For Linux gaming, Pop!_OS or Manjaro are solid choices.
For Linux gaming, Pop!_OS or Manjaro are solid choices.
I own a Ryzen 7 3700x and an RTX 2060. Some people say NVIDIA drivers aren't as reliable as AMD ones. I've noticed POP_OS has a dedicated NVIDIA download. I'm planning to test both but want more perspectives before deciding (
Nvidia exclusive drivers suffice for gaming. Addressing your query, Manjaro stands out for gaming since it offers continuous updates, unlike Pop OS which resembles Ubuntu and requires waiting longer for kernel or driver improvements. Although I personally prefer the appearance of Pop OS and am more comfortable with Ubuntu, a community member helped me find the right path. Therefore, opting for Manjaro is advisable, particularly with newer titles, as it receives updates more frequently. Read this insight from @gardotd426
Nvidia drivers function well on Linux, often outperforming AMD solutions in stability and performance. The notion that they lag behind AMD is misleading, driven by a strong community bias toward AMD. Personally, I own multiple Ryzen and AMD GPUs, yet my only Nvidia device is the RTX 3090. While I’m not against AMD, the Linux scene shows a clear preference for Nvidia. Newer releases like Navi 1 needed six months to stabilize, and some remain unstable even after a year. Nvidia consistently offers drivers from launch or shortly thereafter, whereas AMD lacks similar support. Although full ray tracing isn’t available yet on Linux, progress is underway, and AMD still doesn’t support it. If drivers were open source, performance would improve significantly.