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this post was submitted on 05 Apr 2025
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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?
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.
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
If you're a tech savvy person then I'd recomend Arch, but if you'd prefer a more streamlined approach then Baazite, PopOs, and Mint are all good starting points. As for dual booting, no matter which distro of linux you use you'll use something called GRUB. The tl;dr of grub is that it'll let you select which operating system you want to boot into when you boot up your pc
What games are they?
One of the reasons i am sticking with Arch is because steamdeck os is build on it, whats good enough to game for valve is good enough for me.
I have both Arch and my old windows install on separate m.2 ssds. By default i log into the arch one which uses the windows ssd as a game installation drive.
This way when i do have to use windows for some game modding or testing, i can easily access and sometimes run the games from there.
There's a spattering of steam games that don't list Linux support. Probably the ones I play the most are Deep Rock Galactic and Last Epoch. Outside of Steam I play TFT a lot, which doesn't work on Linux since they added the anti-cheat software.
Those first two are reported to work incredibly well using proton compatibility on steam. Proton is not the same as native support, which is why its not mentioned in any official game Information but it is native to steam. (Also works in heroic and litrus for gog/epic/other)
A platinum (community) rating is as high as it gets, may as well be native or better then on windows.
https://www.protondb.com/app/548430
https://www.protondb.com/app/899770
For TFT i found they use the same anti cheat as some other games. Used to work before, no longer does now but with dual boot all your current stuff is just a minute away (windows updates not included)
Cool. Didn't know about that site. Thanks.