SteamOS Outperformed Windows On the Steam Deck

Steam Deck originally runs on Linux-based SteamOS, but if you want to see a familiar interface, you can install Windows 10 with the new drivers. Before you do that though, check out a YouTube channel Linus Tech Tips, where the team tried the OS and is ready to tell you what to expect.

In the video, Linus compared Windows 10 with SteamOS, and the former showed worse performance than Linux. The drivers for Windows are not yet fully complete, so this might be part of the reason for the issues shown.

So far, running the Steam Deck on Windows will make it impossible to hear anything with the speakers and a 3.5 jack. You can, however, use Bluetooth and USB-based audio. Moreover, some buttons don't work the way they're supposed to, which makes navigation an adventure by itself.

Linus Tech Tips tried to play Hitman 3, Doom Eternal, and Elden Ring on the Deck. SteamOS showed much better results compared to Windows. In Hitman 3, the handheld managed to produce 19 fps for Windows 10 and 34 fps for SteamOS. In Doom Eternal, SteamOS got a 60 fps average, while on Windows 10, it was just 47 fps. In Elden Ring, SteamOS showed a 37 fps average, while Windows 10 had a 30 fps average.

The Steam Deck was designed for SteamOS, and there is no guarantee Windows will ever get as compatible as the default OS. Right now, the Deck only supports Windows 10 due to its lack of fTPM support. However, Valve is planning to fix this issue and make running the Deck on Windows 11 possible in the future.

What do you think about Windows on the Steam Deck? Is it worth it? Share your thoughts in the comments and don't forget to join our new Reddit page, our new Telegram channel, follow us on Instagram and Twitter, where we are sharing breakdowns, the latest news, awesome artworks, and more.