Please file bug reports for your issues, and not just as blanket statements. Many people find the open-source drivers a viable option for gaming, especially now that OpenGL 4.5 is supported and a lot of performance optimization has happened. Your case sounds unfortunate, but it's certainly the exception rather than the rule.
It's true that the version that comes with the Ubuntu releases tend to be a bit behind, but you can also try the Padoka PPA.
> Please file bug reports for your issues, and not just as blanket statements
I'll admit, it's been a while, but my experience with filing tickets for graphics-related issues like these has not always been particularly positive. Debugging them and actually identifying the root cause is quite difficult, and I end up getting bounced back and forth between different bug reporting tools for different OSS projects that may or may not be ultimately the root of the bug, and each of which thinks that the other is the more likely cause.
I have some sympathy here because I know it's tough to identify, but it's a huge time investment on my part for very little apparent gain, especially since these issues are already reported.
Besides, as I said, these issues are pretty well-documented already. I don't think there's a lack of information about the issue; it's just not an easy one to solve, and there are a lot of different organizations that are responsible for various pieces.
It's true that the version that comes with the Ubuntu releases tend to be a bit behind, but you can also try the Padoka PPA.