It is dangerous information for Microsoft, as a brand new set of Lenovo Legion Go S benchmarks between the Home windows 11 and SteamOS variations exhibits that SteamOS is a lot better for gaming on handhelds proper now, emphasising the efficiency gulf between the 2 platforms. With SteamOS additionally now formally accessible for third-party handhelds, this benchmark is additional proof that Home windows ought to not essentially be the primary alternative for PC avid gamers.
In our preliminary Lenovo Legion Go S take a look at again at CES, we praised how pure SteamOS felt on the Lenovo handheld. The corporate wasn’t prepared to make efficiency comparisons with its Home windows 11 mannequin on the time, however it seems just like the Microsoft platform is the slower possibility for avid gamers on the lookout for the very best handheld proper now.
In a latest video titled “Home windows was the issue all lengthy” YouTuber Dave2D was capable of put Home windows 11 and SteamOS to the take a look at, head-to-head, on the Lenovo Legion Go S with the AMD Ryzen Z2 Go APU. In each recreation Dave2D examined, the efficiency was considerably poorer with Home windows, utilizing the identical low to medium settings presets on each gadgets.
Beginning with Cyberpunk 2077, the SteamOS handheld was capable of common 59fps, whereas the Home windows 11 mannequin managed solely 46fps. Likewise, in every of the opposite 4 video games examined (Helldivers 2, Doom Everlasting, Spiderman 2, and The Witcher 3), the SteamOS mannequin managed a body fee 9-11fps increased on common than the Home windows 11 mannequin.
Dave2D particularly mentions the “diminished overheads” on the Linux-based platform in comparison with Home windows 11 as serving to the platform run higher on the Legion Go S. The Proton compatibility layer, which is used to play Home windows video games on Linux, has additionally enormously benefited from Valve’s enhancements for its personal Steam Deck platform.
As I warned a number of months in the past, Linux gaming is a critical and credible risk to Home windows. Whereas avid gamers have embraced Linux handheld gaming PCs, such because the Steam Deck, Home windows 11 continues to really feel out-of-place on handhelds such because the Asus ROG Ally X. With SteamOS now accessible for the ROG Ally and different platforms, too, Home windows will proceed to really feel just like the poorer platform for gaming, except (or till) the corporate has a extra sturdy possibility for moveable gadgets.
That would come within the type of the rumored Xbox handheld, stated to be an Asus collaboration, which can include enhancements to make Home windows a extra pleasant expertise. Microsoft might want to work quick, nevertheless, to get these enhancements out to the broader vary of Home windows handhelds, or face being changed fully.
The Legion Go S with SteamOS is now available for purchase, though inventory of each the Z2 Go and Z1 Excessive fashions does seem like restricted throughout main retailers proper now. Within the meantime, try our Asus ROG Ally X evaluate to see our ideas on among the finest Home windows 11 handhelds you should buy proper now.
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