Top choice for you depends on your needs. What are you looking for?
Top choice for you depends on your needs. What are you looking for?
I'm keen on Linux these days. I need to switch from Windows 10 but don't know which version to choose. My current setup is an ASUS N550JV CN240-H, and I've swapped my 1TB HDD for a Samsung 850 EVO 250GB SSD. I'm searching for something compatible, lightweight, with minimal bloatware, modern design, and efficient hardware usage. Since I have 250GB of storage, using less space is ideal. I play a lot of games and am not very familiar with Linux except on Android, but I enjoy research. If it feels too complex, I might give up. Stability is important because I'll rely on it daily.
just like linux has strong gaming backing, if you're on windows, it's best to stay there...
However, I prefer not to. Windows consumes a significant amount of CPU and RAM.
Linux performs consistently without any unexpected miracles.
Manjaro is usually my suggestion, or Pop if you prefer not to use Arch. Ubutu is a strong choice but I personally don't like it.
For gaming with limited Linux knowledge, it's best to use well-known distros since they offer more support options when issues arise. Suggestions include Pop! OS, Linux Mint, or Ubuntu itself. Retain a Windows partition only if you're sure you won't play anything exclusive to Windows—this covers all games with external anti-cheat tools like BattlEye or EAC and roughly 25% of Steam titles, though that percentage is decreasing. You can verify compatibility by visiting https://www.protondb.com/.
I own several games that work well with external anti-cheat tools, but they perform poorly on Linux using Winehq.com and ProtonDB.com. I’ve learned that Ubuntu tends to have a lot of unnecessary software, so I’m aiming for the simplest, clean setup possible. There might not be a perfect fix, but there are ways to reduce bloat and improve stability.
Arch Linux lacks a direct installer. The closest alternative with a GUI is Manjaro; you should remove any unwanted items using pamac. Setting up PRIME might be needed, though I’m uncertain since I don’t use NVIDIA. For more Windows-like experience, consider the KDE variant of Manjaro. If you’re using an NVIDIA card, PopOS is a solid choice because it comes pre-installed for NVIDIA support.
Anti-cheat and anti-cheat solutions like Vanguard are in development but haven’t reached stability yet. A reliable compatibility between anti-cheat systems and Linux remains unclear. Running Vanguard in Ring 0 of Windows isn’t feasible unless the developers collaborate with the Linux community. Overall, the outcome will depend on your choices.
Think critically about what you install. Ubuntu offers a clean, lightweight experience but some users see features like a graphical app store, office tools, music player, or video codec support as unnecessary bloat. You can remove anything you don’t need, opt for a minimal setup and install only what’s essential when required, or choose a distro that avoids bundling excess, such as Arch or Gentoo. There are no shortcuts for external anti-cheat until developers add Linux compatibility.