Quoting: Jarmerhttps://boilingsteam.com/linux-distro-july-2024/

Manjaro seems to be fading away according to those stats. Over the past two years it's lost a ton, and if that continues, in another two years (or less) it'll be totally gone. I know those stats don't represent every single linux gaming computer out there, but still, it's something to go on. I am a direct contributor to those stats though. I used to use manjaro, but didn't like it and switched from it to opensuse and have been very happy ever since.

BoilingSteam specifically says this about Manjaro:

The one thing I’m confident about is the fact that Manjaro is probably going to fall even further. I just don’t see a reason for it to exist, and it has destroyed its own credibility over and over again.

I am surprised that Garuda Linux is showing up on their graph and isn't grouped in with Arch, along with even surpassing OpenSUSE.
This as it's a layer-distro on top of the base Arch repos, though the tweaks made to the standard installation are significant if still reproducable on Arch.
OpenSUSE seems like a more established distro, one I consider my backup for Garuda or Arch as a whole and on paper more to my liking.
Contrary to what me daily-ing Garuda would suggest, this is not an attempt to advertise the distro, it's an expression of surprise to see it appear.
There is some relevancy in this off-topic ramble, as I tried out Garuda as an experiment between switching from working Manjaro installs I did not trust in tbe long term to EndeavourOS as a pre-installed Arch Linux, sticking as I like most of the (deeper) pre-done tweaks.

Continuing this distro-ramble, my recommendation for newcomers and personal choice for a versioned desktop is TuxedoOS.
This next to also recommending Mint, which I greatly aporeciate for their X apps project, having my Linux roots on Ubuntu MATE.
Which I switched to and now avoid from how snapd doubled my laptop's boot time, after which Pop!_OS gave a poor experience due to technical problems with their configurations changed from Ubuntu.
Which circles back to TuxedoOS, which makes the tweaks needed to the (KDE Neon) Ubuntu LTS base for a good experience, along with properly testing a modern Plasma 6 desktop on it.

While in the end "distro doesn't matter" in the sense of it being a different means to distribute the same software, as proven by Manjaro a few years back a surprising amount can be messed up by that.
And having a good supported base configuration which you can expect to work without tinkering is very nice to have.
This is why both of my picks have a supported Plasma 6 desktop, this being my weapon of choice in navigating Linux Land.

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Quoting: Kimyrielle

Quoting: cameronboschIf you want something like Linux Mint but with KDE Plasma I'd go with Tuxedo OS for now, as all of the other distros I'd recommend using KDE Plasma with are rolling releases (for example, EndeavourOS or OpenSUSE Tumbleweed).

While I have used many distros over time, I have no experience with TuxedoOS. On their website they mention their kernel being optimized for their own hardware. Not sure what exact kind of optimizations they did, but is it safe to assume that this won't make the kernel perform less well on non-Tuxedo hardware?

And yea, rolling releases are not my thing, really. I know some people love them, but I don't want to flush new software on my system that might nor might not play well with what's already there. Also, supply chain attacks are a bigger problem for rolling releases, and I can do without that, too.

Mentions like that can simply be ignored, it usually boils down to non-breaking configuration and parameter settings that help pretty much universally or do not get in the way at least.
Much of the information on TuxedoOS's webpages seems old and borderline out of date, which is a shame as this misrepresents a well maintained and sensible distro as an afterthought.
Again, as far as I have tried it, TuxedoOS is extremely solid and my recommendations to newcomers are well-considered.

Conversely, I am all-in on rolling releases.
While on paper OpenSUSE seems like the best choice for me, I have found my long-term home in Garuda Linux of all distro's.
After changing it's default theme, I actually like the deeper kernel and other installation tweaks it makes out of the box, which are beneficial for me but do not seem to affect stability.
Another pararel I can draw between a distro I use and TuxedoOS is how Clear Linux's bluntly put broken and neglected website ruins the impression of what is an incredible server OS.
I have been using both for 2 years at this point myself and encourage other more tinker-happy folk to explore either.

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Quoting: sonic2kkAlthough I still like my Steam Deck and use it a few times a week, after the initial honeymoon period wore off (which admittedly took a good year) my Arch Desktop PC has certainly dethroned it. There's something that is just so much nicer for those long 8hr+ gaming sessions on a Desktop versus my Steam Deck. For short bursts the Steam Deck is nice but when I want to play a game I don't reach for my Steam Deck by default anymore.

Plus being able to tab out of my game and use Discord on one of my other screens is nicer than grabbing my phone to do the same. At this point I am too used to my 4-monitor setup and multitasking that the Steam Deck ends up feeling restrictive after some time.

When it's warm though it is nice to grab my Steam Deck and stream from my PC to a TV in a cooler room. It's easier to put a controller down and grab my phone than to put my Steam Deck down and grab my phone.

But although I do like my Steam Deck, to me it's an accessory more than anything else. Like a phone or a laptop, nothing can replace my everything-PC for my use-cases.

Actually at time of writing, I haven't charged my Steam Deck in over a week...

While I am in a similar position, I have found a fee other usecases for my Deck.
As it's built-in controls are the most comfortable to me, it's my controller for the non-M+KB games I play on my desktop.
As the built in streaming is not fully reliable or flexible, I use the Steam Link Flatpak as a "non-Steam game" in the situations where the built-in streaming does not work.
With the original Steam Controller and a USB-C dongle, I found it to be a great improvised media console too, with full access to the better UI on the full websites compared to Android TV apps.
And finally with a custom Desktop Layout, the device is a great Linux Tablet, for casual webbrowsing and even some chats with the Onscreen Keyboard, with Trigger Clicks enabled.

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Quoting: KimyrielleI used Mint years ago before switching to Ubuntu. Funnily enough the only reason for me doing that was that I had new hardware back then not yet supported by Mint, but Ubuntu did. I am thinking of going back to it, as I am tired of surgically removing an increasing number of snaps with every new release. I really don't like snap.

Not sure I want to use Cinnamon again though, despite its their main selling point. In the meantime, KDE really grew on me, so I guess I need to find it how well Mint supports it...

Then perhaps give TuxedoOS a try, which next to Linux Mint is my recommendation for beginners.
This is simply Ubuntu LTS with Flatpak instead of Snaps and up-to-date KDE Plasma as the Desktop.
Unfortunately the default theming is pretty hideous, but this is easy to revert to Breeze or something different in casr you dislike the new flatter look (as I do).
While my main systems run Garuda Linux, with the theme changed of course, my emerciency bootable USB-stick runs TuxedoOS and it has been extremely solid there.

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I'll crost-post the comment I left on Brodie Robertson's video [External Link] here, given the relevancy and greater persistence of a forum like this:

While the name "global theme" is a major part of the problem, the way it can also completely overwrite the desktop layout if this checkmark is set makes obvious that a global theme does a lot more than just change some CSS and colours.
Perhaps another checkmark with "allow executing code" can be added to this popup before enabling the theme, blocking the added plasmoids and arbitrary code if not enabled.
Along with a rebrand, like how Minecraft renamed it's Texture Packs to Resource Packs as they added model and sound support, to reflect their actual abilities.

This has made me aware to that I should be careful with them, having stuck to my distro's included global theme and using the separate Style configurations to tweak/rice it to my liking.
Which has let me achieve what I want fully in Plasma 5, though currently changing these settings have been broken for me in Plasma 6, so I've been sticking to my mostly functional but lightly borked old Plasma 5 themes.

Plasmoids executing arbitrary code was obvious to me, especially with how Windows supposedly removed them over concerns over malicious RCE using them.
I am okay with them executing arbitrary code as this is needed for their level of functionality, but do limit my use of extensions to a minimal set of ones I trust, similarly to how I treat my browser.
Of course this is not how everyone treats their software, that said, KDE Plasma is designed expecting users to tweak it more, whereas GNOME's over-reliance on extensions for basic features makes it as if not more concerning.

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The SteamOS integrated Steam Link has consistently been so broken for me that I have moved to using the Flatpak as a non-Steam app for streaming from my Desktop.
This results in both the Desktop and Deck's client's input layout being applied, neither having the option to be turned off and the latter being buried in Steam settings and staying active when in the Deck's settings.

Which is annoying as I use my Steam Deck as my primary controller now, thankfully the above can be worked around by creating an empty layout in one of the two settings.
On the Desktop side hardware acceleration is disabled too, I'm not sure if this is still necessary, but it was needed some time back to avoid system crashes.

But once it works it just works and works well, it's just very silly having to apply such a workaround on an integrated system with a dedicated shortcut and library synchronisation for streaming in the same way.
I'm not using the internet aspect of remote play (yet) and am sticking to X11 for various problems which I've tried solving but didn't quickly find working solutions for.

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Quoting: MicHaeL_MonStaR

Quoting: RedWyvern

I've actually never played this one, am I missing out on something here?

Yes, you absolutely are.

The game uses modern Tetris rules (outside of Classic mode), which differ wildly from traditional Tetris.
Initially they seem weird, quirky, maybe even glitchy, but they're very purposefully designed.
The more you get familiar with them, the more fun it gets to pull off weird tricks and score better in this way.
And a skill ceiling is practically non-existent, no matter how long you play you'll see (slow) improvements in your skill.

In the journey mode, they've pretty much turned Tetris in a spiritual experience, unlike any other game I'm aware of.
It's not shameful to start with beginner mode here if needed, this mode is an absolute must-play.

The effect modes all offer fun and unique spins on the Tetris gameplay, offering more variation than you'd expect from Tetris.
Don't be afraid of the online functionality popup here, it's only for sharing your scores, the gameplay all works offline.

Even the multiplayer is fun, the Connected mode is incredible and the competitive modes are fun too.
It generally works well, it uses good peer-to-peer hosting, which still depends on whichever system was appointed as host.

And the game continues to get updated and well supported, you can feel that the studios involved care first and foremost about having their game play well.
Earlier this year a pretty major 2.0 update was released, which implemented a lot of community feedback and expanded the effect modes.
Along with this performance update, they've been one of the first to show official gameplay on Deck too, in Tetris Effect: Connected Hands-On Gameplay Preview | Steam Deck [External Link].
It is important to note that Tetris Effect is a very graphically intensive game, though for casual modes it can be made playable on Vega 8 tier iGPUs.

Overall it's one of my all-time favourite and deeply respected games, this while I only picked it up on a whim as I liked playing basic Tetris on my graphical calculator.

That all sounds nuts. but a good enough jump from the one I played on the NES (or actually I also played a top-down-ish three-dimensional one on DOS back in the day) to justify playing it today. - I always worry they change things up too much from the essence of a classic game, but I suppose this is the closest I'll get for an updated modern version. Kinda like that Pac-Man Championship Edition DX+.

That MS-DOS version would be Welltris, I don't think it was succesful but it's mentioned in most Tetris history documentaries on YouTube.

The main difference is the modern or old Tetris rules, you can try the new rules with M+KB at Tetris.com [External Link].
These modern rules are like a completely different game, good fun after adjusting to them if you're open to the superrotation weirdness.
On top of the new rules, Tetris Effect's main addition is the Zone, a scoring mode that also sees use as a Connected mechanic.

Tetris Effect's Classic Mode is basically NES Tetris if you want to stick to the old rules, you can even compete in it online if you like, with CTWC like score battle with identical RNG.
This is with low stakes, just some levelling.

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Quoting: kuhpunkt

Quoting: Jpxe

Quoting: RedWyvernIt is important to note that Tetris Effect is a very graphically intensive game, though for casual modes it can be made playable on Vega 8 tier iGPUs

How’s the performance on Steam Deck? Can you get stable 60fps at low TDP?

I have the setting on high. With 10 watts you get like high 80 fps, with 11 watts 90 fps all the time.

edit: Just tested some more... at least when you use the "celebration" environment with the fireworks and tons of particles it can drop down to about 65 fps even at 15 watts. Never went below that for me, but still at high settings.

That's a significant improvement over what I felt I got back when playing a 1.x version of the game at Medium.
This had stutters similar to the ones visible in the early Deck gameplay video too.

While I use my Deck as a controller while playing (with Steam Link), I usually play Tetris Effect on my PC.
This as it's a the bigger the screen, the better kind of game (though low latency is more important still).
And my PC's headphone output is significantly better now I upgraded to an audio deck for it, despite the amazing adaptive OST this benefit is more apparent in other games.

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I've actually never played this one, am I missing out on something here?

Yes, you absolutely are.

The game uses modern Tetris rules (outside of Classic mode), which differ wildly from traditional Tetris.
Initially they seem weird, quirky, maybe even glitchy, but they're very purposefully designed.
The more you get familiar with them, the more fun it gets to pull off weird tricks and score better in this way.
And a skill ceiling is practically non-existent, no matter how long you play you'll see (slow) improvements in your skill.

In the journey mode, they've pretty much turned Tetris in a spiritual experience, unlike any other game I'm aware of.
It's not shameful to start with beginner mode here if needed, this mode is an absolute must-play.

The effect modes all offer fun and unique spins on the Tetris gameplay, offering more variation than you'd expect from Tetris.
Don't be afraid of the online functionality popup here, it's only for sharing your scores, the gameplay all works offline.

Even the multiplayer is fun, the Connected mode is incredible and the competitive modes are fun too.
It generally works well, it uses good peer-to-peer hosting, which still depends on whichever system was appointed as host.

And the game continues to get updated and well supported, you can feel that the studios involved care first and foremost about having their game play well.
Earlier this year a pretty major 2.0 update was released, which implemented a lot of community feedback and expanded the effect modes.
Along with this performance update, they've been one of the first to show official gameplay on Deck too, in Tetris Effect: Connected Hands-On Gameplay Preview | Steam Deck [External Link].
It is important to note that Tetris Effect is a very graphically intensive game, though for casual modes it can be made playable on Vega 8 tier iGPUs.

Overall it's one of my all-time favourite and deeply respected games, this while I only picked it up on a whim as I liked playing basic Tetris on my graphical calculator.

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I'd like to win the game as it seems to somewhat resemble Airborne Kingdom, another game I enjoyed, which I got gifted as this is not a genre I usually buy games in.
I've seen the developers cooperate in a giveaway in AK's Discord and them recommending The Wandering Village as a similar experience to their game, it's nice to see cooperation instead of rivalry.

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