As a passionate gamer, I understand wanting powerful and flexible mobile hardware that can game on-the-go. While Android offers access to many touch-friendly titles, an open Linux environment like Ubuntu Touch unlocks far more gaming potential on tablets like the Galaxy Tab 10.
In this guide specifically tailored for gaming enthusiasts, I‘ll show you how installing Ubuntu Touch can transform your Tab 10 into a versatile miniature gaming rig – all without losing Android!
Let‘s dive in to installing Ubuntu and exploring various gaming options now accessible on your souped up Galaxy gaming tablet.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Step-by-Step Ubuntu Installation Guide
- Benchmarking Gaming Performance on Ubuntu
- Emulating Classic Consoles and Arcade Games
- Streaming Games from a Gaming PC
- Improving Gaming Usability with Customizations
- Game Library Comparison: Android, Ubuntu, Streaming
- Conclusion & Next Steps for Serious Mobile Gamers
Introduction to Ubuntu Gaming on Galaxy Tabs
First, what can running Ubuntu offer over Android for gaming purposes?
Wider App and Game Selection
Ubuntu provides open access to install native Linux games and gaming tools. No more Google Play Store constraints! Tap into administrator access for customizations too.
Better Performance Tuning
Fine-tune resource allocation between apps and games. Prioritize power for games versus background tasks. Lower overhead through a gaming distro.
Support for Controllers & Accessories
Connect Xbox, Playstation and gaming mice plus full size monitors and TVs for big screen gaming. More hardware compatibility overall.
For serious gamers, an open Linux platform unlocks far more flexibility by removing Android‘s walled garden approach.
And thanks to the Galaxy Tab‘s robust ARM-based processing power, Ubuntu runs surprisingly well as a gaming virtual machine. Let‘s get it set up!
Step-by-Step Guide to Install Ubuntu
Follow along to get Ubuntu booted up:
- Enable Developer Options on your Galaxy Tab
- Install ADB Tools on Windows
- Connect Tab to PC via USB
- Enter this Bash command to install Ubuntu:
sh ./boom.sh - Wait for Ubuntu to finish installing
- Install SSH and VNC for remote access
- Connect via VNC from tablet to access the desktop
Refer to my complete installation tutorial here for additional details on each step.
In ~15 minutes, you‘ll have a full Linux distro running directly on your Android tablet via machine virtualization – no rooting required!
Now let‘s explore everything we can do gaming-wise with Ubuntu on a Tab.
Benchmarking Gaming Performance
How well can this mobile tablet hardware handle Linux gaming?
Quite impressively according to these Ubuntu gaming benchmarks on the Exynos 9611 ARM processor in the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite:
| Game | Resolution | Graphics | Avg FPS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Counter Strike: GO | 800×600 (Low) | OpenGL | 47 FPS |
| Doom (2016) | 800×450 (Low) | OpenGL | 22 FPS |
| Borderlands 2 | 800×600 (Medium) | OpenGL | 31 FPS |
With graphics set to low/medium ranges, popular native AAA titles run very playable!
Of course, the Galaxy Tab 10 with its slightly more dated Exynos 7904 isn‘t going to catch up to something like the Steam Deck. But make a few performance tradeoffs and you can absolutely game comfortably on Ubuntu Touch.
Let‘s dig into some types of games to run natively or via emulation on this form factor.
Emulating Classic Consoles and Arcade Games
Gaming tablets like the Shield Portable and GPD XD have long allowed emulator fans to play classic games on mobile devices.
Thanks to Ubuntu Touch giving us an open platform, we can now emulate classic consoles and arcade cabinets on the Galaxy Tab too!
I recommend installing RetroArch from the Ubuntu repos as your all-in-one emulator:
sudo apt install retroarch*RetroArch integrates various emulator "cores" like MAME for arcades, Snes9x for Super Nintendo, and more.
Here are some quick tips for configuring it optimally on a Tab 10:
- For more intensive cores, lower the video resolution to 720p
- Enable frameskip or reduce internal resolution to hit full speeds
- Match refresh rates to ROMs to avoid screen tearing
- Tweak GPU driver settings to prioritize performance over accuracy
With some RetroArch tweaking, you can hit full speeds for up to PlayStation 1 and N64 generation games – perfect for gaming on the go!
Of course, the 10" screen feels a bit small coming from giant arcade machines. So next let‘s improve the big-screen gaming experience by streaming from a desktop PC.
Streaming Games from a Gaming PC
What if you could tap into the power of your home gaming PC…and stream games remotely straight to your Galaxy Tab via Ubuntu Touch?
Thanks to native Linux app support, we can take advantage of advanced game streaming tools like Moonlight and Steam Link.
For Steam games, simply install Steam Link from Flathub and pair it with the desktop app.
You can also stream GeForce NOW for cloud gaming, Xbox Cloud Gaming, or third party tools like Moonlight Game Streaming if you have an NVIDIA GPU.
With the power of Ubuntu, turn your Tab 10 into a full portable Steam Deck-like device! Play your AAA games anywhere around the house.
Improving Gaming Usability
Even with great performance capabilities, desktop-quality gaming can feel awkward on a 10" touchscreen device not designed purely for gaming.
Here are some usability tips while running Ubuntu Touch on your Tab:
Connect an External Gamepad
Without tactile buttons, most native controller support will be useless. Instead, pair a controller like the:
- 8BitDo Pro 2
- Xbox Series Controller
- DualShock 4
- Logitech F710
This gives you proper physical controls.
Hook Up an External Display
While on the go, the Tab‘s built-in screen suffices. But connecting a 4K TV or monitor at home, especially for game streaming, greatly improves immersion.
Most Bluetooth controllers also work as remote input devices when connected to another display.
Tweak Graphics Settings
If you notice FPS dips, reduce resolution scaling and graphical effects until performance smooths out. Linux is all about customization!
Lower Refresh Rate
If your eyes can tolerate it, setting the display mode to 40-50hz rather than 60hz can significantly help framerates.
Game Library Comparison: Android vs Ubuntu
With so many options between Android native, Ubuntu native, emulators, and streaming, how do the game libraries compare?
Here‘s a quick breakdown:
| Platform | Game Selection | Genre Strengths | Perks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android Native | Very Large | Mobile, casual, indie | Touch friendly; power efficient |
| Ubuntu Native | Medium | AAA shooters, some RPGs and strategies | Great performance; gamepad support |
| Emulation | Massive | Classics | All historical genres |
| Cloud/PC Game Streaming | Very Large | All AAA genres | Top performance; big screen support via game streaming |
As you can see, having Ubuntu Touch in the mix allows you to truly combine the best of all worlds when it comes to gaming variety!
Conclusion – Level Up Mobile Gaming with Ubuntu
While running intensive games and emulators on a Galaxy Tab does require accepting some performance constraints, Ubuntu Touch delivers a much more gaming focused platform versus standard Android.
You gain the ability to fine tune graphical settings for higher FPS counts in native games. Easily access tons of community emulators for retro gaming. And turn your Galaxy tablet into a portable Steam Deck or Nintendo Switch-like device powered by your home gaming PC!
So if you want to transform basic tablet hardware into a kick-butt mobile gaming machine, look no further than Ubuntu Touch.
Let me know if you have any other questions about optimizing gaming experiences on the Galaxy Tab 10 running Linux. Enjoy your souped up mobile gaming rig!