I recently installed Linux on my old laptop to improve its performance for gaming, but I'm facing some challenges. I have an Intel i3-370M CPU with integrated Intel HD Graphics, 8GB of RAM, and I'm using MX Linux Xfce. Previously, I was able to achieve stable 60 FPS in the game Dangerous Waters on Windows 11, but now with Linux and Proton, I'm seeing a drop to around 15-17 FPS. My hardware dates back to about 2010, so it lacks Vulkan support, meaning I can't use DXVK and have to rely on older methods for converting DirectX to OpenGL. I'm completely new to Linux, and I'm wondering if there are ways to improve performance on legacy hardware that doesn't support Vulkan, if alternatives like Lutris could yield better results than Steam's Proton, and how others manage gaming on older machines. I appreciate any suggestions or insights from the community!
1 Answer
I have a similar setup with a Celeron U series CPU, and after upgrading my RAM from 4GB to 12GB, I can now play older games (pre-2012) fairly well. I use Arch Linux with Steam Proton, getting around 30-40 FPS on low settings. Given that your specs are a bit better, you might get even better results. My advice is to stick with Steam Proton, especially since Arch is light on resources. I used to run Kali, and it did the job too!
Thanks for the reply! But I can't seem to get more than 15 FPS out of my favorite game on Proton. It's a game with very light 3D.