Step-by-Step Guide: Installing Opera GX on Linux for an Optimized Gaming Browser Experience

While Opera GX is widely acclaimed in the Windows gaming community, Linux gamers are often left in the dark about how to get this powerful browser running on their systems. This guide cuts through the complexity and delivers straightforward steps to bring Opera GX's gaming perks to Linux users, defying the notion that Linux lacks specialized gaming browsers.

Why Opera GX on Linux?

Opera GX is not just any browser — it’s built for gamers. It includes unique features like CPU, RAM, and network limiters, designed to let your games run smoother while still browsing. Although Opera GX is officially aimed at Windows users, many Linux gamers seek an equally optimized browsing experience without switching OS or giving up gaming performance.

Linux users who want the best of both worlds — a robust gaming OS and a specialized gaming browser — will find this guide invaluable.

What You’ll Need Before Installation

A 64-bit Linux distribution (Ubuntu/Debian-based distros preferred for simplicity)
Basic terminal command familiarity
An active internet connection
Sudo privileges on your system

Step 1: Check Your System Architecture

Open your terminal (Ctrl + Alt + T) and enter:

uname -m

You should see x86_64 which indicates a 64-bit system. Opera GX requires 64-bit.

Step 2: Download the Official Opera GX Linux Package

Opera recently released a native DEB package for Opera GX targeting Linux users.

Visit Opera GX Official Downloads Page or directly download the .deb installer via wget:

wget https://download3.operacdn.com/pub/opera_gx/114.0.1823.51/linux/opera-gx_114.0.1823.51_amd64.deb

Note: Replace version numbers with the latest release if newer versions are available.

Step 3: Install Dependencies (if needed)

Before installing Opera GX, ensure that your system has all dependencies for .deb packages:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install -f curl libappindicator3-1 libgtk-3-0 libnss3 libasound2

These libraries help with interface rendering and audio support inside Opera GX.

Step 4: Install Opera GX Using dpkg

Run the following command to install the Opera GX package you downloaded:

sudo dpkg -i opera-gx_114.0.1823.51_amd64.deb

If you encounter any dependency issues, fix them by running:

sudo apt-get install -f

Then try reinstalling again:

sudo dpkg -i opera-gx_114.0.1823.51_amd64.deb

Step 5: Launch Opera GX

After installation completes successfully, you can launch Opera GX either by searching Opera GX in your application menu or from terminal:

opera-gx

The first launch will initialize settings and you should see the signature dark and neon red interface of Opera GX tailored for gamers.

Optional: Create a Desktop Shortcut (If It Doesn’t Appear Automatically)

If no shortcut appears in your desktop environment’s applications menu:

Create a .desktop file manually:

sudo nano /usr/share/applications/opera-gx.desktop

Paste the following content inside:

[Desktop Entry]
Version=1.0
Name=Opera GX
GenericName=Web Browser
Exec=/usr/bin/opera-gx %U
Terminal=false
Icon=opera-gx
Type=Application
Categories=Network;WebBrowser;
StartupNotify=true
MimeType=text/html;text/xml;application/xhtml+xml;application/xml;application/rss+xml;
Actions=new-window;new-private-window;

[Desktop Action new-window]
Name=Open a New Window
Exec=/usr/bin/opera-gx --new-window %U

[Desktop Action new-private-window]
Name=Open a New Private Window 
Exec=/usr/bin/opera-gx --incognito %U

Save (Ctrl + O) and exit (Ctrl + X). This should add Opera GX to your launcher.

Step 6: Customize Your Gaming Browsing Experience

Once installed and running, log into your Opera account to sync bookmarks and extensions if you wish.

Explore features like:

GX Control panel: Set CPU & RAM limits to prioritize gaming.
Network Bandwidth Limiter: Control background download speeds.
Twitch Integration: Stay connected with Twitch channels without extra tabs.
Built-in VPN & Ad Blocker: Enhance privacy and load times.

These features will elevate how you browse while gaming on Linux.

Troubleshooting Tips

If dpkg installation fails repeatedly due to missing dependencies, try:

sudo apt-get install -f

to auto-fix broken packages.

For other distros (Fedora, Arch), consider converting the .deb installer via tools like alien, but note this can cause instability — DKMS or flatpak options might be better researched later.

Summary

While official Windows-focused, installing Opera GX on Linux has never been easier thanks to their native DEB release targeting Debian-based distros like Ubuntu and Mint. By following these steps, Linux gamers can now enjoy all of Opera GX's performance-enhancing features natively — combining powerful browser control with top-notch gaming on one machine.

If you want an optimized browsing experience tuned specifically for gamers on Linux, give this installation guide a try today!

Feel free to share your experiences or questions below — happy gaming! 🎮🚀

How To Install Opera Gx On Linux