I got a new PC recently so unfortunately I am now on Windows 11. I’ve been wanting to make the swap to Linux but I can’t really make a clean break because at least some of the games I play a lot won’t work on Linux. I do think I’m gonna try to set up another hard drive with Linux on it to try to slowly start learning it and ideally move over anything that I can over there eventually and just keep the windows drive for those few games.
Does anyone have any recommendations related to that? Distro for gaming/ease of use? What’s the best option for setting up the dual boot? Anything I wouldn’t have thought of that’s relevant?
Just in case you are thinking this like I used to, don’t go by “unplayable on steam deck” to determine what games you won’t be able to play on a Linux desktop. While those games include incompatible with Linux games, they also include ones that the deck hardware can’t handle at a decent framerate but otherwise play fine on Linux.
no. you can play a crap load of “windows only” games on linux. the trick is to enable steam play in steam settings and use community versions of proton. works like a charm
Since your computer is running Windows 11 already, I would recommend you look for a Linux distro without considering if it’s gaming-friendly. Linux is great for certain productivity tasks.
For dualbooting, most official Linux installation guides offer detailed steps for that. Grub (the boot management program) is well tested and widely used.
I got a new PC recently so unfortunately I am now on Windows 11. I’ve been wanting to make the swap to Linux but I can’t really make a clean break because at least some of the games I play a lot won’t work on Linux. I do think I’m gonna try to set up another hard drive with Linux on it to try to slowly start learning it and ideally move over anything that I can over there eventually and just keep the windows drive for those few games.
Does anyone have any recommendations related to that? Distro for gaming/ease of use? What’s the best option for setting up the dual boot? Anything I wouldn’t have thought of that’s relevant?
Just in case you are thinking this like I used to, don’t go by “unplayable on steam deck” to determine what games you won’t be able to play on a Linux desktop. While those games include incompatible with Linux games, they also include ones that the deck hardware can’t handle at a decent framerate but otherwise play fine on Linux.
Oh I was looking at system requirements on the store page. Is that accurate?
no. you can play a crap load of “windows only” games on linux. the trick is to enable steam play in steam settings and use community versions of proton. works like a charm
Since your computer is running Windows 11 already, I would recommend you look for a Linux distro without considering if it’s gaming-friendly. Linux is great for certain productivity tasks.
For dualbooting, most official Linux installation guides offer detailed steps for that. Grub (the boot management program) is well tested and widely used.