Gamers looking for a Windows alternative are turning to Bazzite a Linux OS tailored for gaming. In recent Linux GPU benchmarks, Gamers Nexus put it through the wringer, and the results may surprise you.
The tests show Linux can deliver high frame rates in many top-tier games. But the big catch? Nvidia’s performance still feels unpredictable.
Linux GPU benchmarks reveal AMD’s steady lead
In multiple games tested by Gamers Nexus, AMD graphics cards held up better than Nvidia’s flagship hardware. Frame pacing was cleaner, frame times more stable, and performance less erratic.
For example, in Black Myth: Wukong at 1080p, the RTX 5090 pulled a higher average FPS than the RX 9070 XT 114.8 vs. 105.2 but with far worse frame pacing. That meant choppier gameplay, despite the numbers.
When resolution increased, the gap widened. Yet in games like Starfield, even at 4K, AMD’s 9070 XT came out ahead.
Steam Machine may cost more than consoles, but cheaper PC games especially indie hits could shift the value equation for many players.
Testing Linux GPU benchmarks wasn’t simple
Before diving into data, Steve Burke made one thing clear: benchmarking on Linux isn’t plug-and-play. Most Windows tools don’t translate cleanly. Some games even run completely different builds across platforms.
To stabilize conditions, the team froze updates in Bazzite, which risked missing performance patches. Burke warned not to compare the results directly with Windows benchmarks.
Where Linux still can’t compete with Windows
Despite impressive gains, Linux gaming still has its pain points. Ray tracing was unavailable in titles like Dragon’s Dogma 2, and compatibility layers couldn’t fix everything.
The most noticeable issues include:
- Anti-cheat locking out games like F1 24, Battlefield 6, Black Ops 7
- Inconsistent support for ray tracing and DLSS
- Crashes in complex game engines
- Grayed-out settings despite capable hardware
Even with powerful GPUs, these missing features could frustrate players used to Windows.
Nvidia’s Linux performance remains inconsistent
Part of the issue lies with Nvidia’s past reliance on proprietary drivers. While AMD embraced open standards early, Nvidia lagged. That gap is still felt in modern distributions like Bazzite.
In Baldur’s Gate 3, Nvidia GPUs produced erratic results. Things improved slightly when using Proton to run the Windows version, but AMD still offered smoother play.
Linux GPU benchmarks prove potential, but not parity
For now, Linux is close but not quite ready to dethrone Windows as the go-to gaming OS. The Linux GPU benchmarks clearly show that performance isn’t the problem. It’s polish.
Until anti-cheat support, game compatibility, and driver stability catch up, Bazzite remains a strong alternative not a full replacement. But if trends continue, the gap may not stay open much longer.
