If you’ve never downloaded drivers manually it’s super easy these days. You’ll get a tool from the device manufacturer that checks your hardware and system and automatically installs the correct driver with computer restarts at the correct places. You just press the go button.
That said most default drivers are open source and included in Linux, so you should be able to get by without downloading anything unless you need the latest manufacturer driver.
That’s definitely an issue. I checked my printer today and it has Linux drivers ready to go. And everything else is ASUS/AMD/Corsair. And I really don’t care if the RGB in my mechanical keyboard works.
AMD for sure, with NVIDIA your mileage may vary. I’d go check their site but I’d be very surprised if they were behind the times on driver update tools. The drivers can make a huge difference in games so usually they’re on top of that.
I have an old Steam Machine (Asus GR6) with Optimus graphics and it worked well enough. It’s been relegated to home server role for many years now but even then it wasn’t so bad to set up.
Exactly the issue I had on my laptop. Plug in an external display to extend the desktop and the laptop screen turns off. Wasted 6 hours of my life trying to get the damn thing to work properly until I gave up.
I have installed Linux on a dozen computers from crummy laptops to custom build with graphics card.
Most went fine. For the graphics card one, I installed popos to avoid learning about internals , but I could have spent time to solve it, I was lazy.
But I recommend having several distros on usb to do tests . That way things are easiest. Some installs have default settings that work best for random computers. So just spend a few minutes on each to test sound, WiFi and graphics. 5 minutes on each to test 10 flavors
No need to mess with any text settings at all these days… I mean, you can
A better use case for linux desktop could not have been invented.
Thought about it… but drivers are hell…
You just download them, like with windows?
If you’ve never downloaded drivers manually it’s super easy these days. You’ll get a tool from the device manufacturer that checks your hardware and system and automatically installs the correct driver with computer restarts at the correct places. You just press the go button.
That said most default drivers are open source and included in Linux, so you should be able to get by without downloading anything unless you need the latest manufacturer driver.
I never had to download drivers on linux but most manufacture driver install softwares are always for Windows. Except for like AMD
That’s definitely an issue. I checked my printer today and it has Linux drivers ready to go. And everything else is ASUS/AMD/Corsair. And I really don’t care if the RGB in my mechanical keyboard works.
Does that count also for graphic cards?
AMD for sure, with NVIDIA your mileage may vary. I’d go check their site but I’d be very surprised if they were behind the times on driver update tools. The drivers can make a huge difference in games so usually they’re on top of that.
So heres the Thing. My graphic card is from AMD
This is AMDs page. Honestly I have more faith in AMD than NVIDIA these days.
Hm. Gonna dig a bit into that
Old hardware is usually very well supported.
Just don’t recommend Linux people with Nvidia hybrid graphics, though.
I have an old Steam Machine (Asus GR6) with Optimus graphics and it worked well enough. It’s been relegated to home server role for many years now but even then it wasn’t so bad to set up.
Exactly the issue I had on my laptop. Plug in an external display to extend the desktop and the laptop screen turns off. Wasted 6 hours of my life trying to get the damn thing to work properly until I gave up.
Only 6 hours
I’ve been changing colors and and textures in my desktop for longer spans of time
And playing CK2
Still, those are at least pleasant.
Are they?
Nope I haven’t had trouble with drivers in a while. Printers are still probably thr worst but not bad.
Just buy a brother laser printer with a USB port.
That’s what I have, except networked. . Works fine. Just meant out of all the things, printers are still the hardest
Can confirm. Works on every distro I’ve tried.
These days IPP Print Everywhere support makes driverless printing easy
15 years ago it was a nightmare with WiFi card drivers, these days I haven’t had a single issue.
You usually don’t need to download drivers in Linux, unless you want to use some really special hardware
I’ve been using Linux at home for a decade now and have never needed to install a driver.
Not to dog pile, but unless it’s some niche hardware drivers are the last thing that springs to mind on my Linux boxes.
I will say the Linux volunteers have a slight blind spot for creative workflows.
I have installed Linux on a dozen computers from crummy laptops to custom build with graphics card. Most went fine. For the graphics card one, I installed popos to avoid learning about internals , but I could have spent time to solve it, I was lazy.
But I recommend having several distros on usb to do tests . That way things are easiest. Some installs have default settings that work best for random computers. So just spend a few minutes on each to test sound, WiFi and graphics. 5 minutes on each to test 10 flavors
No need to mess with any text settings at all these days… I mean, you can
They havent been since 10 years ago. Nvidia excempted.
Linux has drivers baked in to the kernel or is a dependency smth doesn’t work try another distro or install nvidia non free driver