I'm planning to move from Windows to Linux and would like recommendations for a beginner-friendly distribution. My main uses are low- to mid-range gaming and Python and Java programming. I regularly play Ace Combat 7, Minecraft with NeoForge, several Create mods and Complementary shaders, and the latest PC game I play is Arknights: Endfield. Steam is my main game store, though I also use Epic Games for a copy of DDLC+.
My PC has a Ryzen 5 5500, a GTX 1650 with no integrated graphics fallback, 16 GB of RAM, a 256 GB NVMe drive and a 500 GB hard drive. Reliable NVIDIA driver support is therefore especially important. My priorities are gaming performance, a dependable everyday desktop experience and, preferably, a lightweight system. I'm comfortable with technical setup and plan to try distributions in VirtualBox first, then dual-boot before removing Windows. I understand that a virtual machine won't accurately test gaming performance, so I'll test my actual games during the dual-boot period. Which distributions would you recommend, and are there any NVIDIA, Proton, partitioning or bootloader considerations I should know about?
4 Answers
CachyOS is worth considering if gaming performance and easy NVIDIA setup are your top priorities. Its tools can make installing the proprietary driver fairly straightforward. Kubuntu and Fedora KDE are also good choices, especially if you want a Windows-like KDE Plasma desktop with a larger support base and generally more conservative updates. Fedora usually requires enabling an additional repository for NVIDIA drivers.
Fedora KDE Plasma is another strong option. It provides a polished desktop, a large user community and fairly current software without being as hands-on as an Arch-based system. NVIDIA drivers require some extra setup, but the process is well documented. Whichever distribution you choose, keep Windows during the trial period and make backups before changing partitions. Testing the games on ProtonDB and using the dual-boot phase will give you a much better answer than a virtual machine can.
Start by checking each important game on ProtonDB rather than assuming compatibility. Steam games often work through Proton, but multiplayer anti-cheat, launchers and specific mod setups can still cause problems. For a Windows-like interface, look at KDE Plasma distributions such as Fedora KDE or Kubuntu; GNOME feels more different and closer to a macOS-style workflow. Ubuntu, Fedora, CachyOS and Bazzite can all support NVIDIA, though the amount of manual configuration varies. Bazzite is particularly gaming-oriented and has an NVIDIA image, while Fedora and Ubuntu have larger communities for troubleshooting.
Linux Mint is a solid, stable and approachable option for everyday use, and gaming can work well once the drivers and compatibility tools are configured. It may not be the most gaming-focused choice, but it is a comfortable starting point for a first Linux installation.
I'm using VirtualBox mainly to get familiar with installation, settings and recovery—not to measure gaming performance. After that, I'll dual-boot and test my actual games and development tools before fully leaving Windows.