Should I switch from Windows 10 to Linux for everyday use and gaming?

For an easy transition, Linux Mint Cinnamon, Kubuntu, or Fedora KDE are all solid choices. KDE feels fairly familiar to Windows users, while Mint is especially straightforward and stable. The desktop environment matters almost as much as the distribution, so trying a couple in a live session can help.

For your mostly-YouTube-and-occasional-gaming setup, you don’t need to overthink the distribution choice. Mint is probably the safest beginner recommendation, while Bazzite is a stronger gaming-focused option. You can always change distributions later; learning the basics transfers between most of them.

Since gaming is part of your use case, Bazzite is worth checking out. It’s designed to make gaming setup easier and uses a rollback-friendly update system, which can reduce the risk of a bad update causing trouble. Most Steam games work well through compatibility tools, but you should check individual games first, especially competitive titles with kernel-level anti-cheat or games that are Windows-only.

Windows 10 is reaching the end of its supported life, so staying on it indefinitely is not a great security plan. If Windows 11 is off the table, Linux is a reasonable alternative. Just make sure your important files are backed up and confirm that any must-have games or Windows-specific programs will work before switching completely.

It’s worth trying before making a permanent decision. Create a bootable USB and run Linux in live mode, or install it alongside Windows so you can test your hardware and apps without committing. Even a week or two of normal use should give you a better idea than researching endlessly.