A few different gaming handhelds have been released in the past couple of years, hoping to compete with the seemingly everlasting popularity of the Steam Deck. The ones that stick out in our mind are all Windows-based alternatives, namely the ASUS ROG Ally (and Ally X), Lenovo Legion Go, and MSI Claw.
However, Windows 11 is less optimized for gaming; SteamOS is more streamlined and almost provides a console-like experience that is easy to use right out of the box, at least for Steam games. And now, a custom alternative named Bazzite aims to bring that SteamOS feeling to other devices and it’s ideal for these Windows handhelds.
Bazzite claims to be the “next generation of Linux gaming”
While we’re still some way from having native SteamOS support on rival PC gaming handhelds (we at least know that Valve is working on ROG Ally support, with no known timeline yet), Bazzite can help deliver the next-best thing. Described as a “custom image” built on a Fedora-based version of Linux, Bazzite offers a more lightweight operating system.
The Bazzite package comes pre-installed with Steam, so it’s a relatively quick and easy way to try out Linux on your gaming handheld. In case you weren’t aware, SteamOS used on the Steam Deck is also Linux-based. While that comes with a few downsides such as lackluster native support from games like GTA V or recent Call of Duty titles, Valve has done a ton of work with Proton to get Windows games running on Linux and has access to a massive catalog of games. Bazzite provides a streamlined experience akin to the Deck’s native OS.
You can find easy installation guides for several handhelds, including:
Another thing Bazzite also offers is quick access to non-Steam games, as Lutris comes pre-installed and there is also support for the likes of Junk Store and Heroic Games Launcher.
PC handhelds running Windows may suffer from stutters
A new video posted online by Digital Foundry gives us a hands-on look at Bazzite, weighing up the pros and cons. They conclude that Windows on a device like the ROG Ally isn’t really fit for purpose, while something like SteamOS is more convenient and user-friendly.
According to their testing, Bazzite offers performance that is “more or less on par with Windows” and bypasses the issue of shader compilation stutters – an issue demonstrated in the Final Fantasy VII remake. The Linux alternative uses software that allows you to precalculate Vulkan shaders, rather than on the fly like Windows; this helps bypass any nasty stutters some games are prone to. Bazzite also offered a slight edge in battery life, but not by a significant amount.