Is Windows or Linux better for PC gaming? Not a question I'd expect to have answered a few years ago, as the latter was barely brought up in conversation among your usual players. That's different now, especially since Valve's Steam Deck changed the conversation by introducing SteamOS and Proton, a double-edged sword of a Linux distribution and a Windows code compatibility layer.
The short answer is that Bazzite is Linux. Specifically, it's an open-source distro based on Fedora, rather than Arch, which is the basis for SteamOS. If, like me, you never strayed from Windows for the majority of your life, then a bunch of those terms will sound like complete nonsense jargon — and I agree.
Is Bazzite better than Windows?
If you choose the KDE desktop environment for Bazzite, the desktop and overall UI will feel quite familiar, but deciding whether Windows or Linux is better for you depends on a few factors, including your favorite games and software. Some apps in Linux will behave as you would expect in Windows 10 or 11, while others require more effort if they don't have a native build.
Some games rely on some kernel-level anti-cheat methods that aren't not supported on Linux and will not work on Bazzite.
That "effort" mostly boils down to launching Windows-native applications through a compatibility layer, usually with Proton via Steam for games, but it also works with some software. For example, you could use the "Add a Non-Steam Game to My Library" feature in the pre-installed Steam desktop app in Bazzite and reasonably expect "Proton Experimental" to launch it.
On the other hand, some games rely on some kernel-level anti-cheat methods that aren't not supported on Linux and will not work on Bazzite. A few popular examples include Fortnite, Battlefield 6, Valorant, and Call of Duty — you can check the status of specific games on community-driven websites like "Are We Anti-Cheat Yet?", with notes on which anti-cheat method they use.
Bazzite is immutable — what does that mean?
Immutable means unchangeable; a distro that keeps the core system files protected from the user. It isn't attractive to all Linux enthusiasts, particularly those who want fine control over their PC. Still, it helps prevent novices from accidentally breaking their OS, and Bazzite is geared more towards gamers using Steam and other launchers, such as GOG or the Epic Games Store via Lutris.
When you install an app on Bazzite, it's contained in its own safe space (literally, it's called a container), while the rest of the operating system is set to read-only and can't be permanently changed. Otherwise, standard user folders for documents, pictures, videos, and other downloads are writable and behave the same way Windows does.
Bazzite comes pre-installed with a searchable 'Bazaar,' which isn't too dissimilar from the Microsoft Store on Windows. Here, you'll find a selection of curated 'flatpak' software in containers, including popular PC game launchers like Heroic and retro console emulators like RetroArch. If the software you need isn't included, you can still install it with Distrobox via the Kontainer app.
Is Bazzite good for gaming?
Even in this kind of broken-down, simplified explanation, there are still a wealth of questions that Windows users will want to ask, and I asked many of them myself. At the surface, Bazzite is excellent for gaming, as it simplifies the PC experience by removing many unnecessary apps and services, leading users almost directly to Steam and its alternative launchers, which provide ready-made compatibility layers.
While Bazzite makes it easier for the average user, there's still a variable learning curve for Linux.
However, whether it's suitable as a complete replacement for Windows 11 is a far more nuanced topic, one which leans toward "no," at least in my opinion. Missing some of the world's most popular PC games is a valid deal-breaker, and while Bazzite makes it easier for the average user, there's still a variable learning curve for Linux.
The differences between an executable .exe file in Windows and the variety of package managers across Linux distros are an early shock for some, and the need to tinker between different Proton versions, including third-party GE-Proton efforts, can be a turn-off for casual PC gamers.
Nevertheless, it's the best gaming-centric distribution I've tested so far as a lifelong Windows user, though it's far from the only one, as CachyOS is trending in a similar fashion. For now, it's close enough to the experience that Fedora KDE was delivering, and I see no reason to hop to any other distro just yet.
Ultimately, Windows 11 stays on top, but Linux is ferociously catching up among gamers. It still has a long way to go before "The Year of the Linux Desktop" has a chance of becoming a reality, but solid efforts like Bazzite almost certainly help the notion, as disgruntled Windows 10 users are losing support for their PCs while Linux remains compatible.
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