What is The Best OS For Gaming? Windows vs Linux vs macOS 

Quick Answer

Windows, Linux, and macOS are the most popular operating systems out there. Each of them has a lot to deliver, but there are areas where you will find one operating system performing better than the others. The big question that remains is which one should a gamer go for.

For a gamer, there are many things that make a particular operating system either good for gaming or not. The most important things to consider are things like the gaming performance, game selection, and compatibility.

Windows vs Linux vs macOS

Windows

Since the release of the Windows 3.0 as far back as 1990, it has come to be the most popular OS because it is very simple for everyday users of PC, making it the one for the mainstream.

With the latest being the Windows 10 which comes with more advanced features for gaming, Windows which is a creation of Microsoft which is also the Xbox. Even before the Windows 10 which is its flagship OS, previous Windows have been excellent for gaming, hence gaming developers develop games for consoles and for the Windows OS before any other thing.

macOS

After the Windows OS, macOS is the most popular although it is not a mainstream OS because Apple computers are very expensive even though they offer great security most especially when it comes to things like virus attacks.

While it has been there since the 1980s, it is only in the turn of the 2000s that it has come to what it is today. The main reason why gamers don’t like them is that they do not offer the kind of gaming performance that most gamers would love because the idea of Apple computers is for professional users.

Linux

Much less popular than the Windows OS, Linux is an Open source OS that is mostly targeted at professionals and although it has a good interface, it may not be the choice for many gamers.

Even though it is not the most popular most especially on PC, you can find it as Arch Linux, Fedora, CentOS, Debian, openSUSE, and many more with Ubuntu as the most widely used.

What is The Best OS For Gaming?

As regards which is the best for gaming, there are a number of things that a gamer needs to consider as pointed out. These include things like the performance, available games, and even hardware compatibility good for gaming.

Performance

When it comes to in-game performance, it is very difficult for one to get anything significant from macOS which relies so much on software rather than hardware for performance, making it rather very hard to match what Linux or even Windows can deliver.

See Also: Best Gaming Laptop Under 1500 Dollars: Top Gamer’s Pick

Windows has been the most reliable one when you look at the department of performance. From the earlier Windows, the operating system has always been consistent with each version. Linux, on the other hand also has quite a lot to offer but it will still be found behind Windows.

 Game Selection

With the popularity of Windows OS among gamers, developers are now releasing games for consoles and Windows OS at almost the same time. More so, there are so many games for Windows OS than there are for Linux and macOS combined.

Recently, there are more games that are being developed for macOS, although you will still find it coming far behind Windows. However, most games that are extremely demanding can hardly be gotten for the operating system. Obviously, because of its least popularity compared to the other two, there are not so many games for selection for users of Linux, even though that is also on the rise.

Platforms for Games

Since there are more games available for Windows OS and then macOS, many platforms come with games that support the operating systems. For example, Microsoft Store which is now known as Windows Store unsurprisingly only makes Windows games available. Origin centers more on Windows and macOS games, and it is the same with most other platforms.

Hardware selection

The best OS for gaming for some who want to go all about hardware, the pick will again be between Windows OS and Linux. In fact, the only reason why hardware is coming into the comparison is because of macOS.

Unlike the other two, macOS is designed to only work on Apple systems. While these may come with power, they are not designed for gaming purposes. Also, it is not the easiest thing to do when you need to change the different components on your Apple computer.

If you want to build a gaming PC to use Windows OS, you will realize that it is much easier than if you are thinking to build a gaming Mac. In fact, it is completely not worth it because it is too expensive and no matter how you are able to build it, you will still not build a rig that can allow you play any serious game.

Apart from Windows OS, Linux is the next that many would consider as the best OS for gaming when looking at available of games to select from. Going to platforms like steam, there are a good number of games for Linux but it still trails by a large margin behind the Windows.

Best OS For Gaming

Conclusion

With hardly any room for argument, Windows OS is the main reason why PC gaming has become as popular as it Whether you are looking at the gaming performance, game selection, hardware, or whatever, you will have to return to Windows OS as the best OS for gaming.

The idea of using Apple OS for gaming will simply be absurd for hardcore gamers because it lacks a lot of things that a gamer will ask, most especially when it comes to serious gaming. What you want to do at best if you want to play a game on macOS is just to find very basic games and play them on very low settings. With Linux, the main problem that you will have is that you will not find many games to select from. Hence to keep things simple, the best OS for gaming, if you want to choose is obviously Windows.