Linux Gaming Performance Tested Against Windows 11
Navigating the Operating System Divide for Gamers
As Windows 11 adoption faces headwinds and Windows 10 nears its end of life, many users are eyeing Linux as a viable alternative. Performance concerns, however, remain a significant factor for gamers considering the switch.
Benchmarking Graphics Powerhouses
A recent performance comparison by German site Computerbase pitted Windows 11 (specifically the 24H2 build) against Endeavouros, an Arch Linux distribution. The tests utilized high-end GPUs: an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti and an AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT. The AMD card was evaluated with both AMD’s proprietary AMDVLK drivers and the open-source Mesa Radv drivers.
Rasterization Performance: Small Gaps
In standard rendering (rasterization) tests, the performance difference between Windows 11 and Linux was minimal for the AMD RX 9070 XT. Across QHD and 4K resolutions, regardless of the driver used (AMDVLK or Mesa Radv), the performance hit on Linux was less than 5% on average.
Ray Tracing: A Different Story
The landscape shifted dramatically when ray tracing was enabled. Both AMDVLK and Mesa Radv drivers on Linux resulted in a significant performance drop for the RX 9070 XT, ranging from 30% to 40% compared to Windows 11. Nvidia’s RTX 5070 Ti also saw a performance decrease on Linux, though less severe, with rasterization experiencing about a 20% reduction and ray tracing around a 15% dip.
Contextualizing the Findings
These findings suggest that while general gaming on Linux is largely on par with Windows for modern hardware, ray tracing remains an area where Windows currently holds a notable advantage. This aligns with broader trends in driver optimization for specific graphical features. For instance, a recent study by gaming analysis firm Newzoo indicated that while PC gaming revenue continues to grow, specific hardware features like ray tracing adoption can vary based on software support and optimization (Newzoo, 2023).
Full benchmarks and analysis are available from Computerbase.
