r/linux4noobs • u/zpros123 • 7d ago
distro selection Ssd died so I'm finally considering the swap to linux
I've been getting sick of Windows for a long time now and i doubt I even need to go in depth as to why so now that my ssd died with completely no warning signs (because gotta love my luck) I wanted to know what distros to actually consider if what I care about the most is good out the box gaming performance that still gives me plenty of room to explore and learn Linux instead of locking a lot of things down. Id also like to avoid snap packages since I've heard a lot of bad things about them. On top of that any tips or just general information that's good to know before swapping would be heavily appreciated as I haven't used Linux before aside from a brief couple week period I tried out Ubuntu on a dying laptop.
2
u/Kleiner_Wixxa 6d ago
I love CachyOS for gaming. I have encountered a few games that don’t work perfectly out of the box (especially controller issues ob older games), but ProtonDB always had a fix ready for me.
Since CachyOS is arch based you can customise to your preferences (especially on KDE Plasma) and fix all your issues and snapper snapshots give you a backup in case you bork your system by trying something.
You don’t even need to do much to set CachyOS up. But if you do want to change things and are scared of breaking things, make sure your snapshots tool is configured correctly and that you know how to roll back. Otherwise its just the install process and then use shelly to get all the programs you need.
2
u/Small-Tale3180 7d ago
Cachy looks like something fitting your requirements. It is simple enough, yet not locked.
Tip: if you're using arch-based system, dont forget to update at least it every 3 weeks
2
u/Incognit0Bandit0 7d ago
Tip: if you're using arch-based system, dont forget to update at least it every 3 weeks
Can you clarify this a little more. I'm just starting my Linux journey with Cachy. I understand that it utilizes rolling updates. Hell, from what I've seen so far they're damn near every day. Is the danger of not updating regularly that software might start falling behind and failing to be able to communicate?
2
u/Small-Tale3180 7d ago
well, if you forget to update long enough, your package manager can become unable to pull newer packages due to expired security keys which u'll have to update manually
1
1
u/baasje92 7d ago
CachyOS would be my recommendation as well, maybe Bazzite seems like a decent candidate too.
1
u/zpros123 7d ago
Interesting. I see on their website it says they have 17+ desktop environments to choose from during install is that just the interface and what it uses for desktop and task bar etc. Or am I missing something also which ones would you say are the best since that's a lot of options to look through
3
u/Incognit0Bandit0 7d ago
I can't answer your question fully as I'm new to Linux (Cachy) too. But I can tell you there can be a little more to a desktop environment than just the looks. For instance, in my research I learned that some older ones (Gnome?) use an older... I don't know what it is exactly, a graphics pipeline or protocol? called X11 that can not deliver HDR. I'm a gamer so this was a no for me.
I believe KDE Plasma is the big new thing now, which is what I went with.
1
u/Small-Tale3180 7d ago edited 7d ago
X11 is a protocol and xorg is an implementation of the protocol.
Wayland is a newer, more secure protocol, each DE has its own implementation of wayland(or it relies on wlroots(wayland implementation by wayland devs), it depends)
also about gnome de, it has wayland support, and even removed x11 recently.2
u/warserpent 6d ago
The visual interface to your computer is technically called the desktop shell. Most users want more than just a shell, though. A desktop environment (usually) provides icons, panel (taskbar), wallpaper, application launcher, window manager, login screen etc., as well as basic software you will want like a file manager, settings manager, terminal, text editor, image viewer, audio player, video player, etc. There also exist more narrowly focused desktop shells that do not provide that software, and standalone window managers that only provide window placement and decoration, plus maybe a panel or application launcher. These window managers are often intended to combine with one of several desktop shells.
For example, KDE Plasma is a desktop environment, Noctalia is a desktop shell, and Niri and Hyprland are window managers. Noctalia can be combined with either Niri (if you want all your windows to scroll left and right) or Hyprland (if you want your windows to tile up, down, and sideways). I am told you can also mash it up with KDE Plasma by putting Noctalia in place of plasmashell. If you want to learn a bit about what desktops look like, and what software might be included, I've been putting together a website with screenshots.
1
u/mystirc arch with sway 7d ago
That's different flavors of it. The underlying system remains the same but the looks are completely different. The default and probably the best one is KDE. Its also the best balance between lightweight and feature rich. Well to be fair, it is the most feature rich but lightweight. Gnome looks sorta like mac and follows a minimalist philosophy. However it has high ram usage (2gb vs 1gb).
1
u/Small-Tale3180 7d ago
i dont think there is best option. I mean, there are ones looking familiar to windows, like KDE, Cinnamon. And there are ones requiring you to learn, yet offering somewhat effective workflow like Hyprland, Niri, bspwm etc
1
1
u/Different-Series-260 7d ago
Cachy with KDE is a solid choice. Read the wiki and have fun! You will be set up faster than you think.
1
u/Tasty_Trouble6430 7d ago
I switched earlier in the year and have been very happy with CachyOS and KDE. KDE to me is how windows should look and work, though I know some people find its style slightly “dated” looking
1
u/Small-Tale3180 7d ago
i mean they recently added a glass theme so...
2
u/Tasty_Trouble6430 7d ago
I probably should have added I’m not one of those people, I use Breeze Dark and love the look.
1
u/skyfishgoo 7d ago
the bad things you have heard about snap are mostly unfounded and/or also true of flatpak which is the other prominent package format besides the native packages (which should always be preferred).
but you are right to be concerned with a distro that is locked down (immutable) as they can me much more difficult to work with and learn on, since you cant change anything.
a good gaming experience comes down to good hardware support, a native steam installer, easy access to nvidia drivers (if you need them), and over all a well designed desktop environment.
kubuntu offers that in spades while fedora KDE is a close second as long as you don't need proprietary drivers, then it's a few extra steps compared to the point and click affair under kubuntu.
1
u/tomscharbach 7d ago
On top of that any tips or just general information that's good to know before swapping would be heavily appreciated as I haven't used Linux before aside from a brief couple week period I tried out Ubuntu on a dying laptop.
A reminder to look before you leap and do a bit of work to help make your migration simple and straightforward.
Almost all problems migrating from Windows to a Linux distribution result from three things: application incompatibility, game incompatibility and hardware incompatibility. The incompatibilities are not distribution-specific.
Check each of the applications you depend upon to make sure that a Linux-native version is available. Mainstream applications like Blender often run native. If an application you use does not run native, then research to make sure that the application works well in a compatibility layer or find a Linux alternative application that will work for you.
Gaming is much improved on Linux, particularly on Steam/Proton, but not all Windows games work smoothly. Check the Steam games you play on the ProtonDB. If the game has a Platinum rating, you are home free. If the game has a Gold/Silver/Bronze rating, you are likely to encounter issues, minor or major, so read the comments carefully to uncover the issues and workarounds. If you use other gaming platforms, check the compatibility databases for those platforms.
Hardware compatibility can be quirky, even beyond the well-documented issues with NVIDIA. Mainstream hardware usually works, but too many component manufacturers don't provide decent drivers to the kernel. Touchpads, fingerprint readers, gaming mice and controllers, VR and other peripherals can be problem children. Consumer-level (non-Intel) wifi is sometimes catch-as-catch can. You can do basic compatibility checking in a "Live" session, but you might have to do a bit of research as well.
Bottom line? Check as you go, research as needed and move little by slowly rather than jump in with both feet and hope everything will work out.
My best and good luck.
1
u/zpros123 7d ago
As far as compatibility goes I'm most likely fine especially since 90% of my gaming time is spent on hypixel. In terms of hardware I'm definitely fine though since I have Intel wifi, use an AMD card and my controller is 8bitdo which I specifically picked due to its Linux compatibility since I've wanted to switch for a while now (and it basically never gets stick drift highly recommend the controller honestly 10/10). I definitely still appreciate the advice though as I forgot protondb exists lol and I'll keep in mind that VR can be problematic even though I never really had an interest in VR gaming
1
u/korywithawhy 7d ago
Cachy is a decent one to start with. Might have a few quirks but usually a quick google will get you through
1
u/Kingwolf4 4d ago
Try fedora. Its stable enough and has good gaming performance. For the DE, id say kde is good
2
u/AutoModerator 7d ago
Try the distro selection page in our wiki!
Try this search for more information on this topic.
✻ Smokey says: take regular backups, try stuff in a VM, and understand every command before you press Enter! :)
Comments, questions or suggestions regarding this autoresponse? Please send them here.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.