Windows 10 support ends this October, and my older PC doesn’t meet the requirements for newer Windows versions. Since I have some experience with the Linux desktop on my Steam Deck, I’m thinking of switching to a Linux OS instead of going for Windows LTSC. What Linux distributions would you suggest, especially for gaming and ease of use? Any recommendations on distros that would work well with my setup?
5 Answers
If you’re already comfortable with the Steam Deck’s Linux desktop, you might want to check out Bazzite since it’s basically a Fedora variant tailored for gaming, coming pre-installed with Steam and Lutris, making it much easier to jump into gaming right away. Alternatively, Fedora KDE spin is also solid, giving you a stable yet up-to-date environment with the KDE Plasma desktop, similar to what you know from the Steam Deck. Just watch out for enabling third-party repos and make sure to handle Nvidia drivers properly if you have an Nvidia GPU.
I’ve been running CachyOS for a while, and honestly it’s fantastic. It’s designed with gaming in mind, even has a Steam Deck version, and the support from the devs is really responsive. Just a heads-up though, some people dislike how it brands and customizes packages, which can make troubleshooting tricky if you have issues. But if you’re after something that plays nice with gaming out of the box, it’s worth a shot.
I’ve had a love/hate relationship with CachyOS because of that branding and the closed environment feel, especially with Nvidia packages. But if you don’t mind those quirks, the gaming experience is pretty smooth.
Fedora KDE is a great middle ground — it’s reasonably up-to-date but stable, has official Nvidia support, and uses KDE Plasma, which matches your Steam Deck desktop experience. Just remember to enable third-party repositories for full app availability and disable Windows fast boot if you’re dual-booting and sharing drives. Fedora’s documentation and community are solid, so it’s trustworthy for daily use and gaming.
For a hassle-free experience coming from Windows, Linux Mint is one of the best bets. It’s super user-friendly, easy to setup, and has plenty of tools to get your tasks done without confusion. Especially if your hardware is older, Mint’s more conservative updates keep things stable. Plus, with Lutris and Steam installed, gaming setup is a breeze.
That’s good to hear! I’m definitely going to try out Linux Mint in a live USB mode first to get a feel for it.
If you’re up for a learning experience and don’t mind some tinkering, Arch Linux (or an Arch-based distro like EndeavourOS) is powerful and extremely customizable. The Steam Deck itself runs Arch under the hood, so your experience there will translate well. However, it requires patience and willingness to read docs and troubleshoot. On the plus side, the Arch User Repository (AUR) has tons of gaming-focused packages and tools.
I might consider Arch later down the road when I’ve gotten more familiar. Right now, I’d like something a bit more plug-and-play.
Thanks for the heads-up! I’ll give Bazzite a try and explore Fedora KDE as well, especially since I like the Steam Deck’s KDE interface.