New benchmarks show Linux gaming nearly matching Windows on AMD GPUs

[Karel]

For some PC gamers, Linux might finally make sense

As numerous controversies and Microsoft's relentless push for generative AI damage Windows 11's reputation,
Linux continues to make strides in performance and compatibility. Handheld PCs have made Linux gaming more
viable than ever, but the jury is still out on whether it's time to switch from Windows on high-end desktops.

A recent benchmark from PC Games Hardware suggests that, at least for some games, Proton has nearly
eliminated the performance cost of running Windows code on Linux. AMD Radeon RX 9000 GPU owners
uninterested in online games should seriously consider switching to Linux.

https://www.techspot.com/news/110999-new-benchmarks-show-linux-gaming-nearly-matching-windows.html

[Zondar]

That article is still way too pessimistic. Steam's Proton compatibility layer for Linux is rock solid and very easy to use, the performance is great, and it works reliably with virtually every game without exception. There are several other compatibility options that are independent of Steam too, of course.

There is no reason anymore to be owned by that other garbage ad-and-spyware-infested, subscription-pushing OS for games or anything else.

[tszaboo]

IDK why would anyone voluntarily bring that compatibility can of worms on themselves. 

[JPortici]

That article is still way too pessimistic. Steam's Proton compatibility layer for Linux is rock solid and very easy to use, the performance is great, and it works reliably with virtually every game without exception. There are several other compatibility options that are independent of Steam too, of course.

There is no reason anymore to be owned by that other garbage ad-and-spyware-infested, subscription-pushing OS for games or anything else.

Lutris works well, too. Plain old wine, as well (though i use lutris for games that have problems with getting the inputs, and lutris is better than dealing with winetricks)

Bonus: i don't have to deal with steam.

[Zondar]

IDK why would anyone voluntarily bring that compatibility can of worms on themselves. 

There is no "can of worms." Everything just works. Try it one day.

[tszaboo]

IDK why would anyone voluntarily bring that compatibility can of worms on themselves. 

There is no "can of worms." Everything just works. Try it one day.

There are 4900 issues open at the proton's github page.
https://github.com/ValveSoftware/Proton/issues
Most of it is "game dont work", or "game crashes when i do X".

[Zondar]

I don't have the patience to argue with people who haven't actually used it, so if you prefer to believe that windows is the only realistic option, that's fine with me.

But for those who wish to finally abandon that Trojan Horse called windows, and held back due to games, give it a go. You will be both liberated and pleased.

[SiliconWizard]

Steam has definitely become a viable option and Steam Deck is now a hugely popular portable gaming console.

And keep in mind that apart from MS stuff (Xbox), all gaming consoles that I know of are Linux-based anyway.

[John B]

IDK why would anyone voluntarily bring that compatibility can of worms on themselves. 

There is no "can of worms." Everything just works. Try it one day.

There are 4900 issues open at the proton's github page.
https://github.com/ValveSoftware/Proton/issues
Most of it is "game dont work", or "game crashes when i do X".

That's called selection bias. You are going to the placed designed to document issues and bugs.

If you want a more realistic and balanced source of info, check out https://www.protondb.com/ and look up whatever you want to play.

When comparing wine and proton to native windows, I realised I had a biased view in terms of compatibility when it came to proton/wine. Namely I was comparing crashes there to a hypothetical windows install where it wouldn't crash. In reality, by the time I moved away from windows 8.1, most of my older software wasn't running reliably at all.

[negativ3]

Ask ten linux users which distro is best, you'll get ten different answers and therein lies the rub.
People who want to press the power button and just get on with using the computer without a deeper understanding of "how" will continue to use Windows.

[Halcyon]

I'm not much of a gamer, but wasn't there cases quite some time ago of certain Steam games running even faster on Linux than they did on Windows?

[golden_labels]

This thread is tenfold more interesting than the purely technical opinion on Techspot it linked. It’s like hitting a string of one instrument, and setting the entire orchestra pit in resonance.

There are 4900 issues open at the proton's github page.

And how many issues are there open in some alternative cases? Oh, I forgot: you can’t see them. And if you can’t see something, the count must be 0! /s

To give missing context for the number, Steam now offers about 100,000 games. Feel free to compare 4,900 either to that, or to even a modest estimate of total number of issues in these 100,000 games. In either case the ratio is lower than the value Daniel Sims gave us (himself taking that from Alfonso Maruccia).

There is much more people than you may expect, who would be happy to adhere to the openness ethos and to make their organizations coöperative and honest. A simple observation and a calculation even a fool can make convinces them it’s a bad idea. They’d expose themselves to attacks like that. So in fear of getting hurt, they choose not to.

But for those who wish to finally abandon that Trojan Horse called windows, and held back due to games, give it a go. You will be both liberated and pleased.

There is no reason anymore to be owned by that other garbage ad-and-spyware-infested, subscription-pushing OS for games or anything else.

Move to operating systems based on Linux and… turn them into a similar pile of poop? To centralize the market even more, now Linux based systems being the next platform one is forced to use?

What Windows ecosystem is, is not because some CEO’s decision. It’s a global, decades-long process encompassing entire societies. Changing a kernel is not going to stop that. Use Linux, XNU, Mach, a BSD, and the same process is going the happen, because the people are the same.

Ask ten linux users which distro is best, you'll get ten different answers and therein lies the rub.

It’s the same as with any other product or service, no?

I'm not much of a gamer, but wasn't there cases quite some time ago of certain Steam games running even faster on Linux than they did on Windows?

As it should be, shouldn’t it?

It’s a probabilistic distribution, so some values will be above, some will be below. The important thing is how the entire distribution is shaped, not if there exist single instances that are better (or worse).

[magic]

Move to operating systems based on Linux and… turn them into a similar pile of poop? To centralize the market even more, now Linux based systems being the next platform one is forced to use?

What Windows ecosystem is, is not because some CEO’s decision. It’s a global, decades-long process encompassing entire societies. Changing a kernel is not going to stop that. Use Linux, XNU, Mach, a BSD, and the same process is going the happen, because the people are the same.

But I think I agree. Any plan to meaningfully improve the world must begin with wiping out some 90% of population, otherwise you are just running in circles

[Karel]

"What do you anticipate Microsoft will do next?"

Microsoft will switch to Linux and keep selling their software on top of Linux. And it will cost the Windows users as much as before.
At the same time will the Linux community get face-stomped by hordes of Windows users, all trying to learn everything there is to
learn about Linux and in record-breaking time.
Some long-time Linux supporters will switch to Microsoft in a heart beat like cold-hearted back-stabbers, while others die
the slow death of the White Knight in the most epic drama the Linux community has ever seen, before the Linux
community itself disappears and we will all have turned into "the new Windows user".

Once it's all done and over, and Microsoft has taken over Linux with its hordes of Windows users, will you either be the
new slave of the Microsoft empire or you will have found refuge under a tiny bridge, just next to the one where all the
FreeBSD trolls live, and where you'll then be telling tales of Linux's past.

[tszaboo]

Yes yes, any moment everyone will switch to linux.
Are you aware, that the majority of people don't give one flying fart about their operating system? Literally everything I want to do works under windows. It's a tool, just like a hammer. Are you obsessed about the brand of your hammers as well?

[nctnico]

Yes yes, any moment everyone will switch to linux.
Are you aware, that the majority of people don't give one flying fart about their operating system? Literally everything I want to do works under windows. It's a tool, just like a hammer. Are you obsessed about the brand of your hammers as well?

If the head of the hammer keeps flying of the handle in my face, then yes, I want to know the brand so I can avoid it 

[shapirus]

Ask ten linux users which distro is best, you'll get ten different answers and therein lies the rub.
People who want to press the power button and just get on with using the computer without a deeper understanding of "how" will continue to use Windows.

Nonsense. Mainstream gaming (steam etc.) doesn't depend on specific distros.

[negativ3]

Ask ten linux users which distro is best, you'll get ten different answers and therein lies the rub.
People who want to press the power button and just get on with using the computer without a deeper understanding of "how" will continue to use Windows.

Nonsense. Mainstream gaming (steam etc.) doesn't depend on specific distros.

Not all users are solely gamers.

[shapirus]

Ask ten linux users which distro is best, you'll get ten different answers and therein lies the rub.
People who want to press the power button and just get on with using the computer without a deeper understanding of "how" will continue to use Windows.

Nonsense. Mainstream gaming (steam etc.) doesn't depend on specific distros.

Not all users are solely gamers.

We've been discussing gaming in this thread.

p.s. nonsense either way. All "standard" linux software is present in any distro. For the rest, there's flatpak/appimage which make any differences between distros irrelevant.

[negativ3]

Nuance is lost on you.

[Karel]

Nvidia launches official GeForce Now client for Linux in beta
Over 4,500 titles are now available to stream on Linux desktops and laptops

https://www.techspot.com/news/111133-nvidia-launches-official-geforce-now-client-linux-beta.html

[Eagcress88]

"What do you anticipate Microsoft will do next?"

Microsoft will switch to Linux and keep selling their software on top of Linux. And it will cost the Windows users as much as before.
At the same time will the Linux community get face-stomped by hordes of Windows users, all trying to learn everything there is to
learn about Linux and in record-breaking time.
Some long-time Linux supporters will switch to Microsoft in a heart beat like cold-hearted back-stabbers, while others die
the slow death of the White Knight in the most epic drama the Linux community has ever seen, before the Linux
community itself disappears and we will all have turned into "the new Windows user".

Once it's all done and over, and Microsoft has taken over Linux with its hordes of Windows users, will you either be the
new slave of the Microsoft empire or you will have found refuge under a tiny bridge, just next to the one where all the
FreeBSD trolls live, and where you'll then be telling tales of Linux's past.

For gamers focused on single-player games, the transition seems more realistic than ever. It's also worth noting how the broader ecosystem around games and online services is evolving. Even platforms like https://online-casinosbe.com/ are becoming more optimized and accessible, much like the games themselves on Linux. You can go in and pick up a great, proven game. If Linux continues to improve compatibility, Windows may finally face real competition on high-performance desktops.

Fun dystopian take, but Microsoft already embraces Linux. More likely: deeper integration, cloud dominance, and hybrid ecosystems, not a full takeover apocalypse!

[Karel]

Fun dystopian take, but Microsoft already embraces Linux. More likely: deeper integration, cloud dominance, and hybrid ecosystems, not a full takeover apocalypse.

Where can I buy/download MS Office for Linux?