6 Best Linux Distros for Gaming

While a normal user chooses a Linux distro based and stability, ease of use, and security, a gamer has a different priority. A gamer looks for high performance, high compatibility, and low latency. It is no easy task to list all the best distros for gamers as different gamers have different tastes. That is why, in the beginning, I tried to list some of the criteria gamers look for in a Linux distro. And based on those criteria, I have listed the 6 best Linux Distro for gaming.

What Gamers Look for in a Linux Distro

• Low latency and high performance: The distro should have a fast and responsive system while handling intensive gaming tasks without lagging. The distro should use a low-latency kernel that optimizes the CPU scheduling and reduces the input/output delays.
• Support for various gaming platforms and controllers: There are different sources such as Steam, Lutris, Wine, Proton, RetroArch, and a Linux distro should be able to run games from these sources. Moreover, the distro should support various controllers, such as PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo
• Ease of use and installation: The distro should be easy to install and configure. In addition, it should have a simple, user-friendly and intuitive interface that allows users to access games and settings without any hassle.
• Availability of drivers and compatibility layers: A distro should have a wide range of drivers. The drivers should include graphics, audio, network Furthermore, there should be compatibility layers that can enable users to run games that are not natively supported on Linux. The compatibility layers should include software that emulates or translate Windows APIs, such as Wine Proton, DXVK etc.
• Support and Community: The distro should have regular updates and bug fixes. Moreover, it should have a strong and active community.
• Security: The distro should contain a secure and robust system such as a firewall, antivirus, and encryption to protect users from malware, viruses, hackers etc. The distro should respect the privacy and data of users and not collect or share any personal information without consent.

Top 6 Best Linux Distros for Gaming

Here I have listed some of the best Linux distros for gaming based on the factors mentioned above.

1. Pop!_OS

Pop!_OS is a Linux distro based on Ubuntu and it is designed to be user-friendly, easy to install, and optimized for performance and productivity. It has some tweaks and enhancements to improve the user experience.

Download

Click here to visit Pop!_OS’s official download page.

Minimum System Requirements

• CPU: 64-bit x86, ARM (RAS PI 4) architectures.
• RAM: 4 GB
• Drive Storage: 20 GB
• GPU: Integrated Graphics or better.

Reasons to Choose

• It has an application named Pop!_Shop that allows a gamer to install Steam easily. Steam is a popular game client that offers games that are natively compatible with Linux. It always supports non-native games using a compatibility layer tool, Proton.
• The Pop Shell feature enables the auto-tiling of windows, which can help to organize work and gaming space efficiently.
• It has the same level of support and community as other more popular distros such as Ubuntu or Mint.

Reasons to Avoid

• It may require additional steps to install and manage custom Proton versions, such as ProtonGE.
• It may not have the lasted drivers and compatibility layers for some hardware and software components.

2. Garuda Linux

Garuda Linux is a Linux distro that is based on Arch Linux. Arch Linux is a rolling-release distro that always gets the latest software updates. Garuda Linux is free and open source.

Download

Click here to visit Garuda Linux’s official download page.

Minimum System Requirements

• CPU: x86_64 CPU
• RAM: 4 GB
• Drive Storage: 30 GB
• Video card: OpenGL 3.3 or better

Reasons to Choose

• It offers a variety of desktop environments, such as KDE, Dr460nized, GNOME, Cinnamon, Xfce, and others. These are designed to be beautiful, fast, and user-friendly.
• It uses the Linux-zen kernel, which is optimized for desktop, multimedia and gaming performance.
• It has a Garuda Gamer app to install gaming software such as Steam, Lutris, Wine, ProtonGE and many others.

Reasons to Avoid

• It is a rolling release distro, which means it may be unstable.
• It uses the BTRFS filesystem with zstd compression and automatic snapshots which may consume more disk space and CPU resources.
• It may have less support and community than other more popular distros.

3. Drauger OS

Drauger OS is an Ubuntu-based Linux desktop gaming distribution. It has many modifications and optimizations over stock Ubuntu for improved gaming performance and the gaming experience. It uses the Xfce Desktop Environment and replaces PulseAudi with Pipewire for better audio quality.

Download

Click here to visit Drauger OS’s official download page.

Minimum System Requirements

• CPU: Dual-core, 1.8 GHz, 64-bit processor
• RAM: 1 GB
• Drive Storage: 16 GB or 32 GB
• GPU: Integrated Graphics
• Screen Resolution: 1024 x 768 at 30 Hz

Reasons to Choose

• It is based on Ubuntu LTS releases, which means it is stable and secure. In addition, it gets updates for 5 years.
• It uses the mainline Linux kernel, which offers better performance and compatibility.
• It has many modifications and optimizations, such as dark GTK theme, light-weight Xfce desktop environment and Pipewire, which are intended to improve gaming performance and gaming experience.

Reasons to Avoid

• It uses SystemBack as the installer, which is unreliable and uncommon.
• It has a heavy-weight live session that consumes a lot of resources and may affect the gaming performance.
• It has a desktop layout with three panels and massive icons, which may not be very user-friendly or appealing.

4. Ubuntu GamePack (UALinux)

Ubuntu GamePack is an Ubuntu-based Linux desktop gaming distro. It can support games developed for Windows, DOS, and consoles. Ubuntu GamePack is similar to Drauger OS, however, it uses a customized GNOME desktop environment instead of Xfce.

Download

Click here to visit Ubuntu GamePack’s official download page.

Minimum System Requirements

• CPU: 2 GHz Dual Core or better
• RAM: 2 GB
• Drive Storage: 25 GB

Reasons to Choose

• It includes tools and means to install more than 85,842 games developed for Linux, Windows, DOS, and various game consoles.
• It has game management and delivery systems, such as Steam, Lutris, io and Game Jolt, that allow one to easily install and play games from different sources.
• It has utilities for running Windows games, such as PlayOnLinux, CrossOver Linux, WINE and DXVK.

Reasons to Avoid

• As it is based on Ubuntu 20.04, it may not have the latest drivers and software updates for some hardware and games.
• It offers a Windows 10-style interface by default, which may not be very appealing or customizable for some users.
• It may have some bloatware and unnecessary applications that consume system resources and disk space.

5. Lakka

Lakka is a lightweight Linux distro and it can transform a small computer into a full-blown retrogaming console. It can emulate a wide variety of systems such as Nintendo NES, SEGA Genesis, Sony PlayStation, Arcade Games, and more. In addition, it supports USB joypads and other features such as rewinding, netplay, and shaders.

Download

Click here to visit Lakka’s official download page.

Minimum System Requirements

• CPU: 1 GHz
• RAM: 512 MB
• Drive Storage: 8 GB
• GPU: Any supported GPU

Reasons to Choose

• It is a lightweight Linux distro that can be installed on a small computer.
• It is built on top of the RetroArch emulator, which is able to emulate a wide variety of systems.
• It has some useful features such as automatic joypad recognition, rewinding, netplay, and shaders.
• It is easy to set up and use and supports many devices such as Raspberry Pi, ASUS Tinker Board, Odroid XU4, x86 PCs, and others.

Reasons to Avoid

• It is focused on retro gaming, and may not support modern games or platforms.
• It does not have a desktop environment or a file manager and relies on a command-line interface for advanced settings and customization.
• It may have some compatibility issues with some hardware components or controllers.

6. Sparky GameOver

Sparky GameOver is a special edition of SparkyLinux, a Debian-based Linux distro. It is lightweight and comes with tons of preinstalled games, useful tools and scripts. Moreover, it is built for both native and emulated games. It is designed for gamers who want to have a ready-to-use gaming system on their computers.

Download

Click here to visit Sparky GameOver’s official download page.

Minimum System Requirements

• CPU: i486 / amd64
• RAM: 256MB
• SWAP partition: 512MB or bigger
• Drive Storage: 20 GB
• An Optical Drive or USB port

Reasons to Choose

• Its lightweight Xfce desktop environment is fast and customizable.
• It included platforms, such as Steam, Lutris, io, Game Jolt, RetroArch, ScummVM, DOSBox, and others.
• It has tools to run Windows games, such as Wine, PlayOnLinux, CrossOver Linux, DXVK and WINE

Reasons to Avoid

• It is based on Debian testing, which may be less stable.
• It may not have the lasted drivers and software updates for some hardware and games.
• It may have bloatware that consumes system resources and disk space.

Comparative Analysis of Distros

Here I have provided gaming tools of the distros.

Conclusion

In this article, I have tried my best to list the best Linux distro for gaming. However, it is up to you which distro you find best. Hopefully, this article was helpful in finding your distro and starting gaming.

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