Hey everyone! I'm kind of new to this forum and am looking to set up a PC primarily for gaming, moving away from using GhostSpectre (modded Win11). I need a Linux distro that's lightweight, super fast, and works well with modern games. Here are my specs: Intel Core i3-12100F CPU, GTX 1660 Super GPU, 16 GB RAM, and storage featuring a 500 GB NVMe SSD along with a 500 GB HDD. I mostly game on Steam, Roblox, Garry's Mod, and also use FL Studio and Chrome. My main priorities are getting maximum gaming performance with low latency, keeping things lightweight with minimal bloat, ensuring full GPU driver support, and optimizing for Ethernet for a stable fast connection. I'm open to using custom or modified distros as long as the driver support is reliable. I'd love suggestions for gaming-focused distros like Bazzite, SteamOS, Garuda, Nobara, etc., along with any tweaks or configs for improving FPS and network performance. Also, any advice on dual-boot setups so I can run FL Studio smoothly would be appreciated! Thanks!
6 Answers
Try CachyOS for a fast and efficient experience. It supports non-gaming apps alongside the gaming package out of the box. It's designed to be quick and provides the latest packages, making it a great choice for your needs.
You might find that running games on Linux can provide a pretty solid experience overall. I’ve had good luck with Proton or Wine on various distros. For Nvidia users, a rolling or semi-rolling distro is usually better for updated driver support. Whether you choose Debian or Arch, you’ll likely be able to game without major issues, but do check ProtonDB for game ratings first!
When you mention full GPU driver support, you're basically looking for a distro that keeps everything up-to-date, including the kernel and Nvidia drivers. I recommend using KDE Plasma for your desktop environment because it’s user-friendly for those transitioning from Windows, supports FreeSync/GSync, and is fairly lightweight. Distros like Fedora KDE or Nobara are good choices here.
If you're focusing on maximizing your FPS and lowering latency, you're going to have some challenges with that NVIDIA card on Linux. I've noticed that you can lose 20-30% of your FPS compared to Windows. Windows 11 IoT LTSC is often recommended for more stable gaming performance, but the Nvidia driver issues on Linux are a big sticking point that nobody has been able to fully resolve yet.
Gaming Mode in distros like SteamOS is more than just a basic Big Picture Mode. For a good experience, Bazzite or even Nobara are solid choices since they cater more to gaming. Just remember, most mainstream distros will offer similar performance levels, so if you're after the 'most optimized', CachyOS might be worth trying, but don’t expect huge differences across distros. Sometimes it’s best to just install one and familiarize yourself with Linux!
Here’s a bunch of resources that could help:
1. Check Bazzite [bazzite.gg](https://bazzite.gg)
2. Look into game-launchers like Lutris or Heroic
3. ProtonDB for checking game compatibility
4. If you want to dual-boot, there are some great tutorials on YouTube—just search 'How to Dual Boot Linux'.
5. For a bootable USB, use Ventoy from [ventoy.net](https://www.ventoy.net) to streamline the installation process!
Thanks for the KDE suggestion! I have used Fedora before and liked it, so I'll check out their KDE version!