Trusted Reviews is supported by its audience. If you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a commission. Learn more.

Games performing far worse on SteamOS than Windows

New analysis shows that games perform far worse on Valve’s SteamOS than they do on Windows PCs.

The Steam Machines have only just launched, after years of chat about them from Valve, with the promise that they’d offer a new kind of gaming experience powered by a unique gaming-focused UI.

However, new analysis from website Ars Technica show that the Steam Machines and the new SteamOS might not be all they’ve been talked up to be.

The Linux-based Steam Machines can’t stand up to the Windows PC running on exactly the same hardware.

According to the results, Windows 10 gaming scored better on every single metric, although often the margins weren’t that large.

However, results for titles such as Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor and Metro: Last Light had differences that were basically night and day.

Related: Best PC Games 2015

Apparently, even games running Valve’s own Source Engine still performed better on Windows PC than on the Steam Machines.

Most AAA titles still aren’t available on SteamOS, so further comparisons can’t be drawn at this stage.

The Steam Machines still seem a very nice product, due to their high costs, limited games library and now, reduced performance.

Why trust our journalism?

Founded in 2003, Trusted Reviews exists to give our readers thorough, unbiased and independent advice on what to buy.

Today, we have millions of users a month from around the world, and assess more than 1,000 products a year.

author icon

Editorial independence

Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.

author icon

Professional conduct

We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.

Trusted Reviews Logo

Sign up to our newsletter

Get the best of Trusted Reviews delivered right to your inbox.

This is a test error message with some extra words