Linux supercharges the ROG Xbox Ally X — higher FPS, smoother performance, and a big win for handheld gaming

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As a researcher tracking the handheld gaming market, I’ve been closely following the launch of the ASUS ROG Ally X. It generated a lot of excitement and actually sold out pretty quickly in many places! Initial feedback, including our own review, was really positive, and it seemed like Xbox had a promising first entry into this space.

Initially, users liked the device, but after using it for a while, a common issue emerged: Windows was hindering its performance.

Even though Microsoft aimed to keep the Xbox Ally X focused on gaming, it still included pre-installed apps like Microsoft Teams that most users didn’t need. The on-screen menus and overall system didn’t feel well-designed for handheld use. While the device itself was great, the software felt rushed and incomplete.

That led some users to ask a question: What happens if you ditch Windows entirely?

Bazzite is a Linux operating system designed for handheld gaming devices, similar to SteamOS. Content creators ETA Prime and Cyber Dopamine recently tested Bazzite on the Xbox Ally X, and their findings were often surprisingly good, even exceeding expectations.

Bazzite on the Xbox Ally X

Bazzite works great on the ROG Ally X right after installation, with no significant problems. It’s similar to SteamOS on the Steam Deck, offering a simple, easy-to-use interface that’s perfect for gaming on the go.

As an analyst, I’ve been impressed with the level of hardware control Bazzite offers. Unlike Windows, it lets you directly adjust things like power limits, GPU frequencies, and fan speeds using built-in tools. What’s really promising is that even features still in development, like RGB lighting customization, are already getting attention from the Bazzite team, and support is rapidly improving.

Cyber Dopamine compared the performance of the Xbox Ally X running Bazzite and Windows by testing both operating systems with the same games and power settings. Here’s a breakdown of the results.

Cyber Dopamine’s testing of the Xbox Ally X running Bazzite:
Game Settings TDP Windows Performance Bazzite (Linux) Performance
Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 1080p (same settings) 17W 47 FPS 62 FPS
Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 1080p (same settings) 13W 35 FPS 37 FPS
Hogwarts Legacy 1080p (same settings) 17W 50 FPS 62 FPS
Hogwarts Legacy 1080p (same settings) 35W 60 FPS 65 FPS

I was really impressed with ETA Prime’s game testing! He didn’t directly compare performance to Windows in his video, but it still gave me a great idea of what the Bazzite OS can do on the Ally X. It really proves that Linux is getting good enough to run even the newest, most demanding games!

ETA Prime’s Xbox Ally X Bazzite tests:
Game Settings TDP Performance (Bazzite)
Cyberpunk 2077 Steam Deck preset, 800p 15W Noted as smoother than Steam Deck, >42 FPS average
Cyberpunk 2077 1080p, FSR frame generation 25W 80+ FPS (with generated frames)
Spider-Man 2 1080p low, FSR frame generation 17W 60+ FPS
The Witcher 3 1080p medium, FSR balanced 20W Playable, stable
Mortal Kombat 1 1080p medium, FSR balanced 17–20W Mostly stable, small dips
Doom: The Dark Ages 1080p, handheld preset 35W (Turbo mode) Playable without frame generation
Silksong (Indie example) 720p Quiet mode (~8W draw) 8+ hours battery estimate

Bazzite offers a significant improvement over Windows when it comes to waking up from sleep mode. As Cyber Dopamine noted, the Xbox Ally X boots up almost instantly with Bazzite, much like a Nintendo Switch. Windows, on the other hand, can be slow to wake and often continues to drain the battery even while supposedly asleep.

Bazzite and Windows offer comparable battery life, though Bazzite can be a bit more power-efficient in certain games. Testing by ETA Prime showed about eight hours of playtime with low-power 2D indie games. More demanding AAA games yielded around two and a half hours of battery life at 17W, and roughly two hours at 25W. While the overall battery duration isn’t drastically different, Bazzite provides more performance for each watt of power used.

Where Xbox falls short

Okay, so I’m really loving the Xbox handheld’s hardware – it feels great! But honestly, Windows is holding it back. It doesn’t *quite* feel like it’s designed for gaming on the go. Sometimes it feels more like I’m using a tiny laptop than a dedicated handheld console, and that makes it a little less simple and fun than I was hoping for. I really want that easy, pick-up-and-play experience, and Windows just doesn’t always deliver that.

Setting up the device is surprisingly clunky. Instead of immediately letting you play games, it starts with a typical Windows setup process. Then, you’re hit with a series of updates – for the Xbox app, Armoury Crate, the system’s firmware, and the Microsoft Store. It doesn’t feel smooth or focused on getting you into games quickly.

Microsoft’s new Full Screen Experience is a good start, but it’s not quite complete yet. It gives Windows a more game-console-like appearance, but doesn’t remove the traditional desktop. Windows elements can still be distracting, and testing by Cyber Dopamine shows it performs slower than Bazzite.

Linux proves the Ally X has untapped potential

Recent tests by ETA Prime and Cyber Dopamine show the Xbox Ally X has a lot of potential once you bypass Windows. While the device itself is powerful, the software currently limits its performance. Microsoft has a chance over the next year to improve the user experience and define what handheld gaming should be for Xbox, shaping the future of their next portable device.

Bazzite demonstrates the potential of handheld gaming. It’s faster, provides a smoother gaming experience, and instantly resumes where you left off, feeling more like a dedicated handheld operating system than current versions of Windows. With further refinement, the Xbox Ally X could achieve the same level of smoothness and user-friendliness as Bazzite or SteamOS.

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2025-10-22 23:41