Windows has always been the go-to platform for PC gaming, but after years of putting up with its quirks, I finally gave Linux a shot. Now, I am never going back.
Why I switched to SteamOS
I use an Asus ROG Ally as my main gaming device, which is a handheld similar to the Steam Deck. Since I mostly play older titles or emulate retro games, nearly all of them run flawlessly on it. But what’s bothered me the most is that it runs Windows 11, which already has its share of problems, and those feel even worse on a handheld.
I’ve run into problems with even the most basic points, like sleep mode, drivers uninstalling on their own, and Windows pushing updates even after I clicked not to install them yet. It’s far from a system I can pick up and play, so I was spending more time fixing issues than actually gaming. That’s when I decided to switch to Linux.
I went with SteamOS, the same Arch-based Linux distribution that runs on the Steam Deck. Valve has put real effort into making it work well, specifically on the ROG Ally, so I was confident I wouldn’t run into driver problems.
Most AMD-based systems should run fine on SteamOS, but if you’re on an Nvidia GPU, I’d suggest using Bazzite instead. It offers the same SteamOS-like interface, but is far better optimized for non-AMD hardware.
If you’re concerned that the default SteamOS interface is designed mainly for controllers and won’t feel right on a PC, don’t worry. It also has a desktop mode that looks a lot like Windows, where you can do most normal “computer tasks” without a problem.
Game compatibility hasn’t been an issue at all
My biggest concern was whether my games would actually run. A couple of years ago, when I tried gaming on Linux, I couldn’t get even a single game to work. But Valve has made a lot of progress since then in improving its Proton compatibility layer that lets you run Windows games on Linux. Thanks to that, developers don’t need to do any extra work to port their games over.
I mainly play single-player games, and for the most part, they work perfectly fine without any tweaks or fixes. In fact, there have been times when I had to troubleshoot issues on Windows for games that ran effortlessly on SteamOS, and even many emulators performed better too.
That said, just because my games worked doesn’t mean you’ll have the same experience. If you mostly play multiplayer titles, especially those with kernel-level anticheat like Call of Duty or Valorant, they won’t run on Linux at all. Instead of jumping straight into SteamOS and testing everything yourself, I’d recommend checking ProtonDB, which is a community-driven forum that shows how well specific games work via Proton.
My games run much better now
When I switched, I expected performance to be slightly worse since everything runs through a compatibility layer. But to my surprise, almost every game I tried actually ran better on SteamOS than on Windows 11. It was mind-blowing to realize just how bloated Windows has become over the years, and how much performance you lose unless you go out of your way to debloat your Windows system.
All of these tests were run using the same graphics settings and performance modes. But beyond the numbers, I noticed far fewer stutters on Linux. Even though the FPS difference wasn’t huge, my frametime graphs on SteamOS looked much smoother compared to Windows, which was filled with stutters.
Even when I connected the ROG Ally to a display and used it in desktop mode like a regular computer, it felt much snappier than Windows. On top of that, not having to worry about Microsoft pushing ads, forcing me to use a Microsoft account, or shoving updates down my throat made the experience even better.
SteamOS actually feels like an OS built for gaming
If you have a couch PC connected to your TV or a handheld device like me, or if you use a PC only for gaming with a controller connected to it most of the time, you understand the headache of dealing with Windows on a touchscreen or with a controller. If you fall into this category, I would seriously recommend that you switch instantly.
Since SteamOS is built with gaming in mind, it’s an obvious choice for anyone who just wants to boot up and play. It offers the closest similarity to a console-like experience on PC hardware, with a UI that works equally well with a keyboard and mouse or a controller.
Even basic features like SteamOS’s built-in performance monitoring tool, or a sleep mode that actually works (unlike Windows), make it a solid overall package for a machine dedicated to gaming.
While Microsoft has steadily improved the Xbox app as Windows’ default gaming hub, which works well with a controller, I wouldn’t rely too much on that gaming ecosystem. Given the company’s recent track record with the Xbox brand and history with the now-defunct Games for Windows – Live service.
While I’ve moved to Linux for gaming, I still see macOS as the stronger Windows alternative for day-to-day computing. It’s more polished and better-suited for productivity work.
That said, Linux has come a long way, and SteamOS in particular has made it a close second for me. As long as I am spending less time wrestling with Windows and more time actually enjoying my devices, I’m more than happy with my setup.
