I'm running a really old setup with an Intel i5-4440s, 8 GB RAM, and a NVIDIA GTX 750. I've been trying out Linux, starting with Mint, and while I find it pretty nice, I'm struggling with some issues. The window decorations are not to my liking, particularly the way I can close windows with just a click in the top right corner, which I loved in Windows 7. Also, I discovered I can only handle one workspace, whatever those are.
I've faced performance issues with games; for example, Momentum Mod ran smoothly at 300 FPS on Windows, but struggled on Linux. My attempts to try other distros like CachyOS and Nobara haven't been too pleasant either. In Nobara, I found better performance, but games like ULTRAKILL only ran at 60 FPS which isn't ideal for how fast-paced it is. I tried checking driver compatibility but the Driver Manager keeps freezing.
I'm exhausted with this process and I'm considering going back to Mint and maybe installing KDE Plasma. Or should I just plug in my separate Windows 10 drive and stick with that? Am I expecting too much from my outdated hardware? Should I just ditch my gaming aspirations and stick with Mint? Or should I return to the familiar comfort of Windows 10?
3 Answers
Unfortunately, older NVIDIA cards like the GTX 750 don't perform well for gaming on Linux due to driver support. You might want to rethink your gaming expectations with your current hardware. Sometimes it's better to go back to what's more stable and familiar, like Windows for gaming.
With Windows 10, you might have some security concerns since it's not getting regular updates anymore. But there are Extended Security Updates (ESU) still available. Just be careful about what you choose.
Oh, I see! So there’s still some form of support then?
Switching back to Mint and installing KDE Plasma is an option, but just note that Mint doesn't always incorporate the latest versions of software immediately, so that might not solve your performance issues with games. Maybe try addressing specific issues instead of constantly switching distros?
Yeah, focusing on fixing things might be more productive than distrohopping!
I guess it depends on what games you're most passionate about!