ASUS ROG Xbox Ally X tests reveal major performance improvements for the gaming handheld on Linux in comparison to Windows.
In his recent YouTube video, content creator Cyber Dopamine demonstrated surprising results after installing SteamOS and Bazzite on the ROG Xbox Ally X, showing that the handheld performs significantly better on Linux than it does on Windows. His findings highlight not just higher frame rates, but also better stability, faster sleep and wake times, and an overall smoother handheld gaming experience.
Steam Deck-Like Experience
The content creator began by explaining that the Bazzite team, developers of a custom Linux distribution designed for handhelds, rapidly resolved early compatibility issues. Within a day, most of the bugs were fixed, allowing the ROG Xbox Ally X to run with a seamless Steam Deck-like experience. Players can suspend and resume games instantly, much like on Valve’s own handheld. On Linux, pausing a game mid-session and returning minutes later worked perfectly. In contrast, Windows required waiting for fans to spin down, the system to log out, and the controller to reconnect, making it less “handheld-friendly.”
Benchmark Results
Cyber Dopamine ran several tests comparing Windows and Bazzite (SteamOS) using identical graphical settings and power modes. The results are as follows:
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
- At 17 watts, Windows averaged 47 fps, while Bazzite achieved 62 fps, showing an improvement of 15 frames.
- At 13 watts, Windows averaged 35 fps, while Bazzite achieved 37 fps, showing an improvement of 2 frames.
- Hogwarts Legacy
- At 17 watts, Windows averaged 50 fps, while Bazzite reached 62 fps, showing an improvement of 12 frames.
- At 35 watts, Windows averaged 60 fps, while Bazzite reached 65 fps, showing an improvement of 5 frames.
- At 13 watts, Windows averaged 38 fps, while Bazzite reached 37 fps, this time showing a minor decline of 1 frame.
The content creator also observed far greater stability under Linux. While Windows performance fluctuated between 39 and 58 FPS in the aforementioned games, Bazzite delivered near steady frame rate metrics.
Dual-Boot Flexibility
The ROG Xbox Ally X can dual-boot between Windows and Linux, offering the best of both worlds. Windows can run Game Pass and multiplayer titles with kernel level anti-cheat requirements, while Linux can offer better performance and convenience. Booting into either OS is as simple as holding the volume-up button during startup.
Going by the content creator’s findings, the ROG Xbox Ally X’s form factor combined with better battery efficiency, smoother gameplay, and instant resume functionality allow it to deliver an improved handheld experience on Linux.
