What’s the Difference and Which One Should You Use?
Linux players know Proton, the essential solution to perform Windows Games on Linux, but there is another similar tool in the hangar. His name is Proton GE, and although he fulfills the same function, he differs from Valve Proton. Let’s find out how they differ and the one you need to use.
Proton is a compatibility layer for Windows Games on Linux
Now, although Linux and Windows can work on the same hardware, they are very different animals in terms of software. For example, you can use Linux and Windows on exactly the same machine made precisely to the same components. However, try to run a game designed for Windows on the same PC that executes Linux, and you will have a bad time. This is where Proton arrives at the rescue.
It itself is a fork of free and open source wine, which is a layer of compatibility which allows you to execute Windows software in general on UNIX type operating systems (such as Linux and MacOS), Proton focuses on games and includes a core of patché wine but also additional components such as DXVK – a translation layer that transforms Directx calls to Vulkan – to several others. Together, the different components that are part of Proton work together to allow Windows games to perform on Linux.
Proton works like a card and a translator for Windows games, allowing them to run on Linux. For example, when you run a Windows game that supports DirectX and Vulkan, it works like a card that shows the game how to access the Vulkan API (application programming interface) and how to reach and access different components, such as CPU or memory.
But many games do not support Vulkan. When you play such a game on your Linux machine, Proton plays the role of a translator, translating API DirectX calls to API Vulkan calls. In many cases, Proton acts both as a card and a translator, showing the game how and where to access the components of the API and the Vulkan equipment, while translating various specific system calls for Windows to specific calls to Linux and Vice Versa.
It should be noted that there is no emulation here because the games are made for the same equipment, generally based on X86. However, the amount of software translation included varies depending on the specific title.
Proton Ge is an unofficial fork of Proton
Proton GE is an unofficial fork of Proton which is in no way affiliated to the official version of Proton developed by Valve. The GE version of Proton is created and maintained by a solo developer, glorious Eggroll (hence the name).
Unlike Valve Proton, Proton GE is based on a more recent and rare experimental version of wine. The latest stable version of Valve’s Proton, on the other hand, is still at the origin of the latest version of Proton GE concerning the wine version on which it is based, which makes it more stable, but can also lead to less performance and incompatibilities with certain games compared to the use of Proton GE.
Proton GE is also delivered with integrated additional components. Tips such as media reading fixes, AMD FSR fixes and a “protonfixes” system that applies fixes on a basis per game, allowing certain games to operate with Proton GE even if they do not work with the Valve Proton.
In general, Proton GE can allow you to enjoy a game that does not work with the Valve Proton or does not offer better performance compared to the Valve Proton. On the other hand, the use of Proton GE can lead to instability or introduce bugs and seeds that will not occur when using the Valve Proton.
Proton is generally the way to follow, but sometimes the proton ge is better
So, is it best to use a regular proton or proton? Based on my experience as a long -term vapor bridge user, the regular proton is the best option in most cases.
It is included with Steam, and you can easily exchange the different versions manually by opening the “Properties” menu of a steam game, visiting the “Compatibility” tab and finally checking the box “Force the use of a specific steam compatibility tool”.
This allows you to experience various stable versions or use the latest experimental version of Proton, which is based on a more recent version of wine compared to the latest stable version of Proton.
Running Proton Experimental can make a game that is just working on your PC Linux, even if it does not work when combined with the latest stable version of Proton.
This does not mean that Proton Ge cannot be practical in certain situations. For example, I couldn’t do Batman: Arkham asylum Work on my steam bridge, whatever the proton version I used. The game would crash immediately even with the latest experimental version of Proton. But then I discovered Proton GE. And what do you know? Download and apply it made the game work perfectly, from start to finish.
In the same way, Dragon Age: The Veilguard Ran very badly on the steam deck at the exit, at least via the Valve Proton. But when I went to the latest Proton GE version, I obtained a notable performance bump that made the game operate at 30 stable IPS with dips in the 1920s only during the cutscenes.
Another situation where the Proton GE is recommended on the ordinary proton is if you encounter problems with video reading in play. If you encounter colorful bars in place of videos at stake, the installation and application of the latest version of Proton GE generally solves the problem because the Proton GE includes various fixes related to multimedia reading which are not found in the Valve Proton.
If you are not sure to try an experimental version of Proton or Ordinary Proton, go to Protondb.com, look for the game with which you encounter problems and see what the community recommends in the user report section.
How to get Proton GE on a steam bridge
If you have a steam game, you can download and install Proton Ge relatively painless. First, go to office mode. Once on site, open the Discovery store, find “Protonup-QT”, then download and install the application.
All Linux users can download the application as Flatpak from the Protonup-QT FLATHUB page.
Then open the application and you will be presented with a list of different versions of Proton GE. It is generally preferable to install the last one, unless you have found a solution that recommends using a specific version of Proton GE.
You can now return to game mode, open the game with which you want to use Proton GE and open your Options tab.
Once in the Options tab, click and open the “Properties” menu.
Then click on the “Compatibility” tab and check “Force the use of a Stepal Play Play Tool” check box. Then simply select Proton GE instead of Proton and you are golden.
As you can see, the Proton and the Proton GE are very similar. They are both based on wine and serve the same goal. Proton GE is an unofficial proton fork, packing additional goodies that can operate some games even if they do not work with regular proton, as well as to help video playback problems in the game. In most cases, I recommend using a stable or experimental version of proton. However, if neither does not contribute to a game you are trying to play, Proton Ge is the next best option.
