I'm curious about switching to Linux for gaming, particularly with an NVIDIA RTX 3070 card. I've heard some great things about Linux distros like Bazzite, but I've also been warned that NVIDIA cards can struggle on Linux. My main focus is to get performance similar to Windows, so I have some specific questions: How challenging is it to maintain a good performance with an NVIDIA GPU day-to-day on Linux? How much FPS do users typically lose when switching from Windows to Linux? Is this drop consistent across all games, or does it vary? Do games feel different in terms of stuttering or input lag on Linux? If my goal is to replicate Windows-level performance, should I make the leap to Linux now, or wait for NVIDIA's support to improve, or maybe even consider switching to AMD for better performance?
5 Answers
Your FPS might drop a bit on average, maybe around 10%, but I've found the frame pacing on Linux to be smoother. This could be due to Windows' resource management being a bit heavy. The newer open-source NVIDIA drivers are much better, making performance closer to AMD. If you choose a rolling release distro, like Fedora or Arch, you can expect fewer bugs.
Overall, I'd say gaming on Linux requires dealing with some minute issues and occasional fixes. Using Steam and Lutris helps a lot, and most games perform okay once configured right. If you find yourself really needing top FPS or flawless operation, then keep Windows around for your core games and learn Linux gradually in a VM.
I've got an RTX 3070 on Fedora, completely switched two years ago. Most of the games I play like Cyberpunk and Diablo 4 run without a hitch. Occasional quirks arise, like some game alt-tabs not working perfectly, but performance has been solid.
I've noticed that Unreal Engine 5 games can really trip up NVIDIA on Linux, possibly costing you up to 30% FPS compared to Windows. It's not fully clear if this is mainly a Wayland issue or if it happens with X11 as well. An extra step might be needed in your game launch parameters due to a bug with Steam that can cause stuttering. But beyond that, you're likely to have a good experience overall, especially if you avoid those tricky games.
I run a 4070 on Linux daily and my experience has been mostly smooth. If you choose a distro that comes with pre-installed NVIDIA drivers, it makes life easier. FPS loss varies from game to game, with some actually performing better on Linux! Input lag has not been an issue for me in shooters either. Though HDR is still a pain point on Linux, the overall experience keeps getting better quickly. If you're uncertain, maybe dual boot to test it out first!
Glad to hear that! I've seen people recommending Bazzite for its NVIDIA support, so I think I’ll give it a go. By the way, do you think a 500GB M.2 SSD is enough for dual booting?
Yes, that should work, especially since you have extra drives for games. Just remember to partition it right!
That makes sense since UE5 games can already be kind of buggy! Good to know it shouldn't affect me too much.