Is Bazzite Linux the Right Alternative for Windows Gamers?

Windows 11 and its many issues are forcing users to look for alternative OSes, such as Bazzite Linux, but is it the right choice for gamers?

Picture describes Bazzite as one of the most popular Linux distros among gamers — Bazzite is one of the most popular Linux distros among gamers (Image via Bazzite Team)

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Windows 11 was supposed to fix the issues of Windows 10 and make the user experience even better, but it is only pushing more users towards Linux OSes, such as Bazzite. Some users claim it is better than Windows. While there are so many reasons to leave Windows 11, is Bazzite Linux the right alternative for Windows gamers? That’s exactly what we plan to explain in this article. Read on to learn more.

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Note: Parts of this article are subjective and reflect the writer’s opinions.

What Makes Bazzite Linux Good for Gaming?

Picture describes Bazzite as an OS that makes gaming on Linux easy — Bazzite makes gaming on Linux easy (Image via Bazzite Team)

Bazzite is a gaming-oriented Linux operating system that is built on three core foundations:

Pre-Installed Gaming Tools

The good thing about Windows gaming is that most games work directly without requiring user input, and Bazzite must provide that to become a viable alternative to Windows. If Linux requires too much work or changes to get games working, people would simply switch back to Windows.

That’s why Bazzite Linux’s creator packed the OS with many gaming tools, including Proton, Emulators, Steam, Steam Gaming Mode, Flatpacks, and more. Bazzite even has game launchers, allowing you to access your games from EA, Epic Store, Ubisoft, and other stores directly.

Hardware Optimizations

Bazzite Linux also includes some hardware-level optimizations, such as Latency FleX, vkBasault, and more. The GPU drivers, such as the latest Mesa, AMD GPU, and Nvidia drivers, are also preinstalled. This makes running games faster and a lot more seamless. For FPS monitoring, Bazzite comes with MangoHUD, which is highly customizable and provides many game-related statistics.

Stable Platform

Bazzite Linux is built on an immutable version of Fedora Linux, which is generally considered rock-solid and a stable platform. Also, since this is an immutable version of Linux, users won’t be able to accidentally modify core system files and break the OS. This often happens to users moving to Linux OSes for the first time, which is why Bazzite made this decision. It will prevent users from breaking their operating systems.

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Game Compatibility

Picture of Steam Big Picture Gaming Mode in Bazzite — Steam Big Picture Gaming Mode in Bazzite (Image via Bazzite Team)

While both AMD and Nvidia GPUs are supported out of the box, AMD GPU owners will see little to no performance issues when moving to Bazzite. However, Nvidia’s Linux drivers are not that optimized as of this writing. Therefore, Nvidia owners will see a 20-25% dip in frame rates in Bazzite compared to Windows.

Almost 80-90% of Windows games run on Linux. The games that have issues are the much older ones. Most newer games run out of the box with Proton on Steam. However, cannot say the same for many multiplayer games due to incompatibility with Anti-Cheat programs. Many popular multiplayer titles, such as Battlefield 6, Apex Legends, Fortnite, and more, don’t work. However, other online titles, such as Halo Infinite, Dota 2, Counter-Strike 2, and more, work well on Linux.

Is Bazzite the Right Choice for Windows Gamers?

If you mainly play single-player games, moving to Bazzite will be a breeze, as most titles will work out of the box without any issues. If you have an AMD Radeon GPU, then the transition from Windows to Bazzite will be even more seamless. You won’t even notice any performance difference. However, Nvidia users will see a small performance dip. Nonetheless, it isn’t a big deal and depends on the title.

The bigger question is: Should Windows gamers choose Bazzite Linux? The answer is: Absolutely yes. If you are looking for an alternative to Windows OS, chances are you are fed up with Windows’ many issues, and Bazzite is the perfect alternative.

It has gaming tools and drivers pre-installed, ensuring seamless gaming. Bazzite Linux is also built on a stable and immutable Fedora Linux, so users have nothing to worry about. All these factors make Bazzite the perfect choice for Windows gamers wanting to move to Linux for the first time.

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Is Bazzite Linux the Right Alternative for Windows Gamers?