Bazzite is a GNU/Linux distribution specially designed for PC video game lovers, as it is a SteamOS clone It simplifies running games on the Steam platform, allowing you to perform any computing task. Today we bring you a first look! 🎮
Today, Windows holds the majority of the desktop market, and much of this is due to the strong presence of gaming. Microsoft relies on DirectX as its primary API for developers, creating a cycle that benefits Windows. While there are alternatives like Vulkan (which has similar capabilities and is completely open), it's difficult to challenge the current monopoly. 💻
Of course, you can also play on Mac and other platforms like Linux, which—while not quite at the level of Windows—have made significant progress in recent years. This has been driven by cloud gaming like GeForce NOW or Amazon Luna (although the Google Stadia fiasco was a disappointment), where the operating system you use isn't an issue. ☁️
A relevant phenomenon that has boosted gaming on Linux is the Steam platform. While there are other options, it's clear that Valve has made it the leading digital video game platform. In addition to offering software, the company has launched a line of hardware, most notably the Steam Deck portable console. And this is where its operating system comes into play, a SteamOS based on Linux, which has proven to be ideal for gaming. 🎉
Valve has promised on several occasions that it would support SteamOS devices from other manufacturers, but until recently, the first official version, the Lenovo Legion Go S, hadn't been seen. And the same goes for the operating system. If Valve ever decides to officially release SteamOS as a PC operating system, it would be a fantastic alternative to Windows, even if it's only used for gaming. ⚙️
Bazzite: Gaming on Linux has never been easier
Until that happens, solutions like Bazzite, developed specifically for gamers and presented as "the next generation of gaming on Linux", make the task easier with pre-installed Steam, HDR and VRR support, CPU boosters for smooth gameplay, and plenty of community-created tools and tweaks to optimize your experience. 🚀
Although it's not an exact clone of SteamOS, its functionality is similar. You'll enjoy a desktop KDE Plasma With a modern, highly customizable interface that feels very familiar to Windows users, including a taskbar at the bottom, a Start menu, and widgets. The themes, backgrounds, icons, and customizations Valve offers on SteamOS come pre-installed. If you've used SteamOS, Bazzite will make you feel like you're using something official, and it also provides a more complete GNU/Linux distribution for other uses. 👍
As if that weren't enough, Bazzite adapts not only to desktop PCs, but also to other devices such as laptops, tablets, or portable gaming consoles. Especially Optimized for touch screens, this distro It also includes the GNOME desktop environment as an option. 📱
Bazzite is based on Fedora (while SteamOS is built on Arch). This custom version offers hardware compatibility that surpasses SteamOS, support for proprietary GeForce GPU drivers, a System76 CPU scheduler for optimized performance, Waydroid (an Android emulator), DisplayLinux support, LUKS full-disk encryption, gamepad support, and much more. 🔧
Steam compatibility is almost perfect, but also can run games from other platforms Thanks to the use of Lutris (pre-installed), a tool designed to make running Windows games on Linux easier. Not only does it allow you to run games from most major stores, but it also integrates them with Steam in its Game Mode, including the EA App, Epic Games Store, GOG.com, itch.io, Rockstar Games Launcher, and Ubisoft Connect. 🎮🌟
Installation and user experience
The initial installation is simple and similar to the process you use to install Windows from scratch or any other GNU/Linux distribution: you download an ISO image that you must burn to external media using tools like Rufus and then install it from there. Bazzite offers several versionson their website, for desktops, laptops, or handheld consoles. A short questionnaire where you can select your machine, graphics card, or preferred desktop environment helps you download the most suitable option. 🛠️
An interesting aspect of this distribution is that Bazzite is image-based, meaning that after each update, the previous version of the operating system is preserved on your computer. If an update causes problems, you can revert to the previous image upon startup. Additionally, system images are retained in their repositories for 90 days and are accessible through the terminal. This is extremely useful in case of errors, as it allows you to revert to a previous installation. 🔄
After a quick and easy process, the system activates a welcome application that helps you choose which other services and applications you want to install or disable the default ones. It also downloads and updates the latest version of Steam. Once you log in to the Valve platform, you'll be able to access your game catalog. We installed it in a virtual machine (recommended to test if you like it) and most of the games run quite well. 🕹️✨
Includes applications such as Lutris, which lets you play a wide variety of games beyond Steam, and Waydroid for playing Android mobile titles. And of course, it's not just for gaming. Bazzite is a GNU/Linux distribution, which means it It is suitable for any computing taskIt comes with Firefox as its default browser and features a 'Discover' software center for installing any Linux application with just one click. 🦊💻
Overall, Bazzite offers an excellent experience with the KDE Plasma desktop environment, thanks to the SteamOS theme and its usual customization optionsWhile we haven't tested it enough to determine if it could be used as a primary operating system, it appears to perform very well. We assume it would run well in a dual-boot system alongside Windows or another distribution. 🔄🌈
Summary: Bazzite is a distribution created especially for gamers, like a SteamOS clone, but it also offers features for multimedia, internet browsing, office work, or whatever you desire thanks to the incredible Linux ecosystem. And all of it is free and open source. 🌍💚 An option to try until Valve decides to take on Windows and releases an official SteamOS for desktop, optimally optimized for gaming. 🚀
