Recent performance tests show that while SteamOS can run Windows games impressively well on handheld devices, the story on the desktop is very different. The latest tests, which simulate Steam Machine hardware and a mainstream gaming PC, suggest that Linux's big gains still come mostly on integrated graphics. On machines with discrete graphics cards, Windows keeps the edge, which poses real challenges for Valve's plans to expand its ecosystem.
How SteamOS Performs on Powerful PC Hardware
Recent benchmark results from the respected tech outlet Ars Technica point to a notable trend: SteamOS's performance advantage over Windows 11 largely "evaporates," and is sometimes even reversed, on devices with discrete graphics cards. On top of that, Valve's Linux distribution and compatibility layer seem to be making performance problems worse on graphics cards (GPUs) with only a modest 8GB of video memory (VRAM).
As handheld gaming PCs have grown more popular, earlier tests have repeatedly shown that installing SteamOS or a similar Linux variant, such as Bazzite, usually delivers better performance. That held true even on the Asus ROG Ally, despite Microsoft's efforts to streamline and optimize Windows for that specific device.
On the desktop, though, the picture is different. To get a closer and more objective look, Ars Technica benchmarked a number of games on a range of Radeon desktop graphics cards. The outlet built a test system configured much like Valve's upcoming Steam Machine mini PC. It uses an AMD Ryzen 7 7700X central processing unit (CPU), an Asrock B650 Pro RS motherboard, and 32GB of DDR5-6000 RAM. Note that the Steam Machine's expected 16GB of RAM is probably more than enough for every game included in this round of testing.
Detailed Results From Blockbuster Games and the VRAM Problem
Although performance varies from game to game, some clear trends have started to emerge. Windows and SteamOS are essentially tied in big-name titles like Cyberpunk 2077, Returnal and Assassin's Creed Valhalla. That is a genuinely impressive showing for SteamOS, considering it carries the extra resource overhead of a code translation layer to run Windows games.
The comparison looks bleaker once ray tracing is turned on. Windows pulls ahead in Cyberpunk at the Ray Tracing Ultra setting. SteamOS, meanwhile, keeps pace in Returnal at the Epic Ray Tracing setting, except on the 8GB Radeon RX 7600. Turning on ray tracing in both games runs into that GPU's rather limited VRAM, and frame rates drop sharply.
The racing game Forza Horizon 5 shows another distinctive pattern. On systems with integrated graphics such as the Radeon 780M and Ryzen AI Max 8060S, SteamOS matches Windows. Windows, however, pulls well ahead on every discrete graphics card. Even so, the game's Extreme Ray Tracing graphics setting is still playable on the RX 7600 when running SteamOS.
Borderlands 3 is consistently the most Windows-friendly title, even on the 780M and 8060S integrated graphics. It was also one of the few games that favored Microsoft's operating system on handhelds in earlier tests.
The Future of the Steam Machine and Valve's Big Ambitions
Overall, these results raise some concerns, especially since the Steam Machine's custom discrete GPU has specs very similar to the RX 7600 and also includes only 8GB of GDDR6 VRAM. Valve is well aware of the issue and is actively working on improvements.
It's also worth noting that Ars Technica's testing used the latest SteamOS image, which is currently optimized mainly around the Steam Deck handheld. Valve will likely release new driver updates to address this before the Steam Machine officially launches early next year.
These benchmarks also help explain why Valve's Linux distribution still hasn't been released widely for the public to install on any PC. An official release for both handhelds and desktops is planned, but it probably needs more internal testing and more thorough optimization before it's ready for everyone to enjoy fully. Even so, the results still paint an increasingly encouraging picture for Linux gaming in general and for Valve's big ambitions in this challenging space.
