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there's still articles out there pushing for tiny completely random fringe distributions and plenty with stupidly outdated and republished information to get to the top of Google.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.
Some you may have missed, popular articles from the last month:
Quoting: MattscreativeThis article is just not true at all what so ever.Thanks for the laugh. But this type of over-the-top comment is exactly why such an article exists. Suggesting a small distro, with a small team, that builds on top of a rolling distro...just, no. This is not what should ever be suggested to normal users.
Last edited by Liam Dawe on 3 December 2024 at 7:12 pm UTC
7 Likes, Who?
nebadon2025 about 14 hours ago
This is your personal preference, just because you don't agree doesn't make any of what you said true or what was said in article false, its fine to have your own opinion on the matter, but to state unequivocally that the article is false is not only wrong, but a really dumb take. I use Kubuntu and there are no outdated packages and I think i might have 2 or 3 snaps installed. I have never even heard of CachyOS so I can't speak to if its good or not. Here at GamingOnLinux we try not to promote niche distros to new users, people should really try out multiple distros until you find one that suits your needs and feels comfortable to you personally. Toxic responses like this are what turn people away from Linux in general, so just stop it and use whatever the hell you want.
Quoting: MattscreativeThis article is just not true at all what so ever.
Ubuntu is one of the worst distro right now due to snaps and mostly outdated packages and kernel and drivers.
The best right now is cachyos which is the most optimized distro to date and it's the most user friendly!
Optimized Performance: CachyOS is designed with performance optimization in mind, making it ideal for gaming. It includes various kernels and desktop environments tailored for gaming, ensuring smooth and responsive gameplay.
Easy Installation: Setting up CachyOS is straightforward. It comes with a meta package that includes all the necessary gaming-related packages, making the installation process quick and hassle-free.
Wide Range of Software: CachyOS provides access to a vast array of gaming software and tools, including emulators, game launchers, and performance monitoring tools.
Active Community: The CachyOS community is active and supportive, offering help and advice to users. This makes troubleshooting and getting the most out of the distro easier.
Regular Updates: CachyOS receives regular updates, ensuring that users have access to the latest software and security patches. This keeps the system stable and up-to-date.
Customizability: Users can customize their CachyOS experience to suit their specific needs. Whether you prefer a minimalistic setup or a feature-rich environment, CachyOS allows for extensive customization.
Focus on Gaming: Unlike other distros that cater to a broad audience, CachyOS is specifically designed for gamers. This focus ensures that gaming performance is prioritized and optimized.
User-Friendly Interface: Despite its powerful capabilities, CachyOS maintains a user-friendly interface, making it accessible to both beginners and experienced users.
Support for Multiple Desktop Environments: CachyOS supports various desktop environments, allowing users to choose the one that best fits their workflow and preferences.
Community-Driven Development: The development of CachyOS is community-driven, meaning that user feedback and contributions play a significant role in shaping the distro. This ensures that the distro evolves to meet the needs of its users.
Might wanna do better when comparing distros
also the second best distro is pikeos4 and 3rd nobara 40
2 Likes, Who?
Quoting: MattscreativeThis article is just not true at all what so ever.
Ubuntu is one of the worst distro right now due to snaps and mostly outdated packages and kernel and drivers.
The best right now is cachyos which is the most optimized distro to date and it's the most user friendly!
-- SNIP --
Focus on Gaming: Unlike other distros that cater to a broad audience, CachyOS is specifically designed for gamers. This focus ensures that gaming performance is prioritized and optimized.
-- SNIP --
I removed the parts that also apply to every mainstream distro over the past 14 years. I debated about the claim for specific optimizations, but then I realized that there aren't any hard numbers that I am aware of that make indicate they make much of a difference and that they can be applied at will on top of mainstream distros if they matter.
I am sure CachyOS is a good OS and all, but maybe let's not claim it's some kind of a panacea? The aggressive distro-warring is very passé, we have moved on as a community and become more civilized after we realized we can just mock Manjaro instead.
4 Likes, Who?
Hi !
CachyOS
PikaOS
Nobara
:-)
CachyOS
PikaOS
Nobara
:-)
2 Likes, Who?
PaulAlastor about 14 hours ago
Right now, I'm still in a dual boot kinda mode between the "Innominabile OS" version 11 and the great, updated, little know, Debian-based gaming distro PikaOS: the last one is pretty good and very performant for my 5 year old build with an Amd Cpu and Nvidia Gpu. I'm staying put with Kde on it and, at least till now, has been a breeze. Then again, always IMHO, it is one of the trinity of next generation gaming desktop I personally love! 
(the other two being the Arch-based CachyOS and the Fedora-based Nobara Linux. Through the two YouTube channels I follow that talk, principally, about Linux gaming stuff, I also know these three distros have some collaboration among them).
(the other two being the Arch-based CachyOS and the Fedora-based Nobara Linux. Through the two YouTube channels I follow that talk, principally, about Linux gaming stuff, I also know these three distros have some collaboration among them).
1 Likes, Who?
PaulAlastor about 13 hours ago
Quoting: SamsaiQuoting: MattscreativeThis article is just not true at all what so ever.
Ubuntu is one of the worst distro right now due to snaps and mostly outdated packages and kernel and drivers.
The best right now is cachyos which is the most optimized distro to date and it's the most user friendly!
-- SNIP --
Focus on Gaming: Unlike other distros that cater to a broad audience, CachyOS is specifically designed for gamers. This focus ensures that gaming performance is prioritized and optimized.
-- SNIP --
I removed the parts that also apply to every mainstream distro over the past 14 years. I debated about the claim for specific optimizations, but then I realized that there aren't any hard numbers that I am aware of that make indicate they make much of a difference and that they can be applied at will on top of mainstream distros if they matter.
I am sure CachyOS is a good OS and all, but maybe let's not claim it's some kind of a panacea? The aggressive distro-warring is very passé, we have moved on as a community and become more civilized after we realized we can just mock Manjaro instead.
I sincerely concur with this opinion. There's, indeed, no catch-it-all in the Gnu/Linux ecosystem. Heck, not even in the Microsoft ecosystem regarding old as stone age programs compatibility. The UX friendliness is, IMHO, very, very subjective, as it should be! After all, "de gustibus..."
0 Likes
I'm surprised that anything else other than an Arch-based distro is being recommended, after trying everything personally I find the Aur to be insanely valuable for making everything you could need easily installable and *available* and having up to date on the edge software has big advantages too.. Been rolling with EndeavourOS for a long time now without any issues, also I have it set up on BTRFS with snapshots now and never have to worry. It's just - better - in my opinion.
Last edited by Slayer5934 on 3 December 2024 at 8:27 pm UTC
Last edited by Slayer5934 on 3 December 2024 at 8:27 pm UTC
3 Likes, Who?
Caldathras about 13 hours ago
I am not a "noob" (been doing Linux for over 10 years and working with personal computers since the early eighties) but I would not classify myself as a "tech-head" either. I get by and I don't mind a little tinkering.
Linux Mint remains my daily driver. My go-to platform because it is rock-solid, stable and the devs care about their users. At this point, I have tried all the flavours and liked them all. Mint is a great starter distro for a new user.
Don't get me wrong, I like KDE Plasma but I have never had a stable experience with it. I tried Kubuntu but it just kept crashing on me (although, I didn't know about Kubuntu Minimal -- that's cool). I gave up and went to Pop!_OS with its custom Gnome desktop for gaming.
I've tried Manjaro KDE, as well. Runs well on single GPUs but terribly unstable on my laptop with a hybrid (Optimus) GPU. The rolling release schedule became aggravating and, while it didn't kill the OS itself, it constantly destabilized my game installations. The telemetry issue was the final straw. None of my systems run Manjaro now.
I've tried but I can't get Tuxedo OS to install on any of my systems. In VM, it seems as unstable as Kubuntu.
Clearly, KDE Plasma is not for me.
On my old "gaming" laptop I use Pop!_OS. On my current "gaming" laptop, I use Mint XFCE. I am happy with both configurations.
I do not understand this obsession with needing to have the latest and freshest of everything. To me, that is just asking for instability. I prefer a setup that is stable and reliable. Linux Mint and Pop!_OS give me that. I don't much care for the recent games anyway, especially the AAA stuff.
But, as another comment said, to each his/her own.
Linux Mint remains my daily driver. My go-to platform because it is rock-solid, stable and the devs care about their users. At this point, I have tried all the flavours and liked them all. Mint is a great starter distro for a new user.
Don't get me wrong, I like KDE Plasma but I have never had a stable experience with it. I tried Kubuntu but it just kept crashing on me (although, I didn't know about Kubuntu Minimal -- that's cool). I gave up and went to Pop!_OS with its custom Gnome desktop for gaming.
I've tried Manjaro KDE, as well. Runs well on single GPUs but terribly unstable on my laptop with a hybrid (Optimus) GPU. The rolling release schedule became aggravating and, while it didn't kill the OS itself, it constantly destabilized my game installations. The telemetry issue was the final straw. None of my systems run Manjaro now.
I've tried but I can't get Tuxedo OS to install on any of my systems. In VM, it seems as unstable as Kubuntu.
Clearly, KDE Plasma is not for me.
On my old "gaming" laptop I use Pop!_OS. On my current "gaming" laptop, I use Mint XFCE. I am happy with both configurations.
I do not understand this obsession with needing to have the latest and freshest of everything. To me, that is just asking for instability. I prefer a setup that is stable and reliable. Linux Mint and Pop!_OS give me that. I don't much care for the recent games anyway, especially the AAA stuff.
But, as another comment said, to each his/her own.
1 Likes, Who?
I'm surprised to read this. For a while I thought you've been using Arch, or an Arch based distro.
I'm just using plain Ubuntu. Not the most shiny distro out there, but it's the one with the least amount of compatibility/driver issues. I may switch to something else in the future when I buy an nVidia-free laptop, and as more and more devs move to Snap or Flatpak instead of deb packages.
I'm just using plain Ubuntu. Not the most shiny distro out there, but it's the one with the least amount of compatibility/driver issues. I may switch to something else in the future when I buy an nVidia-free laptop, and as more and more devs move to Snap or Flatpak instead of deb packages.
0 Likes
Quoting: RaabenQuoting: JarmerQuoting: RaabenI 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.
I'm doing the same right now. I'm just ready to get off of rolling releases. I've had so many problems within the past year that have resulted in non booting systems, booting but with no GUI at all, and more. I've had to do so many snapper rollbacks I can't even count them.
Alot of my annoyance was using Packman and having it become out of sync and stay that way for days (or weeks) at a time. Heck, half the time without Packman, the updatews would fail with incompatible dependencies. Worst I had a few months back was the firmware package that completely broke the GUI and I had to manually get inm find and reinstall an old version. Most of my time with it was "boring" enough that I never felt the need out of my way to start over and I ran it for the better part of two years now. I just had free time not long after 41 came out and thought, why not?
I'm sure there are issues to be pointed out but I've had nothing but smooth sailing on Fedora except when I've gone in poking things and breaking them myself. I haven't compared how up to date it stays with a full rolling release, but the bigger things to me (kernel, Mesa) seem to be reasonably close in update time.
ha! I'm almost entirely the same! I got sooooo annoyed with Packman over time. I'm a little worried that using rpmfusion on Fedora (what I'm on now) will be the same annoyance since it's a 3rd party repo, but time will tell. I am hoping that since Fedora is a much larger distro in terms of usage it'll have better support/maintainers for rpmfusion compared to packman in tumbleweed.
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