Computer Safety Tip

Best Graphics card for Linux gaming

February 11, 2010 Computer Tips And Tricks

Gaming in Linux has increased in popularity since the advancement of WINE and Cedega – which is designed to emulate Windows within the Linux Operating System.  However, hardware is still a deciding factor when it comes to playing games on Linux.  Generally speaking, one will need decent RAM, a strong processor, and a bit of disk space for gaming.

Most of the commercial PC games available to the public tend to run best with at least 1GB of RAM and a 2GHz processor. However, one needs to also realize that the graphics card is usually the most important piece of hardware, when it comes to gaming.

One should ensure that the native Linux drivers from its manufacturer are intact.

In Nvidia for example there is a page dedicated for Unix based drivers http://www.nvidia.com/object/unix.html

So,  if you are planning to pimp up your Linux machine, make sure to check out the manufacturer’s web site to see if they have the binary driver for your chosen graphics card.  You will definitely not want to end up buying a graphics card that you will nto be able to use with your Linux oeprating system.

Word to the wise: although the state of Linux gaming has improved considerably over the last few years, Linux is still emerging as a gaming platform and has many leaps and bounds to go before it is up to scratch with Windows and the likes. Although Linux has some of the technology needed to support advanced games, the technology and developer support have not as yet come together.

Tags: Best Graphics card, emulate Windows, Graphics Card, hardware, Linux gaming, Linux Operating System, playing games on Linux, WINE