In 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there's still articles out there pushing for tiny completely random fringe distributions and plenty with stupidly outdated and republished information to get to the top of Google.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.
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Dec 3, 2024
Snaps and flatpaks on the same system? What kind of suggestion is this, to make the ultimate bloat system and to confuse the normal user? Just stick with what the distro offers you by default, in this case snaps.
1 Likes, Who?
Linux_Rocks Dec 3, 2024
Never Manjaro for any reason, ever, at all. Do not. Ever.The distaste for Manjaro on this site knows no bounds. I'm indifferent towards it, but I can appreciate the passion against it. 🔥
1 Likes, Who?
hardpenguin Dec 3, 2024
I also use KDE but on Debian Sid. Things occasionally explode but I am usually able to fix them. And yeah I started using Flatpaks for most stuff, although not for Steam nor Heroic. Happy to learn you have a nice experience with Kubuntu!
1 Likes, Who?
Mohandevir Dec 3, 2024
I made the same choice. Kubuntu 24.04. I was on Manjaro, but found out that "bleeding edge" KDE is a PITA. Switched back to Kubuntu and it's "outdated" libs and got a pretty great experience. The only thing I did was add kisak stable repo for my RX 6600 and I'm pretty happy with it. Everything else seems quite theoretical, to me, because it gets the job done with much less assle.
But "to each their own", they say...
Last edited by Mohandevir on 3 December 2024 at 1:22 pm UTC
But "to each their own", they say...
Last edited by Mohandevir on 3 December 2024 at 1:22 pm UTC
3 Likes, Who?
I tried almost every distro for gaming on a spare NVMe SSD (I use Mint as default) and I found the best support for games is in Garuda Linux Dragonized Edition (Arch based).
1 Likes, Who?
Snaps and flatpaks on the same system? What kind of suggestion is this, to make the ultimate bloat system and to confuse the normal user? Just stick with what the distro offers you by default, in this case snaps.It's transparent to the end user once the system is installed. You add extra apps all the same way via Discover. This "bloat" is not something normies care about, only pedantic people who like to watch a few extra MBs get used up. The reality is: only a few people really care.
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.
To my point of view Debian, Ubuntu and all Debian-like distributions could not be adviced for gaming.To you both - again, same as above, to normal users it simply doesn't matter. Unless you have brand new day-1 hardware (which is often problematic even on rolling distros) it will all work about the same.
For gaming on Linux in good conditions, you need recent libraries and apps.
Keep in mind I game every day, and run GamingOnLinux from Kubuntu. It's absolutely fine for the average user this type of article is aimed it.
I of course fully expected lots of differing opinions, it's why comments are open! But too many of you think like a tech-head and not like a normie :)
12 Likes, Who?
I agree with KDE Plasma being a great environment. I use KDE Neon on my personal laptop, but I have had some issues with compatiblity for different games and never had good luck with Heroic Launcher for GOG and Epic games.
I recently tried Garuda Linux and stuck with it for gaming. It has a very stylized and modern environment based on KDE Plasma. It's almost like playing while using your computer itself, very focused on the visual appearence which is pretty cool. And it's been amazing with Steam, it's still surprising how well some games run on Linux with Proton. I also managed to get some Epic Store games running like natively with Heroic.
Whatever works best for you, that's the best distro.
I recently tried Garuda Linux and stuck with it for gaming. It has a very stylized and modern environment based on KDE Plasma. It's almost like playing while using your computer itself, very focused on the visual appearence which is pretty cool. And it's been amazing with Steam, it's still surprising how well some games run on Linux with Proton. I also managed to get some Epic Store games running like natively with Heroic.
Whatever works best for you, that's the best distro.
1 Likes, Who?
I've been using EndeavourOS with Plasma for ages, and I'm generally really enjoying it. But I think I might be finding the regular large updates (a plus in many ways, I know) a bit tiresome. So I've got a new drive on the way to try something else on (without nuking a long-lived OS installation), thinking maybe Solus, which I did play with a while back, and they seem to be back on track. Something semi-rolling. Will probably mean getting into Flatpak more, as I wouldn't have the AUR (sob).
I used Kubuntu years ago, before moving on to Mint KDE. Of all of the Debian and Ubuntu-based distros, a Plasma Mint one is probably the only one I would bother with, shame it doesn't officially exist.
Will have a play with Nobara too, just out of curiosity. Anyone running that, or Solus, as their main distro?
Last edited by vgnmnky on 3 December 2024 at 1:55 pm UTC
I used Kubuntu years ago, before moving on to Mint KDE. Of all of the Debian and Ubuntu-based distros, a Plasma Mint one is probably the only one I would bother with, shame it doesn't officially exist.
Will have a play with Nobara too, just out of curiosity. Anyone running that, or Solus, as their main distro?
Last edited by vgnmnky on 3 December 2024 at 1:55 pm UTC
0 Likes
Edgarins29 Dec 3, 2024
I use newest Linux Mint with KDE from Neon repositories stable branch and kernel PPA.
I use it because I'm used to it since before they dropped support. I don't mind fixing issues if they arise, but they are quite rare anyways.
Additionally I continue to test out other distros, but there is always something that's not how I like.
Next in line would be Arch Linux for me.
For begginers Kubuntu would be to go although I have installed on many family computers same setup as me - LM+KDE.
I use it because I'm used to it since before they dropped support. I don't mind fixing issues if they arise, but they are quite rare anyways.
Additionally I continue to test out other distros, but there is always something that's not how I like.
Next in line would be Arch Linux for me.
For begginers Kubuntu would be to go although I have installed on many family computers same setup as me - LM+KDE.
2 Likes, Who?
I just moved back to Fedora (from Tumbleweed). Still feels like my comfortable home after all these years - stays up to date, no big issues with upgrades, fast. I do think Anaconda blows as an installer but after it's done and I check a few boxes for repos I have just about anything I would ever need.
2 Likes, Who?
It's transparent to the end user once the system is installed. You add extra apps all the same way via Discover. This "bloat" is not something normies care about, only pedantic people who like to watch a few extra MBs get used up. The reality is: only a few people really care.
Installing a KDE app using the flatpak version by mistake/confusion is not "a few extra MBs" if runtimes and other essential core packages need to be retrieved, this adds confusion to the normal user of "why is it taking so long". Add to the above the extra confusion of having to give additional permissions, handling printing and the communication of different containerized solutions with each other or with the local password manager. That's definitely not transparent.
Last edited by sudoer on 4 December 2024 at 3:53 pm UTC
0 Likes
CyborgZeta Dec 3, 2024
I used Kubuntu for several years and would never speak ill of it. It was my introduction to KDE and Plasma, on top of being a solid distro.
Frankly, I would've continued using it had I not disagreed with Snaps. That said, I don't regret switching to Bazzite on my desktop. I was very interested in running an immutable distro, and Bazzite offers that along with Steam and other goodies baked into the OS image.
If Iwere going to recommend a Linux distro for someone who wants Linux on a gaming PC, I would go with Bazzite. It helps that it has images for desktop and handheld PCs.
Frankly, I would've continued using it had I not disagreed with Snaps. That said, I don't regret switching to Bazzite on my desktop. I was very interested in running an immutable distro, and Bazzite offers that along with Steam and other goodies baked into the OS image.
If Iwere going to recommend a Linux distro for someone who wants Linux on a gaming PC, I would go with Bazzite. It helps that it has images for desktop and handheld PCs.
1 Likes, Who?
If you install Kubuntu Minimal, you won't have to worry about removing Snap, because it doesn't have it! Kubuntu Minimal ships with Plasma, Dolphin, and Konsole, and that's basically it. If you have your other applications already installed as Flatpaks, just make sure Flatpak itself is installed, and you'll be good to go.
3 Likes, Who?
Best Gaming Distro for me is openSUSE Tumbleweed, best RR Distro for Gaming in my opinion.
Last edited by Xetal on 3 December 2024 at 2:40 pm UTC
Last edited by Xetal on 3 December 2024 at 2:40 pm UTC
2 Likes, Who?
There is one version of Ubuntu done right and it is called Linux Mint
4 Likes, Who?
I'm happy with Nobara. Everything was done for me to get games working so I'm happy. All of my devices like my controllers and stuff worked out of the box too.
Last edited by Leahi84 on 3 December 2024 at 3:01 pm UTC
Last edited by Leahi84 on 3 December 2024 at 3:01 pm UTC
1 Likes, Who?
Mountain Man Dec 3, 2024
Great article! Ubuntu is highly recommended for beginners and stability seeking folk alike. It is always just a matter of time when a rolling release distribution such as Endeavour / Manjaro / plain Arch break or an update process gets borked.Have you ever actually used a rolling release distro? Because in the several years that I've been using Manjaro, that hasn't been my experience at all. Upgrades have always been smooth with nothing randomly breaking. It just works.
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.
1 Likes, Who?
To be the best distro for gaming, it should have support to the major "gaming tools" available, I installed Kubuntu 24.04 on my laptop and had issues trying to compile gamescope, I gave up.
But it's a decent choice for everyday usage, I'm not fan of KDE but the implementation on Kubuntu is solid, Snaps works fine (I almost forgot that Firefox was as Snap, as it worked seemly), and you can install the "non-snap" Steam easily.
But it's a decent choice for everyday usage, I'm not fan of KDE but the implementation on Kubuntu is solid, Snaps works fine (I almost forgot that Firefox was as Snap, as it worked seemly), and you can install the "non-snap" Steam easily.
1 Likes, Who?
I made the same choice. Kubuntu 24.04. I was on Manjaro, but found out that "bleeding edge" KDE is a PITA. Switched back to Kubuntu and it's "outdated" libs and got a pretty great experience. The only thing I did was add kisak stable repo for my RX 6600 and I'm pretty happy with it. Everything else seems quite theoretical, to me, because it gets the job done with much less assle.
But "to each their own", they say...
I'm in the same boat. Though I prefer Gnome so I just go with Ubuntu. I do kisak for the Mesa drivers as well. Only other thing I do is add the mainline kernel. In the passed I would build and run the LinuxTKG kernel for some features that hadn't made it to the mainline yet. To my mind, it's better for a normie to go with a stable system and just pull in the bleeding edge pieces they need. I use my machine for work, so I really don't want to risk having to waste my time fixing a rolling release. To me that's the equivalent of getting a Windows forced update in the middle of working or one of those MacOS updates that take 30 minutes and your whole machine is unusable. I am looking forward to Pop_OS! though. Not sure if I'll switch all together or just pull in CosmicDE.
I probably would recommend Kubuntu as well for the Windows normie types.
5 Likes, Who?
To be the best distro for gaming, it should have support to the major "gaming tools" available, I installed Kubuntu 24.04 on my laptop and had issues trying to compile gamescope, I gave up.Again, normal users are not going to manually look to install and run gamescope. People that reply to these types of articles keep thinking like their power-user stuff applies to everyone. Most people wouldn't have even heard of gamescope.
But it's a decent choice for everyday usage, I'm not fan of KDE but the implementation on Kubuntu is solid, Snaps works fine (I almost forgot that Firefox was as Snap, as it worked seemly), and you can install the "non-snap" Steam easily.
5 Likes, Who?
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