The 4 Most Exciting New Features in Ubuntu 22.04.3 LTS

The Ubuntu team recently released Ubuntu 22.04.3 LTS, the latest point release in the long-term support Jammy Jellyfish series. This incremental update brings bug fixes, security enhancements, hardware enablement stacks and other improvements over the previous Ubuntu 22.04 LTS.

For existing Ubuntu 22.04 users, upgrading to 22.04.3 is strongly recommended for a better experience. For new users, 22.04.3 makes for the ideal entry point into the world of Ubuntu Linux.

In this article, we highlight some of the most notable new features and changes introduced in Ubuntu 22.04.3 LTS.

1. Linux Kernel 5.15 for Improved Hardware Support

One of the biggest changes in Ubuntu 22.04.3 is the upgrade to a newer Linux 5.15 kernel from the previous 5.4 LTS base.

The new 5.15 kernel brings improved support for newer hardware, especially the latest generation of CPUs and GPUs released over the last year. Some key hardware enablement highlights include:

• Support for Intel Alder Lake and AMD Zen 3 processors for optimal performance.

• Compatibility for Nvidia RTX 3000 series and AMD RDNA 2 Radeon RX 6000 series GPUs.

• Better support for WiFi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2 devices.

• Enhanced laptop battery life through new power management options.

• Expanded range of supported printers, webcams, touchpads, and other peripherals.

Overall, the bump to 5.15 ensures maximum hardware compatibility and utilization for modern PCs and laptops running Ubuntu 22.04.3.

2. Mesa 22.2 Graphics Stack for Gaming Improvements

Along with the new kernel, Ubuntu 22.04.3 also ships with the Mesa 22.2 graphics stack. Mesa is an open source graphics driver library used by Linux systems for hardware acceleration.

The new Mesa 22.2 release improves the gaming and 3D graphics capabilities of Ubuntu significantly through:

• Increased frame rates and reduced stuttering in games.

• Better Vulkan API support for smoother game engine performance.

• Fixed GPU hangs and crashes affecting certain games.

• Enhanced DirectX 10 and 11 support for running games via Wine/Proton.

• Faster performance for AMD Radeon RX 6000 series GPUs.

These graphics enhancements make Ubuntu 22.04.3 ideal for Linux gaming and creative workloads like 3D modeling and GPU compute.

3. Updated Applications Like Firefox, LibreOffice

In addition to low-level system upgrades, Ubuntu 22.04.3 also ships with updated versions of commonly used applications and tools:

• Firefox 106 - The latest Firefox release with performance improvements and security updates.

• LibreOffice 7.5 - Bug fix release of the popular open source office suite.

• Thunderbird 102 - Email client update with new features for managing accounts.

• VLC 3.0.17 - The VLC media player update with improved DVD handling.

Keeping core applications up-to-date is essential for any Linux distribution. Ubuntu 22.04.3 makes sure users have the latest application versions with all critical bug fixes and features.

4. GNOME 42 Desktop Environment

Last but not least, Ubuntu 22.04.3 upgrades the default GNOME desktop environment to version 42. GNOME 42 introduces a number of user experience refinements:

• Improved fingerprint reader support for login.

• Smoother scrolling, aminations and transitions.

• Faster application start-up times.

• Better Wayland support for the next-gen Linux display server.

• Enhanced power management for handling laptop battery.

• Integration of Quick Settings panel from GNOME 43.

• Numerous theming fixes and UI improvements.

The GNOME 42 update makes the Ubuntu desktop feel more responsive and polished while fixing many annoying bugs.

How to Upgrade to Ubuntu 22.04.3

If you are already running Ubuntu 22.04 LTS, upgrading to 22.04.3 is quick and easy:

1. Open the Software Updater utility and install all available updates.

2. Once your system is fully updated, the 22.04.3 upgrade will appear in Software Updater.

3. Click on Upgrade and follow the on-screen instructions.

4. The upgrade process will take some time to download packages and complete.

5. Finally, restart your system once prompted to boot into the 22.04.3 release.

For fresh installations, you can directly download the new Ubuntu 22.04.3 ISO image.

Closing Thoughts

Ubuntu 22.04.3 LTS brings meaningful improvements that further refine and polish the solid LTS base. The updates like newer kernels and Mesa provide better hardware support while GNOME 42 offers a more responsive desktop experience.

With continued incremental enhancements like these, the Jammy Jellyfish series will remain stable and dependable for years to come. Upgrading old 22.04 systems is strongly recommended.

For any issues, Ubuntu's community forums and documentation make troubleshooting easy. Have you upgraded to Ubuntu 22.04.3 yet? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!