I'm really tired of using Windows and I'm considering switching to a Linux distribution. I enjoy playing video games (especially Souls games like Nightreign) and I also use OneDrive and Microsoft 365 for my studies. I'm open to the idea of dual booting with Windows for Adobe Suite or potentially moving away from Windows entirely, but it's crucial that I can back up my work and maintain compatibility with Windows laptops. I know some software like NordVPN, Blender, Parsec, Discord, and OBS work on Linux, but I'm unsure about using iCUE for managing my Corsair ONE i300 thermals. Any suggestions or advice would be appreciated!
4 Answers
A great option would be to get a separate drive for Linux. By doing this, you can dual boot by selecting either the Linux drive or your Windows drive at startup. It's a safer approach to avoid any potential issues with Windows updates messing with your Linux setup. Plus, if Linux doesn't work out for you, you'll have a backup drive for Windows!
Choose a Linux distro first. Go to the respective website and download their live USB installer. I personally recommend Linux Mint or Zorin; they’re user-friendly and won’t alter your PC setup at all. Just give them a try to see how well they recognize your hardware and if you like the overall experience!
First, you might want to try a live USB version of Linux to see if you like it before making any permanent changes. If it clicks with you, then you can consider dual booting and gradually moving your essential software over. Just keep in mind that Linux has its own set of challenges!
Many recent Steam games work on Linux, so gaming shouldn't be a big issue unless you're playing titles with tough anti-cheat systems. For OneDrive and Microsoft 365, you can use the browser versions, which offer most of the features you'd use. It might also be worth it to consider phasing out Adobe software, since alternatives are often available on Linux. As for iCUE, there’s a chance someone in the community has created a workaround or an alternative tool to manage your thermals.
Thanks for the info!
How would I go about doing this?