I'm looking to repurpose my PC as a gaming and media console while still keeping the option to use it as a regular computer. I've seen a lot of hype around Linux and I want to try it out since I'm not a fan of the Windows bloat, but I'm worried about making a mistake that could render my system unusable. Here are my specs: Intel i5-10400F CPU, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER, and 16 GB of RAM. I don't play any resource-heavy games, so I think I could benefit from Linux's lighter resource usage and better aesthetics. I've been considering Pop! OS due to its design and compatibility with NVIDIA, but I'm unsure about how to proceed without messing up my Windows installation. I also want to know how to reinstall Windows if I go that route, or basically, I just need clear, realistic advice on setting this up without bricking my PC.
3 Answers
A great way to keep things tidy is to install Windows and Linux on separate SSDs. If you want to reinstall Windows from Linux, just burn the Windows ISO to a USB drive using a tool like WoeUSB and proceed with the installation like you normally would. Just a heads up about Pop! OS—the latest version has a new desktop environment, so keep an eye out for any bugs that might annoy you!
Just a heads up, Windows tends to go into hibernation instead of shutting down completely. This can lock your Windows partition, so make sure you disable Fast Boot in the settings to avoid any issues with resizing your partitions. If you're primarily using it as a media console, I'd recommend Bazzite because it makes it easy to set up a SteamOS-like interface, especially for TV usage. As for NVIDIA, the major issue is a bug affecting DirectX 12 games, but most other games run just fine. You can check out ProtonDB for compatibility info. Good luck with your Linux adventure!
Reinstalling Windows is pretty straightforward—you just need to flash an install image to a USB drive and boot from it, similar to how you would with Linux. Just a note: if you're unhappy with how much RAM Windows uses, you might not be thrilled with Linux's memory handling either, since it prefers to keep RAM filled—unless you're actually hitting swap. If you're not going over 80% usage, you might want to stick with Windows for now if it serves your needs.
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