Best Linux distros for gaming in 2022
Best Linux distros for gaming in 2021
The all-time Linux distros for gaming give the freedom that Linux offers while providing the tools you need to play most of the games you lot love already. Linux has been around for a long time, but it has go much more viable as a gaming platform in recent years thanks to the community and Valve.
Now that Valve's portable Steam Deck gaming PC is confirmed to be running Linux, using Proton to make your Steam games shine, getting into Linux gaming is more exciting than ever.
And yes, I know that Linux is the kernel and not the OS itself. We can play semantics games all day, but the long and short of information technology is that many people casually refer to these as Linux distros and don't know or care most the "correct" terminology.
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The following Linux distros fall into the various families, most of which are based on Ubuntu. These are frequently more friendly to newcomers and accept their place. Still, if yous have a chip more experience with Linux and want to become the most out of your hardware, one of the Arch-based options tin can exist swell, besides.
What are the best Linux distros for gaming?
While this is a hotly-contested subject, our pick for the best distro for Linux gaming is Popular!_OS. This Ubuntu-based distro has a lot of refinements and tweaks for everyday use, including for gaming. In that location are even separate ISOs for Nvidia- and AMD-based systems. Simply choose the 1 relevant to yous and y'all're golden. I will say that the Nvidia-based i works pretty well given the potential headaches that can come with dealing with Nvidia'south drivers on Linux.
The runner-upward is Manjaro, which is an Arch-based system that is my get-to distro of choice. I adopt the KDE desktop surroundings, only there are multiple versions of Manjaro that y'all tin can install, depending on your tastes. Stability has drastically improved in recent years and Manjaro's hardware tool is likewise excellent for dealing with drivers.
Other options include Garuda, an Arch-based distro that has all the tools you need to make gaming on Linux easily accessible. Drauger OS is another gaming-focused distro, based on Ubuntu, and then there's Ubuntu itself. At that place's no wrong distro per se, only some are easier to manage than others.
The elephant in the room is the upcoming Steam OS, which is now based on Curvation instead of Ubuntu. Valve says it volition premiere on the Steam Deck, only since information technology's Linux, you lot'll be able to install it yourself on your own car. And conversely, you'll be able to install whatsoever distro y'all want on your Steam Deck, in case you don't like Steam OS.
The best Linux distros you tin utilise for gaming
Pop!_OS is System76's homegrown Linux distro for its laptops and desktops. This distro has the added benefit of having a for-profit company behind information technology, which can afford to invest resources into Pop!_OS to arrive the best it can exist. And it shows. Pop!_OS is i of the best distros for laptops, especially those with hybrid graphics setups like older Nvidia Optimus machines.
Ane of the best things about Pop!_OS is that there are two divide ISOs, one for Nvidia graphics cards and one for AMD ones. Choose which one is right for y'all and y'all'll exist good to proceed drivers. In that location's also the Pop!_Shop, an app shop with many staple applications — including Steam and Lutris, two central elements for gaming on Linux.
Other than its weird naming scheme, Pop!_OS is a solid style to become into Linux gaming. It works slap-up on laptops and desktops, and that's why it's our option for the best gaming distro for most people.
Manjaro is a fantastic distro that blends the rolling release nature of Arch with added stability and core strength. This is a corking distro for people looking for something a petty more out of their Linux life. Beingness only shy of the bleeding edge, things in Manjaro move a lot quicker than the Ubuntu-based distros do.
New mainline kernels are generally easier to deal with and Manjaro's hardware detection tool (mhwd) is stellar for managing drivers. Nvidia systems are notoriously difficult to piece of work with in Linux sometimes and Manjaro does a cracking chore at mitigating that. New drivers are pretty quick to come down the pipeline.
In the past, Manjaro has a bit of trouble with stability, but that'southward by and large gone away in recent years. However, things can still become wrong, then brand certain you keep backups in instance y'all or an update borks something.
Drauger OS bills itself as the gaming Linux distro, and information technology certainly delivers on that promise. It's built with performance and security in mind, getting y'all direct to gaming and fifty-fifty installing Steam during the OS installation process. Based on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS at fourth dimension of writing, Drauger OS is stable, too.
It'southward a barebones distro that comes with the lightweight XFCE desktop environment. The whole thing doesn't await as pretty every bit another distros, merely its main goal is to provide the best gaming experience. Information technology does this with kernel level modifications for low latency, a one,000Hz scheduling frequency (upwardly from 250Hz), and the BFQ IO scheduler. All that to say, it'southward fabricated for hardcore Linux gaming.
The biggest complaint we could lodge confronting Drauger Bone is the cumbersome and oft buggy installer. It uses Gparted for sectionalisation direction, which is fine, but the installer tin still fail sometimes. Merely your mileage may vary, so requite Drauger Os a try before passing judgement.
Garuda Linux is a newcomer on the cake, basing itself on Arch. Some might remember of it as an up and coming competitor to Manjaro and I think it'southward well on its fashion to that cease. It's a powerful distro with tons of customizations, DE options, and loads of goodness. Information technology's too pretty beginner-friendly, offer the power of Arch without about of the hassle.
For gamers, Garuda offers a GUI with a suite of packages like Steam, WINE, Winetricks, PlayOnLinux, Gamehub (the Linux alternative to GOG Galaxy ii.0), Lutris, DXVK, and Proton. Information technology's a one-end shop to easily install everything you demand to get gaming. It'due south likewise a neat distro to use on its own for other PC tasks.
The artful that Garuda uses is quite retrowave/cyberpunk and I'm all for it. KDE is the flagship desktop environment and it features the near customizations. Garuda is a cute, spectacular distro that should put Manjaro on watch.
Like it or not, Ubuntu is the premiere Linux distribution. It's where a lot of people showtime out and it serves as the foundation for most of the distros out there. Information technology comes in two versions, a Long-Term Support (LTS) version and the semi-annual XX.04 and Twenty.10 releases.
Ubuntu has a lot of weight in the Linux earth and information technology's quite versatile. It comes with a modified GNOME desktop out of the box, but in that location are other versions with KDE, XFCE, LXQt, and a host of other community options (like Deepin). There are other Ubuntu versions for education, multimedia creation, and others.
While it's not the best gaming distro out of the box, it is the nigh widely-used distro and therefore has some of the best support. The community is also pretty strong, though not quite on the level of Arch and Manjaro. Nevertheless, if you have a trouble with Ubuntu or setting something upward, y'all can easily find back up. Getting going with gaming can be a hassle, what with Steam, Lutris, Proton, DXVK, WINE, Winetricks, GameMode, etc., but it'southward definitely a swell place to start if y'all're new to Linux.
How to cull the best distro for you
In that location'south no i best Linux distro for anybody. Ubuntu is where a lot of people get started (or i of the many, many distros based on it) and it has its place, but out of the box it tin exist a hassle. That doesn't mean it'due south bad, of course; two of the other distros on this list are based on Ubuntu.
The Arch-based ones are generally idea to be for more experienced Linux users, though you tin easily get your feet moisture with Manjaro. That distro features a lot of what'due south great nearly Arch, but with some added stability and its own repository of applications.
In general, we think the best Linux distro for gaming is likewise one you tin can use exterior of video games. Pop!_OS and Manjaro are both powerful distros that do just nearly everything well, including gaming. But if you don't really use your gaming PC for much else outside of games, then something similar Drauger Os is a good bet. And be on the lookout for the new Steam OS, likewise.
If you're new to the Linux world, and then you'll eventually hear the term "distro hopping" (if you oasis't already). That means installing new distros to run into if yous tin find one you like. It's something most Linux users do until they find a distro to settle on — it's how I decided Manjaro was the best option for me.
Don't exist afraid to try out new distros in a virtual auto or to install it on your hardware. That's the but manner you'll find the right ane for you lot.
Jordan is the Phones Editor for Tom's Guide, roofing all things phone-related. He's written almost phones for over 5 years and plans to continue for a long while to come. He loves nothing more relaxing in his habitation with a book, game, or his latest personal writing project. Hashemite kingdom of jordan likes finding new things to swoop into, from books and games to new mechanical keyboard switches and fun keycap sets. Jordan tends to lurk on social media, but you lot can all-time reach him on Twitter.
Source: https://www.tomsguide.com/best-picks/best-linux-distros-for-gaming
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