It's bad news for Microsoft, as a new set of Lenovo Legion Go S benchmarks between the Windows 11 and SteamOS versions shows that SteamOS is much better for gaming on handhelds right now, emphasising the performance gulf between the two platforms. With SteamOS also now officially available for third-party handhelds, this benchmark is further proof that Windows should no longer necessarily be the first choice for PC gamers.
In our initial best handheld right now.
In a recent video titled "Windows was the problem all long" YouTuber Dave2D was able to put Windows 11 and SteamOS to the test, head-to-head, on the Lenovo Legion Go S with the AMD Ryzen Z2 Go APU. In every game Dave2D tested, the performance was significantly poorer with Windows, using the same low to medium settings presets on both devices.
Starting with Cyberpunk 2077, the SteamOS handheld was able to average 59fps, while the Windows 11 model managed only 46fps. Likewise, in each of the other four games tested (Helldivers 2, Doom Eternal, Spiderman 2, and The Witcher 3), the SteamOS model managed a frame rate 9-11fps higher on average than the Windows 11 model.
Dave2D specifically mentions the "reduced overheads" on the Linux-based platform compared to Windows 11 as helping the platform run better on the Legion Go S. The Proton compatibility layer, which is used to play Windows games on Linux, has also greatly benefited from Valve's improvements for its own Steam Deck platform.
As I warned several months ago, Linux gaming is a serious and credible threat to Windows. While gamers have embraced Linux handheld gaming PCs, such as the Steam Deck, Windows 11 continues to feel out-of-place on handhelds such as the Asus ROG Ally X. With SteamOS now available for the ROG Ally and other platforms, too, Windows will continue to feel like the poorer platform for gaming, unless (or until) the company has a more robust option for portable devices.
That could come in the form of the rumored Xbox handheld, said to be an Asus collaboration, which may come with enhancements to make Windows a more enjoyable experience. Microsoft will need to work fast, however, to get those improvements out to the wider range of Windows handhelds, or face being replaced entirely.
The Legion Go S with SteamOS is now available to buy, although stock of both the Z2 Go and Z1 Extreme models does appear to be limited across major retailers right now. In the meantime, check out our Asus ROG Ally X review to see our thoughts on one of the best Windows 11 handhelds you can buy right now.
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