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Steam Machine: Windows vs. SteamOS performance revealed
16 Jul
Summary
- Steam Machine shows higher single-threaded performance on Windows.
- Gaming performance differences between OS are minimal.
- SteamOS offers a cleaner, console-like experience than Windows.
Recent benchmarks indicate Valve's Steam Machine demonstrates comparable performance whether running Windows or its native SteamOS. These tests, conducted by ETA Prime after Valve released Windows drivers, involved upgrading the machine's memory to 64GB before benchmarking both operating systems under identical conditions.
While Windows 11 saw a 3.3% increase in single-threaded and a 22% surge in multi-threaded performance according to Geekbench 6, gaming results were much closer. Cyberpunk 2077 showed a slight edge for SteamOS at 1080p, but Windows took the lead at 4K. Other titles like Shadow of the Tomb Raider and Horizon Zero Dawn showed negligible differences.
This close competition positions SteamOS as a viable gaming-centric OS capable of directly rivaling Windows, offering a clean, console-like user experience. Alternatively, users seeking a more versatile mini-PC setup can opt for Windows without significant gaming performance compromise.
