Windows 11 is the biggest problem for Windows-based PC handhelds. Enter Bazzite, a custom Linux OS based on Steam OS that can be transformative.
  • Katana314@lemmy.worldEnglish
    4·
    19 hours ago

    Bazzite seems excellent if you’re putting it on a gaming handheld. I had my own complaints when using it on a desktop.

    I really really wish Bazzite’s file explorer was a bit better. The right-click options for file interaction are miniscule - definitely built for baby users. You can install another like Dolphin, but it will still use the other interface anytime a program needs to open a file.

    And, of course, I ran into myriad issues trying to use BoxBuddy and its system of containers to run other (native) Linux software. Not something for amateurs used to “apt install whatever”.

  • randomaside@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
    37·
    2 days ago

    Just rebuilt my living room gaming PC this weekend and installed Bazzite. The most exciting feature for me so far has been that SLEEP WORKS. I can just put the system to sleep and resume whenever I want. 10/10

    • Katana314@lemmy.worldEnglish
      2·
      19 hours ago

      Wish I could say the same. Several times I came back from sleep and the whole OS was suffering from graphical corruption.

    • ugo@feddit.itEnglish
      4·
      2 days ago

      I plan on doing the same. Do you happen to know if it’s possible to pair multiple xbox controllers via bluetooth out of the box? If not out of the box, I’m also ok with it requiring tinkering, as long as it’s somehow possible

      • randomaside@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
        3·
        2 days ago

        That’s a good question. I will have to test it out. I usually play wired. I think the minisforum BD790i I’m using has an Intel Bluetooth chip set. From my experience those have issues with the Xbox controllers and often the dongle is required. I do have the dongle so I will try it out.

  • Brocon@lemmy.worldEnglish
    37·
    2 days ago

    I have Bazzite running my Legion Go. The experience is so much better in its Steam Deck like frontend than the Windows 11/Legion App combo. And the desktop mode makes it a fully functioning desktop PC as well, if it is needed. All in all one of the smoothest experiences in terms of switching to Bazzite.

    • chunkystyles@sopuli.xyzEnglish
      2·
      1 day ago

      I can’t recommend Bazzite (or one of its related distros Bluefin or Aurora) enough as a daily driver OS on your desktop and laptop. I dropped Windows this year and couldn’t be happier about it.

        • PunkiBas@lemmy.worldEnglish
          1·
          21 hours ago

          I’m running it with an nvidia GTX970 as my daily driver for months now and it’s been flawless.

        • theneverfox@pawb.socialEnglish
          1·
          22 hours ago

          No, I also made the switch and honestly it’s pretty much worked out of the box for me. I’ve got the integrated graphics with a discrete card too - I was worried initially, but it seems to handle it fine

          I’ve had some sound issues, and a few games run worse or need some tweaking to run, but after dual booting for a while I’m considering wiping windows for extra storage

          There’s inconveniences, but with windows getting worse and Linux getting better I’m feeling pretty good about the deal

    • casmael@lemm.eeEnglish
      5·
      2 days ago

      Hmm interesting what was the installation like - did you dual boot or wipe the drive?

  • Lupec@lemm.eeEnglish
    20·
    2 days ago

    I’m glad Bazzite is finally getting some more mainstream attention, it’s an incredible distro! It’s my go-to recommendation these days, and what I’d use myself if I wasn’t a NixOS nerd lol

      • Lupec@lemm.eeEnglish
        2·
        18 hours ago

        Sure! With this module, it’s pretty much indistinguishable from vanilla steamos apart from some more complex decky plugins not working. I daily drive it on my own deck.

    • Jinni@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      2·
      1 day ago

      I have played around with the OS and think it is really exciting. That being said have yet to really daily drive it. How is it as a daily driver? Also what did you come from previously?

      • Lupec@lemm.eeEnglish
        1·
        19 hours ago

        When I used Bazzite, I had it on a samsung laptop and on my steam deck, both worked perfectly for the handful of months that lasted. It integrates seamlessly with steam’s updater so apart from updates taking longer, you wouldn’t be able to tell it wasn’t vanilla from gaming mode. Layering my own packages on top was painless and worked fine too, I particularly remember using tailscale that way. Overall it was rock solid and hands off, most variants keep themselves and flatpaks updated on their own and whatnot.

        I came from vanilla stramos and I had it on my laptop as soon as I got it. On the desktop side, I hadn’t moved away from windows 10 yet, and by the time I did all my devices were already on NixOS. All in all if nix’s declarative approach didn’t tickle my nerd bones so perfectly, I’d probably be all in on it to this day.

    • DarkThoughts@fedia.io
      81·
      2 days ago

      Still not a fan of the limitations of an immutable system. Can’t even install Mullvad. :/

      • Kuro@feddit.orgEnglish
        1·
        21 hours ago

        I don’t know bazzite but if you just want to use your vpn you could create a wireguard config on the Mullvad site and use this in any NetworkManager. So no direct need for the Mullvad appliction.

        • DarkThoughts@fedia.io
          1·
          19 hours ago

          I can import the config files through the network manager, but that’s clunky and only allows for one connection. So if one server slows down or its IP is blocked on a specific site, I cannot easily hop servers without the actual app.

      • Lupec@lemm.eeEnglish
        1·
        2 days ago

        This GitHub issue claims you just need to install the rpm, enable the service and reboot, has anything changed in the meantime?

        In my limited experience with Tailscale, it was about that simple back then, at least.

        • DarkThoughts@fedia.io
          1·
          2 days ago

          Trying to install the rpm manually by layering it just errors out for me. Someone else on here said that for him it bricked his entire system, so I’m not exactly fond of attempting to brute force it - especially with 4 year old instructions for another distro.

    • Kroxx@lemm.eeEnglish
      4·
      1 day ago

      Never heard of it, how is this distro for new users? I run mint for reference, but I’m always trying to learn about other distros.

      • Lupec@lemm.eeEnglish
        6·
        1 day ago

        It’s very much set and forget, and straight up walks you through the basics with a friendly first time setup tool (that you can also invoke at any point afterwards). Useful gaming and quality of life tweaks out of the box, great balance between up to date and stable, atomic updates and built-in rollbacks so it’s super hard to break too. It stays out of your way and keeps things updated as needed, you just have to reboot now and then to apply like an Android phone.

        The one thing to keep an eye out for is manually editing config files and such isn’t going to be the same as you’d expect since it’s atomic, but you can still get it done most of the time. Lots of info for Silverblue out there, and as another rpm-ostree based distro, most should apply to Bazzite as well.

    • PerogiBoi@lemmy.caEnglish
      4·
      2 days ago

      I daily drive it on my laptop and it’s amazing. My usb c dock just works. No open source community drivers needed! Nothing has broken!

      Virtual machines I have a hard time running but oh well. Price u pay for stability.