Bazzite is an OCI image designed as an alternative OS for the Steam Deck and a SteamOS-like system for desktops and home theater PCs. It’s built on Fedora, offering broad hardware support and built-in drivers.
Hardware Support & Drivers: Built from ublue-os/main and ublue-os/nvidia, ensuring wide hardware compatibility.
Enhanced Gaming Experience: Includes fsync kernel for HDR support, NVK for non-Nvidia builds, and full hardware-accelerated codec support.
Comprehensive Driver Support: Features drivers for AMD GPUs, Xbox controllers, DisplayLink, and more.
Gaming Optimizations: Comes with LatencyFleX, vkBasalt, MangoHud, OBS VkCapture, and automated duperemove service.
Customization & Tools: Offers Valve’s KDE themes, optional GTK3/4 themes, System76-Scheduler, and Google’s BBR TCP congestion control.
Handheld & Desktop Variants: Tailored versions for desktops (bazzite), Steam Deck, and HTPCs (bazzite-deck), each with specific optimizations.
Installation & Usage
ISO Downloads: Available on the releases page with a detailed install guide.
Rebasing: Instructions provided for rebasing from Fedora Atomic to Bazzite using rpm-ostree.
Secure Boot: Follow the secure boot documentation if enabled.
Specialized Features
Steam Deck & HTPCs: Direct boot to Game mode, expanded input support, and custom update system.
GNOME Builds: Include variable refresh rate support, GSConnect, and optional extensions for an enhanced user experience.
Upstream Features: Incorporates features from Universal Blue and Fedora Linux, like pre-installed Nvidia drivers, Flathub, and SELinux.
Why Choose Bazzite?
Bazzite addresses common issues with SteamOS, such as outdated packages and lack of a functional package manager. It offers a stable base with the latest Linux kernel, SELinux, secure boot, and disk encryption support, making it suitable for both gaming and general computing.
My Experiences on a Mini PC
Hardware Used
BeeLink 7840HS Mini PC Specifications:
CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS with Radeon Graphics
GPU: Integrated AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (RDNA 3)
Cores: 8 Cores, 16 Threads
Base Clock: 3.3 GHz
Boost Clock: Up to 4.2 GHz
Cache: 12MB Total Cache
RAM: 32GB DDR4
Storage: 1TB NVMe SSD
Connectivity: Dual Band WiFi, Gigabit Ethernet, Bluetooth 4.0
Ports: 4x USB 3.0, HDMI, Thunderbolt 3, SD Card Reader
Pros
Installation was smooth and seemless
Quick Steam setup and no configuration needed
Launched Helldivers 2 without any change in stock configuration
ujust package manager is easy for installs and expansion
EmuDeck, Decky, and other options built in via ujust launcher
HDR Support works better than anything I’ve tried!
Cons
I ran into the multiple power management issues. (Lock ups and will not properly shutdown)