Always remember, distrohopping is allowed. Your first distribution doesn’t have to stray with you forever. It can, but doesn’t have to. If you hear about a cool new distro, feel free to try it out.
Worth mentioning that if you’re on AMD, you’re pretty much open for choice. If you have nVidia, make sure the OS you go with calls out nVidia support as a feature. Even then, your specific config may require that you try out a couple before finding the right fit.
I personally tried Bazzite and had a rough experience with performance and haven’t had issues on EndeavorOS, but have read reports from other nVidia users that had the opposite experience. All to say, your mileage may vary, and don’t give up right away if the first one doesn’t feel right.
If you have nVidia, make sure the OS you go with calls out nVidia support as a feature.
That makes the setup easier, but the capacity of making it work or not doesn't actually change.
I'd say not only pick an OS that explicitly supports it, but make sure to test first as a live-image without installing and overwriting the OS that is already there working.
I wish there was an easy way to test this, but I got two weeks into my setup before I noticed performance issues because it was only affecting some of my games. This is still a good idea, just not a guarantee.
Sample size of one here - I am on EndeavourOS and have an Nvidia card. I had issues with KDE and with Cinnamon (weird UI hiccups). Switched over to Hyprland and haven't had those issues since (I did have a TON of issues when Hyprland updated from .52 to .53) and also don't recommend Hyprland setup for a new user, but just wanted to share my experience here.
I also tried Niri but had issues getting steam games to launch - I plan to revisit it in a year or so to see if anything changes. I found videos/reviews where some folks were saying they could game with no problem so it might be a skill issue on my part.
The install experience with EOS was totally painless and I'll likely continue to use it on future PC builds (if ram prices ever come down). Looking forward to switching everything to AMD one day.
I installed Fedora on my wife's PC and she hasn't had any issues at all (her build is totally AMD). I hate to say it but the answer is likely "it depends" based on how you will use your machine and what hardware you've got). Might be easiest to go with Zorin or Mint as mentioned in one of the top comments.
I switched to Bazzite on my gaming rig a month ago and felt great. I managed to install and mod Skyrim effortlessly and yesterday I installed Tarkov and SPT with no problem whatsoever.
Highly recommend.
But check if your favorite games are compatible, mainly the multiplayer ones: Tarkov can only be single player PvE, GTA is story mode only and forget about Destiny 2.
Not a problem for me, plenty of alternatives, but you should check for yourself.
Seconding bazzite here. If you want to "get to know Linux" you might want to consider something else, but if you just want a well-running system with minimal use of the command line, Bazzite is an amazing option. I've been using it since August last year, and have only had to use the command line once in that time. Which isn't a problem for me, but it may be a bit daunting for others (and that is totally fine!).
I’ll throw my vote in for Bazzite. It’s best if you want to use your PC instead of tinkering with Linux. Plus it’s quite gaming focused so Steam etc will work out of the box, although each game’s compatibility will vary. Check protondb.com for compatibility reports on Steam games.
Bazzite scared me when it chose not to boot one day. I had to do some sort of command and got it working again (saved the details to my system build notes). I can't have stuff breaking on me so I was concerned. I haven't had an issue since, so I'm pretty stoked on Bazzite now. I will say, I couldn't get Steam Play working (the thing that let's you play games remotely on a tablet or phone or whatever, Steam itself works fine). I fixed the issue with Sunlight/Moonlight which does the sane thing but did it with less lag, picture degradation. Personally, I suggest you hold out on choosing and load a few different distros on USB sticks to try. I recently built a PC for a family member and did some distrohopping to find the right OS for them.
Can'tbelieve no one's said this yet, but first you should check protondb.com for all the games you play a lot. It will show you how well they work in Linux. The biggest issue are competitive/esports titles because of their anticheat systems. Most other games run fine out of the box, but some run better with some tweaking.
I was in the same situation a few months ago. I wanted to try Linux but had no real experience with it. To experiment safely, I built a computer from old parts and installed Linux Mint. I then swapped it with my Windows machine and committed to using Mint exclusively for a month. That hands-on approach helped far more than reading guides. I now use Mint on my primary system.
Here is what I learned along the way. Mint has excellent documentation because it is one of the most popular Linux distributions. When I ran into problems, I could generally find reliable answers through the official forums, community wikis, or by asking ChatGPT for step-by-step instructions. So far, there has not been a single issue I could not eventually fix with some experimentation.
If you are coming from Windows and want to game, there are several points worth knowing upfront:
1. Steam on Linux is straightforward
Steam has a native Linux client. Most Windows games work through Proton, which Steam handles automatically. For many titles, you simply install the game and press play. Performance can be very close to Windows.
2. Expect some trial and error
Although many games work out of the box, some require you to switch Proton versions or install small compatibility tools. It is usually not difficult, but it is different enough from Windows that patience helps.
3. Modding takes more effort
My most recent challenge involved getting game mods working. Tools like Proton, Wine, and mod installers sometimes interact in unexpected ways. It took me a few hours of reading and experimenting, but I eventually got everything running. Once you understand where games store their files and how Proton prefixes work, modding becomes much more manageable.
4. Linux teaches you how your system works
If you are willing to tinker, Linux rewards you. You learn how your files are organized, how applications install dependencies, and how to fix problems yourself. That knowledge makes troubleshooting less intimidating over time.
5. You can always dual-boot
If you are nervous about switching completely, you can dual-boot Windows and Mint. That way you can learn Linux without losing access to anything critical.
If you are starting from zero, the biggest advantage is the size and friendliness of the Linux Mint community. You do not have to figure everything out alone. With a bit of persistence, you can build a fully functional gaming setup that performs well and is easier to maintain than you might expect.
Not who you were replying to, but thanks for this. I'm hoping to give Linux a go this year, on an old laptop that isn't needed anymore, and this makes me feel more confident about it!
If my main concern is playing game with Steam, most mainstream Linux OSes should be fine. If I have to pick one... Linux Mint is very beginner-friendly, and I've heard great things about Bazzite too. SteamOS works flawlessly with Steam out of the box (owns Steam Deck, can verify), but I don't know how easy it is to set up by yourself
If you happen to also like non-Steam games: a lot of them can be added as a custom application/game via your Steam Library, which does most of the heavy-lifting: you only have to specify which compatibility layer to use & sometimes do keymapping. Setting up wine on its own is not for the faint-hearted
I personally use Arch because AUR (a user-uploaded repository, a lot of popular Linux OSes have their own versions) makes it easy to play a lot of FOSS games... but I can't recommend Arch Linux for beginners
I usually recommend Linux Mint. Its based on Ubuntu, so when searching for help online everything that works for Ubuntu should work for mint. Another Advantage mint has is, that it has quite a lot of UIs for a lot of applications/settings. This means, that you dont have to work with the terminal that much when doing something. However, I Am highly recommending that in the long term you should try to find your way around in the terminal. A lit if help that you will find online is based around the terminal, and knowing what commands do is quite valuable.
I recommend Mint if it's your first time. It's really easy to set up and use and there are thousands of guides online for fixing any issues you encounter with it. I do not recommend Bazzite like others are recommending because you literally can't change anything with it. That is fine if everything works out of the box and you're basically just using it for gaming, but if literally anything is wrong with your install or you have a device where the drivers that come with Bazzite don't work, you literally can't fix it. Not as in "it's really difficult" I mean it literally won't let you do it. Updating drivers on Linux is notoriously frustrating, but it's very often required especially if you have older USB peripherals you want to use.
Kubuntu is the best. It's Ubuntu with KDE tools and programs. You have Plasma as a desktop environment, which is very close to Window but that you can customize to your need.
Ubuntu is very popular so you get pretty much everything available and with tutorial, ressources and everything. KDE really push it to the most user friendly, GUI for everything kind of state.
Steam is easy to install, take charge of Proton or anything needed for your games to run.
I was very frustrated by Gnome (the default desktop environment for Ubuntu), failing miserably to make it more like Window. I guess Gnome is more for Mac users.
The only thing I recommend is deactivating Snap and installing Flatpack. It's easy to find tuto on how to do that. Both Snap and Flatpack are doing the same idea, to bundle a program and it's dependencies in a format that allows easier distribution to many distro. But Snap is not as good as Flatpack. You are free to leave it or to use both.
Either way, you can also install program made for Ubuntu or Debian. And with KDE come Discover that is like an App Store and updater.
Linux Mint is also good but I really think Plasma is the best desktop environment. Good thing to know you can always install more desktop environment then the one already installed, so don't hesitate to try other.
If you are already engaged in a very pro open source stance, you might look at Fedora.
Anyway you choose, there are community of people passionate with Linux that can help you every step of the way. LLM can also help you get the basic. Good luck and welcome 🤗
Honestly I’ve found Kubuntu breaks in weird places for weird reasons. It’s always been that way. Neon was supposed to address this but it just broke in other places instead.
If KDE is your priority, I see only 2 top tier options. Fedora if you want it to just work out of the box, arch if you are okay arguing a little to make your point and have it work how you want.
I would highly recommend against installing arch AS your first distro. You could go with EndeavourOS (or some other Arch based Distros), but plain arch will be very unforgiving if you dont know what you are doing.
No "breaking" in my experience. I had a weird thing with sound in the beginning that I tried to fix and failed but fixed itself after an update (at this point I believe it is a rite of passage for Linux 😂) and a weird bug with Nvidia on resume from sleep that was a bitch to figure out but really easy to fix. Since then no issues at all. 25.10 is smooth sailing, the update was easy and problem free. I hope I'm not cursing myself.
Now that I feel a little bit more experience with Linux in contemplating moving to Fedora KDE.
I fear one thing, it's that my GPU's driver is technically not maintained by Nvidia (GTX 1070). I heard Arch user suffered from that and it will eventually come for Ubuntu. Don't know what to do for now, but I'm sure there will be solution.
Ugh NVIDIA, just rip off that bandaid and get over it. And fedora is not terrible not has a sort of corporate feel I can’t explain and dislike, and selinux is the fucking devil, but it’s probably wise to learn it even if you end up not using it. DNF an absolute delight though, and the out of box ease reminds me of Ubuntu back in its heyday.
I'm going to go out on a limb here... If you have no Linux experience, download virtualbox and a handful of distros to try out in your current machine.
CachyOS is great for gaming, I'd suggest the KDE desktop
PopOS is also a great choice, their native cosmic desktop is nice.
Mint with cinnamon is also a good choice for gaming and daily use
Bazzite is also a popular gaming distro that also uses KDE
Xubuntu is also a great choice, Ubuntu base with XFCE desktop, great for gaming and a big supportive community
Try these and maybe a handful others to play with until you find a desktop that you find intuitive and easy to find what you need. Once you play with a few of these pick one and try to stick with it as you learn Linux in a full native install.
Another really simple way to do essentially the same is to set the bios in your machine to support boot from a USB stick (and in some machines, that involves disabling the 'secure boot' setting that prevents any OS but the OEM OS from loading on the machine). Once you've got that, you can run any distro if you've got it on a USB stick by booting your machine from it.
For sure choose some Debian-based distro. As a beginner maybe stay away from Arch or Fedora derivatives - most tutorials are for Debian-based distros and it will be easier that way. Pick something like Ubuntu, Mint, Zorin or sth like that. Don't be owerwhelmed. The distro doesn't really matter as long it's not Arch. Learn that the look of the desktop is independent of the distro you choose. The look is called "desktop environment". Look it up. You can install any desktop environment on any distro so you don't have to pick distro based on looks. Good luck and have fun.
Worth noting if you take this advice: SteamOS (and Bazzite, recommended elsewhere) are immutable distros, which, to over-simplify it to an extreme degree, limits your ability to install things that modify the system directly. This can be a good thing, but it can also make it difficult to install certain things that you might want. There are workarounds, but you might find this frustrating at first.
If you primarily game, this is probably not an issue for you except that some non-Steam games may require some extra work to run (particularly ones that, for example, require you to install .NET Framework or specific Java versions.)
Not trying to discourage you from these - they're great OSes and the 'downside' of immutable distros can actually be beneficial when new to linux, as they prevent you from breaking things through inexperience, but it's something you should be aware of up front. (FWIW I use Bazzite as my daily driver for everything, and it works fine.)
My wife and I play a lot of games; my wife is also not super technical — she can get her way around some problems, but not deeper ones, and never uses the terminal, — and we've enjoyed bazzite quite a bit with almost no issues.
I also do development, and that's been fine as well.
Mint is beginner friendly. The Cinnamon desktop is very Windows-like. But if you want HDR support I don’t recommend Mint because its desktops are mostly on X11. It updates the kernel less frequently, so it’s more stable, less cutting edge.
Pop!_OS is also beginner friendly, gaming oriented, makes installing NVIDIA drivers easy, and since its desktops are on Wayland, you can get HDR support. Its kernel updates more frequently, so newer hardware gets support sooner.
Ubuntu is the starter distro. Start there. Figure out how this shit works and learn what you love and what you hate about it. Then you’ll be in a better position to find what you actually want.
Do not start with arch. That is not what it is for.
You don’t want kali. It solves a specific problem you do not have.
Avoid all immutable distros at first. They are great but add a layer of complexity that will fuck you if you don’t have the basics down first.
I have been using Nobara OS for a few years, it is based on Fedora, comes with Nvidia and other proprietary drivers if you want. Plus, it also has an HTPC (home theatre PC) mode, where you boot directly into steam's big picture mode, like steam deck.
It is fedora. Just a fedora install with some preticked boxes. That said there’s some differences to note such as nobara doesnt come with selinux like fedora workstation does. It uses apparmor. Which you won’t bump into an issue with until you install certain softwares. I think if you’re just gaming it won’t matter
They're all pretty much the same except for a couple, like nix, Gentoo, slackware, etc. maybe stay away from those. fuck around and find out is the best way.
actually genuinely this. The recommendations here are if you just want to install linux once and not think about it again but distro-hopping is really the best thing to do if you're ok with re-installing everything once in a while.
slightly older hardware, go with Linux Mint (based on Ubuntu, so will have slower updates than something based on Fedora so will not support the latest hardware)
if you have newer hardware, I would go for something based on Fedora.
Fedora Workstation (GNOME) and KDE are both great well-rounded options.
If you want a gaming-centric distro, Bazzite is a nice option (if you have nvidia GPU, pick the option that has those drivers!). Bazzite is atomic, meaning it's slightly harder to break the OS and it's easy to roll back (there are a few limitations though, like most apps will be installed via flatpak rather than with dnf). If you have a living room PC, Bazzite also offers a console-like experience with Steam Big Picture Mode.
If you like tinkering and want to squeeze out performance, CachyOS is a great option, it's essentially Arch Linux that is easier to install and has a bunch of performance tweaks.
TLDR: Mint for older hardware, Fedora/Bazzite for newer hardware, CachyOS if you know what you're doing
If you can't decide between distros, I would test them out with live boot (you could use VenToy for this) and mess around in them, see what works and what doesn't. That's how I did it, I hopped from Mint to Fedora Workstation then landed on Fedora KDE. I am currently thinking of switching to EndeavourOS later (nothing wrong with Fedora, I just want to try out something Arch-based for a change!)
Also, one thing, if you're installing Fedora, make sure to enable third-party repos when setting up in the little guide! This will allow you to install Steam and, if applicable, Nvidia drivers. It's pretty stupid that they make it sound all scary, it really would be better if they just asked whether you want Steam and Nvidia drivers, but it is what it is.
Okay, but that's not what you found. What you have there is a cat, which is also very good! In fact, the excellent news is that you can keep the cat and continue searching for a Linux distro.
Strange to see no one recommending plain old Fedora yet 😢 it's stable, performant, up to date, and compatible with just about any hardware.
I'm daily-driving it on my notebook, playing tons of games without issues.
As for desktop environments, I'd highly recommend KDE plasma since you won't have to relearn everything at once (compared to GNOME), and also the KDE apps are a lot more configurable than GNOME's. Keep away from Cinnamon (default for Linux Mint!) or Xfce unless you really know what you're doing 😄
I was thinking the same thing about Fedora since I have installed it on two purpose built gaming PCs using new or last gen hardware and a very old Dell Inspiron laptop and the experience has been very good outside of a couple minor issues like installing the WiFi driver on the Dell.
One of the best things I have found with Linux is the live-disk distro testing option since you can test how much you like the interface and execution of each OS+DE and how well they behave with your hardware situation without having to reformat anything first. Personally, since my goal was to move as far from the windows experience as possible, I opted for Fedora Workstation since I also tested the KDE version and I just didn't like it at all. GNOME seems to have its detractors (and for valid reasons) but after using Apple computers and Ubuntu a long time ago, I just preferred the intuitive layout and clean desktop experience. Using Windows11 at work is horrendous and I look forward to being back on my own machine every evening.
Another thing to consider is X11 vs Wayland since that ended up being what made me give up on Mint when my new hardware refused to run without persistent and horrendous screen tearing in 3D games. X11 just didn't work for me and everything I tried to tweak was either not helpful or would leave me in an un-bootable condition that required recovery via rollbacks or terminal commands using the live-USB.
Did I mention that I also got my kid on the Linux train? He is using Fedora Workstation and loves it compared to his old Win10 laptop and the POS Chromebook the school district gave him. In any case, as a Microsoft refugee I think Linux is a wonderful and viable alternative and while there may be some bumps along the way, the community is very helpful and you can often find solutions or you can just ask.
not really, that's just Fedora with a fake Moustache glued on :) OP didn't say they were incapable of installing a few packages, which in my opinion is the only selling point for Nobara.
Can't argue with that, I think that's true. On the other hand, it creates dependencies on a one-man project which in the long run might not be a sustainable and secure choice. Also, does it still have Brave as the default browser? Because that is honestly a huge dealbreaker for me, Brave as a project is disgusting.
CachyOS for performance, Bazzite for stability. None of key features I've mentioned about these two OSes are overwhelmingly better on each side. Barely makes any difference imo.
My perspective: I fly Bazzite on my main rig (HX99g) and it's been epic. Gaming mode unfortunately doesn't detect 165Hz but desktop mode does. Upsides: seems to run games slightly better than windows, and does most daily computer tasks with ease. Downsides: doesn't run windows native apps. Can be ran though winboat, but say Whatsapp wont have mic unless you add device in settings, but then you'd lose sound of Bazzite.
Other than that, it has been an epic ride. In fact, so good that I have nuked internal SSD windows and clonezilla'd my external Bazzite ssd to internal SSD. Windows hasn't been installed yet. It is in the plans.
Your new phone and GameNative.
If you insist on a PC- Bazzite have a cool idea where they use Fedora atomic, the downside is that it's Fedora. If you feel like you can get alone with Arch try CachyOS. I use Nobara but I'm not quite happy with in because I've had so many issues with updates, and stuff not working properly and in the past was very confusing what you should've to install programs. I'm not sure if there's a reason to use Nobara now when they use the kernel patches from CachyOS and removed all patches for specific vendors (like Asus and Lenovo) except for Surface laptops. The initial setup is great.
If you have legacy or in the short future legacy Nvidia GPU don't go with Nobara.
If you want to set it up yourself like you want check out openSUSE.
I didn't mentioned Debian and Debian-based because Steam is recommended to be installed as system app and Debian have very old packages. Debian unstable or maybe better PikaOS can work for that.
Should be fine for the most part on any distribution. Just install lutris, heroic, steam. Wine and wine tricks and proton as your emulator.(glorious egg roll or latest is pretty stable)
The only games I’ve had issues with so far have been an old game from bungee and maybe a few old ones from Ubisoft
Since you posted a kitty, I will help. I adopted Mint with Cinnamon, and it works. It's not perfect, but it's good enough for me not to spend ages playing with distros.
I started on Bazzite when I switched, and it was ok but never felt quite right. After that I switched to Garuda, which is also designed to be a ready right out of the box experience that is gaming and performance focused.
It is based on Arch, so it is currently being kept up to date and has been extremely reliable. Pretty much every issue has been solved with an update and reboot.
As an aside, everyone always pushes KDE, but I personally love xfce, it's worth a look.
I also game a lot and made the switch a little over a year ago. I use a 3090 so i chose Pop!_OS and it has been treating me super well! Highly recommended, especially their new Cosmic version.
This question is useless, especially here where you're going to get a million different answers from some of the most opinionated experts on the Internet.
They are all effectively the same with very minor (and shrinking) differences. The actual biggest difference is the type of release cycle (atomic, rolling, etc) and you can find multiple of those in the same distro. Again.... It's all effectively the same.
I'm gonna recommend what works for me, but it might not work for you. I like these because (again, in my specific use case) they "just worked" with little to no problems: Fedora for a desktop/laptop and bazzite for a handheld. Again.... YMMV.
Go check distrowatch and try a few different distros until you find one you like. The more popular, the more likely you can find a community to support your questions.
no but actually, linux mint is very good for newcomers, especially as its desktop has resemblance to windows. Pop!_os is also really good and better for gaming maybe? I would avoid ubuntu (slower and a lot more bloated) and especially manjaro (breaks a LOT without you even doing anything).
I might also cautiously suggest arch? It's kind of a meme in the community because of its own community being seen as a bit toxic, but once you've got past the install and customization process (which does admittedly take a lot of time and reading), you have a system that is entirely your own in almost every way. For example, in the case of desktop environments, you can use cinammon from mint or gnome from pop!_os or even a more lightweight one like xfce. You also tend to have a more stable system, as you won't have unknowingly have some unstable packages hidden in the bowels of your system that get relied on by 73 other packages and could break at any moment.
A lot of these new distros people mention and threads like this look really sleek and fancy. I'm still using Arch Linux with i3 instead of a desktop environment, and can play whatever games. It's all the same shit under the hood once you've installed what you need.
One thing to note is that Linux can read your Windows partitions. If you have data on drives you'll still need, you can leave them and Linux can access them fine. (Windows can't read most file systems though, so the other direction of this mostly doesn't work. Windows can't read most Linux partitions).
If you're reasonably technologically competent, I'd recommend CachyOS or Garuda. These are Arch based, so the Arch wiki and Arch User Repository are available, and great resources. They come with everything you need for gaming though, unlike base Arch. You don't need to fiddle with things or set things up. They just work out-of-the-box.
If you're not really technologically competent, but want to learn, the Mint recommendations are fine. It's one of the most used distros, so there's still plenty of help available. Alternatively, and I think better, there's Fedora. For either of these, choose KDE versions, not Gnome or anything else. KDE is more customizable and closer to Windows too. (Though it can be customized to be more like anything else, or whatever you want too.)
If you really don't want to learn, Bazzite or maybe Zorin are there.
I don't recommend anything Ubuntu related for newcommers, it's full of weird stuff that is hard to debug when it breaks. But other than that anything will do really. And even Ubuntu is passable to be honest
Honestly, if you're mostly using Steam for gaming, pretty much any major distro will work. Linux Mint is my personal choice for newbies but if something else strikes your fancy, go for it. I second the recommendation for checking on ProtonDB to see if your games are supported. I would also recommend ProtonUp-Qt as a program once you've installed Linux; it's really good for managing different Proton installs on Steam quickly and easily. Also also, I have personally had better luck with the Flatpak version of Steam, rather than the native distro versions, because it has less weird dependency issues, but YMMV. Good luck!
I run Mint myself and it's fairly idiot proof. While I don't have as much free time as I used to, running most of the games I enjoy on steam is possible there. I've heard good things about Bazzite, as it seems to specifically cater to the gaming crowd. I haven't tried it out myself though, since gaming isn't my biggest priority.
My following recommendations are often pretty easy for new users: Ubuntu, Linux Mint, ZorinOS. These distros will give you a chance to become more familiar with linux without getting overly lost in the process. Debian based distros tend to be the best starting place, as they often just work, their approach to Third Party Drivers is sane.
I recommend you steer clear of Arch or Arch-Based distros like CachyOS...If you are just starting out, this will not be a good experience for you. I've found that installers of either EndeavourOS or CachyOS can fail in ways you aren't prepared for, like failing to install the Linux Kernel or failing to allow you to correctly install partitions. Please, don't listen to those that recommend CachyOS or anything Arch Linux. Unless you are prepared to cry, or are very technically inclined and can figure stuff out fast.
You'll probably want to switch off it one day, but when I first got into Linux I used Ubuntu and everything just worked. Even when I had a laptop with a touchscreen, the touchscreen worked no problem. Its a great place to start imo, but not a great place to stay as when you become more proficient with Linux you'll start to see the distro's limitations.
Look at zorinOS or Mint. Those are good starting points
Thank you
Always remember, distrohopping is allowed. Your first distribution doesn’t have to stray with you forever. It can, but doesn’t have to. If you hear about a cool new distro, feel free to try it out.
Worth mentioning that if you’re on AMD, you’re pretty much open for choice. If you have nVidia, make sure the OS you go with calls out nVidia support as a feature. Even then, your specific config may require that you try out a couple before finding the right fit.
I personally tried Bazzite and had a rough experience with performance and haven’t had issues on EndeavorOS, but have read reports from other nVidia users that had the opposite experience. All to say, your mileage may vary, and don’t give up right away if the first one doesn’t feel right.
That makes the setup easier, but the capacity of making it work or not doesn't actually change.
I'd say not only pick an OS that explicitly supports it, but make sure to test first as a live-image without installing and overwriting the OS that is already there working.
I wish there was an easy way to test this, but I got two weeks into my setup before I noticed performance issues because it was only affecting some of my games. This is still a good idea, just not a guarantee.
Sample size of one here - I am on EndeavourOS and have an Nvidia card. I had issues with KDE and with Cinnamon (weird UI hiccups). Switched over to Hyprland and haven't had those issues since (I did have a TON of issues when Hyprland updated from .52 to .53) and also don't recommend Hyprland setup for a new user, but just wanted to share my experience here.
I also tried Niri but had issues getting steam games to launch - I plan to revisit it in a year or so to see if anything changes. I found videos/reviews where some folks were saying they could game with no problem so it might be a skill issue on my part.
The install experience with EOS was totally painless and I'll likely continue to use it on future PC builds (if ram prices ever come down). Looking forward to switching everything to AMD one day.
I installed Fedora on my wife's PC and she hasn't had any issues at all (her build is totally AMD). I hate to say it but the answer is likely "it depends" based on how you will use your machine and what hardware you've got). Might be easiest to go with Zorin or Mint as mentioned in one of the top comments.
I switched to Bazzite on my gaming rig a month ago and felt great. I managed to install and mod Skyrim effortlessly and yesterday I installed Tarkov and SPT with no problem whatsoever. Highly recommend.
But check if your favorite games are compatible, mainly the multiplayer ones: Tarkov can only be single player PvE, GTA is story mode only and forget about Destiny 2. Not a problem for me, plenty of alternatives, but you should check for yourself.
Seconding bazzite here. If you want to "get to know Linux" you might want to consider something else, but if you just want a well-running system with minimal use of the command line, Bazzite is an amazing option. I've been using it since August last year, and have only had to use the command line once in that time. Which isn't a problem for me, but it may be a bit daunting for others (and that is totally fine!).
I’ll throw my vote in for Bazzite. It’s best if you want to use your PC instead of tinkering with Linux. Plus it’s quite gaming focused so Steam etc will work out of the box, although each game’s compatibility will vary. Check protondb.com for compatibility reports on Steam games.
Bazzite scared me when it chose not to boot one day. I had to do some sort of command and got it working again (saved the details to my system build notes). I can't have stuff breaking on me so I was concerned. I haven't had an issue since, so I'm pretty stoked on Bazzite now. I will say, I couldn't get Steam Play working (the thing that let's you play games remotely on a tablet or phone or whatever, Steam itself works fine). I fixed the issue with Sunlight/Moonlight which does the sane thing but did it with less lag, picture degradation. Personally, I suggest you hold out on choosing and load a few different distros on USB sticks to try. I recently built a PC for a family member and did some distrohopping to find the right OS for them.
I don't think you can install Linux on a cat. Please do not the cat
PLEASE DO NOT THE CAT
Doesn't matter. You can install it on any other hardware because Linux includes 'cat' already. You will not need the old one anymore.
Can'tbelieve no one's said this yet, but first you should check protondb.com for all the games you play a lot. It will show you how well they work in Linux. The biggest issue are competitive/esports titles because of their anticheat systems. Most other games run fine out of the box, but some run better with some tweaking.
This! Some games won't work with all the tinkering in the world so ProtonDB is a Linux gamer's best friend
I recommend Mint for a beginner friendly stepping stone. Works right out of the box and is really easy to jump to from windows.
My experience is that Linux Mint is the closest we have to a "it just works"-distro that is also decently up to date. Try that first.
I was in the same situation a few months ago. I wanted to try Linux but had no real experience with it. To experiment safely, I built a computer from old parts and installed Linux Mint. I then swapped it with my Windows machine and committed to using Mint exclusively for a month. That hands-on approach helped far more than reading guides. I now use Mint on my primary system.
Here is what I learned along the way. Mint has excellent documentation because it is one of the most popular Linux distributions. When I ran into problems, I could generally find reliable answers through the official forums, community wikis, or by asking ChatGPT for step-by-step instructions. So far, there has not been a single issue I could not eventually fix with some experimentation.
If you are coming from Windows and want to game, there are several points worth knowing upfront:
1. Steam on Linux is straightforward
Steam has a native Linux client. Most Windows games work through Proton, which Steam handles automatically. For many titles, you simply install the game and press play. Performance can be very close to Windows.
2. Expect some trial and error
Although many games work out of the box, some require you to switch Proton versions or install small compatibility tools. It is usually not difficult, but it is different enough from Windows that patience helps.
3. Modding takes more effort
My most recent challenge involved getting game mods working. Tools like Proton, Wine, and mod installers sometimes interact in unexpected ways. It took me a few hours of reading and experimenting, but I eventually got everything running. Once you understand where games store their files and how Proton prefixes work, modding becomes much more manageable.
4. Linux teaches you how your system works
If you are willing to tinker, Linux rewards you. You learn how your files are organized, how applications install dependencies, and how to fix problems yourself. That knowledge makes troubleshooting less intimidating over time.
5. You can always dual-boot
If you are nervous about switching completely, you can dual-boot Windows and Mint. That way you can learn Linux without losing access to anything critical.
If you are starting from zero, the biggest advantage is the size and friendliness of the Linux Mint community. You do not have to figure everything out alone. With a bit of persistence, you can build a fully functional gaming setup that performs well and is easier to maintain than you might expect.
Not who you were replying to, but thanks for this. I'm hoping to give Linux a go this year, on an old laptop that isn't needed anymore, and this makes me feel more confident about it!
Great guide!
I would add that searching for a "SteamDeck" guide for a mod set tends to find a more complete guide for running that mod on Linux.
After distro hopping for decades, I've ended up just running Mint for almost all desktop use cases. This includes gaming via steam.
If my main concern is playing game with Steam, most mainstream Linux OSes should be fine. If I have to pick one... Linux Mint is very beginner-friendly, and I've heard great things about Bazzite too. SteamOS works flawlessly with Steam out of the box (owns Steam Deck, can verify), but I don't know how easy it is to set up by yourself
If you happen to also like non-Steam games: a lot of them can be added as a custom application/game via your Steam Library, which does most of the heavy-lifting: you only have to specify which compatibility layer to use & sometimes do keymapping. Setting up
wineon its own is not for the faint-heartedI personally use Arch because AUR (a user-uploaded repository, a lot of popular Linux OSes have their own versions) makes it easy to play a lot of FOSS games... but I can't recommend Arch Linux for beginners
Bazzite, Linux Mint, CachyOS
Try each of them out, see what you mesh best with, join their respective discord/matrix for further help and details 👍
Not even CATchyOS?
They only run Miaowcrosoft products.
Well, I do know that for terminal emulators, KiTTY works pretty well :-)
I usually recommend Linux Mint. Its based on Ubuntu, so when searching for help online everything that works for Ubuntu should work for mint. Another Advantage mint has is, that it has quite a lot of UIs for a lot of applications/settings. This means, that you dont have to work with the terminal that much when doing something. However, I Am highly recommending that in the long term you should try to find your way around in the terminal. A lit if help that you will find online is based around the terminal, and knowing what commands do is quite valuable.
I just got Mint working on one of my machines yesterday, the process was remarkably painless
I recommend Mint if it's your first time. It's really easy to set up and use and there are thousands of guides online for fixing any issues you encounter with it. I do not recommend Bazzite like others are recommending because you literally can't change anything with it. That is fine if everything works out of the box and you're basically just using it for gaming, but if literally anything is wrong with your install or you have a device where the drivers that come with Bazzite don't work, you literally can't fix it. Not as in "it's really difficult" I mean it literally won't let you do it. Updating drivers on Linux is notoriously frustrating, but it's very often required especially if you have older USB peripherals you want to use.
I'm just glad that someone FINALLY asked this question!
Kubuntu is the best. It's Ubuntu with KDE tools and programs. You have Plasma as a desktop environment, which is very close to Window but that you can customize to your need.
Ubuntu is very popular so you get pretty much everything available and with tutorial, ressources and everything. KDE really push it to the most user friendly, GUI for everything kind of state.
Steam is easy to install, take charge of Proton or anything needed for your games to run.
I was very frustrated by Gnome (the default desktop environment for Ubuntu), failing miserably to make it more like Window. I guess Gnome is more for Mac users.
The only thing I recommend is deactivating Snap and installing Flatpack. It's easy to find tuto on how to do that. Both Snap and Flatpack are doing the same idea, to bundle a program and it's dependencies in a format that allows easier distribution to many distro. But Snap is not as good as Flatpack. You are free to leave it or to use both.
Either way, you can also install program made for Ubuntu or Debian. And with KDE come Discover that is like an App Store and updater.
Linux Mint is also good but I really think Plasma is the best desktop environment. Good thing to know you can always install more desktop environment then the one already installed, so don't hesitate to try other.
If you are already engaged in a very pro open source stance, you might look at Fedora.
Anyway you choose, there are community of people passionate with Linux that can help you every step of the way. LLM can also help you get the basic. Good luck and welcome 🤗
Honestly I’ve found Kubuntu breaks in weird places for weird reasons. It’s always been that way. Neon was supposed to address this but it just broke in other places instead.
If KDE is your priority, I see only 2 top tier options. Fedora if you want it to just work out of the box, arch if you are okay arguing a little to make your point and have it work how you want.
I would highly recommend against installing arch AS your first distro. You could go with EndeavourOS (or some other Arch based Distros), but plain arch will be very unforgiving if you dont know what you are doing.
Totally agree. Arch is great but it’s not the right place for a beginner.
No "breaking" in my experience. I had a weird thing with sound in the beginning that I tried to fix and failed but fixed itself after an update (at this point I believe it is a rite of passage for Linux 😂) and a weird bug with Nvidia on resume from sleep that was a bitch to figure out but really easy to fix. Since then no issues at all. 25.10 is smooth sailing, the update was easy and problem free. I hope I'm not cursing myself.
Now that I feel a little bit more experience with Linux in contemplating moving to Fedora KDE.
I fear one thing, it's that my GPU's driver is technically not maintained by Nvidia (GTX 1070). I heard Arch user suffered from that and it will eventually come for Ubuntu. Don't know what to do for now, but I'm sure there will be solution.
Ugh NVIDIA, just rip off that bandaid and get over it. And fedora is not terrible not has a sort of corporate feel I can’t explain and dislike, and selinux is the fucking devil, but it’s probably wise to learn it even if you end up not using it. DNF an absolute delight though, and the out of box ease reminds me of Ubuntu back in its heyday.
I'm running CachyOS and love it. Great performance and easy to use IMO
I'm going to go out on a limb here... If you have no Linux experience, download virtualbox and a handful of distros to try out in your current machine.
CachyOS is great for gaming, I'd suggest the KDE desktop PopOS is also a great choice, their native cosmic desktop is nice. Mint with cinnamon is also a good choice for gaming and daily use Bazzite is also a popular gaming distro that also uses KDE Xubuntu is also a great choice, Ubuntu base with XFCE desktop, great for gaming and a big supportive community
Try these and maybe a handful others to play with until you find a desktop that you find intuitive and easy to find what you need. Once you play with a few of these pick one and try to stick with it as you learn Linux in a full native install.
Another really simple way to do essentially the same is to set the bios in your machine to support boot from a USB stick (and in some machines, that involves disabling the 'secure boot' setting that prevents any OS but the OEM OS from loading on the machine). Once you've got that, you can run any distro if you've got it on a USB stick by booting your machine from it.
Another great idea, just keep in mind how much of a performance hit running an os off of a USB is
For sure choose some Debian-based distro. As a beginner maybe stay away from Arch or Fedora derivatives - most tutorials are for Debian-based distros and it will be easier that way. Pick something like Ubuntu, Mint, Zorin or sth like that. Don't be owerwhelmed. The distro doesn't really matter as long it's not Arch. Learn that the look of the desktop is independent of the distro you choose. The look is called "desktop environment". Look it up. You can install any desktop environment on any distro so you don't have to pick distro based on looks. Good luck and have fun.
Fedora KDE Plasma is what I use. It's solid.
I would say SteamOS if you can run it. Otherwise, CachyOS.
Thank you
Worth noting if you take this advice: SteamOS (and Bazzite, recommended elsewhere) are immutable distros, which, to over-simplify it to an extreme degree, limits your ability to install things that modify the system directly. This can be a good thing, but it can also make it difficult to install certain things that you might want. There are workarounds, but you might find this frustrating at first.
If you primarily game, this is probably not an issue for you except that some non-Steam games may require some extra work to run (particularly ones that, for example, require you to install .NET Framework or specific Java versions.)
Not trying to discourage you from these - they're great OSes and the 'downside' of immutable distros can actually be beneficial when new to linux, as they prevent you from breaking things through inexperience, but it's something you should be aware of up front. (FWIW I use Bazzite as my daily driver for everything, and it works fine.)
Pick something with a good window manager, typing into a terminal without fingers and thumbs is going to be tricky.
I watched a video recently of a german Youtuber that created a Linux chooser with questions about usage, experience etc.
The language is only in german, but you could try the translation feature in your browser.
https://themorpheus407.github.io/LinuxChooser/
From what I hear, gaming = bazzite.
Also you can check compatibility of your games with ProtonDB.
My wife and I play a lot of games; my wife is also not super technical — she can get her way around some problems, but not deeper ones, and never uses the terminal, — and we've enjoyed bazzite quite a bit with almost no issues.
I also do development, and that's been fine as well.
I'd probably say mint, reasonably newbie friendly. I've not tried Bazzite but I hear good things about it.
I currently run Arch btw, it's not what I'd recommend as a first distro.
Anyway don't over think it. Get something easy up and running and after a while get curious or annoyed and try something else.
Hope you have an AMD gpu. Been a while since I had a Nvidia but they were twice as annoying to deal with some 7 years ago.
Fedora KDE.
Looks similar-esque to Windows, Steam and most/all your games will run great on it.
Packages and kernel are kept current and it’s stable.
It has an App Store called Discover for finding most anything you will need out of the gate.
https://fedoraproject.org/kde/
Mint is beginner friendly. The Cinnamon desktop is very Windows-like. But if you want HDR support I don’t recommend Mint because its desktops are mostly on X11. It updates the kernel less frequently, so it’s more stable, less cutting edge.
Pop!_OS is also beginner friendly, gaming oriented, makes installing NVIDIA drivers easy, and since its desktops are on Wayland, you can get HDR support. Its kernel updates more frequently, so newer hardware gets support sooner.
That was kind of my point saying HDR support is hard on Mint. However, I game plenty on Mint and never had any problems aside from that.
Had 0 issues on mint with gaming. I play plenty of modern AAA, AA games.
Fedora KDE is what I use and recommend.
Its easy, to setup, no frills, reliable and very easy to use with a just gui if you're not into the terminal.
If, and only if, this is not your primary computer. Eg, it's only for gaming, I'd recommend Bazzite.
Bazzite is great and I use it on our couch pc for a true console experience. I call it "our better Xbox".
Try this: https://distrochooser.de/en
I recently made the switch to Kubuntu. I wanted KDE and Wayland all setup for me after arch issues a couple years ago.
Another big reason is that I can install the discord .deb files easily without thinking much, cause discord has an update like every other day.
I might switch one day but it should be easy cause my OS drive doesn't have any games on it
I just ignore Discord updates lol
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OEfr7L-gUk
You will feel at home with anything kde
Pop_OS
Want easy starting point..... Linux Mint.
Later down the line move to more complicated ones.
https://youtu.be/e2wB9r1SYrY
What kind of GPU do you use ?
CachyOS with kde. Nvidia + wayland + wifi + proton and lutris with umu all work out of the box
Ubuntu is the starter distro. Start there. Figure out how this shit works and learn what you love and what you hate about it. Then you’ll be in a better position to find what you actually want.
Do not start with arch. That is not what it is for.
You don’t want kali. It solves a specific problem you do not have.
Avoid all immutable distros at first. They are great but add a layer of complexity that will fuck you if you don’t have the basics down first.
I have been using Nobara OS for a few years, it is based on Fedora, comes with Nvidia and other proprietary drivers if you want. Plus, it also has an HTPC (home theatre PC) mode, where you boot directly into steam's big picture mode, like steam deck.
It is fedora. Just a fedora install with some preticked boxes. That said there’s some differences to note such as nobara doesnt come with selinux like fedora workstation does. It uses apparmor. Which you won’t bump into an issue with until you install certain softwares. I think if you’re just gaming it won’t matter
They're all pretty much the same except for a couple, like nix, Gentoo, slackware, etc. maybe stay away from those. fuck around and find out is the best way.
actually genuinely this. The recommendations here are if you just want to install linux once and not think about it again but distro-hopping is really the best thing to do if you're ok with re-installing everything once in a while.
For me, my recommendation is:
Fedora Workstation (GNOME) and KDE are both great well-rounded options.
If you want a gaming-centric distro, Bazzite is a nice option (if you have nvidia GPU, pick the option that has those drivers!). Bazzite is atomic, meaning it's slightly harder to break the OS and it's easy to roll back (there are a few limitations though, like most apps will be installed via flatpak rather than with dnf). If you have a living room PC, Bazzite also offers a console-like experience with Steam Big Picture Mode.
If you like tinkering and want to squeeze out performance, CachyOS is a great option, it's essentially Arch Linux that is easier to install and has a bunch of performance tweaks.
TLDR: Mint for older hardware, Fedora/Bazzite for newer hardware, CachyOS if you know what you're doing
If you can't decide between distros, I would test them out with live boot (you could use VenToy for this) and mess around in them, see what works and what doesn't. That's how I did it, I hopped from Mint to Fedora Workstation then landed on Fedora KDE. I am currently thinking of switching to EndeavourOS later (nothing wrong with Fedora, I just want to try out something Arch-based for a change!)
Also, one thing, if you're installing Fedora, make sure to enable third-party repos when setting up in the little guide! This will allow you to install Steam and, if applicable, Nvidia drivers. It's pretty stupid that they make it sound all scary, it really would be better if they just asked whether you want Steam and Nvidia drivers, but it is what it is.
Okay, but that's not what you found. What you have there is a cat, which is also very good! In fact, the excellent news is that you can keep the cat and continue searching for a Linux distro.
Strange to see no one recommending plain old Fedora yet 😢 it's stable, performant, up to date, and compatible with just about any hardware. I'm daily-driving it on my notebook, playing tons of games without issues. As for desktop environments, I'd highly recommend KDE plasma since you won't have to relearn everything at once (compared to GNOME), and also the KDE apps are a lot more configurable than GNOME's. Keep away from Cinnamon (default for Linux Mint!) or Xfce unless you really know what you're doing 😄
I was thinking the same thing about Fedora since I have installed it on two purpose built gaming PCs using new or last gen hardware and a very old Dell Inspiron laptop and the experience has been very good outside of a couple minor issues like installing the WiFi driver on the Dell.
One of the best things I have found with Linux is the live-disk distro testing option since you can test how much you like the interface and execution of each OS+DE and how well they behave with your hardware situation without having to reformat anything first. Personally, since my goal was to move as far from the windows experience as possible, I opted for Fedora Workstation since I also tested the KDE version and I just didn't like it at all. GNOME seems to have its detractors (and for valid reasons) but after using Apple computers and Ubuntu a long time ago, I just preferred the intuitive layout and clean desktop experience. Using Windows11 at work is horrendous and I look forward to being back on my own machine every evening.
Another thing to consider is X11 vs Wayland since that ended up being what made me give up on Mint when my new hardware refused to run without persistent and horrendous screen tearing in 3D games. X11 just didn't work for me and everything I tried to tweak was either not helpful or would leave me in an un-bootable condition that required recovery via rollbacks or terminal commands using the live-USB.
Did I mention that I also got my kid on the Linux train? He is using Fedora Workstation and loves it compared to his old Win10 laptop and the POS Chromebook the school district gave him. In any case, as a Microsoft refugee I think Linux is a wonderful and viable alternative and while there may be some bumps along the way, the community is very helpful and you can often find solutions or you can just ask.
You should recommend Nobara then.
not really, that's just Fedora with a fake Moustache glued on :) OP didn't say they were incapable of installing a few packages, which in my opinion is the only selling point for Nobara.
They also said they play a lot of games so might as well have everything included. Especially when "onboarding" a former Windows user...
Can't argue with that, I think that's true. On the other hand, it creates dependencies on a one-man project which in the long run might not be a sustainable and secure choice. Also, does it still have Brave as the default browser? Because that is honestly a huge dealbreaker for me, Brave as a project is disgusting.
Edit: forgot to add a source in order to be a credible internet stranger. https://thelibre.news/no-really-dont-use-brave
CachyOS for performance, Bazzite for stability. None of key features I've mentioned about these two OSes are overwhelmingly better on each side. Barely makes any difference imo.
My perspective: I fly Bazzite on my main rig (HX99g) and it's been epic. Gaming mode unfortunately doesn't detect 165Hz but desktop mode does. Upsides: seems to run games slightly better than windows, and does most daily computer tasks with ease. Downsides: doesn't run windows native apps. Can be ran though winboat, but say Whatsapp wont have mic unless you add device in settings, but then you'd lose sound of Bazzite.
Other than that, it has been an epic ride. In fact, so good that I have nuked internal SSD windows and clonezilla'd my external Bazzite ssd to internal SSD. Windows hasn't been installed yet. It is in the plans.
Your new phone and GameNative. If you insist on a PC- Bazzite have a cool idea where they use Fedora atomic, the downside is that it's Fedora. If you feel like you can get alone with Arch try CachyOS. I use Nobara but I'm not quite happy with in because I've had so many issues with updates, and stuff not working properly and in the past was very confusing what you should've to install programs. I'm not sure if there's a reason to use Nobara now when they use the kernel patches from CachyOS and removed all patches for specific vendors (like Asus and Lenovo) except for Surface laptops. The initial setup is great. If you have legacy or in the short future legacy Nvidia GPU don't go with Nobara. If you want to set it up yourself like you want check out openSUSE. I didn't mentioned Debian and Debian-based because Steam is recommended to be installed as system app and Debian have very old packages. Debian unstable or maybe better PikaOS can work for that.
Should be fine for the most part on any distribution. Just install lutris, heroic, steam. Wine and wine tricks and proton as your emulator.(glorious egg roll or latest is pretty stable)
The only games I’ve had issues with so far have been an old game from bungee and maybe a few old ones from Ubisoft
Since you posted a kitty, I will help. I adopted Mint with Cinnamon, and it works. It's not perfect, but it's good enough for me not to spend ages playing with distros.
mint
I started on Bazzite when I switched, and it was ok but never felt quite right. After that I switched to Garuda, which is also designed to be a ready right out of the box experience that is gaming and performance focused.
It is based on Arch, so it is currently being kept up to date and has been extremely reliable. Pretty much every issue has been solved with an update and reboot.
As an aside, everyone always pushes KDE, but I personally love xfce, it's worth a look.
I also game a lot and made the switch a little over a year ago. I use a 3090 so i chose Pop!_OS and it has been treating me super well! Highly recommended, especially their new Cosmic version.
Fedora’s solid for me. I left Ubuntu distros because they’re always out of date with the latest desktop environment updates.
This question is useless, especially here where you're going to get a million different answers from some of the most opinionated experts on the Internet.
They are all effectively the same with very minor (and shrinking) differences. The actual biggest difference is the type of release cycle (atomic, rolling, etc) and you can find multiple of those in the same distro. Again.... It's all effectively the same.
I'm gonna recommend what works for me, but it might not work for you. I like these because (again, in my specific use case) they "just worked" with little to no problems: Fedora for a desktop/laptop and bazzite for a handheld. Again.... YMMV.
Go check distrowatch and try a few different distros until you find one you like. The more popular, the more likely you can find a community to support your questions.
I use nobara as a gamer and it works well for me
gentoo!!no but actually, linux mint is very good for newcomers, especially as its desktop has resemblance to windows. Pop!_os is also really good and better for gaming maybe? I would avoid ubuntu (slower and a lot more bloated) and especially manjaro (breaks a LOT without you even doing anything).
I might also cautiously suggest arch? It's kind of a meme in the community because of its own community being seen as a bit toxic, but once you've got past the install and customization process (which does admittedly take a lot of time and reading), you have a system that is entirely your own in almost every way. For example, in the case of desktop environments, you can use cinammon from mint or gnome from pop!_os or even a more lightweight one like xfce. You also tend to have a more stable system, as you won't have unknowingly have some unstable packages hidden in the bowels of your system that get relied on by 73 other packages and could break at any moment.
A lot of these new distros people mention and threads like this look really sleek and fancy. I'm still using Arch Linux with i3 instead of a desktop environment, and can play whatever games. It's all the same shit under the hood once you've installed what you need.
CachyOS or Bazzite if you play games
SteamOS if you ONLY play games...and replace your windows for general stuff with Linux Mint
One thing to note is that Linux can read your Windows partitions. If you have data on drives you'll still need, you can leave them and Linux can access them fine. (Windows can't read most file systems though, so the other direction of this mostly doesn't work. Windows can't read most Linux partitions).
If you're reasonably technologically competent, I'd recommend CachyOS or Garuda. These are Arch based, so the Arch wiki and Arch User Repository are available, and great resources. They come with everything you need for gaming though, unlike base Arch. You don't need to fiddle with things or set things up. They just work out-of-the-box.
If you're not really technologically competent, but want to learn, the Mint recommendations are fine. It's one of the most used distros, so there's still plenty of help available. Alternatively, and I think better, there's Fedora. For either of these, choose KDE versions, not Gnome or anything else. KDE is more customizable and closer to Windows too. (Though it can be customized to be more like anything else, or whatever you want too.)
If you really don't want to learn, Bazzite or maybe Zorin are there.
Zorin OS
I don't recommend anything Ubuntu related for newcommers, it's full of weird stuff that is hard to debug when it breaks. But other than that anything will do really. And even Ubuntu is passable to be honest
Honestly, if you're mostly using Steam for gaming, pretty much any major distro will work. Linux Mint is my personal choice for newbies but if something else strikes your fancy, go for it. I second the recommendation for checking on ProtonDB to see if your games are supported. I would also recommend ProtonUp-Qt as a program once you've installed Linux; it's really good for managing different Proton installs on Steam quickly and easily. Also also, I have personally had better luck with the Flatpak version of Steam, rather than the native distro versions, because it has less weird dependency issues, but YMMV. Good luck!
I recommend Debian for new users and Arch fir experienced users, but use what feels right to you.
Ooh, okay! I have some recommendations for distributions built for gaming:
I run Mint myself and it's fairly idiot proof. While I don't have as much free time as I used to, running most of the games I enjoy on steam is possible there. I've heard good things about Bazzite, as it seems to specifically cater to the gaming crowd. I haven't tried it out myself though, since gaming isn't my biggest priority.
CachyOS
My following recommendations are often pretty easy for new users: Ubuntu, Linux Mint, ZorinOS. These distros will give you a chance to become more familiar with linux without getting overly lost in the process. Debian based distros tend to be the best starting place, as they often just work, their approach to Third Party Drivers is sane.
I recommend you steer clear of Arch or Arch-Based distros like CachyOS...If you are just starting out, this will not be a good experience for you. I've found that installers of either EndeavourOS or CachyOS can fail in ways you aren't prepared for, like failing to install the Linux Kernel or failing to allow you to correctly install partitions. Please, don't listen to those that recommend CachyOS or anything Arch Linux. Unless you are prepared to cry, or are very technically inclined and can figure stuff out fast.
You'll probably want to switch off it one day, but when I first got into Linux I used Ubuntu and everything just worked. Even when I had a laptop with a touchscreen, the touchscreen worked no problem. Its a great place to start imo, but not a great place to stay as when you become more proficient with Linux you'll start to see the distro's limitations.