And if it doesn't work, check again with a distro that uses a newer Kernel.

That can often make all the difference, but it's not intuitive for Windows people who are used to install hardware drivers.

Especially for hardware like new Bluetooth or Wifi chips, fingerprint readers, but also when there is a new Intel or AMD CPU generation and chipset.

E.g. instead of Ubuntu or Mint, try Fedora or CachyOS. Or even Nobara or Bazzite for gaming-specific optimizations.