I recently made the switch to Linux and I've noticed something interesting. After removing all my Windows apps, I downloaded Godot and found that I could use some programs that didn't work on Windows, like Lutris with Vulkan support. Previously, I thought I'd need to upgrade my hardware to use certain rendering options, but now they just work without issues. Is this a good thing? Should I expect these applications to perform better or worse on Linux compared to Windows? By the way, I've also tried Blender 4 on Linux and it runs fine too.
3 Answers
I totally get where you're coming from! When I switched to Linux years ago, I had similar experiences. I remember a time when a game just wouldn't install on Windows due to video card compatibility, but running it through Wine on Slackware worked perfectly. Linux often seems to let older hardware do more than what Windows allows, mainly because the support there is more about profit rather than just functionality. It's refreshing, right?
Yeah, it's definitely good news! Linux tends to prioritize user freedom and control over commercial incentives. What that means is that the community actively maintains drivers and adds functionality that might be missing on Windows—especially for older hardware. Plus, with Linux, installing things like printers generally just works with plug-and-play ease, while Windows has a complicated setup process. So you might find that your Linux setup continues to outperform your old Windows environment as support evolves!
My Canon scanner works perfectly on Linux but was a pain on Windows; I totally relate!
It's likely that the difference you're experiencing has a lot to do with the drivers. On Windows, manufacturers often prioritize driver support for newer hardware, leaving older models in the dust. But on Linux, open-source drivers can receive updates that aren't available on Windows. This means your older GPU might be able to take advantage of Vulkan support through better Linux drivers that were never provided on Windows. So, you're not imagining it; Linux can sometimes just work better with older hardware!
Exactly! It's nice that Linux can give new life to older hardware that Windows just seems to abandon.