Linux Gaming 4 Noobs - Choosing a Distro in 2024

Summary

This video guide is aimed at Windows users considering a switch to Linux, focusing on gaming experiences and compatibility. It discusses the ease of running single-player games on Linux with Proton and Steam, while multiplayer compatibility can vary. The script explores various Linux distributions (Dros), their desktop environments, package managers, and the trade-off between stability and cutting-edge features. The presenter recommends Ubuntu-based Dros like Kubuntu for beginners due to its vast support resources and KDE's user-friendly interface, and Endeavor OS for those seeking an Arch-based experience with the latest drivers.

Takeaways

• 🎮 The video is aimed at Windows users considering switching to Linux, especially for gaming.
• 🕹️ The speaker previously made a video about Linux gaming and has since fully transitioned from Windows to Linux.
• 📚 The speaker has also discussed productivity software on Linux in another video, which is useful for content creators.
• 🔍 Linux gaming video received many comments, especially about choosing the right distribution (Distro) and setup questions.
• 👍 Compatibility for single-player games on Linux is generally good, with most running without issues using Proton and Steam.
• ⚠️ Multiplayer game compatibility can be an issue due to some anti-cheat software being incompatible with Linux.
• 🔍 For a list of compatible multiplayer games, the speaker recommends visiting 'are we anticheat yet.com'.
• 📦 The main differences between Linux distros are the desktop environment and the package manager.
• 📈 Debian, Fedora, and Arch are main distros with differences in software package age and stability.
• 🔄 The choice between a standard release and a rolling release distro affects how often major updates are received.
• 🌟 Ubuntu-based distros are recommended for beginners due to their popularity and availability of guides and tutorials.
• 🖥️ Kubuntu, which uses the KDE desktop, is the speaker's personal recommendation for an Ubuntu-based distro.
• 💻 AMD GPUs are generally recommended for Linux, but Nvidia GPUs have improved and work well too.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of the video?

The main purpose of the video is to guide Windows users who are considering switching to Linux, particularly focusing on gaming and addressing questions about choosing a Linux distribution (Distro) and setting up a Linux environment for gaming.

What was the speaker's previous experience with Linux gaming?

The speaker had a positive experience with Linux gaming, to the extent that they eventually stopped using Windows and switched to Linux full-time, initially holding onto Windows only for gaming and a few productivity apps.

What are some of the compatibility issues with multiplayer games on Linux?

Multiplayer game compatibility on Linux can be an issue due to certain anti-cheat software being incompatible with the operating system. The speaker suggests checking 'are we anticheat yet.com' for a list of compatible multiplayer games.

What is the general compatibility of single-player games on Linux?

The vast majority of single-player games work perfectly fine on Linux, with some requiring custom launch options. They can run straight out of the box with Proton and Steam enabled.

What are the main differences between various Linux distros?

The main differences between Linux distros are the desktop environment and the package manager. The desktop environment affects the look and some functionalities, while the package manager affects how software is installed and managed.

Why might some game developers be reluctant to make their games compatible with Linux?

Some game developers may be reluctant to allow compatibility with Linux due to their own stubbornness or lack of interest, but the speaker believes times are changing and these developers will eventually give in as the Steam Deck and Linux gain more popularity.

What is the difference between Debian, Fedora, and Arch in terms of software package age?

Debian's software packages are generally older by default, possibly at least a year old. Arch-based distros provide the latest versions by default, and Fedora's packages are newer than Debian's but not as recent as Arch's.

What is the difference between a standard release distro and a rolling release distro?

A standard release distro gets major updates with each new version release and requires users to upgrade to the latest version to continue receiving updates. A rolling release distro continuously updates the system with the latest packages, avoiding the need for major upgrades.

Why might a gamer choose a distro like Noara or Garuda Linux?

Gamers might choose Noara, a Fedora spin-off, or Garuda Linux, an Arch spin-off, because they are pre-configured for gaming with useful software already installed, providing a ready-to-go gaming environment.

What is the speaker's recommendation for a Linux distro for beginners?

The speaker recommends an Ubuntu-based distro for beginners due to its popularity, extensive resources, and guides available. Specifically, Kubuntu is recommended for its KDE desktop environment, which is user-friendly and highly customizable.

What is the speaker's stance on using AMD vs. Nvidia GPUs with Linux?

The speaker notes that while AMD GPUs are traditionally recommended for Linux due to built-in kernel drivers, Nvidia GPUs have improved significantly and now work just fine with Linux.

Outlines

00:00

🎮 Transitioning from Windows to Linux for Gaming

This paragraph introduces the video's focus on assisting Windows users considering a switch to Linux, particularly for gaming. The speaker reflects on their positive experience with Linux gaming, which led them to abandon Windows entirely. They mention previous videos on Linux productivity software and gaming, noting the popularity of the latter and the common questions received about choosing a Linux distribution (Distro) and setting up gaming. The paragraph also touches on compatibility issues, especially with multiplayer games and anti-cheat software, and suggests a resource for checking game compatibility with Linux.

05:02

🛠️ Understanding Linux Distros and Their Differences

The speaker delves into the nuances between various Linux distributions, emphasizing that while there are many, the core differences lie in the desktop environment and package management system. They explain that desktop environments affect aesthetics and some functionalities, but personal preference is key. Popular environments mentioned include GNOME, KDE, Cinnamon, and XFCE. The paragraph also covers package managers, which influence software installation and updates, and distinguishes between main distributions like Debian, Fedora, and Arch, noting the age of software packages they provide. The speaker also explains the concept of standard release versus rolling release distributions, using Debian, Fedora, and Arch as examples, and discusses the implications for software updates and system stability.

10:04

🏆 Choosing the Right Linux Distro for Gaming

In this paragraph, the speaker discusses recommendations for Linux distributions suitable for gaming. They mention spin-offs of Fedora and Arch tailored for gamers, such as Noara and Garuda Linux, but suggest that for most users, a more vanilla distro might be preferable for general use. The speaker expresses a preference for Kubuntu, an Ubuntu-based distro with the KDE desktop, for its user-friendliness and customization options, especially for those transitioning from Windows. They also recommend Endeavor OS for those wanting the latest drivers by default, as it is close to vanilla Arch with minor tweaks. The paragraph concludes with the assertion that while the choice of distro matters less for gaming, an Ubuntu-based distro is ideal for beginners due to the abundance of available resources and guides.

Keywords

💡Linux

Linux is a family of open-source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel. It is widely used for servers, desktops, and mobile devices. In the video, the speaker discusses their positive experiences with Linux, particularly in the context of gaming, and encourages Windows users to consider switching to Linux.

💡Windows

Windows is a series of proprietary operating systems developed by Microsoft. It is the most widely used desktop operating system. The video script mentions the transition from Windows to Linux, highlighting the speaker's shift from using Windows for gaming to using Linux exclusively.

💡Steam

Steam is a digital distribution platform developed by Valve Corporation, offering digital rights management, multiplayer gaming, and social networking services. The video mentions Steam in the context of running games on Linux, emphasizing its importance for gaming on the platform.

💡Gaming

Gaming refers to the act of playing video games. The video's theme revolves around gaming on Linux, discussing the compatibility and experience of running games on Linux, as well as the transition from Windows to Linux for gaming purposes.

💡Compatibility

Compatibility in the context of the video refers to the ability of Linux to run games and applications that were originally designed for Windows. The script discusses the compatibility of single-player and multiplayer games on Linux, noting that while most single-player games work well, some multiplayer games may face compatibility issues.

💡Proton

Proton is a compatibility layer developed by Valve Corporation that allows Windows games to run on Linux via Steam. The video script mentions enabling Proton to run most single-player games on Linux without issues.

💡Distros

A distro, short for distribution, is a version of the Linux operating system tailored to the needs of its users. The video script discusses various Linux distros, their features, and the speaker's recommendations for choosing one for gaming.

💡Desktop Environment

A desktop environment is a graphical interface for interacting with the Linux operating system. The script mentions different desktop environments like GNOME, KDE, Cinnamon, and XFCE, which are part of what differentiates one distro from another in terms of user experience.

💡Package Manager

A package manager is a software tool that automates the process of installing, upgrading, and removing software packages. The script discusses package managers in the context of how they affect the installation and management of software on different Linux distros.

💡Arch

Arch Linux is a lightweight, flexible, and user-friendly Linux distribution that is known for its rolling-release model. The video script mentions Arch as an example of a distro with the latest software packages and as the base for other recommended distros like Endeavor OS.

💡Ubuntu

Ubuntu is a popular Linux distribution based on Debian that is known for its ease of use and strong community support. The script recommends Ubuntu-based distros like Kubuntu for beginners due to their user-friendliness and the availability of extensive guides and tutorials.

💡Rolling Release

A rolling release is a software release model that is updated continuously, allowing users to always have the latest version of the software. The script contrasts rolling releases with standard releases, which have periodic major updates, and discusses the implications for software freshness and system stability.

Highlights

The video is aimed at Windows users considering switching to Linux, especially for gaming.

Linux gaming experience has been positive, leading the creator to fully transition from Windows.

Linux alternatives have been found for all previously Windows-dependent productivity apps.

A previous video detailed Linux gaming, prompting many questions about distribution choices and setup.

Single-player games generally have good compatibility with Linux, often requiring just Proton and Steam.

Multiplayer game compatibility on Linux can be an issue due to some anti-cheat software incompatibility.

Developers are gradually becoming more open to Linux compatibility, especially with the rise of the Steam Deck.

Are We Anticheat Yet provides a list of multiplayer game compatibility with Linux.

Linux distributions (Dros) primarily differ in desktop environment and package manager.

Popular desktop environments include GNOME, KDE, Cinnamon, and XFCE.

Package managers affect software installation and updates, with different Dros offering varying approaches.

Debian, Fedora, and Arch are main Dros with differences in software package age and stability.

Debian offers stability, Arch offers the latest features, and Fedora is a balance between the two.

Debian can be configured to use testing or unstable repositories for more recent software.

Standard release Dros update with new versions, while rolling release Dros update incrementally without new versions.

Many Dros are spin-offs of Debian, Fedora, and Arch, with modifications catering to specific users or aesthetics.

For gaming, most Dros work well, but cutting-edge Dros like Arch and Fedora might offer better performance and compatibility.

Noara and Garuda Linux are gaming-specific spin-offs of Fedora and Arch, respectively.

Ubuntu-based Dros like Kubuntu are recommended for beginners due to their popularity and extensive support resources.

Endeavor OS is recommended for those wanting an Arch-based Dros with the latest drivers.

AMD GPUs are generally recommended for Linux, but Nvidia GPUs have improved and work well too.

Transcripts

[Music]

if you're currently a Windows user and

are thinking about making the switch to

Linux but aren't sure where to start

then this video is for you now about a

year ago I made a video going over my

experiences with Linux gaming and I

demoed several games I was currently

playing overall it's been a great

experience and in fact it's been so good

that I finally ditched windows at that

time the only reason I was holding on to

Windows was for gaming and for a few

productivity apps but I managed to find

alternatives on Linux for every

application I also made another video

talking about productivity software on

Linux so if you do any content creation

then be sure to check out that video as

well the link is in the video

description now my Linux gaming video

wound up being extremely popular and I

received a ton of comments on that one I

noticed there were quite a few people

asking about which Dro to choose and

general questions on how to get

everything set up so I'll be addressing

both of those things in this video I'll

be going over the various dros that are

available in 2024 and give my

suggestions on which drro to choose and

then in my next video I'll be showing

stepbystep how to run games in Steam and

give other helpful tips to have a smooth

experience with Linux gaming now let's

first start off by talking about

compatibility which is something I could

have spent a little more time talking

about in my previous video so when it

comes to single player games the vast

majority of them will work perfectly

fine on Linux some might require custom

launch options but almost all single

player games will run Straight Out of

the Box all you need to do is enable

proton and steam

but when it comes to multiplayer games

compatibility might be an issue

depending on what you play the

multiplayer games that I play personally

all work fine but certain anti-che

software is incompatible with Linux at

the moment so not all multiplayer games

are compatible to be clear it's not the

fault of Linux but rather it's the

developers of these games who are too

stubborn to allow compatibility but

times are changing as the steam deck

continues to gather more steam so I

imagine those stubborn developers will

give in sooner or later if you want to

see a list of which multiplayer games

are compatible then visit are we

anticheat yet.com as of right now it

looks like more than 50% of all

multiplayer games are working which

isn't too bad but unfortunately several

popular games such as fortnite

Battlefield and Val an aren't compatible

at the moment so now let's talk about

the differences between the various

Linux dros I'm going to spend a few

minutes talking about this and give a

complete explanation so that you're not

second guessing yourself later on I'll

first start out by saying that even

though there's countless different dros

available there's actually not too much

of a difference between them under the

hood if someone really wanted to they

could transform one Dro into another for

for the most part there can be some

exceptions but the main differences

really come down to the desktop

environment and the package manager the

desktop environment is mainly cosmetic

although there are some differences in

functionality with how you interact with

the gooey but at the end of the day this

all comes down to personal preference

some popular desktops include gnome KDE

cinnamon and xfce but there are quite a

few more as well some dros allow you to

choose which desktop you want during

installation while other dros only offer

one desktop by default the other major

difference between dros is the package

manager and this affects how you install

and manage downloaded software it can

also affect how upto-date the software

and applications are you can see there

are only a few main dros including

Debian Fedora and Arch there are several

more main dros such as red hat open

Souza gentu and more but I didn't

include them because these tend to be

more Geared for industry and power users

now the main difference between Debian

Fedora and Arch comes down to the age of

their software packages for example if

you download video editing software such

as Da Vinci resolve or shot cut on

Debian then by default you can expect to

get a version of that software that's at

least a year old but if you were to

install these on an arch based drro

you'll be able to get the absolute

latest version of that software by

default and if you go with Fedora then

those packages will be slightly older

than those found in Arch the tradeoff

here comes down to reliability versus

the latest features if you want the

absolute most stable experience then

you'll likely want to go for a Debian

disc drro but if you want the latest

features and drivers then you'll

probably want an arch based drro but to

be honest the difference isn't as big as

you might think and Arch still provides

a very stable experience it's also

possible to configure Debian to use

what's known as the testing or unstable

repositories which will provide the

latest software similar to Arch so the

difference between Debian and Arch isn't

as big as some people make make it out

to be but there's actually one other

thing which I almost forgot to mention

and that's the difference between a

standard release drro and a rolling

release part of the reason why Debian

has old packages is because they only

get major updates when a new version of

Debian is released after a new version

is released the previous version will

continue to get security updates for a

while but only for a limited time if you

want to continue to receive updates

you'll need to update to the newer

version which can bring substantial

changes most of the time the upgrade

process is painless though the current

version of Debian is Coden named

Bookworm and it's the 12th version

likewise Fedora is also a stable release

and it's currently on the 39th version

now a rolling release on the other hand

doesn't have new versions every time you

update your system you'll receive the

latest packages and as a result result

your system will always be on the latest

version as long as you keep it up to

date you never have to worry about doing

a major upgrade instead you'll continue

to receive incremental updates

indefinitely Arch is a popular example

of a rolling release open Souza also

offers a rolling release but in general

rolling releases aren't as common and

the vast majority of dros will follow a

standard release schedule but like I

mentioned a minute ago it is possible to

configure Debian with the unstable repo

which will effectively change it to a

rolling release so again the differences

aren't as big as some people make them

out to be as there is some gray area now

all the other dros I've included here

are actually just spin-offs of Debian

Fedora and Arch these spin-offs usually

have slight modifications to cater to

certain users or have customized desktop

environments to to provide unique

Aesthetics some of these spin-offs are

more heavily modified than others for

the most part these are fine but in

specific scenarios these modifications

might cause issues and you're at the

mercy of that dros developer to make the

necessary updates when problems arise

unless you know what you're doing and

can fix the problem yourself which is

why I generally recommend sticking to a

vanilla drro or a spin-off that's close

to vanilla instead of a heavily modified

drro so when it comes to picking a drro

for gaming it turns out most dros will

work perfectly fine the more cuttingedge

dros such as Arch and Fedora might offer

slightly better performance and better

compatibility with the latest games but

the difference is pretty small let's

first talk about a few commonly

recommended dros and then I'll give my

personal recommendation let's start with

noara which is a spin-off of Fedora

that's specifically catered to gaming

which is why it's commonly recommended

to Gamers but it actually doesn't do

anything that special it does have some

useful pre-installed software that

you'll likely want for gaming but you

can install all that software on any

other drro if gaming is all you really

care about and want something that's

preconfigured and ready to go then it

might be a good choice so feel free to

try it out if you fall into this

category the same thing applies to

Garuda Linux which is a spin-off of arch

that's Geared for gamers but for most

people I recommend a more vanilla drro

which will likely be better for General

use since I imagine most of you will

want to do other things with your PC

reliably than just gaming overall I

think an Ubuntu based drro is the best

choice for beginners Ubuntu is actually

a spin-off of Debian but it's probably

the most popular drro around and as a

result it has a vast number of guides

and tutorials most of these tutorials

also work for Debian but Debian usually

requires extra configurations and isn't

as Noob friendly as Ubuntu so that's why

I recommend Ubuntu for new users Linux

Mint and popos are examples of Ubuntu

based dros and these are good choices

however my favorite Ubuntu drro is

kubuntu which is extremely close to

vanila Ubuntu except it uses the KDE

desktop instead of gnome personally I'm

not a fan of gnome and I feel that KDE

offers a more userfriendly experience

especially for people who are coming

from Windows it's also highly

customizable so that's why kubuntu is

the drro I recommend and this is what

I'll be using for my guide in the next

video now for those of you who want to

try an arch based drro so that you'll

have the latest drivers by default I

recommend trying Endeavor OS which is

extremely close to vanilla arch with a

few minor tweaks I've actually already

made a guide on Endeavor OS so if you're

interested I suggest watching that video

as well another popular arch-based drro

that gets recommended a lot is mangaro

but I'm personally not a fan since they

make some significant changes from

vanilla Arch so I think Endeavor OS is

the better choice and one last thing I

wanted to mention is that AMD gpus are

usually recommended for Linux since the

drivers are built into the kernel but

Nvidia has come a long way and these

days Nvidia gpus will work just fine all

right so that wraps up today's video it

turns out it doesn't make that much of a

difference which drro you choose for

gaming but like I said an Ubuntu based

Dro is probably the best choice for

beginners who want to use their computer

for more than just games since Ubuntu

has the most resources and guides

available if you found this to be

helpful then be sure to give it a thumbs

up in my next video I'll be showing step

bystep how to set up steam and Run games

on Ubuntu and other dros so be sure to

subscribe to the channel and click the

Bell so you can get notified when that

video comes out thanks for watching and

I'll see you in the next

[Music]

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