Choose your operating system: Windows or Linux.
Choose your operating system: Windows or Linux.
You're considering Linux for your gaming PC—great choice for reliability. Ubuntu is a popular option that works well with gaming setups. Let me know if you need help picking the right distribution!
Proton for Steam has simplified gaming on Linux compared to the past. Challenges often arise with titles such as Fortnite. Online multiplayer games using straightforward anti-cheat can mark Linux as unsuitable software. For single-player experiences, Linux works well. If certain games concern you, test them in Wine, Proton, or Lutris. The Linux forums are excellent for troubleshooting specific issues. https://ubuntu.com/community https://www.protondb.com/ https://lutris.net/ Linux is free to set up, so there’s no cost in trying it out.
The recommended resources are @Worstcaster’s links and ProtonDB and Lutris. Keep in mind you’ll likely need more powerful hardware than usual for Windows, due to compatibility requirements. Things have improved, but you’ll still face some challenges. The extra effort might make the experience more rewarding.
For an AMD graphics card, consider a rolling release distribution like Manjaro or Arch. These setups can help you get the best performance. If you're using an NVIDIA platform, the difference in your setup is usually minimal. Generally, NVIDIA tends to impact performance more than AMD due to the open-source driver community and ongoing development efforts. You might notice reduced gaming performance on Linux, though some exceptions exist. I've experienced variations with Windows titles running better under Wine+DXVK on Linux, while others struggle significantly. Additionally, certain games that depend heavily on anti-cheat software may not function properly on protected servers.
It’s even more convenient to test Linux without setting it up on a machine or removing the current operating system. You can run it from an optical disc or a USB drive. If you install it on a USB stick with persistence, you can store changes made during booting. It may run a bit slower, but it’s a solid method to explore the platform.
I believe there are numerous solid reasons to move to Linux beyond just personal taste. Even if I deeply enjoy it, I wouldn’t suggest Linux as the top choice for gamers. Although performance can be improved with modern tools and one-click installations, there remain several challenges. If you decide to go Linux, keep these points in mind: most games will run slower—sometimes by 5-10% or more. Only in exceptional situations does performance improve. Some titles may not launch properly out of the box, even with convenient methods like Lutris or Steam Play/Proton; you might need to troubleshoot manually. Usually, searching for fixes is necessary. I’ve experienced this often on my notebook, where hybrid GPU support isn’t as strong (though it’s improved recently), and sometimes on my PC with a standard setup (i7-8086k + GTX 1060). When new releases come out, it can take days, weeks, or even months for them to function correctly. You may encounter minor bugs—such as certain textures not displaying, video issues, or audio problems—and more frequent crashes. For instance, when *Shadow of the Tomb Raider* launched, I was thrilled to play it instantly on Linux, but the climbing walls kept appearing black. I reported it to dxvk (possibly a tiling issue with Vulkan), and it was resolved eventually, though it took time. Even if a fix appears quickly in the source, if you prefer not to compile and install yourself, you’ll have to wait for future updates. In some cases, certain games might never run at all.
I was just talking about personal preferences. There seem to be several solid reasons behind Linux, not just opinions. The rest isn’t intended as a response to that line.
I have a comparable configuration similar to @lal12 using an 8086k with p106-100 6gb on Ubuntu. The Nvidia drivers 418 and 384 work well, while driver 430 Steam fails to launch. In my experience, playing games on Linux can be manageable if you know the appropriate tricks. If you refer to these as hacks, they include using older games like MK9 that function with driver 84 but not with 418. A lot of research is involved. The right Wine libraries can help run certain games by opening the .exe files. This isn't a hack per se, but Winecfg is very useful. There are downsides too: launchers sometimes break games, especially those needing a "first-time setup" like Injustice 2, and then fail to create a default configuration. If they do, clearing the launchers first, then shutting Steam and launching via the .exe usually resolves the issue. Anti-cheat systems may flag your activity as cheating, and some titles run faster or slower depending on the game. Make sure you meet the minimum requirements for what you want to play. Lastly, certain games simply won't work at all. -Borderlands 3 is completely unusable for me. Android emulators also pose challenges.