As SteamOS gains traction among third-party gaming handhelds, the question of whether to transition from Windows has emerged among users. The team at Ars Technica undertook a comprehensive evaluation of the Linux-based operating system, yielding some intriguing insights.
Testing Methodology
To ensure a fair comparison between the two operating systems, Ars Technica utilized the Lenovo Legion Go S handheld, which supports both SteamOS and Windows 11. Initially, the device was tested with SteamOS pre-installed, followed by an installation of Windows 11 along with the necessary drivers. However, the official drivers from Lenovo were outdated, dating back to January 2025, rendering them incompatible with certain games like Doom: The Dark Ages. In a twist, the team successfully installed Asus’s ROG Ally drivers, which surprisingly outperformed Lenovo’s offerings.
Performance Insights
The results from the testing revealed that recent games generally performed better on SteamOS 3.7 compared to Windows 11, achieving higher average frames per second (fps) without any changes to the hardware specifications. While Windows 11 put up a commendable effort, it ultimately lagged behind SteamOS, with performance dips significant enough to transform gameplay from unplayable to enjoyable.
Game-Specific Results
In the comparative analysis, SteamOS demonstrated a clear advantage in three out of five tested games, showcasing an impressive increase of up to 17 fps (56%) over the best results from Windows 11. Notably, Cyberpunk 2077 experienced a substantial boost, rising from 44.6 fps to 52.4 fps, marking a 17% improvement. The only game to marginally favor Windows was Borderlands 3, with a negligible advantage of about 1%. These findings align with previous benchmarks from Dave2D, which indicated a 28% performance edge for SteamOS.
Technical Considerations
What makes these results particularly striking is that SteamOS operates through a Proton translation layer for native Windows games. Valve has managed to optimize this process effectively, allowing SteamOS to outperform an operating system designed specifically for these games. This achievement is also a testament to the foundational work laid by the Linux community, which has significantly contributed to Valve’s success.
System Efficiency
Another notable advantage of SteamOS is its streamlined system architecture, which results in reduced overhead compared to Windows 11. Microsoft is aware of this challenge and has begun optimizing its operating system for power-limited devices like the ROG Xbox Ally by deferring non-essential tasks and minimizing background processes. As these optimizations are implemented, Windows may regain some of its performance shortcomings, but SteamOS continues to evolve and improve.
