Tired of Windows? It's time to give Linux a try.

Ubuntu on Windows 10 Source: Windows Key

It'south been a total two years since I wrote virtually how Linux is now a feasible OS for PC gaming and in that time a lot has changed. The open-source desktop Bone isn't just for gaming. It's besides keen for a bunch of other computing tasks one ordinarily does on Windows or even macOS. After using Windows for more two decades, I find myself no longer able to put up with it.

Windows XP was the glory days of Microsoft's OS. I wouldn't be able to guess the number of hours spent in IRC apps and games like Unreal Tournament 99/2004 with friends. And then came Windows Vista and it was a hot mess with hardware being nowhere near prepare to run such a bundle. Windows 7 inverse the game and was unfortunately followed past Windows 8.

Windows 10 wasn't terrible and remained my get-to OS for gaming, but that's changed over the last two years with the advancements made to Valve'due south Proton compatibility layer. I can now pretty much do everything on Linux I could with Windows and that forced Microsoft'due south OS to take a backseat in 2022 on my main PC.

In that location's so much freedom

Ubuntu 19.10 Source: Rich Edmonds / Windows Central

One of the most enticing parts of Linux is option. Fifty-fifty down to the distribution (or distro) you'd adopt to use, exist it Ubuntu, Arch, or Manjaro. There's a distro for everyone and even after choosing one, information technology'south possible to customize it to your center'southward content. Don't like the new snap package manager in Ubuntu? Go ahead and completely remove it with a few Final commands.

Using Linux day-to-day with the latest distros is nil but a joy.

Information technology's incredibly user-friendly too. You could install a distro like Linux Mint that attempts to replicate the expect and feel of Windows and assist span the gap between the two platforms. Once up and running (which takes around 5 minutes) you're good to go. There aren't whatever popular-ups asking for the Bone to send data to servers, nor volition yous accept to accept targeted advertising.

Using Linux day-to-day with the latest distros is zilch but a joy. Everything but works out of the box. Some distros tin can even come with the latest drives from NVIDIA already included, but it'southward just as easy to install them on other distros. There are some software suites that aren't supported on Linux, but there are plenty of alternatives and are usually costless of accuse.

Want to use Microsoft Office? There'south Libre Office set to become. Fan of Adobe Photoshop? GIMP is your new best friend. The most popular apps like Slack, Discord, Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Thunderbird, Steam, VLC role player, Plex, and more are all available for Linux. Some distros even have an app shop that can handle installing and updating each app.

Valve's Proton is literal software magic

Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord Source: Windows Central

Proton is Valve'south answer to getting more people to use Linux for gaming. It's a compatibility layer that works with other open-source tools to make Windows games run on Linux. I noted in my previous gaming on Linux piece that performance in games was usually behind Windows, merely this isn't the example in more and more PC titles.

Even when using Proton, you tin can often observe performance on par with what yous'd discover with a Microsoft-powered PC. The all-time part is the whole process of downloading, installing, and playing Windows games on Linux is as straightforward as Microsoft's OS. Proton works with WINE and DXVK, amid others, and everything is handled by the Steam client.

ProtonDB is a website that tracks how well games perform using Proton on Linux. The listing of supported games that run at least well plenty to play is constantly growing with each update. Even the likes of Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord runs exceptionally well, aside from a minor stutter here and there.

ProtonDB Source: Windows Central

Online games that brand use of anti-cheat software didn't play ball with Proton, but Valve has been working with the developers to add support for its gear up of tools. Now, you can install and enjoy games that use tools similar BattleEye and not need to burn down up a Windows install to just play i game every so often.

Microsoft yet doesn't quite know how to approach PC gaming. Afterward what happened with Windows Live and the still mediocre Microsoft Store, Steam and other distribution platforms are where gamers flock to. Linux is only going to get amend with each customs-driven release and distro maintainers are working hard to improve the user experience to entice more people to brand the switch.

Gaming is no longer i of those reasons to cull Windows over Linux unless it'south a specific game that merely isn't native or supported by tools like Proton.

Windows 11 became a living nightmare

Windows 11 Setup install now option Source: Windows Central

I'm a fan of what Microsoft finally brought to the desktop with Windows 11. Our resident Windows proficient Zac Bowden gave the OS a positive score in his incredible in-depth review and I hold with the majority of what was written. Where Windows xi falls flat for me, however, is with the installation process. Information technology'due south an absolute mess.

I take a few examination rigs configured for diverse PC components we review here at Windows Central and installing fresh copies of Windows for Intel's 12th Gen launch was riddled with issues from the get-get. The installer would either refuse to load or fail to see drives. In fact, one install required a ii.five-inch SATA SSD to be connected to the lath in order for Windows 11 to successfully kicking from the M.2 NVMe drive.

Interestingly, I never had an outcome with the latest security measures that require trusted platform modules (or TPM) since near motherboards and processors released in the past few years support information technology out of the box. Information technology was more Windows having trouble with SSDs, sometimes even outright refusing to install Windows on specific drives.

For a express joy, I installed Linux Mint on all the machines and didn't run into a single problem. Not 1. This is a billion-dollar company going upwards against average Joe and losing in my anecdotal experiences.

Simply Windows isn't completely out of my life. I still use it regularly to remain in the loop with all the latest news and because nosotros continue to benchmark products using the Bone. For my main PC, Windows isn't even installed on a secondary drive anymore.

New changes

Microsoft will brainstorm testing experimental Windows 11 features with Insiders

Microsoft has today announced that it's changing upward the style in which it flights preview builds of Windows 11 to Insiders registered in the Dev or Beta Channels. Going frontward, both channels are to be considered the "active development branch," only for different kinds of feature testing.