Consider using sched-ext while playing DST (and other games too)

[Fornax]

I'd like to explain why Linux users should consider using sched-ext (extensible scheduler class) while playing DST and other games.

So in short, a scheduler is a mechanism responsible for allocating resources to perform tasks. And games are among the programs that use a lot of resources. The default Linux scheduler is fine, it's very efficient and handles games well, BUT we can do better.

Starting with Linux kernel 6.12, we have the option to use something called sched-ext - this is a very cool technology that allows regular users to switch between different schedulers basically on the fly (yup, without needing to restart the pc). sched-ext itself doesn’t include schedulers, you’ll need the scx-scheds package which contains them, more info:
scx-scheds Github

 The "average gamer" should be interested in two schedulers: scx_lavd and scx_bpfland.

- scx_lavd should provide higher FPS values and lower latency (IIRC this one is used on SteamOS on the Steam Deck);
- scx_bpfland focuses on providing maximum responsiveness, prioritizing stable FPS.

If you just want to test a scheduler (scx_lavd with autopower flag for example), all you need to do is open the terminal and enter:

sudo scx_lavd --autopower

That's it. Don't close the terminal. To stop the process, press Ctrl+C. ez. scx-scheds can be enabled permanently, the link to the wiki is below.

 

So now, the most important question: how does this affect the DST performance?

It should be said that it all depends on your PC specs. When all I'm doing is playing the game and there’s nothing running in the background, DST behaves almost identically on the default system scheduler and on the sched-ext. sched-ext starts to shine when I have a lot of stuff open in the background, the difference in performance starts to be noticeable - a big plus for extensible schedulers. I haven't checked how it affects a dedicated server performance (I don't have and need one), but there might also be some positive effects here. sched-ext could also potentially help lower-end machines a bit (but yeah it definitely won't turn a potato into a supercomputer lol). Oh and these schedulers have a positive impact on desktop usage too - everything feels snappier.

The CachyOS wiki contains an easy to follow guide on how to get started with sched-ext. The package installation will vary depending on the distro you're using of course, but the rest of the steps should be pretty much the same. (scx-scheds is already in the Arch repos, so you don't need to download it from the AUR for example).
CachyOS wiki