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Is now the right time to switch to Linux?

Experience: I have a bit of experience with Linux. I started around 2008, distro-hopped weekly, decided on Debian until around 2011, when I switched to Windows as I started getting interested in gaming. Tried switching back around 2015, this time using Arch Linux for about a month, but had some bad experiences with gaming and switched back to Windows. I have had a Debian and Arch VM in Virtual Box since then for testing different applications and a more coherent environment to work with servers.

Understanding: Which brings me to now, I am really interested in using Linux for gaming, I know there is Proton from Valve and that they have been really pushing Linux gaming forward with it.

Thoughts: I have been contemplating dual booting by installing Debian to an SSD and simply using the UEFI boot menu to choose instead of having to install to the EFI of Windows.

I guess, I should just do it, as it won't affect my Windows installation, and I could test different games and if all works well, move over. This would also allow me to try different distributions, though my heart is for Debian, I even like Debian Unstable.

Note: I am sorry for the wall of text, I am just kind of anxious I guess.

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  • I am in doubt about running Linux on my gaming system. As I need it to be as close to 100% compatible as possible for running games. Because I still have a lot of games on Steam that I haven't finished. So I don't want to lose the ability to play some of them.

    • One option if you still want to use both, is a Linux laptop. You could use that as your daily driver and then use Moonlight/Sunshine to stream from your gaming rig to laptop. Use a loopback HDMI plug on the rig and you largely have what amounts to a gaming server on your network.

      Average added latency on my setup is 4ms so this works very well. I stream games at 120FPS at 1080p. Then when I'm done playing, I close the window. No dual booting annoyance and fully functional Windows 10.

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