Game performance on the ROG Xbox Ally X is seemingly held back by its stock operating system, as installing Bazzite OS can lead to significant performance improvements in select games, according to a recent test.
The test was conducted by YouTuber Cyber Dopamine, who installed Bazzite OS, which started as a project to resolve some of the issues that plague SteamOS on Steam Deck before becoming a great alternative OS for the system, on the newly released gaming handheld, and tested performance in two games - Kingdom Come: Deliverance II and Hogwarts Legacy.
ROG Xbox Ally X Bazzite OS Performance Tests
In both the second entry in the series developed by Warhorse Studios and the open-world game set in the Wizarding World developed by Avalanche Software, Bazzite OS brought significant improvements over the stock Windows OS, delivering the best results in Performance Mode (17W). In Silent Mode (13W), however, the performance difference was minimal.
| Game | Power Mode | Windows Average FPS | Bazzite OS Average FPS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 | Performance (17W) | 47 | 62 |
| Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 | Silent (13W) | 35 | 37 |
| Hogwarts Legacy | Turbo (35W) | 60 | 65 |
| Hogwarts Legacy | Performance (17W) | 50 | 62 |
| Hogwarts Legacy | Silent (13W) | 38 | 37 |
Even when the performance difference is minimal, the ROG Xbox Ally X running Bazzite OS still seems to come out on top. The performance in both games proved to be more stable, with none of the performance spikes seen under Windows. In addition, Bazzite OS brings some quality-of-life improvements over Windows in terms of usability, with a much better and faster sleep mode that makes the handheld much more practical to use.
Though its stock OS brings some issues, the ROG Xbox Ally X is a powerful and capable PC handheld, and one of the best on the market. You can learn more about the system by checking out David Carcassole's review.
About the author: Francesco De Meo has been covering video games and technology since 2012, starting his career at small outlets like Gamersyndrome and GeekSnack. After joining Wccftech gaming section in 2015, he quickly expanded his video gaming coverage with in-depth reporting, interviews with iconic industry figures such as Grasshopper Manufacture founder and No More Heroes creator Goichi "Suda51" Suda, Resident Evil series creator Shinji Mikami, Team NINJA's president and Nioh series director Fumihiko Yasuda, and Silent Hill creator Keiichiro Toyama, reviews and on-the-ground coverage of major industry events such as Gamescom and E3. When he's not reporting or reviewing, Francesco can be found playing the genres he loves most, spending time with his six cats, reading, writing music, playing guitar and drumming for his progressive rock band.
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