Since gaming is the first priority, does he play competitive multiplayer games? Better check their anticheat state first, as some just flat out deny linux, full stop.

I have no real recommendation in regards of distro, but afaik either should do.

And what I gather, Bazzite has package management ‘ujust’ https://docs.bazzite.gg/Installing_and_Managing_Software/ - but beyond this hastily googled doc, I have no idea, never used Bazzite.

Is SteamOS immutable though? I thought that was just Bazzite.

I don’t know of the version that’ll be available (when ever that happens), but on steamdeck it is.

ref. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SteamOS#Features (yea yea wikipedia and lack of citations…)

Version 3.0 still utilizes an immutable file system

at the end of the day, steamos is still linux which runs steam, just (AFAIK, and on steamdeck) immutable, which is probably not something you want on desktop (or you do, I’m not here to tell you how to computer).

Just the default steam/valve vendor decorations don’t make games run any better, imo.

I’d just keep to a regular distro for a general use pc.

edit: but, yea, I’ve seen people run eg. video editors etc on steamdeck, so it does work as a regular pc too, if you really want to.