Background

I use Mac as my daily driver for my work and personal machines, but for gaming I use my Playstation 5 for online or supposedly AAA games (think Call of Duty or Helldivers 2) and I use my Steam Deck for more indie titles. I’ve got some Linux experience, primarily via my old Mac Mini running Proxmox with mostly Debian VMs and messing around briefly with NixOS.

I love our Steam Deck, but it does feel a little underpowered, the battery isn’t as strong as it once was and I don’t love the docking experience with the official dock.

My wife is really into Civilization and similar games and I’d love to setup a desktop connected to our TV to use with a keyboard and mouse on our LG CX. Although I’m tech savvy, I’m not great with knowing what hardware/software to get. It’s especially more complicated with the looming tariffs and trying to make sure I don’t overspend on something I don’t need.

Question

Looking for some guidance on hardware and software to setup for this living room gaming desktop. It’s only purpose is to play games, primarily from Steam and it should have hardware which would benefit speed and performance for the type of games I’m going to list. Obviously we want the graphics to be good, but I don’t need a beast RTX 5090.

What are some hardware and software recommendations in today’s financial climate for playing these games on Linux?

What other accessories would you recommend for couch based keyboard and mouse gaming?

Honestly the game I’m most eager to get into is Dwarf Fortress, but for my wife it’s having a smooth experience with Civ6 (she was playing the Switch version for far too long!)

Games

  • Civilization games
    • My wife loves 6 and I’m a fan of 5, but we do want to eventually try 7, hoping it’ll improve with DLC updates
  • Dwarf Fortress
  • Rimworld
  • Battletech
  • Into the Breach
  • Brotato
  • Vampire Survivors
  • Balatro
  • FTL
  • Caves of Qud
  • Persona 5 Royal (although I’m struggling to get into it, pushing through)
  • Blue Prince
  • ANIMAL WELL
  • Factorio
  • Return of the Obra Dinn
  • Anno 1800
  • Project Zomboid

This is a partial list of some of our libraries and wishlists. As you can see, some of them are more graphically, memory and processor intensive, but a lot of them are low performance indies.

  • utopiah@lemmy.ml
    12·
    2 months ago

    Check ProtonDB, e.g. https://www.protondb.com/search?q=Civilization and that, even though very useful initially started for the SteamDeck it is also a very reliable source to know if a game will work well on Linux. Overall the vast VAST majority of games do work unless there is a kernel level anti-cheat which is mostly for competitive online games only.

    Now in terms of performances, get the GPU you can afford but overall its comparable with other OSes (not to name them) and sometimes even better, so on average, you can trust whatever the publisher is recommending.

    Source : been gaming on Linux, in VR and on “flat” 3D for years now, pretty much daily.

  • Termight@lemmy.mlEnglish
    5·
    2 months ago

    When choosing a graphics card, I’ve generally found AMD/Radeon to be a reliable option. I’ve used several different Radeon GPUs in various builds, and they’ve consistently performed well. Nvidia users sometimes encounter compatibility issues, though that isn’t universally the case. Vulkan is a strong API and provides a good experience.

  • owenfromcanada@lemmy.ca
    51·
    2 months ago

    If you feel most familiar with Debian, I recommend looking at Mint. It has great compatibility and is otherwise easy to use, and it handles GPUs well (including Nvidia). In terms of hardware, I’ll agree with the others here–used is the way to go, you’ll get a lot more for your money than buying new.

    That being said, you can also look for clearance and/or refurbished PCs. This one would probably be powerful enough.

    • Crabhands@lemmy.ml
      3·
      2 months ago

      Anecdotal, but Mint stuttered in games occasionally for me and I had the odd audio blip. I switched to EndeavorOS and its been flawless.

    • async_amuro@lemm.eeOPEnglish
      2·
      2 months ago

      Thanks for the advice! I feel like I will have some flexibility with distros and can switch things out as long as game data is backed up and it works with the hardware.

      Unfortunately the Amazon link doesn’t seem to work for me. Can you give me a brief description of what it included?

  • lorty@lemmy.ml
    2·
    2 months ago

    Considering you play a lot of simulation and strategy games, the CPU you pick will probably influence your experience a lot more than usual. This chart can give you an idea of how they stack.

    I will say, other than Civ7, you’ll probably have a good time with whatever build people have linked here.

  • hlqxz@lemmy.ml
    2·
    2 months ago

    Few months ago I built a gaming PC and chose to not use Windows for multiple reasons. I would suggest sticking to AMD as it would better supported on Linux. For the OS I’m using Arch Linux which is base for a lot of gaming Linux distributions. 99% I have never felt like I was missing out by not using Windows. Wine/Proton works really well OOTB. I highly recommend it if you want to get into Linux gaming. Like others have mentioned, ProtonDB is also a great resource for finding game specific information.

    Build: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/qzwbFs

    • async_amuro@lemm.eeOPEnglish
      2·
      2 months ago

      Thanks for the link to your build, that’s super helpful. The beauty of Linux is that I have some wiggle room as far as distro, as long as the save data is backed up, I can switch it up as long as it supports the hardware.

      • hlqxz@lemmy.ml
        1·
        2 months ago

        Yes, you have a lot more options for Linux distributions which in my opinion is a pro and a con. Honestly I would suggest that you stick to one distribution probably the one that works with your hardware the best (most annoying to troubleshoot). All distributions are going to have some issues and you’ll need to prioritize what you need and stick to it. I’m saying this because I feel I wasted a lot of my time switching distributions rather than just working on trying to fix the issue or finding a workaround. Good luck and don’t forget Linux is beautiful <3

  • hperrin@lemmy.caEnglish
    31·
    2 months ago

    An AMD GPU and Bazzite would be great for you. The AMD GPU makes installing any Linux system easier, cause the drivers are already there.

  • Logh@lemmy.ml
    31·
    2 months ago

    I have a T14 gen1 ryzen 7 (only 16G of ram for now), with integrated graphics running bazzite. Civ 5 and 6, rimworld, FTL run flawlessly. Anno 1800 is a bit laggy, but playable. I also do some sim racing and no complaints there either, if graphics are set just right, so I think that the bar for hardware is pretty low. As for hardware, not sure what I’d go with, but I’m sure there is no need to go overboard. For software bazzite is amazing if you want near hassle free gaming.

    As for accessories I have a keychron keyboard which was a worthwhile investment and a Mionix 3200 mouse that’s over 10 years old, still amazed at the build quality and value for money. A good keyboard mouse combo is invaluable.

  • grapemix@lemmy.ml
    2·
    2 months ago

    My rimworld works fine in my 10+ yrs old ddr3 desktop. Amd or Nvidia gpu are all fine. Spend more on ram for Linux built. The estimate lifespan of my new desktop is 10 yrs.

    Linux gaming experience is okish. You really have to chk the compatibility because some games claim they support Linux, but not really.

    • ferric_carcinization@lemmy.mlEnglish
      2·
      2 months ago

      While Nvidia GPUs mostly work pretty well, that’s only until they don’t. I’d recommend getting an AMD one instead, to avoid any future headaches. Though, if you prefer Nvidia for some reason, the situation will likely get better when the Nova driver gets released & NVK becomes a bit more optimized.

  • gradual@lemmings.world
    1·
    2 months ago

    I highly recommend getting a gaming laptop. You can buy a 4070 lenovo laptop at Walmart for $1k (at least in the US.)

    Otherwise, check out https://old.reddit.com/r/LaptopDeals/ until you find something that fits your needs and budget. (sorry for linking to the other site)

    You should use bluetooth controllers instead of ones that take a dongle simply because the dongle is unnecessary. Playstation controllers work well, but they’re expensive and I haven’t been able to find a 3rd party variant that works properly.

    I also recommend getting a wireless keyboard + mouse combo.

      • gradual@lemmings.world
        2·
        2 months ago

        Portability is a much bigger benefit than people realize.

        Right now I’m typing this lying down comfortably in my bed, for example.

        I think being tied to a desk to use our computers is unnecessary and reinforces a culture where people stay in their rooms and don’t connect with others in person as much as they otherwise would.

        My computer is like my 2nd brain, so being able to have it with me just about anywhere I go is important.

        I used to have a desktop mostly for gaming and a laptop for work, but managing 2 computers is more hassle than it’s worth so I decided to downsize to only 1 gaming laptop. “One machine to rule them all,” as I say.

        My only regret is not making the decision way sooner. I genuinely believe my life would have been better off for it.

        • ferric_carcinization@lemmy.mlEnglish
          1·
          2 months ago

          I think I understand your point. Personally, I use a desktop for gaming and a laptop for a most other things, like you used to. I use tiling WMs, so not having a real mouse is not so bad, but I prefer real keyboards.

          I don’t think you need to move a gaming machine around that often and desktops have better thermals, are a lot more upgradeable and are easier to fix than laptops.

          But sometimes portable gaming can be nice. For example, I play Mario Kart (Double Dash, of course) with my father every now and then, which wouldn’t really work with a desktop. It’s nice to be able to take a laptop and a few bluetooth controllers with me and be able to set up a portable retro gaming station literally anywhere.

          I guess it’s just up to individual preference.

          • gradual@lemmings.world
            2·
            2 months ago

            It’s nice to be able to take a laptop and a few bluetooth controllers with me and be able to set up a portable retro gaming station literally anywhere.

            Yep. I’m a much bigger fan of co-op games these days, so I have controllers and emulators at the ready to turn my laptop in a play station.

            I guess it’s just up to individual preference.

            Bingo.

            • ferric_carcinization@lemmy.mlEnglish
              2·
              2 months ago

              How’s couch co-op these days? From what I remember, it’s more common in older console games.

              Do you have any recommendations, retro or otherwise?

              • gradual@lemmings.world
                2·
                2 months ago

                It’s in a great state if you look back and play old games.

                I recommend getting comfortable with emulators. Using them isn’t immediately straightforward, but with a bit of experience they become easier.

                Some games I’d recommend just off the top of my head are:

                Star Wars Jedi Power Battles

                Lego Star Wars The Complete Saga

                Resident Evil 5 & 6

                Divinity Original Sin 1 & 2 (1 goes up to 2 players, 2 goes up to 4)

                A Way Out

                Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons (short, but fun)

                Legend of Mana is absolutely spectacular and any gaming duo would be delighted to play it.

                Dynasty Warriors is good for some mindless fun, but don’t be fooled by how many games they have; they’re all pretty much the same thing.

                I think Super Mario Wonder is actually 2-player, but I haven’t tried it yet. I plan too, though.

                Super Mario Bros U goes up to 4 players and you can play with the Cemu, the Wii U emulator.

                Cuphead

                You’re right that couch co-op games are mostly on consoles. Thankfully we can play console games on PC for free.

                • ferric_carcinization@lemmy.mlEnglish
                  1·
                  2 months ago

                  I’m very comfortable with emulators.

                  A way out & Cuphead were great. Would be nice to go back to get the remaining achievements. Who won when you played A Way Out?