SteamOS, built on Linux and powered by Proton, is what makes the Steam Deck such a great handheld. Even after a few years, it’s still ahead of the pack. But what if you could get rid of Windows on other devices and run something like SteamOS instead? That’s where Bazzite comes in. It’s an open-source Linux distro that builds on what Valve started and brings the same experience to most Windows-based handhelds.
Installing Bazzite on something like the Asus ROG Ally or Lenovo Legion Go isn’t the easiest thing in the world, but I wasn’t trying it on a handheld. I dual-booted Bazzite on my Lenovo gaming laptop, and so far, the experience has been nothing short of religious.
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All the games work just fine on Bazzite
And some games even run better
I’m running an AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS with an RTX 4050 and 16 GB of memory. I’ve always used Windows for games, but after seeing what the Steam Deck could do with Linux, I wanted to try the same on my laptop using Bazzite.
The setup was straightforward. Steam comes pre-installed, Proton is ready out of the box, and the desktop closely mirrors the Steam Deck’s Game Mode. I carved out some SSD space, dual-booted it with Windows, and booted into what looked and felt like a gaming console.
The biggest surprise was how well games performed. Cyberpunk 2077 and Forza Horizon 5 loaded quickly and held steady frame rates, often matching or slightly beating what I got on Windows. Proton and Vulkan have come a long way. Bazzite also includes performance tweaks like System76’s scheduler and tuned power modes, which keep the system fast and responsive.
One of the biggest benefits of dual-booting Bazzite is that you are no longer tied to Windows or the frustrating parts that come with it. Windows 11 forces you to sign in with a Microsoft account and includes built-in telemetry and data collection for ads. Bazzite avoids all of that. Microsoft also pushes ads across the system, from Microsoft 365 to Game Pass and mobile apps. On Bazzite, none of that exists. Your PC does what you tell it to do, and that is it.
Bazzite also boots directly into Steam’s Game Mode interface. With a controller connected, there’s no need for a keyboard. It feels like a plug-and-play console. You can also log out and switch to the KDE desktop if you want full access to the system. Features like HDR, VRR are supported while DLSS and ray tracing run on Linux through Proton. NVIDIA drivers are handled automatically without any manual steps.
Bazzite is more efficient
And has the gaming features you need
Linux, especially something as streamlined as Bazzite, uses far less memory than Windows. I’ve consistently seen over 2 GB more free RAM just by using Bazzite instead of Windows. Without Defender and other background processes eating up CPU cycles, games load faster and stay stable during long sessions.
Forced restarts are gone too. On Windows, updates can be delayed but not avoided. Bazzite gives me full control. Updates apply cleanly, and if something goes wrong, I can roll back with a single command. I also mod a lot of games, especially Bethesda titles. And modding on Linux isn’t the hassle it used to be. Steam Workshop works out of the box. Mod Organizer 2 runs under Wine without issues. Proton-GE, a community version of Proton, even supports script extenders like SKSE.
The real surprise was emulation. Because Bazzite is built on the same foundation as SteamOS, I was able to use EmuDeck, the same tool used on the Steam Deck. Setting up emulators on a PC is usually a hassle, but EmuDeck simplifies everything. In minutes, I had a full retro console library running inside Steam. PS2, GameCube, and even Switch titles ran smoothly and felt like native games. Bazzite also supports Android apps through Waydroid.
Windows still has a place
Not everything works perfectly. Some multiplayer games with strict anti-cheat systems, like Valorant, still do not run on Linux. There are also a few niche tools and games that still require Windows. That is the benefit of dual-booting. If something does not work on Bazzite, I can switch to Windows.
For most of my gaming, though, easily 80 to 90 percent, I stick with Bazzite. If you are still not convinced, read five reasons to use Bazzite instead of Windows on your gaming PC. And while Valve is finally making SteamOS available on more handheld devices, Bazzite will still offer a better experience, at least at the start.
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It might even be better than SteamOS, to be honest.
