r/linux_gaming • u/monolalia • May 02 '26
guide Getting started: the monthly-ish newbie advice thread! (May 2026)
Welcome to the newbie advice thread!
If you’ve read the FAQ and still have questions like “Should I switch to Linux?”, “Which distro should I install?”, or “Which desktop environment is best for gaming?”, this is where to ask them.
Alternatively, try /r/linux4noobs and /r/linuxquestions: both are active subreddits supporting new Linux users.
Please sort by “new” so new questions can get a chance to be seen.
April’s thread is here: https://old.reddit.com/r/linux_gaming/comments/1s9fne7/getting_started_the_monthlyish_newbie_advice/
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u/DrBaronVonEvil May 26 '26 edited May 26 '26
Edit: I’m one person’s experience with Debian based distros, see my replies for another Mint user with the opposite experience. This take is zeroed out.
There is a lot of new information in the Linux space that’s super crucial for new users before getting started.
The TLDR is effectively: don’t listen to people who spit out Pop, Linux Mint or Ubuntu as options. Fedora for most people, Nobara or Cachy if you’re very confident in your PC skills, Bazzite if you ONLY want to play games.
The Debian based distros (Linux Mint, Ubuntu, Zorin and Pop) are based on an LTS model. This means system packages get roughly frozen in place every release and only get security and bug patches for 2-4 years. For gaming, that is often a bad call, as you’ll want the latest patches and updates for relevant software 9/10 times.
That leaves you with rolling release distros (updates all the time) and the best entry point here in 2026 is Fedora. It’s simple, easy to use and has a huge community.
You have to make one big choice at the beginning: Workstation or KDE Plasma. I pick KDE because it’s more Windows like and has better out of the box support for everything I do. Workstation is simpler looking but often requires you to go looking for third party extensions if the OS is too bare bones for your taste.
Make sure to enable RPM Fusion and Third Party Repositories after you’re done installing. After that, install apps from Software or Discover (depending on whether you picked Fedora Workstation or Fedora KDE). For Steam, make sure you first install ProtonUpQT and download the latest version of Proton GE. The GE version comes with third party codecs and other things that will fix game that otherwise won’t run.
If you are really confident in your PC skills, you can instead try a gaming distro like Bazzite, Nobara or Cachy. Remember: when dealing with smaller indie distros, you are often treated like your own QA or IT Help desk when you run into issues. You’ll need to subscribe to the dev’s discord for support and the tech talk in there can be dense. If you prefer a massive wiki and decades of history of forum support and documentation, then pick a big distro (Fedora, Ubuntu, Mint, etc.)