The arrival de Bazzite 43 This marks a significant leap forward for this Fedora Atomic-based project focused on PC and handheld gaming. This revision combines a new system base, expanded device compatibility, deep driver tweaks (including long-term support for Nvidia's Turing/Volta/Ampere generation drivers), and improvements to the user experience. It also includes an official way to support the project through donations. If you're looking for a A solid SteamOS replacement Or a way to get the most out of your laptop/handheld with Linux, this is your moment.
Beyond the technical improvements, Bazzite 43 reinforces its "ready-to-play system" proposition, with Steam pre-installed, Gamescope integration for a console-style experience in HTPC/handheld mode, and optimizations that help take advantage of the CPU and GPU. The update consolidates support for new models, offers a more agile Bazaar, and provides tools to make migrating from other Fedora Atomic images a breeze..
Bazzite 43: Key Changes and New Device
Upgrade to Fedora 43 It brings a good number of new features. To begin with, it officially opens the door to donations through Open Collective, with groups in Europe and the United States. This increases transparency in spending and may allow for tax breaks in some countries; Consult with a tax advisor, because the team defines itself as "Linux geeks", not accountants.You can donate to either group from anywhere in the world.
In terms of hardware, Bazzite adds full support for the “Xbox Ally” (parity with Ally/Ally X: RGB, fan curves, back buttons…), after coordinating with AMD to fix the suspension (same chip as Steam Deck), adjust the amplifier driver to move its speakers and resolve RGB peculiarities due to dynamic lighting in Windows. The Ally X is also covered, although its powerful dual amplifier can cut volumes above 80%.Texas Instruments maintenance has been contacted and a solution is pending; meanwhile, it's best to stay at that 80%.
For the Lenovo Legion Go 2, patches have been gradually incorporated (including suspension), although HDR PQ support is still missing (for now only Gamma 2.2), and the recognition of the two new buttons under the d-pad. The rest, including the dual gyroscope per controller, is inherited from the original Go..
Intel adds support for the OneXPlayer X1 Air with RGB and controller. TDP control here is still not perfect; as an alternative, The Turbo button switches between 15W and 25WAlso entering the scene is SuiPlay0X1, designed for those who want a "Web 2.0" gaming experience.
Nvidia Turing/Volta/Ampere: Guaranteed continuity
There were doubts about the future of nvidia-closed imaging for GPUs up to the GTX 1000 series, but now the news is positive: se quedaWith the 590 driver just around the corner (which excludes those cards), Bazzite has changed its kernel build process to maintain two Nvidia modules and a new driver mirror (thanks to Antheas), allowing it to offer the latest compatible driver for these GPUs (the 580 LTS series) indefinitely. This driver has security support for three years.So, those coming from Windows 10 with RTX or earlier generations can breathe easy. If you're using Bluefin or Aurora, now's a good time to migrate, as those images will no longer support cards with closed drivers.
Desks, Bazaar and peripherals: general polishing at Bazzite 43
The Fedora 43 base brings the latest from GNOME and almost the latest from KDE; KDE 6.5 was delayed a bit and didn't make the initial release, but it will arrive soon. The Bazaar has been updated to its latest stable version, with noticeable improvements in memory, performance, and a fresher Flathub interface and sidebars.Navigation, in general, feels smoother.
In terms of peripherals, the new “kernel magic” has allowed the addition of steering wheel drivers: hid-tmff2 (Thrustmaster), new-lg4ff (Logitech), hid-fanatecff (FANATEC), and t150_driver (Thrustmaster T150). Combined with Oversteer—an excellent panel for adjusting the steering wheel and its profiles, available on Bazaar—, The aim is to offer a driving experience that lives up to expectations.The community is invited to suggest improvements in this "racing" area.
Features removed from Bazzite 43 and alternatives
Bazzite 43 simplifies the catalog, and that's why ASUS and Surface images are no longer being manufacturedThese device families already have built-in support in the main images, which saves compilation resources. For ASUS, this means losing the asusctl tool for defining fan curves, although both RGB brightness and power control continue to function without the additional software (some IDs would need to be added for specific models that don't support it out of the box).
The ASUS Z13 already incorporates RGB control and curves into the handheld daemon, and the team wants to bring it to other laptops with your help. You can rebase a standard image with the Bazzite Rebase Helper (brh—review the documentation— and, if you prefer, maintain asusctl using “layering” (also documented).
Another major retirement is LatencyFleX. This is due to changes in the Vulkan source code and its availability. AMD Anti-LagThe tool is now obsolete. If you manually added launch flags to your games, you may want to remove them. Finally, the KDE plugin for Wallpaper Engine has been removed due to frequent crashes. If you want to recover it, you can do so at your own risk with:
Command to install: sudo dnf5 copr enable bazzite-org/bazziterpm-ostree install wallpaper-engine-kde-plugin
It's best to apply this command after updating and before restarting, for a smoother transition. If you follow this path, do so right after the system update..
Performance on modest PCs: real-world tests
A YouTube channel has tested whether Bazzite can give a boost to systems with older iGPUs against Windows 10. Using a PC based on a Ryzen 5 2400G (4C/8T Zen), 16 GB DDR4 and a Radeon Vega 11 with 704 shaders, several titles were tested with low settings at 1080p. Counter-Strike 2 reaches ~50 FPSRed Dead Redemption (the first one) runs at around 43 FPS, and Cyberpunk 2077 runs at around 27 FPS on low settings with FSR in performance mode. It doesn't work miracles, but the optimization is consistent and the experience is positive.
The fact that Windows 10 will no longer be supported is an extra incentive to try Bazzite on machines that will not be able to upgrade to Windows 11. The interface is simple and visual, and the system comes ready to play with Steam pre-installed and HDR/VRR support.For those who want to revive an old PC for light gaming, Bazzite is a free and very handy option.
Actual questions: administrator passwords and FSR 4
Concerns have arisen in forums that some tasks require an administrator password, and the user doesn't remember creating one during installation. In Bazzite (as in other Atomic systems), elevated privileges depend on `sudo /polkit` and the account configuration. If you need to set or change your password, the usual tool is passwdAnd if you can't perform a task, check your membership in administrative groups or the desktop authentication policy. If the system "thinks" there's a saved password, your session might be using passwordless authentication for certain GUI actions, but not for the terminal.
Another recent discussion revolves around FSR 4, specifically the question of how to activate it, particularly in Alan Wake 2 (and perhaps Like a Dragon Gaiden). It's mentioned that it's already possible to use a launch command for games with FSR 3.1, but it's unclear what happens with titles that remain on FSR 2 or FSR 3. One user mentioned a "9070 XT" GPU when asking about the combinationsThe practical advice, meanwhile, is to follow the patch notes for each game and check if the FSR 4 “override” is supported by the binary and the Vulkan/DirectX version (vkd3d support) via Proton/table.
System upgrade to Bazzite 43 and utilities
To avoid conflicts, If you usually "layer" packages, the Bazzite team itself recommends, after updating, running these commands to leave everything clean and avoid conflicts:
sudo rpm-ostree reset sudo rpm-ostree update
Then, reapply the layering of your packages. This order helps ensure that changes to the base system don't conflict with your add-ons.And remember that you can use the Bazzite Rebase Helper (brh) to move between official images safely.
With the Fedora 43 base, the push for new handhelds and PCs, the continuation of the closed "legacy" Nvidia drivers and improvements in Bazaar and peripherals, Bazzite 43 presents itself as a well-rounded update. For Windows 10 users looking for an escape route, those who want a SteamOS alternative on Deck, or those who want a stable gaming system with rollback and rebase capabilities, it's a very compelling proposition.If you'd like to try it, obtaining the appropriate ISO is just a form away; if you're already on Fedora Atomic, you can upgrade without reinstalling; and if you get hooked, you can always support its development through Open Collective.