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DF - Bazzite - 'SteamOS' For Windows PC Handhelds - Is It A Game-Changer?

poppabk

Cheeks Spread for Digital Only Future
I installed Nobara on my laptop just to try it out (Nvidia 1650). Works surprisingly well, but I'm not currently planning on going all in on main desktop yet.
 

Griffon

Member
I'm always skeptical of amateur-made linux distros. They usually end up with weird issues, lack of QA and teams too small or not good enough to support edge cases. As soon as you encounter any problem, you're SOL.
 
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Closer

Member
I installed Nobara on my laptop just to try it out (Nvidia 1650). Works surprisingly well, but I'm not currently planning on going all in on main desktop yet.

Nobara is my daily driver for about 2 years. I've been extremely happy with it for quite sometime. As my most used PC is some miniPC I bought on China, sure had some incompatibilities but it has been fixed ever since the release of those Handheld Pcs. I actually don't want to go back to Windows as everything I do on PC can be done using Linux.
 

SomeGit

Member
The pre game shader compilation isn’t just available in Steam os/bazzite, but all Linux distros and I have to agree with Oliver here, its a game changer. If it weren’t for a few Windows only games like League, I would have fully moved to Linux a long time ago. But have been dual booting Manjaro on my desktop for a while and it almost a miracle how most games “just work” and the while system just works better than Windows on handhelds.
 
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ReBurn

Gold Member
Bazzite is very interesting. One of the reasons I haven't invested in a ROG Ally is that Windows 11 on a handheld sucks and I haven't heard good things about armoury crate. I don't want to pay the money just to be frustrated. I was going to wait until official SteamOS support from Valve before pulling the trigger but I'm tempted to buy now and give Bazzite a try.
 
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Topher

Identifies as young
Bazzite is very interesting. One of the reasons I haven't invested in a ROG Ally is that Windows 11 on a handheld sucks and I haven't heard good things about armoury crate. I don't want to pay the money just to be frustrated. I was going to wait until official SteamOS support from Valve before pulling the trigger but I'm tempted to buy now and give Bazzite a try.

Seems like it is taking a while for Steam OS to get released on non-SD devices. Wonder if Valve is putting effort into overall Linux usability. Those would be welcome enhancements to attract the average non-tech user who doesn't give a flip about Linux.
 

poppabk

Cheeks Spread for Digital Only Future
Seems like it is taking a while for Steam OS to get released on non-SD devices. Wonder if Valve is putting effort into overall Linux usability. Those would be welcome enhancements to attract the average non-tech user who doesn't give a flip about Linux.
I've got to imagine that Steam are looking at a proper SteamOS for all PCs and everything that entails.
 

Klosshufvud

Member
Windows seems to create quite a headache on sub 8'' devices. This is why I'm an advocate for these devices having a minimum 8'' if they run Windows so to make touch screen viable with Windows' smaller icons. Among many other advantages it comes with. I wonder if Lenovo Legion Go owners are equally frustrated with the Windows OS, which I doubt is the case since it's generally much easier to navigate Windows on that device.

I personally still wouldn't give up Windows for Linux due to the former's perfect compatibility with online games.
 
Bazzite is very interesting. One of the reasons I haven't invested in a ROG Ally is that Windows 11 on a handheld sucks and I haven't heard good things about armoury crate. I don't want to pay the money just to be frustrated. I was going to wait until official SteamOS support from Valve before pulling the trigger but I'm tempted to buy now and give Bazzite a try.

Just offering up my experiences here, ASUS has updated Armoury Crate a ton and it's more than useable now. Even then, you can just disable it and never use it. I just use Steam Big Picture mode on my Ally and it all works well.
 

Rexo

Neo Member
I made a "Steam Machine" a few months ago, all AMD with a 6900xt with Bazzite, it boot directly to steam with gamescope (steam deck UI, miles better than big picture), perfectly usable with just a dualsense controller via Bluetooth, can't be happier, my kid and I been using that thing way more than ps5 these days, it's the real deal for a desktop "console experience" with steam library, something I been dreaming since years.

For me hooking a windows PC to the tv is not the same thing, this thing feels like a console, turn it on, grab the controller, lay on the couch, and play, then turn off with the controller and that's it.
 

Magic Carpet

Gold Member
Just offering up my experiences here, ASUS has updated Armoury Crate a ton and it's more than useable now. Even then, you can just disable it and never use it. I just use Steam Big Picture mode on my Ally and it all works well.
I wonder if things like Armoury Crate could just be added to the "..." button on the Steamdeck. Like Deckyloader, Device specific issues such as screen refresh could be added here in Steam OS.

Of course I don't know what I'm talking about, just as a User Interface that '...' button can be used for all kinds of things on the Steamdeck.
 

Klosshufvud

Member
I made a "Steam Machine" a few months ago, all AMD with a 6900xt with Bazzite, it boot directly to steam with gamescope (steam deck UI, miles better than big picture), perfectly usable with just a dualsense controller via Bluetooth, can't be happier, my kid and I been using that thing way more than ps5 these days, it's the real deal for a desktop "console experience" with steam library, something I been dreaming since years.

For me hooking a windows PC to the tv is not the same thing, this thing feels like a console, turn it on, grab the controller, lay on the couch, and play, then turn off with the controller and that's it.
Does the OS detect low battery life in the Dualsense controller? I find that aspect a bit frustrating using bluetooth controller on PC in general. Especially Dualsense given its poor battery life.
 

ReBurn

Gold Member
Seems like it is taking a while for Steam OS to get released on non-SD devices. Wonder if Valve is putting effort into overall Linux usability. Those would be welcome enhancements to attract the average non-tech user who doesn't give a flip about Linux.
I agree. SteamOS has similar usability issues in desktop mode that Windows has. At least Deck has the trackpads. Making it easier to set up non-Steam apps on the device is the usability enhancement I want most. I'd also like it to be easier to use non-Steam stores, but I can see why better experience for that would low priority for Valve. It's not the worst thing in the world to set up, and Valve has no problem with you doing it, but for someone who isn't technical it can be daunting.
 
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poppabk

Cheeks Spread for Digital Only Future
Is there a way to easily share your steam library between bazzite and windows. I need windows for gamepass and VR, and to a lesser extent epic games store, but if I did dual boot I would like to have a single steam library.
 

Astray

Member
Is there a way to easily share your steam library between bazzite and windows. I need windows for gamepass and VR, and to a lesser extent epic games store, but if I did dual boot I would like to have a single steam library.
You can use a MicroSD card and have it be shared between Bazzite and Windows.

RetroGameCorps talks about it in his Bazzite installation guide.
 

azertydu91

Hard to Kill
You can use a MicroSD card and have it be shared between Bazzite and Windows.

RetroGameCorps talks about it in his Bazzite installation guide.
Yep, I use clover for the dual boot and for poppabk poppabk did you try heroic for your epic/amazon/gog games? That's what I use and it works quite well.
 

Cyberpunkd

Gold Member
Windows seems to create quite a headache on sub 8'' devices. This is why I'm an advocate for these devices having a minimum 8'' if they run Windows so to make touch screen viable with Windows' smaller icons. Among many other advantages it comes with. I wonder if Lenovo Legion Go owners are equally frustrated with the Windows OS, which I doubt is the case since it's generally much easier to navigate Windows on that device.

I personally still wouldn't give up Windows for Linux due to the former's perfect compatibility with online games.
The problem with Windows in handheld form is that it runs exactly the same processes as when on a desktop PC, while the gaming handheld usage is completely different. Microsoft should have released Desktop/Game toggle for Windows on handhelds just like SteamOS on Steamdeck does.
 
GIF by Wikitude

nice
 
Does the OS detect low battery life in the Dualsense controller? I find that aspect a bit frustrating using bluetooth controller on PC in general. Especially Dualsense given its poor battery life.
It's a matter of how the de desktop environment handles it. For example KDE shows a notification when your controller (any) is low on battery.
 

TrebleShot

Member
Ive had it running in dual boot for a while on my ally x and yeah its a much more streamlined experience than windows.

Couple of issues like the display being 1080p means all the elements in steamos are alot smaller and the screen is small as it is.

Its definitely better than using windows.so anyone curious give it a go, the installation is pretty quick took me 45 mins to an hour and im pretty dumb at this shit.
 

Diseased Yak

Gold Member
Ive had it running in dual boot for a while on my ally x and yeah its a much more streamlined experience than windows.

Couple of issues like the display being 1080p means all the elements in steamos are alot smaller and the screen is small as it is.

Its definitely better than using windows.so anyone curious give it a go, the installation is pretty quick took me 45 mins to an hour and im pretty dumb at this shit.

I've been holding off installing it on my Ally X but watching that video is finally pushing me over the edge. Was it hard to set up dual boot?
 

chakadave

Member
I've got to imagine that Steam are looking at a proper SteamOS for all PCs and everything that entails.
They don't have to. Its already in upstream Linux and will be integrated into other builds of Linux. Something like KDE will probably add it in to a large update.
 

HogIsland

Member
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chakadave

Member
They've said it's "very high on our list" to do:

Screenshot-2024-10-28-at-10-14-18-AM.png

What I’m saying is the work they do with the wider Linux community will start integrating Valves work. Like with Proton. It is more a matter of the distro developers adopting the work done for Steam OS. Or something like that. I could see Valve just partnerting with a Distro and making it the official Steam OS distro.
 
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Gamezone

Gold Member
Quick question. Is there any point in using Bazzite once Valve releases their official version of Steam OS to the ROG Ally? I don't know if I should wait for the official release or just install Bazzite. And why is Bazzite avaliable before a multi billion company releases their official OS? Surely it has to be better since we have to wait so long?
 
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JohnnyFootball

GerAlt-Right. Ciriously.
Quick question. Is there any point in using Bazzite once Valve releases their official version of Steam OS to the ROG Ally? I don't know if I should wait for the official release or just install Bazzite. And why is Bazzite avaliable before a multi billion company releases their official OS? Surely it has to be better since we have to wait so long?
Bazzite works beautifully on Legion Go and Ally X. I’ve used it on both and it couldn’t be more smooth. If your game library is mostly steam then there is no reason to not use it.

By all means use Steam OS when it comes out, but who knows how well it will work? Bazzite gets you everything you want right now.
 
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HogIsland

Member
Quick question. Is there any point in using Bazzite once Valve releases their official version of Steam OS to the ROG Ally? I don't know if I should wait for the official release or just install Bazzite. And why is Bazzite avaliable before a multi billion company releases their official OS? Surely it has to be better since we have to wait so long?
There would still be reasons, for example if you like the Gnome desktop (more mac-like) over Valve-favored KDE (more win-like).

Why is Bazzite available, because Valve is prioritizing the Steam Deck experience over generic PC support. Even in Bazzite right now you'll see references in the UI to Deck where it doesn't make sense.
 

Astray

Member
Bazzite works beautifully on Legion Go and Ally X. I’ve used it on both and it couldn’t be more smooth. If your game library is mostly steam then there is no reason to not use it.

By all means use Steam OS when it comes out, but who knows how well it will work? Bazzite gets you everything you want right now.
I'm considering going with Bazzite on either a Legion Go or an Ally X, but I'm kinda stuck between the two lol.

Which one do you suggest i get?
 

pepodmc_

Member
The pre game shader compilation isn’t just available in Steam os/bazzite, but all Linux distros and I have to agree with Oliver here, its a game changer. If it weren’t for a few Windows only games like League, I would have fully moved to Linux a long time ago. But have been dual booting Manjaro on my desktop for a while and it almost a miracle how most games “just work” and the while system just works better than Windows on handhelds.
So, the pre shader compilation is not on windows? i can use it for all games in linux?

works for directx games?¨or only for opengl/vulkan games?
 
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Astray

Member
I’d say Ally X. Much better battery life and more RAM.
Ally X does seem like it has superb battery life and has better ergo.

The lenovo feels more feature rich tho (detachable controllers, track pad, gyro and hall effect sticks), better screen too.

It's a real conundrum for me lol.
 

JohnnyFootball

GerAlt-Right. Ciriously.
Ally X is a better, BUT the Legion Go has a better and more flexible screen. Its 2560 x 1600, which is overkill, but it gives games a solid 1280 x 800 resolution due to even division. the 144 Hz also works great as it can easily run games at 48 fps, 60 and 72 fps.
 
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