Bazzite is one of the most popular Linux distros for gaming. It’s essentially a clone of SteamOS, the operating system that comes pre-installed on the Steam Deck (as well as a variant of the Legion Go S) – Lenovo is also bringing SteamOS to the Legion Go 2 later this year. And now, Bazzite has received “official adaptation” on an AMD Strix Halo-powered handheld, the GPD Win 5.

Strix Halo is the codename for AMD’s Ryzen AI Max processors, which were released around this time last year. GPD describes the Win 5 as “The Ultimate Handheld Gaming PC,” coming with a Ryzen AI Max+ 395 or AI Max 385 processor, paired with RDNA 3.5 Radeon 8060S and 8050S graphics, respectively. It’s a pricey piece of kit, currently retailing from ~$1,870 on sale.

“Official adaptation” of Bazzite comes to the GPD Win 5

A GPD representative broke the news on Reddit, revealing “official adaptation,” otherwise known as official support, for the Win 5. As the name suggests, this handheld ships with Windows installed (Windows 11 Home to be precise). This is likely to remain the case; however, Bazzite development is underway to ensure the Strix Halo handheld is better supported.

Bazzite is open-source and has always been freely available to download on the device – this update simply means the OS will get more patches specifically catered to the GPD Win 5. Out of the gate, users were reporting issues with Wi-Fi and sound, though the former is already reportedly fixed. The GPD rep points users towards its Discord server to report bugs, where you can consult with a Bazzite representative from its community of contributors.

Bazzite comes with Steam pre-installed and aims to offer a more console-like experience, much like SteamOS. Microsoft has also leaned into this design approach for Windows with the addition of the Xbox Full Screen Experience (FSE), but many still prefer the more lightweight Linux-based OS you get with Bazzite. It helps that SteamOS benchmarks have proven to outperform Windows.

The GPD Win 5 offers up to 128GB LPDDR5X memory and 4TB NVMe SSD, coming with a 7″ 120Hz VRR display, native 1080p resolution, and a large 80Wh detachable battery. The top Ryzen AI Max+ 395 model offers 16 Zen 5 cores, while the AI Max 385 offers 8 Zen 5 cores. It’s no doubt a powerful device, so it’s nice to see more support for the Strix Halo handheld. These AI-focused chips also feature an integrated XDNA 2 AI engine, delivering 126 AI TOPS.

About the Author

Jack Goodall

At PC Guide, Jack is mostly responsible for reporting on hardware deals. He also specializes in monitors, TVs, and headsets and can be found putting his findings together in a review or best-of guide.