[Lvl999Noob]

I recently switched to linux from windows. The only reason I was sticking with windows was because hoyoverse refuses to support linux. I finally decided I need some break from them anyways and took the plunge.

First, I tried to install fedora atomic cosmic. It kind of worked but I could not get it to work with my dock + external monitors at all. Now that I am used to that setup, I can't go back.

Not wanting to spend time figuring it out, I just installed Ubuntu instead. Thankfully, that worked out though it's not perfect. Everytime I turn on my laptop, I need to spend 10-15 minutes turning the monitors on and off until ubuntu recognises them correctly and also sends dp output (it shows the monitor in settings and I can open windows on it but the monitor doesn't actually show anything; other times, it reads the monitor as something nvidia with the lowest resolution).

I tried to install genshin anyways on ubuntu. I couldn't get it to work via wine/lutris. Virtualbox doesn't support gpu passthrough so I tried using virt-manager. The setup was too hard and it didn't work anyways. I gave up on hoyo at this point and install steam instead.

Honestly, ubuntu is rough and Linux as a whole is very rough. But on the whole, I would still pick this over dealing with windows any longer.

[bubblethink]

The trick with linux is being selective when you buy hardware. Getting things to work the first time is hit or miss, but once they work, they tend to continue to work without too many surprises. For laptops, that means thinkpads.

[Lvl999Noob]

The dock and monitors aren't mine actually. I got them from work. The work laptop runs windows 11 so the hardware is only tested for windows. I will buy my own stuff when I have to return these and then I will make sure it all works with linux.

What distro / wm / de is good with external monitors, in your opinion? After going through some of the comments on some threads, it feels like external displays are a common pain point across all linux systems.

[bubblethink]

Yes, external displays can break in weird ways. I remember that a common annoyance used to be that windows and applications don't go back to where you left them before suspending. There are likely other paper cuts as well in areas of variable refresh rates, colour management, etc. I think the biggest issue with external displays, screen tearing, is solved now due to wayland. As for hw and distros, stick to intel or amd igpus, especially in laptops. Both gnome and kde are pretty good these days. Ubuntu and Fedora are both quite good. Distros aren't that different anymore these days. The differences boil down to release cadence mostly.

[imer15]

check out the launchers here for hoyo stuff, i haven't tried the genshin one but zzz worked nearly out of the box (had to change the wine version it was using iirc) https://github.com/an-anime-team

[whatevaa]

GPU passtrough on a laptop? If GPU is not in a separate IOMMU group I wouldn't even try.

[meatjuice]

Not only you could escape from Windows, you are now free from Genshin dark patterns.