SteamOS Outperforms Windows 11 on Lenovo Legion Go S — The Future of Mobile Gaming

When Lenovo announced the Legion Go S, a sleek gaming handheld available in both white and black variants, most observers simply expected minor differences between the two—color, perhaps, or included software. Yet the industry has been seized by a shockwave following the initial direct performance comparisons between the white Legion Go S bundled with Windows 11 and the black Legion Go S shipping with SteamOS. Early independent tests, most notably by tech reviewer Dave2D, suggest that Valve’s Linux-based operating system isn’t just competitive, but conclusively outperforms Microsoft’s flagship OS when it comes to gaming on this particular slice of modern hardware.

The Showdown: SteamOS vs Windows 11 on Identical Hardware​

Hardware Parity and True A/B Testing​

To put the comparison in proper context, both versions of the Legion Go S use identical hardware. This eliminates the myriad variables that typically cloud OS-versus-OS performance debates. Every frame rate, every stutter, every dip in battery life can be traced back not to variation in silicon or design, but to the pure software experience and optimization of the operating system.
The key distinction lies in the out-of-box experience. The white Legion Go S, equipped with Microsoft Windows 11, delivers the standard experience familiar to millions of PC gamers: flexibility, nearly universal compatibility, and access to virtually all storefronts and launchers. The black Legion Go S, in contrast, boots straight into SteamOS, Valve’s Linux-based, gaming-focused environment, now mature thanks to years of iterative development on the Steam Deck.

Benchmark Results: Numbers Don’t Lie​

Dave2D’s benchmarks paint an unequivocal picture. Testing several popular AAA games in 2024—Cyberpunk 2077, Helldivers 2, Doom Eternal, Marvel’s Spiderman 2, and The Witcher 3—showed that SteamOS consistently eked out more frames per second on the same hardware. The actual numbers are stark:
While Spiderman 2 presents a statistical tie, in every other category, SteamOS substantially outpaces its competitor. Depending on the title, SteamOS enjoys a lead of between 5 to 13 frames per second—a difference easily felt by those sensitive to smoothness and input responsiveness.

Explaining the Performance Delta​

The superiority of SteamOS in these tests can be attributed to several factors:

• Lean OS Build: SteamOS is a stripped-down, purpose-driven system with a minimal set of background processes compared to Windows 11’s numerous running services, telemetry, and bundled features.
• Better Power Management: Modern Linux kernels, especially those tuned by Valve for gaming, are increasingly taking the lead in optimizing power draw. This is critical in handhelds where thermal and battery constraints directly affect performance.
• Low Overhead: SteamOS’s interface and its direct tie-in to gaming libraries remove much of the cruft that accumulates on typical Windows installations, improving how games access resources.

While some may point to Windows’ near-universal driver support and software ecosystem, these advantages are mitigated by the bloated processes typical in modern Windows builds. Windows 11, in particular, has drawn criticism for “feature bloat,” privacy-invading telemetry, and an abundance of background apps and advertisements.

Battery Life and Efficiency: SteamOS in Another League​

Perhaps most damning for Windows 11 on these devices is not just raw performance, but battery longevity. Using the indie favorite Dead Cells—representing a lightweight, 2D gaming workload—SteamOS managed to provide over 6 hours of battery life. Windows 11, on the same device, clocked in at around 2.75 hours under identical conditions.
That’s not a small or incremental gain; it’s transformative. For on-the-go gamers, having their device last for entire plane flights or lengthy commutes fundamentally expands when and how their portable PC is useful. The difference narrows when running graphically intense games like Cyberpunk 2077, where both OSes demand so much from the hardware that gains diminish, but even here, SteamOS retains a slight edge.

Why Does Battery Life Differ So Much?​

SteamOS’s battery wins stem from the same roots as its performance triumph:

• Aggressive Process Management: SteamOS aggressively puts unused hardware into deep sleep states and dynamically scales CPU/GPU activity to just what is needed.
• Lower Overhead: Windows’ ever-growing suite of background apps and frequent polling for system updates, notifications, and telemetry all draw power unnecessarily during play.

These facts reinforce a truth increasingly voiced across tech circles: while Windows 11 has improved in many areas, it remains overengineered for portable, battery-constrained gaming devices.

Compatibility and the Achilles' Heel of Linux Gaming​

SteamOS and Valve’s Proton layer have transformed Linux-based gaming. Where incompatibilities were once fatal obstacles—limiting access to major titles, especially those with complex DRM or kernel-level anti-cheat—the landscape has shifted. The majority of games on Steam now launch successfully on SteamOS, and many run better than they do through Windows, particularly on lower-power hardware.
Nonetheless, Windows 11’s ace remains its universality:

• Total Storefront Support: Every launcher—Epic, Ubisoft Connect, GOG Galaxy, EA Play, Battle.net, Riot—works natively on Windows.
• Game Pass Integration: Microsoft’s own subscription efforts are naturally optimized for their OS, with Game Pass PC games often releasing on Windows first and with fewer hiccups.
• Peripheral Compatibility: Input devices, VR gear, and niche accessories benefit from years of Windows driver standardization.

SteamOS, despite Proton’s advances, continues to encounter headwinds with certain games—especially those reliant on kernel-mode anticheat or exotic DRM. For now, this means die-hard esports players or those with vast libraries outside Steam may still opt for Windows as a necessity rather than a preference.
Valve, for its part, is working to close this gap. The ecosystem of tools for running non-Steam games on SteamOS has expanded rapidly, and Proton improvements come monthly. For single-player, mainstream games, the compatibility and performance argument now convincingly favors SteamOS. For niche software, mod-heavy titles, or certain online multiplayer staples, there’s still a way to go.

Windows 11 Under Fire: Bloat, Privacy, and Community Backlash​

Beneath these technical showdowns lies a deeper story: Windows 11’s standing among gamers has never been so precarious. A chorus of voices—from Reddit forums to seasoned journalists—have lambasted Microsoft for decisions that prioritize new features and embedding ever-more Microsoft services over responding to user feedback on performance, privacy, and system clarity.

Why Has Windows Grown So Heavy?​

• Integrated Advertising: Contextual ads now appear directly in the Windows shell, from Start Menu to File Explorer. While these can be disabled in some settings, many users feel the default experience undermines trust.
• Telemetry/Privacy Concerns: Even with privacy settings maximized, Windows continues to send significant telemetry to Microsoft. Third-party analyses, such as those from privacy watchdogs and magazines like Wired and Ars Technica, confirm that Windows 11 is by far the most “chatty” OS Microsoft has ever built.
• Canned Features: New functionality, from AI-powered Copilot to ever-expanding Widgets, comes preinstalled—even on lower-end or purpose-specific machines where resources are at a premium. Much of this cannot be fully uninstalled by typical users.

For many, the sum of these changes means Windows 11 simply isn’t the lean, gamer-first OS it may have been in eras past.

Market Share and the IE Parable​

As of spring 2025, Windows commands roughly a 70% market share among all desktop OS installations worldwide, according to both Statcounter and Gartner’s latest estimates. This numerical dominance is comparable to the grip Internet Explorer once held on the browser market in the 2000s. History, however, cautions against complacency: all it took was a focused, user-oriented challenger—such as Chrome or Firefox—to erode Explorer’s once-unassailable lead in a few short years.

SteamOS as an Existential Threat—and an Opportunity​

From a market perspective, SteamOS is no longer a quirky hobbyist’s project but a pillar of gaming hardware strategy. Valve’s investment, combined with open-source community energy and hardware partners eager to diversify away from Microsoft’s all-encompassing grasp, has created an ecosystem where gaming hardware makers can offer both alternatives without paying substantial licensing fees or risking user confusion.

SteamOS Advances: Bazzite and Custom Distros​

Not only is Valve iterating on its own OS, but community-driven projects such as Bazzite are customizing Linux for gaming in increasingly radical ways. These distributions are giving birth to purpose-built gaming systems—tailored to specific hardware, minimizing resource usage, and often including out-of-the-box solutions to common driver or compatibility problems.

The “Killer App”: Battery Performance on Handhelds​

The dominance of handheld gaming devices—Steam Deck, ROG Ally, Legion Go, and their successors—has shifted the performance conversation. It’s not about raw, desktop horsepower alone; it’s about the total experience. How long can your system run? How hot does it get? How stable are your frame rates while commuting?
It is here that SteamOS seems to define a new baseline. For manufacturers and users alike, these latest benchmark results starkly suggest: to squeeze the most from modern handheld silicon, Windows may no longer be the default choice.

Microsoft’s Response: Is Change Coming?​

So, is this the end of the story for Windows 11 as a viable gaming OS on new hardware? Not just yet.

Windows 11’s Remaining Advantages​

• Universal Compatibility: From productivity software to legacy games, nothing beats Windows’ breadth.
• PC Access Beyond Gaming: For users wanting a device that doubles as a workhorse—video editing, office tasks, or development work—Windows remains the world’s default desktop.
• Corporate Partnerships: Enterprise deployments, government rollouts, and education all lean hard on Windows interoperability and standardized management tools.

A Glimmer of Change: Xbox and Project Kennan​

Insider reports indicate that Microsoft’s next-generation Xbox is built from the ground up with a PC architecture, and new projects such as Kennan hint at hybrid devices or more tailored versions of Windows for gaming handhelds. Microsoft certainly sees the threat and is exploring ways to pivot toward more “fit-for-purpose” designs.
Yet history counsels skepticism: Microsoft teams have often moved slowly, laboring under the weight of backward compatibility, internal silos, and lengthy testing cycles. SteamOS and its open-source relatives, by contrast, can ship new features and optimizations almost monthly.

Risks and Future Developments​

Where SteamOS Could Stumble​

• The Compatibility Ceiling: While Proton is remarkable, kernel-level anti-cheat and newer DRM schemes still present obstacles. If major multiplayer titles lock out Linux, some gamers will be forced back to Windows.
• Decentralized Ecosystem: Linux’s myriad distributions are both a strength (customization) and liability (fragmentation, support complexity).
• Vendor Lock-In and Updates: SteamOS currently prioritizes Steam integration; widespread adoption outside Valve’s ecosystem would require more effort to support alternative marketplaces robustly.

Risks for Microsoft​

• Shrinking Relevance: If more OEMs see SteamOS as the optimal choice for gaming hardware, Windows could become “the OS for work” and not for play. This would relegate Microsoft to a less influential role in a rapidly growing gaming market segment.
• Innovation Stagnation: Critics accuse Microsoft of prioritizing “sticky” services and UI experimentation over true performance improvements. Unless this changes, user migration could accelerate.

Possible Futures​

• Dual-Boot and Modular Systems: The next wave of gaming hardware may ship with both OSes and a user-friendly toggle, letting consumers choose based on workload.
• Microsoft’s “Gaming Mode”: If Windows 12 or a major Windows 11 update bakes in a truly stripped-down, gaming-optimized mode—with minimized ads, telemetry, and background services—it could reclaim ground lost to Valve.
• Vendor-Led Customization: More hardware makers may build their own SteamOS-based forks, competing with or alongside Valve’s efforts.

Critical Analysis: Where Do We Go From Here?​

The current moment is both disruptive and full of opportunity. Gamers, once locked into Windows simply by necessity, now have tangible, credible alternatives that unlock more of their hardware’s potential—especially when battery life and portability matter most.
For Microsoft, this is a wake-up call. Historical complacency cost the company their browser dominance and delayed their move into mobile. If the team behind Windows 11 does not move decisively to address legitimate complaints on bloat, privacy, and true gaming optimization, a steady migration to SteamOS (or its derivatives) among power users seems all but inevitable.
For consumers, this competition can only be good. Better performance, longer battery life, more choice, and a renewed focus on lean, purposeful design are all on the horizon.
Industry-wide, the cemented assumption that “PC gaming means Windows” is crumbling—replaced by an open question: What OS truly serves the player best, both on the desktop and in the palm of your hand?
As more reviews and benchmarks emerge, one thing is certain: the great OS gaming shakeup of this decade has only just begun.

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Source: Windows Central The first direct comparisons suggests SteamOS destroys Windows 11 for gaming