SteamOS began as a lightweight Linux-based system built for Valve's Steam Machine, and now powers the Steam Deck and various other handheld consoles. New benchmarks show the gaming operating system performs better than Windows 11 on similar hardware.
Ars Technica recently published a report testing five demanding PC games on the Lenovo Legion Go S handheld, running Windows 11 and the latest SteamOS. In most cases, the gaming experience on SteamOS is smoother and the frame rate is higher.
This is a significant change from Valve's early Steam Machines days, when the Linux-based operating system often lagged behind Windows due to immature drivers and software. This time around, four of the five games run faster on SteamOS, sometimes dramatically. For example, running Returnal at 1920×1200 resolution on High settings, SteamOS managed a solid 33 frames per second, while Windows could only eke out 18 frames per second with the help of official Lenovo drivers.
Part of this advantage comes from Valve's Proton compatibility layer, which converts Windows game code into Linux instructions. Proton and SteamOS drivers have benefited from updates over the years, helping Windows games run efficiently. Another factor is SteamOS's streamlined design, which focuses on doing one thing - running games - rather than running many background processes like Windows often does.
As you can see from the charts (above and below), the biggest takeaway here is that if you must use Windows 11, it's better to sideload the Asus drivers rather than stick with Lenovo's stock drivers.
Ars also points out that Windows gaming performance can be improved by manually installing newer unofficial AMD drivers - although most users won't bother doing this.
Ars writes: "Sideloading the updated Asus drivers showed significant improvements in Windows performance in all tested games, even bringing Homeworld 3's 'low' graphics benchmark to a realistic level comparable to SteamOS."
However, even with manual driver installation, SteamOS still comes out on top.
Of course, Windows still enjoys wider game compatibility. Many games simply won't run on SteamOS without workarounds, and most manufacturers design PC hardware with Windows in mind. However, with a handheld like Lenovo's $599 Legion Go S (available separately with SteamOS or Windows), buyers may appreciate the smoother out-of-the-box experience that SteamOS offers at a lower price.
Gamers once viewed SteamOS as a disadvantage, believing it couldn't compete with the more dominant bloatware from Microsoft. However, Valve's continued investment in Linux gaming is paying off. Ars Technica's testing shows that handheld gamers willing to embrace SteamOS can enjoy improved gaming performance—without any tweaking.