Asus’ ROG Xbox Ally X delivers a genuinely next‑generation handheld experience, and an enthusiast comparison shows it can run noticeably better on a SteamOS‑style Fedora build — Bazzite OS — than on the factory Windows 11 image, with improvements in sustained frame‑rates, frame‑time consistency and suspend/resume behavior that are large enough to matter in real play.
The ROG Xbox Ally X is ASUS’ premium Windows handheld built around AMD’s high‑end handheld APU class (marketed as a Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme family silicon on the X SKU), with flagship‑class memory and a larger battery than the baseline Ally model. The hardware package — up to 24 GB LPDDR5X, an 80 Wh battery on the X, a 7‑inch 1080p 120 Hz panel and an M.2 2280 SSD slot — is designed to give Windows handhelds more sustained thermal and power headroom than earlier devices. These SKU and hardware claims align with vendor materials and early hands‑on coverage.
Bazzite OS is a community Fedora‑based Linux distribution that intentionally targets handheld and SteamOS‑style experiences. It boots into a gaming‑first UI, bundles Proton and game launchers, and ships with tuned Mesa, patched libraries and utilities aimed at handhelds (Mesa tweaks, Gamescope/Wayland handling, compatibility helpers). Bazzite is not Valve’s SteamOS but aims to provide a similar console‑like flow with broader hardware compatibility.
Why this matters: handheld PCs live and die by their ability to turn silicon into smooth, sustainable gameplay without overheating or throttling. Small differences in OS background load, driver shader handling and power‑governor behavior can become visible microstutter, repeated hitching, or measurable FPS deltas — exactly the behaviors the community test targeted.
However, mainstream viability depends on solving compatibility problems — notably anti‑cheat, storefront parity and vendor support — rather than purely on raw performance. As the community and vendors iterate, we can expect tighter cross‑platform tooling and better official options (SteamOS partner initiatives, better Linux support from vendors) that reduce the present trade‑offs. Until then, the practical advice for most buyers is pragmatic: keep Windows for full compatibility, experiment in a dual‑boot for potential single‑player wins, and pay attention to firmware/driver updates that will continue to change the balance.
At the same time, the trade‑offs remain material: anti‑cheat and ecosystem integrations favor Windows for many players; vendor support and driver maturity are still Windows‑centric; and single‑video testbeds cannot replace systematic reproduction across multiple builds and scenes. For most users the safest pathway is to tune Windows first and, if curious, experiment in a dual‑boot setup that preserves the Windows recovery image. Enthusiasts who prioritize single‑player smoothness and accept compatibility risk will find Bazzite a compelling option to test — but they should go in with clear expectations, documented steps and a recovery plan.
The Ally X’s hardware is powerful enough that software choices — compositor, shader caching, driver defaults and governor policies — can still materially change the experience. That realization is the real story here: on handhelds, the OS is not just a shell. It is a lever you can use to tune the balance between raw throughput, stability and daily convenience.
Source: Notebookcheck Asus ROG Xbox Ally X shows noticeable performance boost on Bazzite OS over Windows 11
Background
The ROG Xbox Ally X is ASUS’ premium Windows handheld built around AMD’s high‑end handheld APU class (marketed as a Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme family silicon on the X SKU), with flagship‑class memory and a larger battery than the baseline Ally model. The hardware package — up to 24 GB LPDDR5X, an 80 Wh battery on the X, a 7‑inch 1080p 120 Hz panel and an M.2 2280 SSD slot — is designed to give Windows handhelds more sustained thermal and power headroom than earlier devices. These SKU and hardware claims align with vendor materials and early hands‑on coverage.Bazzite OS is a community Fedora‑based Linux distribution that intentionally targets handheld and SteamOS‑style experiences. It boots into a gaming‑first UI, bundles Proton and game launchers, and ships with tuned Mesa, patched libraries and utilities aimed at handhelds (Mesa tweaks, Gamescope/Wayland handling, compatibility helpers). Bazzite is not Valve’s SteamOS but aims to provide a similar console‑like flow with broader hardware compatibility.
Why this matters: handheld PCs live and die by their ability to turn silicon into smooth, sustainable gameplay without overheating or throttling. Small differences in OS background load, driver shader handling and power‑governor behavior can become visible microstutter, repeated hitching, or measurable FPS deltas — exactly the behaviors the community test targeted.
The test: what Cyber Dopamine measured
A widely viewed enthusiast video by Cyber Dopamine installed Bazzite OS on an Ally X and compared the device with the same hardware running Windows 11. Tests focused on two modern, shader‑heavy single‑player AAA titles — Kingdom Come: Deliverance II and Hogwarts Legacy — and evaluated:- Resume after suspend (practical usability)
- Average FPS in specific power modes (13 W “Silent”, 17 W “Performance”, up to 35 W/50 W in higher power modes on mains)
- Frame‑time behavior and stability during extended runs
Key figures from the comparison
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance II — 17 W mode: Windows ≈ 47 FPS, Bazzite ≈ 62 FPS (≈ +30%); 13 W mode: Windows ≈ 35 FPS, Bazzite ≈ 37 FPS (small gain).
- Hogwarts Legacy — 35 W (Turbo) mode: Windows ≈ 60 FPS, Bazzite ≈ 65 FPS (small gain); 17 W (Performance) mode: Windows ≈ 50 FPS, Bazzite ≈ 62 FPS (≈ +24%); 13 W (Silent) mode: Windows ≈ 38 FPS, Bazzite ≈ 37 FPS (parity).
Why Bazzite can outperform Windows on the same hardware
The performance differences are not mystical — they are the result of predictable, measurable system‑level differences between a lean, gaming‑focused Linux image and a full Windows 11 image with OEM layers.1) Shader compilation behavior and shader‑cache policies
Modern AAA engines (many Unreal Engine titles and others) often compile or link shader permutations at runtime. When a driver or runtime compiles a shader on first use, that operation can produce a visible hitch or micro‑stutter. Linux Proton + Mesa and Bazzite’s tuned Mesa/builds sometimes handle shader caches and precompilation differently, avoiding certain blocking runtime spikes and delivering steadier 1% lows. Tests and longform technical reporting have repeatedly identified shader compilation as a major source of microstutter on PC, and it’s the most plausible single factor when gains are scene‑dependent.2) Lower background overhead and a lighter compositor
Windows 11 is a full desktop OS with telemetry, background services and OEM utilities (Armoury Crate SE, Xbox full‑screen shell, vendor telemetry). Even in the Xbox full‑screen experience some desktop artifacts and services remain. Bazzite boots into a console‑first UI with fewer background tasks and a lighter Wayland/Gamescope stack, reducing random scheduling noise and I/O interruptions that can cause frame‑time variance. The result is a cleaner input/resume path and fewer transient CPU interruptions during gameplay.3) Power governors, fan control and driver stacks
Linux gaming images commonly ship with tuned CPU/GPU governors, patched Mesa for framerate control, and more direct fan/clock controls exposed to userspace. Those choices encourage steadier sustained clocks and can avoid the “burst‑then‑throttle” cycle that reduces average throughput over long runs. Windows can match this when carefully tuned (Armoury Crate profiles, AMD software tweaks), but that requires manual intervention and can still behave differently because driver implementations and thermal profiles are vendor‑tuned for Windows first.Interpreting the data: what the numbers actually mean
Numbers like “+30% FPS” make headlines, but they deserve context.- These uplifts were observed in specific scenes and power modes — not across every level, resolution or engine state. Scene selection matters because shader coverage and unique rendering paths vary.
- Gains were greatest at mid‑to‑high TDP settings (17 W performance mode on a handheld), where the platform can sustain higher clocks but shader hitching or driver stalls cost more relative headroom. In some low‑power 13 W tests the delta shrank to negligible.
- Frame‑time consistency and fewer extreme 1% lows are often more important to perceived smoothness than peak FPS. Bazzite’s biggest advantage in the clips and logs was steadier frame‑times and fewer large hitch spikes, which can make 60 FPS feel like a solid 60 rather than a 60 that drops to 10‑20 for brief moments.
- Reproduction depends on many moving parts: exact Windows build, AMD/driver versions, Armoury Crate and background processes, specific Bazzite build, Mesa version, Proton or Proton‑GE flavor, the game’s shader build state (whether it has pre‑compiled caches), and even in‑game settings. The original creator noted these caveats and community summaries echo them.
Compatibility, convenience and practical trade‑offs
Performance is only one vector. Switching from the factory Windows image to a community Linux build exposes very real trade‑offs.- Anti‑cheat and multiplayer: Many online titles use kernel‑level anti‑cheat drivers that are Windows‑only. Those games will not run under Linux or will require complex, unreliable workarounds. If you play competitive multiplayer, this is a non‑starter for many titles.
- Game Pass and Xbox app integration: Game Pass Day‑One workflows and the integrated Xbox app are Windows‑centric. While cloud streaming is available through browsers and third‑party clients on Linux, the convenience and tight integration are not identical.
- OEM utilities and features: Armoury Crate SE, RGB, per‑game toggles and some sensors may not function or may be partially supported on Linux images. Users who rely on those features (or on vendor firmware updaters tied to Windows) should expect friction.
- Support and warranty: ASUS supports the Ally X as a Windows device. Installing third‑party OS images can complicate official software support and may affect how warranty/support is handled; conservative users should dual‑boot and keep recovery media.
- Driver maturity: Cutting‑edge APUs and platform features are typically optimized on Windows first. Mesa, Proton and the community toolchain have improved dramatically, but driver parity is not identical. Expect iterative improvements and community patches.
Reproducibility and test methodology concerns
Community hands‑on tests are invaluable early signals, but they are not substitutes for systematic lab testing.- Small sample size: the results reflect one tester’s workflow, one hardware revision and a handful of scenes. Different firmware, GPU driver builds or an updated Windows cumulative patch can change outcomes significantly.
- Tools and measurement methods: reliable comparisons should include consistent capture tools, identical driver and game versions, and multiple runs with averaged results plus 1%/0.1% low reporting. Hardware telemetry (power draw, temperatures) should be captured to rule out thermally induced differences.
- Hidden variables: Windows’ Xbox full‑screen shell trims startup services but doesn’t remove all desktop components; some Windows configurations may be far closer to Bazzite out of the box if heavily tuned. Conversely, a poorly configured Linux image (e.g., default power governor) can underperform Windows.
- Record exact OS builds (Windows build number, Bazzite release).
- Note driver versions (AMD GPU driver on Windows; Mesa and kernel on Bazzite).
- Use the same game version and identical in‑game settings.
- Capture multiple runs, average results and show frame‑time percentiles.
- Capture power draw and temperatures to ensure sustained modes are comparable.
Practical guidance for Ally X owners
- Keep the stock Windows image if you rely on Game Pass, anti‑cheat multiplayer, or prefer guaranteed OEM support. Use the Xbox full‑screen experience and Armoury Crate to improve performance without leaving Windows.
- Dual‑boot if you are curious: set up a dual‑boot with a recovery USB for the Windows image. This preserves convenience while letting you test Bazzite for single‑player/playback sessions. Community threads strongly recommend dual‑boot as the safe compromise.
- If you try Bazzite, expect manual steps: BitLocker removal (if the SSD was encrypted), Secure Boot/MOK management, and some device‑specific patching to get full controller/RGB/Armoury functions. Document every change and keep recovery media.
- Tune Windows before switching: disabling non‑essential startup services, using Armoury Crate performance profiles, enabling HAGS and leveraging AMD features (RSR, Chill, HYPR‑RX where stable) will often close much of the gap for day‑to‑day play. For many users, this is an attractive first step.
The bigger picture: what this says about handheld PC software stacks
The Ally X/Bazzite story is a useful case study in how software posture can shape user experience on thermally constrained hardware. A trimmed OS image with tuned runtimes and lighter compositors can produce perceptible smoothness gains even on identical silicon. That observation explains why Valve’s SteamOS and community projects like Bazzite have traction: they purposefully reduce OS noise and lean on tuned open‑source stacks to extract a different balance between performance and convenience.However, mainstream viability depends on solving compatibility problems — notably anti‑cheat, storefront parity and vendor support — rather than purely on raw performance. As the community and vendors iterate, we can expect tighter cross‑platform tooling and better official options (SteamOS partner initiatives, better Linux support from vendors) that reduce the present trade‑offs. Until then, the practical advice for most buyers is pragmatic: keep Windows for full compatibility, experiment in a dual‑boot for potential single‑player wins, and pay attention to firmware/driver updates that will continue to change the balance.
Strengths and risks — quick summary
- Strengths observed on Bazzite:
- Smoother frame‑time behavior and fewer shader hitch spikes in shader‑heavy scenes.
- Measurable average FPS uplifts in select scenes (up to ~30% in the reported clips for Kingdom Come: Deliverance II).
- Faster resume from suspend and lighter UI responsiveness for menu navigation.
- Practical risks/caveats:
- Game compatibility — anti‑cheat and Game Pass integration are major blockers for many users.
- Support and warranty complexities when deviating from the factory image.
- Results are scene‑dependent and sensitive to driver/firmware/version differences; expect variation.
Conclusion
The community comparison of the ROG Xbox Ally X running Bazzite OS versus Windows 11 is a clear demonstration that operating‑system posture matters on handheld hardware. On the same metal, a lean, gaming‑focused Linux image can deliver steadier frame‑times, faster resume behavior and measurable FPS uplift in shader‑heavy scenes — the most dramatic example in the community clips showed roughly a 30% uplift in a specific Kingdom Come: Deliverance II scene.At the same time, the trade‑offs remain material: anti‑cheat and ecosystem integrations favor Windows for many players; vendor support and driver maturity are still Windows‑centric; and single‑video testbeds cannot replace systematic reproduction across multiple builds and scenes. For most users the safest pathway is to tune Windows first and, if curious, experiment in a dual‑boot setup that preserves the Windows recovery image. Enthusiasts who prioritize single‑player smoothness and accept compatibility risk will find Bazzite a compelling option to test — but they should go in with clear expectations, documented steps and a recovery plan.
The Ally X’s hardware is powerful enough that software choices — compositor, shader caching, driver defaults and governor policies — can still materially change the experience. That realization is the real story here: on handhelds, the OS is not just a shell. It is a lever you can use to tune the balance between raw throughput, stability and daily convenience.
Source: Notebookcheck Asus ROG Xbox Ally X shows noticeable performance boost on Bazzite OS over Windows 11
