even with extensions and Tweak Tool it has limitations.

[clive]

The best Linux DE/WM is the one you like.

[joschafinger]

04:06 : In fact, the customizibility of Plasma is absolutely stunning, and one of the reasons some users find it harder to manage: there are just so many options for absolutely everything. Right now I've got KDE configured in such a way that it looks and feels like GNOME with a lot of extra polish. It's easy to get lost in all the options, however: it's a bit like having ALL the extensions in GNOME installed and having to decide which ones you want to run. I myself rather enjoy that kind of thing, but I do acknowledge that it can be confusing.

[veyselerden]

Why are you exhibiting a themed GNOME? You should show vanilla of all.

[deekshithanand]

I have had used both of them. Everybody has preferences. But the overall point of customizability is, you should be doing what you want to do rather than spending time with customizations!!! When it comes to gnome, their customizations based on extensions can break whenever there is a major upgrade.And you spend more time again customizing and hunting down the culprti extension. But this isnt the case with kde plasma. Its just stable as you get updates. You customize it conce, and bingo just do whatever you wanted. Sure you need to spend more time to get to know how to customize. but these days you can find a tutorial youtube easily on youtube! For some one who wants a macOS kind of customization, then KDE is you DE(of course you can do with gnome, but common KDE is more closer to it! Try me)!

[ArunG]

I like KDE. Easy to use, no lags & stutters, great performance and animations. With kvantum themes and blur effects it looks more modern and futuristic than GNOME based DEs. Never going back to gnome.

[pawelnachname]

Please you need to edit out the bit about Plasma being less customizable than Gnome. This is so far from the generally accepted truth that it makes this video seem badly researched.

[nfrid]

Both of them are fantastic!
I like KDE but Gnome is perfect too.
It's so hard to choose, isn't it?

[vladutcornel]

I have to stop and downvote at customizability.
You can make Plasma look like anything you want, including Gnome, Unity, Mac, it already looks like Windows by default, or you can have something completely different that fits *you*.
By comparison, in this regard, Gnome is extremely limited.

[elvis.vinicius]

The most true KDE versus Gnome comparison video I've ever seen here on YouTube.

Gnome is fantastic! KDE is fantastic!

My choice is KDE! KDE is undoubtedly... Wonderful.
But I confess, I miss Gnome. It would be amazing to have some of Gnome's features in KDE.

Simple as that.

Long live and prosper to freedom!

[GroudFrank]

Yup! KDE is fun and all(I mostly enjoyed KDE Neon and the ridiculous levels of customization) but I just keep going back to Gnome. As you said, the heart wants what it wants.

[mattx]

KDE is full of customization options, applets, desklets, widgets, themes, icons that are all accessible through system settings. It's more sophisticated than anything else. Most Linux users like customization options and KDE has everything, but if you have older hardware it can get quite heavy slowing down some demanding apps like webbrowser or games. If you want your average laptop to be responsive as possible and put its resources into important stuff avoid fancy desktop environments and go for minimalistic interfaces based on window manager like Openbox and light panel like Tint2. They don't use much of RAM, CPU power and stuff like graphics acceleration.

[dannylampron]

Used to be a hardcore fan of GNOME until it has some issues with my sound settings... I gave a chance to KDE and realized EVERYTHING is customisable. I customised the interface to be polish has gnome and my workflow is the same now for less ram usage. Even if I love GNOME, Im now in KDE family! More customisable, less ram usage, customisable workflow, tons of widgets. Damn I love KDE now.

[howuseehim]

I am hating Windows right now i start to understand that guy in the comment section when he said "first thing to do when you got a Windows laptop is to install Linux !" I get it now

[Rahul-geff]

The last was is me. I know xfce(have not used kde though)might work a little faster, but the activities menu, the animations of gnome are just so beautiful I cant help it :) People also love it when I screen share things.
EDIT - tried out KDE plasma, it also has the activities setting, and a lot more cool animations, so I am team KDE now

[Your_Degenerate]

KDE was my go to after budgie. However Gnome is growing on me now since I can do away with the top bar and use one of my extra mouse buttons to bring up the overview for switching software. It provides a very app focused experience. I'm sure I can do the same with KDE but it has always had that pasted together feeling. Both are great for exploring work flow paradigm. If I had a larger and higher resolution monitor though I would be experimenting with tiling window managers.