Linux

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Ubuntu

Mint 100% to start with, install Nvidia drivers if you have an Nvidia graphics card. Install and run a game though Steam or whatever and if all the hardware works and you can get the refresh rate you want you're good to go.

If not, install Fedora KDE and do the same.

If you still have issues on Fedora make another post here with some hardware details and say what you tried.

Mint but only bevase thays what i did 2 did two years aho and had no issues.

I habe since changed to LMDE bevase why use Mint which is based on Ubuntu whic nis based on Debian, just cut oit the middle.man..plenty of supoort in their forums as well for the few issues I had.

PopOs and Zorin I've also seen mentioned

Lots of people are going towards ZorinOS, since Windows died with the canning of W10. However, I'd say go for Mint, as that doesn't implement the Snap packaging format (if you need GUI apps, go for Flatpak if you want them sandboxed).

Any of the big named distros should be good enough. If you run into a snag, try a different one. Every distro claims to do it the best way. Choice is a great thing. BTW - If you install Arch .🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥. Valve's Steam Deck uses it and 🔥🔥🚒🚒🚒🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

CachyOS?

So I use zorin and I feel its the best for typical windows users and anyone who just wants to install and get to immediately using thier pc. So basically its the lazy distro. Lot of software out of box including wine with play on linux so right after installation you could run or install windows programs if you wanted to (I would check out linux alternatives first). That being said my personal opinion if someone wants to run games is to dual boot a gaming distro or install a gaming distro and use it as your main one. Further I don't recommend dual booting windows. If someone wants to keep windows around my sugestion, if they have it, is to install linux on your last older laptop. Anyone who had a machine that did not outright die and upgraded in the last ten years will be pleasantly surprised how well linux runs on older hardware compared to windows on newer. Once you have weaned yourself 100% off windows and realize how useless it is then install on the current laptop. Given if you don't still have your older one then by all mean dual boot. I initially did that but have reversed the setup and now have linux on my better laptop as I was so annoyed with windows wasting the good one.