The conversation around gaming on Linux sure has changed in the last few years. And these benchmark results prove it.
I recently spent some time with the Framework 13 laptop, evaluating it with the new Intel Core Ultra 7 processor and the AMD Ryzen 7 7480U. It felt like the perfect opportunity to test how a handful of games ran on Windows 11 and Fedora 40. I was genuinely surprised by the results!
…
The Framework 13 is perfectly capable of gaming even with its integrated graphics, provided you’re willing to compromise by lowering the resolution and quality presets for more demanding games. (It’s also a testament to how far AMD’s APUs have come in the past decade.)
Summary of results:
Shadow of the Tomb Raider: Linux wins
Total War: Warhammer III: Windows wins
Cyberpunk 2077: Linux wins
Forza Horizon 5: Windows wins
These results are an interesting slice of the Linux vs Windows gaming picture, but certainly not representative of the entire landscape. A few shorts years ago, however, I never would have dreamed I’d be writing an article where even two games on Linux are outperforming their Windows counterparts.
Cyberpunk worked out of the box for me, but senua 2 absolutely refuses to start no matter what kind of voodoo I try (“fatal error”). I seem to always be on the opposite spectrum of protondb mint users I swear.
I am indeed! I tried popping in the skip launcher commands from a few people on ProtonDB, and it seems to be rather grumpy with me 😅 I’ve read it could be the Phantom Liberty DLC being DRM’d, but not sure :)
You could test that by disabling the DLC temporarily. Click on the game in your list and scroll down on the game page until you see the DLC widget on the right side. Click “manage my DLC” and uncheck Phantom Liberty. Then run the game. You can re-enable the DLC again the same way.
Thank you! This is going to sound daft, but I had forgotten steam allows you to uncheck DLC like that! :) it’s so rare that I’d opt-out (in fact this might be the only time I have needed to!) :) thank you again
Aw, I can’t get cyberpunk to run on my mint install - it gets the logos and stops responding.
Some people read about performance, sometimes I’m just motivated knowing someone on the internet did get a game running in the first instance! :)
I will say though, Baldurs Gate 3 works perfectly, as does anything else I throw at it! :)
A couple of months ago I had the same problem on Debian Unstable. Then I tried it on Fedora 40 and it worked flawlessly.
Oh no! I’m so cosy on mint, but now I’m eyeing Fedora and it looks snazzy, and maybe cyberpunk is a fun prospect too! :)
Cyberpunk worked out of the box for me, but senua 2 absolutely refuses to start no matter what kind of voodoo I try (“fatal error”). I seem to always be on the opposite spectrum of protondb mint users I swear.
It wouldn’t run for me until I got the Steam version (in Tumbleweed). Works great now.
It would have been better if it had worked with just one copy though. At least I got it on sale.
How odd! I must admit with cyberpunk, I was reading ProtonDB and had a “that’s one fine game… why doesn’t mine look like that!” Simpsons moment. 😅
Mine runs in Fedora. Are you accessing via steam?
I am indeed! I tried popping in the skip launcher commands from a few people on ProtonDB, and it seems to be rather grumpy with me 😅 I’ve read it could be the Phantom Liberty DLC being DRM’d, but not sure :)
You could test that by disabling the DLC temporarily. Click on the game in your list and scroll down on the game page until you see the DLC widget on the right side. Click “manage my DLC” and uncheck Phantom Liberty. Then run the game. You can re-enable the DLC again the same way.
Thank you! This is going to sound daft, but I had forgotten steam allows you to uncheck DLC like that! :) it’s so rare that I’d opt-out (in fact this might be the only time I have needed to!) :) thank you again
Oh that might be possible. I do not have the DLC which could do it. I run it on Proton 9 and it seems fine.
I managed to get it running on EndeavorOS!
Nice! Consider me doubly motivated to give it another go this weekend :)