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Linux Distribution Recommendations

Choosing the right Linux distribution for your BC-250 is important for a smooth experience. This guide covers tested distributions with their pros, cons, and suitability.

Quick Recommendations

User Type Recommended Distro Reason
Beginners Fedora 42/43 or Bazzite Easy setup, works out-of-box, good documentation
Gaming Focus Bazzite Steam Deck experience, pre-configured for gaming
Performance CachyOS Optimized packages, best frame times
Advanced Users Arch Linux Full control, latest packages
Stability Debian/PikaOS Rock-solid, good for production work

Overview

Status: Highly recommended, most tested - Desktop: GNOME or KDE Plasma - Kernel: 6.15.7-6.17.7 (recommended) or 6.12-6.14 LTS (stable) - Mesa: 25.1+ in mainline repos (Fedora 43)

Pros

  • Easiest setup with automated scripts
  • Mesa 25.1 now in official repositories (no COPR needed)
  • Extensive community documentation
  • Good power efficiency (~10W less idle vs some distros)
  • Strong hardware support

Cons

  • Kernel 6.15.0-6.15.6 and 6.17.8+ break BC-250 (use 6.15.7-6.17.7 or 6.12-6.14 LTS)
  • Some users report MTG Arena crashes specifically on Fedora
  • Auto-updates can break things if not careful

Setup Resources

Installation Notes

Use Basic Graphics Mode

During installation, select "Troubleshooting" → "Install in Basic Graphics Mode" to avoid black screen issues.

Bazzite (Best for Gaming)

Overview

Status: Steam Deck-like experience, works OOTB - Base: Fedora Atomic (immutable) - Desktop: Deck UI or Desktop Mode (GNOME/KDE) - Kernel: Custom kernel with BC-250 patches included - Mesa: 25.1+ out-of-box

Pros

  • Works out-of-box with latest ISO
  • Includes GPU frequency patch natively (up to 2230MHz)
  • Immutable system (harder to break)
  • Governor installation script available
  • Steam Deck UI for couch gaming
  • Pre-configured for gaming

Cons

  • Immutable system harder to customize
  • Some users report sleep/wake issues
  • Package installation more complex (rpm-ostree)
  • Updates can occasionally break things (use pinning)

Setup

# After installation, install governor:
curl -s https://raw.githubusercontent.com/vietsman/bc250-documentation/refs/heads/main/oberon-setup.sh | sudo sh

# Pin working version after successful boot:
rpm-ostree pin 0

Recovery

If an update breaks your system:

# Rollback to previous version
rpm-ostree rollback
systemctl reboot

CachyOS (Best Performance)

Overview

Status: Best gaming performance, requires advanced setup - Base: Arch Linux with optimized repos - Kernel: 6.12 LTS (cachyos-lts) - Scheduler: BORE scheduler for better frame times - Mesa: 25.1+ by default

Pros

  • Best overall gaming performance
  • BORE scheduler improves frame latency
  • Optimized packages (v3/v4 CPU instructions)
  • Kernel manager GUI for easy patching
  • Latest software

Cons

  • Cannot install ISO directly on BC-250
  • Must install Arch first, then migrate to CachyOS
  • Kernel 6.15.0-6.15.6 and 6.17.8+ cause panics (use 6.15.7-6.17.7 or LTS)
  • More complex setup

Installation Method

Option 1: Arch + Migration (Recommended)

  1. Install Arch Linux following the Arch Installation Guide
  2. Use linux-lts kernel (6.12.x - 6.14.x)
  3. Boot with nomodeset if needed (remove after driver installation)
  4. Use CachyOS migration script from their documentation
  5. Install CachyOS LTS kernel during migration
  6. Install kernel manager: pacman -S cachyos-kernel-manager
  7. Select LTS kernel (6.12.x)

Option 2: Custom ISO (Advanced)

Build CachyOS ISO with LTS kernel:

git clone https://github.com/CachyOS/CachyOS-Live-ISO
cd CachyOS-Live-ISO
# Replace stable kernel with LTS
grep -rl 'linux-cachyos' ./ | xargs sed -i 's/linux\-cachyos/linux\-cachyos\-lts/g'
# Build ISO (follow repo instructions)

Arch Linux (Maximum Control)

Overview

Status: Works well, requires manual configuration - Desktop: Your choice - Kernel: 6.12-6.14 LTS recommended - Mesa: 25.1+ from official repos

Pros

  • Rolling release (latest packages)
  • Full control over system
  • Excellent documentation (Arch Wiki)
  • Works with bc250-arch automated script
  • AUR provides extensive software library

Cons

  • Manual setup required
  • More maintenance needed
  • Easier to break if not careful
  • Steeper learning curve

Installation

Option 1: Automated Script

# Clone and run bc250-arch script
git clone https://github.com/pnbarbeito/bc250-arch
cd bc250-arch
./install.sh

Option 2: Manual Installation

Follow the Arch Installation Guide, then:

# Install required packages after base installation:
pacman -S base-devel cmake git mesa vulkan-radeon

# Install governor (see system/governor.md)

Debian / PikaOS (Stable Choice)

Overview

Status: Very stable, requires some manual work - Kernel: 6.12-6.14 (Xanmod recommended) - Mesa: 25.1.3+ from experimental repos - Desktop: GNOME or KDE Plasma

Pros

  • Extremely stable
  • Fast and secure
  • Low power consumption (55W idle under Plasma)
  • Good for production/work use
  • Mature ecosystem

Cons

  • Requires manual compilation of some components
  • Fewer gaming-specific optimizations
  • Mesa from experimental repositories
  • Qt 6.83+ required for Plasma to work properly

PikaOS (Debian-based Gaming Distro)

Features: - Debian base with gaming focus - Mesa 25.1+ out-of-box - GPU frequency patch included by default - Easier than vanilla Debian for gaming

Setup: - Download and install PikaOS - Works mostly out-of-box - Install governor manually

Manjaro (Easy Arch Alternative)

Overview

Status: Works out-of-box - Base: Arch Linux (user-friendly) - Desktop: KDE Plasma or GNOME (GNOME more stable) - Kernel: 6.14+

Pros

  • Boots from USB without issues
  • Latest KDE Plasma works well
  • Oberon governor installs easily
  • Good hardware detection
  • Easier than Arch for beginners

Cons

  • Some boot issues for certain users (ensure IOMMU is disabled)
  • Less tested than Fedora/Bazzite
  • Delayed package updates compared to Arch

Notes

  • Works well with KDE + Wayland
  • Some games work better than on Fedora (e.g., MTG Arena)

Also Works Well

Ubuntu

Status: Works with updated Mesa - Mesa: 25.1.5 available via PPAs - Kernel: 6.12+ recommended - Desktop: GNOME by default

Pros: - Large user base - Extensive documentation - Long-term support (LTS) versions

Cons: - Requires adding PPAs for latest Mesa - Less tested on BC-250 than Fedora/Bazzite - May need manual configuration

Setup: 

# Add PPA for Mesa 25.1.5+
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:kisak/kisak-mesa
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

# Install governor (build from source)

SteamOS

Status: Now works - Mesa updated - Base: Arch-based immutable system - Mesa: Now includes 25.1+ in recent updates - Desktop: KDE Plasma with Steam Deck UI

Pros: - Steam Deck experience - Gaming-optimized - Immutable system

Cons: - Less flexible than standard distros - Valve's update schedule - Limited testing on BC-250

Note: Previously not recommended due to old Mesa, but recent updates have addressed this issue.

Kernel Compatibility

Avoid Broken Kernel Versions

Kernel 6.15.0-6.15.6 and 6.17.8+ cause kernel panics and GPU initialization failures on BC-250. Use 6.15.7-6.17.7 for best performance or 6.12-6.14 LTS for stability.

Distribution Comparison Table

Feature Fedora Bazzite CachyOS Arch Debian
Ease of Setup ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⭐⭐⭐ ⭐⭐ ⭐⭐⭐
Gaming Performance ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⭐⭐⭐
Stability ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⭐⭐⭐ ⭐⭐⭐ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Documentation ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⭐⭐⭐ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Power Efficiency ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Customization ⭐⭐⭐ ⭐⭐ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Desktop Environment Recommendations

Works on: Fedora, Bazzite, Arch, Debian - Modern, clean interface - Good Wayland support - Resource-efficient - Most stable choice for BC-250 - No known major issues

KDE Plasma

Works on: Fedora, Manjaro, Arch, Debian - Highly customizable - Wayland support improving (Plasma 6+) - Feature-rich - Historical issues: Had Qt RDSEED bug crashes (fixed as of mid-2025) - Current status: Works now, but GNOME has better track record

Cinnamon

Works on: Fedora, Debian - Traditional desktop - X11-based (very stable) - Lightweight - Good choice for stability

Installation Flow Comparison

Fedora (Easiest)

  1. Download Fedora 42/43 Workstation ISO
  2. Flash to USB
  3. Boot in "Basic Graphics Mode"
  4. Install normally
  5. Run setup script
  6. Done

Bazzite (Gaming-Focused)

  1. Download Bazzite ISO (Desktop or Deck variant)
  2. Flash to USB
  3. Boot and install
  4. Run governor installation script
  5. Optional: Configure Deck UI
  6. Done

CachyOS (Performance)

  1. Download Arch ISO
  2. Install Arch following the Arch Installation Guide
  3. Use linux-lts kernel during installation
  4. Boot Arch
  5. Run CachyOS migration script
  6. Install CachyOS LTS kernel
  7. Configure system
  8. Install governor

Common Issues by Distribution

Fedora

  • Issue: Kernel 6.15.0-6.15.6 and 6.17.8+ break GPU
  • Solution: Pin kernel to 6.14

Bazzite

  • Issue: Updates sometimes break system
  • Solution: Use rpm-ostree pin 0 and rollback if needed

CachyOS/Arch

  • Issue: Governor doesn't auto-start on boot
  • Solution: Run game once to activate, or check service status

Debian

  • Issue: Requires manual Mesa compilation
  • Solution: Use experimental repos or wait for stable update

Switching Distributions

If you want to try a different distribution:

  1. Back up your data (M.2 SSD contents)
  2. Flash new distro to USB
  3. Boot and install (will overwrite previous install)
  4. Reconfigure BIOS if needed
  5. Reinstall software and restore data

Test Before Committing

Try distributions as live USB before installing to ensure compatibility with your hardware.

See Also