The ASUS ROG Xbox Ally X launched to strong demand and sold out quickly in many regions. Early reviews were positive (including our own Xbox Ally X review), and it looked like Xbox had a strong first attempt at a handheld on its hands.
But once people spent more time with the device, a familiar complaint surfaced. Windows was holding it back.
Bazzite on the Xbox Ally X
Out of the box, Bazzite runs well on the ROG Xbox Ally X and installs without any major issues. It behaves much like SteamOS on the Steam Deck, with a clean, controller-friendly interface that feels built for handheld gaming.
Bazzite also gives users far more control over the hardware than Windows currently does. Power settings like TDP limits, GPU frequency caps, and custom fan curves work through built-in tools. Even features that are still being polished, such as RGB lighting control, are already being actively worked on by Bazzite developers. Support is improving quickly.
Cyber Dopamine tested the Xbox Ally X using the same games and identical power limits on both Bazzite and Windows. Here is a direct comparison of the results:
|
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 |
ETA Prime also tested performance across multiple games, although he did not show direct Windows comparisons in his video. His testing still helps demonstrate what Bazzite can do on the Xbox Ally X and shows that Linux is already capable of handling modern AAA games.
|
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 |
Another major advantage Bazzite has over Windows is sleep and resume. Cyber Dopamine pointed out that the Xbox Ally X wakes almost instantly on Bazzite, similar to a Nintendo Switch. Windows, by comparison, can take much longer to wake and has been known to drain the battery while supposedly in sleep mode.
Battery life is similar between Bazzite and Windows, but Bazzite can sometimes draw slightly less power depending on the game. ETA Prime measured around eight hours of battery life when playing 2D indie games at low power, around two hours and thirty minutes at 17W in AAA games, and roughly two hours at 25W. His testing showed that while raw battery time does not change dramatically, Bazzite can offer better efficiency per watt.
Where Xbox falls short
It is becoming increasingly clear that the biggest problem with the Xbox Ally is Windows. The hardware is excellent, but the operating system still does not feel built for handheld gaming. The experience is closer to using a small laptop than a console in some scenarios, and that takes away from the simplicity people expect in a portable device.
Even the first-time setup feels out of place. Instead of jumping straight into games, users are greeted by a standard Windows onboarding process. Once that is done, there are more steps: updates for the Xbox app, updates for Armoury Crate, firmware updates, and Microsoft Store updates. It does not feel streamlined or designed for gaming first.
Microsoft’s new Full Screen Experience is a step in the right direction, but it still feels unfinished. It helps make Windows look more console-like, but it does not replace the desktop entirely. Windows still gets in the way, and based on Cyber Dopamine’s testing, it also drags down performance compared to Bazzite.
Linux proves the Ally X has untapped potential
Both ETA Prime and Cyber Dopamine proved that the Xbox Ally X is capable of much more once Windows is out of the way. The hardware is strong, but the software still holds it back. Over the next year, Microsoft has a real opportunity to streamline the experience and decide what Xbox wants handheld gaming to look like before whatever Xbox type device is next.
Bazzite shows what is possible. It delivers faster performance, smoother gameplay, and instant resume, and it already feels closer to a handheld OS than Windows does today. With more optimisation, the Xbox Ally X could one day match the polish and usability of Bazzite or SteamOS.
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