For decades, Windows has dominated the PC landscape, and that's particularly true for gaming, since most games are designed for Windows and you can't just find alternatives to a specific game like you can with other software. That's slowly been changing over the years, but since Valve introduced the Steam Deck, based on Linux, things have evolved even more quickly. And thanks to Bazzite, you can bring that kind of experience to any PC.

Bazzite is an unofficial implementation of a Steam OS-like UI that can run on any PC, and if you're setting up your gaming rig, you might actually be better off using it instead of Windows. Let's take a look at a few reasons why.

5 Better privacy (and less nagging)

Windows can be a pain

One of the primary advantages of using Bazzite for your gaming PC is that you'll no longer be using Windows, and by extension, you won't have to deal with a lot of the more annoying parts of that operating system. Windows 11 requires you to sign in with your Microsoft account, and it uses various telemetry and data collection features for advertising, all of which can be avoided by using Bazzite.

What's more, Microsoft really likes pestering Windows users with ads for things like Microsoft 365, Game Pass, or its various mobile apps. On Bazzite, your PC just does what you want it to do and then it leaves you alone. Even updates are non-invasive, so you're always in control of the experience and you don't have to worry about your data being used for advertising purposes.

4 Most of your games should work fine

That's probably important

Of course, the most important thing is that you'll be able to use your gaming PC for gaming, and thankfully, Bazzite can handle the vast majority of modern PC games, so you shouldn't have to stress about this too much. Granted, there will be some exceptions, but for the most part, a Bazzite PC can handle any game you throw at it just fine. It's a good idea to check if a given game works on Bazzite or Steam OS before committing to installing this new OS, but you should be fine.

It's all thanks to Proton, the emulation layer that allows most Windows games to run on Linux, plus the fact that many games already run natively on Linux or leverage the Vulkan API, which is natively supported on Linux (as opposed to DirectX). This project has really helped gaming on Linux flourish.

3 Some games even run better on Bazzite

Native Linux ports are great

Another upside of using Bazzite for gaming is that some games can actually run better on this OS compared to Windows 11. Generally, this applies mostly to games that use Vulkan and run natively on Linux, which isn't all of them, but for the ones that do, you can absolutely see a nice performance boost. When I tested Bazzite on the One XPlayer X1 Mini, I often felt that performance was better than it was on Windows, including in games such as Shadow of the Tomb Raider. Emulation also seemed to run a bit better on Bazzite, even if only marginally.

Your mileage will vary depending on the games you're testing, but the fact is Windows is a fairly bloated operating system and there's a bit of overhead when it comes to the processing power available. Because Bazzite is much lighter and doesn't have all the telemetry and data collection Windows does, it's bound to run a bit more smoothly.

2 Retro gaming is easy

EmuDeck changes the game

One of the big components of Bazzite that also helps make this an excellent experience for retro gaming is EmuDeck. This is a suite of emulation tools that makes it extremely easy to set up all the emulators you need for your platforms of choice, so it's very easy to get started. All you need to do is choose the platforms you want to play and all the necessary components will be installed.

Setting up emulators is one of the more frustrating parts of retro gaming on a PC, but EmuDeck makes it a lot easier.

1 You don't need a keyboard and mouse

Bazzite is designed for controllers

Since it's based on SteamOS, Bazzite is mostly popular for gaming handhelds, but the benefits of this interface aren't exclusive to those devices. If you have a "home theater PC" — a PC connected to your TV rather than a typical monitor — then Bazzite is still the perfect choice for you because it's designed around support for controllers.

The desktop environment still requires a keyboard and mouse, but if you install Bazzite-deck image (the release focused on gaming handhelds) or set up Steam gaming mode in the desktop version, you have a UI that's perfect for use with a controller. Windows is notoriously terrible to use without a keyboard and mouse, but Bazzite perfectly accommodates controller-based gaming. Boot up Steam's gaming mode and you can access all your games and performance settings without needing a keyboard, which is perfect for sitting on the couch and playing on a big TV.

Even if you do have a monitor, you might just prefer using a controller for gaming, and it's no fun to use a controller in a game, then have to put it down to go into a menu, and then pick it back up to start gaming again. Bazzite keeps the experience consistent and comfortable.

Bazzite is great

As much as Windows is great for gaming, the rise of the Steam Deck and operating systems based on it, combined with some frustrating decisions by Microsoft when it comes to Windows, have made Bazzite an extremely compelling option for gamers. It's not only great for gaming handhelds, but even a desktop PC could be better off using Bazzite instead of Windows, and if you have a tinkerer spirit, I highly recommend giving it a go to at least see how it works for you.