By ByteBot
Gamers Nexus published benchmarks on November 27-28, 2025 showing Bazzite Linux matching or exceeding Windows gaming performance on high-end hardware including the Nvidia RTX 5090 and AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT. In Black Myth: Wukong at 1080p, AMD’s RX 9070 XT delivered steadier 105.2 fps compared to Nvidia’s RTX 5090’s higher but stuttering 114.8 fps. After two decades of “you need Windows for gaming,” Linux just crossed the performance parity threshold.
Linux Gaming Crosses the Viability Threshold
The Gamers Nexus benchmarks prove what Linux gaming advocates have claimed for years: performance is no longer the barrier. Bazzite, a Fedora-based immutable gaming distribution, tested on flagship GPUs shows Linux can match Windows frame rates in AAA titles. NotebookCheck’s coverage of the benchmarks confirms what ProtonDB statistics already suggested: 15,855+ games are rated “Playable” or better on Linux, with 21,694 games working on Steam Deck.
Forbes has been “recommending Bazzite because it’s objectively better than Windows for the ROG Ally,” while The Verge reports “faster, smoother, and more power-efficient performance compared to Windows on many games.” These aren’t Linux enthusiast blogs—this is mainstream tech press validating Linux gaming viability.
The barrier has shifted. It’s no longer “Linux is too slow for gaming.” It’s “anti-cheat software blocks Linux, and some developers won’t enable support.”
AMD’s Linux Driver Quality Becomes Competitive Advantage
The Gamers Nexus benchmarks exposed a critical divide: AMD GPUs delivered superior Linux gaming consistency compared to Nvidia. In Black Myth: Wukong, Nvidia’s RTX 5090 hit 114.8 fps but suffered “significant frame pacing issues,” while AMD’s RX 9070 XT was “much steadier” at 105.2 fps. Higher numbers don’t matter if the gameplay stutters.
AMD’s advantage isn’t hardware—it’s drivers. AMD drivers are built into the Linux kernel, requiring zero setup. You install Bazzite, boot up, and games just work. Nvidia requires proprietary driver installation, manual configuration, and still delivers 15-20% worse performance on Linux compared to Windows due to driver inefficiencies, especially in DirectX 12 titles.
Nvidia is improving. The company added explicit sync support in its 555+ drivers in 2025, fixing Wayland screen tearing issues. But AMD remains the clear choice for Linux gaming: plug-and-play experience, better frame pacing, and no driver headaches. For developers building Linux gaming rigs, choose AMD—unless you absolutely need CUDA for AI/ML work, Nvidia’s Linux gaming experience isn’t worth the hassle.
Anti-Cheat Software Blocks Linux, Not Performance
Here’s the reality check: Both BattlEye and Easy Anti-Cheat support Linux and Proton. They’ve supported Steam Deck since Valve’s 2021 partnership. Epic Games says enabling Linux support is “just a few clicks” in the Online Services Developer Portal.
So why couldn’t Gamers Nexus test F1 24? Why do Battlefield 6 and Black Ops 7 remain unavailable on Linux? Because game developers choose not to enable anti-cheat Linux support, citing testing burden and small Linux market share. The technology works—Apex Legends, Dead by Daylight, and War Thunder all run on Linux with anti-cheat enabled. Destiny 2, Valorant, and Fortnite don’t, not because of technical limitations but because developers haven’t opted in.
Example: GTA V added BattlEye in an update, which broke Steam Deck and Linux online play—despite BattlEye fully supporting Linux. Rockstar simply didn’t enable Linux compatibility. GamingOnLinux maintains an anti-cheat compatibility list tracking which developers enable Linux support and which don’t.
Kernel-level anti-cheat like Riot’s Vanguard remains incompatible by design—its security model won’t run on Linux. But for BattlEye and EAC games, incompatibility is a business decision, not a technical one. As Steam Deck sales cross 3 million units, economic pressure may force broader support.
What Bazzite Represents for Linux Gaming Maturity
Bazzite isn’t a hobbyist Linux project—it’s a polished gaming OS that mainstream tech press recommends over Windows for specific hardware. Built on Fedora Silverblue with an immutable architecture, Bazzite features atomic updates with 90-day rollback capability. System updates can’t permanently break your installation: if something fails, reboot to the previous version with a single command.
The distribution comes with Steam Gaming Mode pre-installed, full Proton compatibility layer integration, and optimized builds for handheld PCs like the ASUS ROG Ally, Lenovo Legion Go, and Steam Deck. Handheld Daemon provides TDP control, power profiles, and hardware button mapping. Version 43.20251127, released the same day as the Gamers Nexus benchmarks, demonstrates the project’s rapid development pace.
The fact that Forbes calls Bazzite “objectively better than Windows” for handheld gaming is a milestone. Linux gaming has matured from command-line tinkering to a user experience that wins on performance, battery life, and privacy.
Industry Implications: Valve’s Bet Validated, Nvidia’s Weakness Exposed
These benchmarks validate Valve’s multi-billion dollar bet on Steam Deck and SteamOS. With 3+ million Steam Decks sold and Linux market share on Steam growing from less than 1% to 2-3%, Valve’s investment is paying off. Proton 10.0-3, released November 13, 2025, adds AMD FSR 4 support and a rewritten DirectX 12 shader backend, showing continued commitment to Linux gaming infrastructure.
For Nvidia, these benchmarks expose a competitive weakness. AMD’s superior Linux driver quality creates a measurably better gaming experience despite Nvidia’s superior Windows performance and AI capabilities. Nvidia has been forced to improve: explicit sync support arrived in 2025, open-kernel modules have been released. But the company still lags AMD for “it just works” Linux gaming.
For Microsoft, this presents the first credible challenge to the Windows gaming monopoly in 20 years. Linux gaming is now viable for 80-90% of games, excluding titles with kernel-level anti-cheat. Windows 11’s increasingly invasive AI and Recall features make Linux’s privacy-respecting alternative more attractive. The question isn’t whether Linux can handle gaming anymore—it’s whether anti-cheat vendors and developers will embrace platform diversity or continue protecting the Windows monopoly.
Key Takeaways
The Gamers Nexus benchmarks settle the performance debate: Linux gaming works. The ecosystem needs to catch up with the technology.
- Performance parity achieved: Gamers Nexus data proves Linux matches or beats Windows gaming performance
- AMD superior to Nvidia for Linux gaming: Better drivers create smoother experience despite similar raw performance
- Anti-cheat compatibility is the only remaining technical barrier: BattlEye and EAC support Linux; developers must enable it
- Choose AMD GPU for Linux gaming: Unless you need CUDA, AMD’s plug-and-play experience beats Nvidia’s tinkering requirements
- Check ProtonDB before buying: Verify game compatibility, especially for competitive multiplayer titles
Linux gaming crossed the viability threshold. Whether it goes mainstream depends on anti-cheat vendors and game developers deciding to support the 3+ million Steam Deck owners and growing Linux gaming community. The technology is ready. The ecosystem gatekeepers need to catch up.
