I switched from Windows to Linux for gaming. I kept it practical. This guide shows how I set up a gaming setup that runs Windows games under Proton, gets solid gaming performance, and stays stable. I focus on Ubuntu installation because it is familiar, widely supported and quick to get working for most games.
Start by testing with a live USB. Boot a live image and run a few games from a thumb drive or use Steam’s compatibility tools. Pick a distro that matches your needs, but for a straightforward path use Ubuntu or an Ubuntu-based offshoot. For Ubuntu installation enable the multiverse repo, update packages, then install Steam and drivers. For Nvidia GPUs use ubuntu-drivers autoinstall to get the official driver. For AMD cards the kernel plus Mesa drivers cover most needs; install mesa-vulkan-drivers and vulkan-tools to get Vulkan working. If you want one-command setup, write a short script that adds repos and installs Steam, ProtonUp-Qt, gamemode, mangohud and vulkan-tools. I tested an RX 6700 XT and a Ryzen 7 in a recent switch and it handled modern titles well; that sort of hardware is a safe bet for Proton compatibility.
Proton compatibility is central to Linux gaming. Check ProtonDB before buying a game. Install ProtonUp-Qt to add community Proton builds like Proton GE. Enable Steam Play for all titles in Steam settings and pick the Proton version per title in Properties. For gaming performance install gamemode, mangohud and the Vulkan drivers. Commands I use on Ubuntu: sudo add-apt-repository multiverse; sudo apt update; sudo apt install steam-installer vulkan-tools mesa-vulkan-drivers gamemode mangohud; and sudo ubuntu-drivers autoinstall for Nvidia. Run vulkaninfo to confirm Vulkan works. Launch a game with mangohud to see FPS, frametime, GPU and CPU use. Use the Steam Overlay or Proton logs when a game fails to start. If a game uses DirectX 12, try a VKD3D-based Proton build first.
When performance is lower than expected, check a few things. Confirm the GPU driver matches the kernel. Use nvidia-smi for Nvidia or radeontop for AMD to watch load. Look at frametime spikes, not only average FPS. Turn off compositor effects or switch to a lighter desktop session for demanding titles. Use the CPU governor set to performance for benchmarks, then switch back for daily use. If a title stutters try a different Proton build or a Proton GE release. Use protontricks for old DirectX runtimes or missing DLLs. If Vulkan reports missing extensions, update Mesa or use a newer kernel. Keep game-specific tweaks in the Steam launch options so they do not affect other titles.
Customise the desktop to suit gaming. I prefer a lean session during play, and a full GNOME or KDE session for everything else. Pin Steam to autostart only if you want a dedicated gaming machine. Keep backups before attempting rolling driver PPAs or mainline kernels. For future-proofing keep a tested upgrade path: a fresh install on a spare SSD is a cheap way to trial a new kernel or Mesa update without risking your main setup. Final takeaways: test with a live USB, check ProtonDB, install ProtonUp-Qt and the right drivers, use gamemode and mangohud to measure changes, and prefer well supported GPUs. Do the small checks first and change one thing at a time so you can see what actually affects gaming performance.
