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PayPalIn a few previous years (#1, #2), I decided to do a fresh take each time on what the best Linux distribution was for gaming - so I'm back for a 2025 edition of the article that will cause you to tell me how wrong and terrible I am.
What's changed? Well, quite a lot actually. Both previous times I firmly suggested going with plain Ubuntu. However, time moves on, and the software world evolves rather quickly. So I have a new recommendation for you! Why am I even writing this? Sadly, there's still articles out there pushing for tiny completely random fringe distributions and plenty with stupidly outdated and republished information to get to the top of Google.
My current home for a while now, and what I'll recommend you pick up, is Kubuntu. It has all the goodies and support of plain Ubuntu, but with the KDE Plasma desktop environment, which is the same one used on the Steam Deck's Desktop Mode. It has an interface that will be much more familiar to people coming over from Windows, it's more customizable (if you want it) but with a sane default setup that just gets you going quickly.
The latest Long Term Support (LTS) version of Kubuntu, Kubuntu 24.04.1, is supported with security and maintenance updates until April 2027. So you can install it and basically forget about it and keep it running and secure for years to come. However, you're likely better off with Kubuntu 24.10 which is more up to date, if you're okay upgrading again when the next version of Kubuntu comes out (Kubuntu 25.04) which is around April 17, 2025. Either way, both work well.
I've been through Fedora, Manjaro, Linux Mint, plain Ubuntu, Arch and many others over the years. No Linux distributions is perfect and they all come with their own set of quirks and problems, just as Windows has its own set of unique issues. To me, Kubuntu just offers the best all around middle-ground of everything you need to get going.
People will argue about Snaps, but for the majority of normal users — it just doesn't matter in the slightest. I use the Spotify, Thunderbird, Telegram and other Snaps and they work great and are kept nicely up to date without me even needing to do anything.
I will suggest though, that you enable Flatpaks from Flathub, so you get the best of all worlds and access to even more easily installable packages. It's incredibly easy to do as well.
You can download Kubuntu from their website.
If you need help and support for Linux and Steam Deck gaming, you can try asking in our Forum and Discord. Don't forget to follow me on Bluesky and Mastodon too while you're at it.
Don't agree with me? That's fine! The benefit of Linux is that there's truly no one-size-fits-all. Leave a comment to tell me how wrong I am. You're still wrong if you disagree though.
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
cameronbosch Dec 3, 2024
I am Fedora KDE fanboy these days due to it being excellent development platform with the side of gaming. But Kubuntu is excellent choice as well.
Like others I would also recommend non-LTS, you get more up-to-date software which is still tested and updated every 6 months.
"Valve is seeing an increasing number of bug reports for issues caused by Canonical's repackaging of the Steam client through snap. [...] We are not involved with the snap repackaging. It has a lot of issues. If you don't want the .deb, please at least consider the flatpak version."
https://mastodon.social/@TTimo/111772575146054328
So please be aware of that <3.
pleasereadthemanual Dec 3, 2024
Manjaro is great Arch-based and more stable than Arch-vanilla.
I gaming on Manjaro in years with no problem.
Ubuntu's are outdated and snap-messing. Snaps are slow and problematic.
Arch is the way, even Steam understand this.
The latest Long Term Support (LTS) version of Kubuntu, Kubuntu 24.04.1, is supported with security and maintenance updates until April 2027. So you can install it and basically forget about it and keep it running and secure for years to come.That's only 2.5 years and the LTS to LTS upgrade never worked for me. It takes forever and then you have some zombies still on the system.
Manjaro + KDE all the way here, from my 6 year old son to my 67 year old mom.
I dont't get the recommendation. Sure Kubuntu is nice and stable but for gamers it's lagging behind fast. Gamers which more often then not spend good money on their HW.
For gaming I believe it's up there as the best for sure, Fedora as an always up-to-date base which is important for those gamers who want to minmaxx their 1% lows and get the latest drivers and features. And KDE as its hands down the best DE available for its VRR and HDR support. There's a reason why Valve chose KDE.
arch and cachy os are great, for gaming being able to use the scx_lavd out of the box is really helpful and always having up to date drivers is really nice.
legluondunet Dec 3, 2024
For gaming on Linux in good conditions, you need recent libraries and apps.
That's one of the reasons I quit Ubuntu for Manjaro/Arch, with Flatpak and rolling release, you always have recent libraries and apps installed.
On another computer I installed OpenSuse Tumbelweed and I'm very satisfy too for gaming.
Last edited by legluondunet on 3 December 2024 at 12:20 pm UTC
Mountain Man Dec 3, 2024
Of course if Valve ever gets around to releasing SteamOS for the desktop then the "Best Gaming OS" debate will be definitively settled.
I remember a time where it was avoided heavily in favor of gnome.
I've always been a fan of KDE even if its for wobbly windows alone.
Last edited by Drakker on 3 December 2024 at 12:33 pm UTC
Beyond that, it doesn't matter too much if you have a relatively recent kernel, and it may be worth asking another set of questions to customize the answer:
- Are you new to Linux? Picking a distribution with a lot of documentation can help: Ubuntu usually, but the Arch Wiki is very good too if you are more technical, and depending on the other questions.
- Do you have specific hardware or needs?
- How much do you enjoy tweaking things? On a spectrum from Gnome->KDE->i3/sway, or Silverblue->Ubuntu->Arch
- How far are you willing to go for a but more perf? Clear Linux, Catchy OS, Gentoo, etc
I am personally quite curious about immutable distributions such as Silver blue/Kionite/etc, but still on regular Arch for now.
I have a particular issue with *buntu flavours due to their obfuscation of the root user. Also, they don't have YaST ;-)
EDIT: Grammar.
Last edited by robvv on 3 December 2024 at 12:40 pm UTC
Fester_Mudd Dec 3, 2024
User really has to pay attention to forums and such before updating their system on those type of rolling releases, and or acknowledge that there will probably be conflicting package issues and so on: delete the one for time being, pull the other package in and then return the first one. This is the reality on Arch-based distros and the "sacrifice" won't bring you any FPS really.
Arch works best as a base for something specific to gaming: Steam OS for example is not really Arch, but indeed based on it using its certain models. Arch itself is not a distribution. The person installing it builds it as the process goes along. There is no such thing as default Arch.
I use the Spotify, Thunderbird, Telegram and other Snaps and they work great and are kept nicely up to date without me even needing to do anything.
I'm on the same camp now. Snaps are great! I don't have to worry about anything and they update on the background (though you can disable this feature if you want).
Canonical has made significant improvements after a bumpy start enhancing the Steam Snap.
Steam's Snap client itself starts faster than Flatpaked Steam for some reason and there are goodies included inside the snapped Steam: MangoHud and GameMode are already integrated in the Snap along with controller support and much more.
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