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In this article, we will talk about the Best Linux Distros for Gaming. We tried our best to review the Best Linux Distros for Gaming. I hope you are not disappointed after reading this, and please do share this article Best Linux Distros for Gaming with your social network.
The Best Linux Distros for Gaming
The best Linux distributions for games to create PC games on Linux machines easily and hassle free. Gaming on Linux has come a long way in the last 50 years. While it was always possible to play on Linux, the titles that worked perfectly on the platform were few and far between. Valve’s announcement of its own Linux game distribution turned out to be a turning point, prompting game publishers to take a stand up and recognize the presence of the open source platform.
Titles soon appeared, and now even the big game studios are proud to show the penguin compatibility of their famous titles. Thanks to initiatives like Proton, Linux users get decent gameplay even with titles designed for Windows only. Even before Valve became active, the flagships of gaming on Linux were perennial open source initiatives like the WINE compatibility layer, gaming platforms like Lutris that relied on their strong community to run hundreds of game titles on Linux and high quality open source. drivers from vendors like AMD.
Thanks to all these initiatives, the open source operating system has not only proved to be a very powerful gaming platform, but it can sometimes even surpass Windows. In true open source fashion, you have several options to help you create the perfect Linux environment for gaming.
Here is the list of the best Linux distributions for gaming
Pop!_OS
Pop! _OS is System76’s internal Linux distribution for its laptops and desktops. This distribution has the added benefit of being supported by a for-profit company that can invest resources in Pop! _OS to do it the best way possible. And it shows. Pop! _OS is one of the best distributions for laptops especially those with hybrid graphics configurations like older Nvidia Optimus computers.
The best thing about Pop! _OS is that there are two separate ISOs, one for Nvidia graphics cards and one for AMD graphics cards. Choose which one is right for you and you’re good to go in drivers. There’s also Pop! _Shop, an app store with many basic apps – including Steam and Lutris, two key elements for gaming on Linux. In addition to its weird naming scheme, Pop! _OS is a solid way to get into Linux games. It works very well in laptops and desktops, which is why for most people it is our choice for the best game distribution.
Ubuntu game pack
Ubuntu Gamepack OS is the best of the best when it comes to Linux distributions for games. It is based on Ubuntu Pack 20.04, with many of the features users expect from an Ubuntu distribution. Furthermore, Ubuntu Gamepack is easy to install and easy to use, making it a solid choice for inexperienced Linux users.
As expected, Ubuntu Gamepack excels in gaming. The operating system is equipped with the most popular game management systems such as Steam and ITCH.IO. In addition, Ubuntu Gamepack’s custom OS supports over 85,000 games. Being based on Ubuntu Pack 20.04, Gamepack is a complete operating system compatible with many essential applications such as Microsoft Office. Ubuntu Gamepack’s user interface is similar to Windows 10 thanks to its simplicity and distinctive visuals.
Drauger OS
Drauger OS calls itself Linux Desktop Gaming OS. The distribution is based on Ubuntu LTS versions. However, instead of opting for the Ubuntu kernel, Drauger uses the main Linux kernel. The developers built the kernel with low latency enabled and also changed the scheduling frequency from 250 Hz to 1000 Hz. With these changes, players should experience higher framerates, less tearing and generally better gameplay.
The distribution installs the Steam client directly when the live environment starts. The distribution uses a custom Xfce desktop environment and new users will appreciate the tutorial in the welcome app that takes them on a whistle-free tour of the new environment. Drauger claims to support most Xbox and Xbox360 controllers, as well as some PlayStation controllers. The distribution also installed several apps and tools to enhance the gaming experience, including PlayOnLinux, WINE, Lutris, Steam, and DXVK.
Ubuntu GamePack
The first perfect Linux distribution for us gamers is Ubuntu GamePack. This is not the usual Ubuntu, but it is based on Ubuntu. The thing about Ubuntu GamePack is the fact that it doesn’t have any pre-installed games like Steam OS. However, this comes pre-installed with the Steam client, Wine, PlayOnLinux and Lutris. It’s like a crossroads where games on Linux, Windows, Console and Steam can be played.
This makes it a hybrid OS in a sense, especially since it also supports Oracle Java and Adobe Flash. That means playing games online is also possible. In fact, there are over 6,000 Linux and Windows games guaranteed to be released on the Ubuntu GamePack. If you’ve tried Ubuntu in the past and are comfortable with it, go with this distribution.
manjaro
Manjaro is a fantastic distro that combines the continuous release nature of Arch with increased stability and core strength. This is a great distro for people looking for a little more of their life on Linux. As things are about to be updated in Manjaro, things move much faster than Ubuntu-based distributions.
The new mainline kernels are generally easier to use, and Manjaro’s hardware discovery tool (mhwd) is great for managing drivers. Nvidia systems are notoriously difficult to work with on Linux at times, and Manjaro does a great job of mitigating this. New drivers are entering the pipeline very quickly. Manjaro has had some stability issues in the past, but that has disappeared in recent years. Things can still go wrong, however, make sure you keep backups in case something breaks you or an update.
garuda
Garuda Linux is a newcomer to the block and is based on Arch. Some might consider it a up and coming Manjaro’s competitor, and I think it’s on its way to achieving that goal. It’s a powerful distro with tons of customizations, DE options, and lots of goodies. It’s also quite beginner-friendly and has the power of Arch without the greatest amount of fuss.
For gamers, Garuda offers a GUI with various packages such as Steam, WINE, Winetricks, PlayOnLinux, Gamehub (the Linux alternative to GOG Galaxy 2.0), Lutris, DXVK and Proton. It’s a one stop shop to install everything you need to start playing. It’s also a great distro that can be used alone for other PC tasks. The aesthetic Garuda uses is basically retrowave/cyberpunk and I’m all for it. KDE is the main desktop environment and has more customization options. Garuda is a gorgeous and spectacular distro for Manjaro to keep an eye on.
Fedora games rotate
The raison d’être of Fedora Games is to showcase the best open source games available in the Fedora distribution repositories. The distribution is sold as a fleshy 4.1GB image and is packed with all sorts of games from strategy games to first-person shooters and everything in between. The best part is that you can enjoy every game in the live environment. Fedora Games uses the Xfce desktop environment and developers release a new version every time Fedora has a major release. For this reason, the latest edition is based on Fedora Workstation 33.
While Fedora Games Spin is a very capable game distribution and works as advertised, it lacks the dexterity of some of the other game distributions that have featured here. For starters, it doesn’t include any other platform like Steam or utilities like PlayonLinux or WINE, although they can all be installed manually.
lakka
Lakka is a lightweight version of Linux that can turn your computer into a retro game console. It builds on Libretro’s core and uses RetroArch as its front-end. Lakka is available as a bootable USB image for PCs. There are also versions for ARM-based machines such as the Raspberry Pi. This distro supports most keyboards as well as PS3 and PS4 wireless controllers, along with Xbox 360 controllers if you have the proprietary dongle. RetroArch has a very useful auto-configuration feature this should mean most controllers are ready to use without you having to manually map buttons.
The Lakka documentation also has excellent guidance for more unusual configurations. For copyright reasons, the operating system comes without pre-installed games. You will need legal copies of ISO images of game CDs you own or pre-compiled ROM files of arcade games. Check the internet archive which has some public domain ROMs.
Final note
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