Bazzite 44 Update Fixes ROG Ally X Sleep and Expands Handheld Controls
Bazzite 44 adds broader handheld control support, new TDP Boost and SMT toggles, an ROG Ally X sleep fix and updated core gaming packages.
By HandheldAtlas TeamPublished September 8, 2026Updated September 8, 2026
Category
Platform Update
Author
HandheldAtlas Team
Reading time
4 min
Published
September 8, 2026
HandheldAtlas newsroom
Full story
Bazzite has released another weekly update for its Fedora Atomic-based gaming system, with several changes aimed directly at handheld PCs. The project announced the update on September 7, 2026, and its stable 44.20260907 image shipped the same day. A follow-up 44.20260908 image is now listed with the same major handheld package versions.
The most useful changes are not headline performance claims. They are practical fixes for sleep, controller handling, power controls and external displays.
ROG Ally X sleep fix
Bazzite says it fixed an issue that could prevent ROG Ally X systems from entering sleep when the controller was used during the sleep animation.
That is a narrowly defined fix rather than a guarantee that every suspend problem is solved. Sleep behavior can still depend on firmware, attached hardware and the exact system image, so users troubleshooting a different failure should record those details before assuming it is the same bug.
More power controls in Gaming Mode
OpenGamepadUI now exposes toggles for TDP Boost and simultaneous multithreading, or SMT, on supported handhelds. The Bazzite team also says TDP control has been added to more devices, with additional models still planned.
The standard TDP limit remains available through Steam's Quick Access Menu when the performance profile is set to Performance or Custom.
These controls change system behavior, but the announcement does not provide controlled game benchmarks. HandheldAtlas is therefore not assigning an FPS gain, battery-life improvement or recommended wattage to the update. Those values require testing on the exact device with a documented game, preset and workload.
Controller and shortcut corrections
The update moves InputPlumber to version 0.79.0-4 in the current stable image. Bazzite says input support was added or improved for devices from ASUS, AYN, AYANEO, GPD, KONKR and OneXPlayer.
It also fixes incorrect Steam Deck controller emulation on some systems. That problem could stop Steam plus A or B shortcuts from working as intended.
For desktop-mode control problems, the maintainers recommend opening Steam's Controller settings, enabling the advanced options and checking the Desktop Layout. Their suggested baseline maps X to the on-screen keyboard, a joystick to mouse movement and the triggers to left and right clicks.
Display fixes and an important caveat
Bazzite reports fixes for some AMD systems affected by flickering or signal loss over VRR and HDMI 2.1.
The wording matters: the project says some issues were resolved, not every possible VRR or HDMI fault. A user in the official announcement thread still reported a black-screen case on a Radeon RX 9060 XT and Samsung television, and the maintainer requested logs. Owners should keep the previous image available and avoid treating the update as universal proof that a specific display chain is fixed.
Current package baseline
The official 44.20260908 release lists the following major versions:
Linux kernel 7.2.3-ogc3.1
Mesa 26.2.2-1
Gamescope 137.7282613d-1
Gamescope Session dated September 5, 2026
InputPlumber 0.79.0-4
OpenGamepadUI 0.46.1-4
PowerStation 0.8.3-1
SteamOS Manager build dated September 6, 2026
OpenRazer is also now packaged in Bazzite's Terra image, and its installation command is intended to remove the older repository automatically.
What is still being developed
The maintainers say desktop TDP control, fan control and ASUS Ally RGB control remain active work items.
That is especially relevant to ROG Ally owners. The update improves input and sleep behavior, but it should not be presented as a finished replacement for every hardware-control feature available in Windows.
The practical takeaway
For handheld users already running Bazzite 44, this is a meaningful maintenance update: it addresses a concrete Ally X sleep bug, broadens controller support and adds more power-control options without requiring users to assemble separate tools.
After updating, verify the image version, test sleep without an important game session open, confirm controller shortcuts and check the TDP menu before relying on the device away from a charger. If anything regresses, Bazzite's image-based design retains the previous deployment so it can be selected at boot.
No controlled average FPS, 1% low, frametime, device power or battery-life data was published with this update. Those fields should remain blank until reproducible evidence exists.
Sources
Official Bazzite September 6 update announcement, posted September 7, 2026: https://universal-blue.discourse.group/t/bazzite-september-6th-update/12485
Official Bazzite GitHub releases and package changelog: https://github.com/ublue-os/bazzite/releases
GamingOnLinux report, September 7, 2026: https://www.gamingonlinux.com/2026/09/bazzite-linux-44-gets-even-more-fixes-for-september-6th/
