The discussion surrounding gaming on the Linux platform has seen considerable evolution over recent years, thanks in part to dedicated developers improving the Linux kernel and the open-source graphics stack—a development heavily supported by initiatives like the Steam Deck. These advancements involve contributions from employees at companies like Valve and Red Hat, as well as from volunteers who dedicate their personal time to enhance Linux gaming. While this introduction might seem historical, it sets the stage for discussing another significant triumph that Linux has secured over Windows in performance benchmarks.

I have recently devoted time to testing the Framework 13 laptop, which features the latest Intel Core Ultra 7 processor alongside the AMD Ryzen 7 7480U. It was an ideal test bed to compare gaming performance across Windows 11 and Fedora 40, and the outcomes were astonishingly favorable.

The subsequent sections provide insights into the Framework system and the broader test environment. Below are further details about the Framework 13 laptop and its capabilities.

The Framework 13 exhibits solid gaming performance with its onboard graphics, though reducing game resolution and quality settings may be necessary for graphically intense games. This also highlights the significant advancements in AMD’s APUs over the last decade.

For consistent testing conditions across platforms, I set the power profiles to “Performance” mode continuously. Importantly, only data from the second benchmark run was recorded to avoid discrepancies that could arise from thermal throttling during initial runs.

In preparing for tests on Fedora 40, I conducted a system update, ensuring no experimental kernels or custom Proton versions were in play. The standard graphics drivers included with Fedora 40’s kernel were used.

Similarly, on Windows 11, updates were applied, and I updated the Radeon 780M driver to version 24.7.1 as the driver version in Framework’s original package was older.

OK! Let’s kick things off with two games that have native versions for both Windows and Linux.

Shadow of the Tomb Raider’s native version: Windows vs Linux

It could be argued that this isn’t a fair fight despite both OSes running their native versions of Lara Croft’s 2018 adventure. Linux is rocking the Vulkan API, and Windows is utilizing DX12. However, it does show both operating systems playing to their strengths. Indeed, Fedora 40 pulls off 7% higher average framerates.

Total War: Warhammer III does battles its native version on Windows and Linux.

In this exciting face-off between native systems using Warhammer III’s Battle benchmark, we see Vulkan on Linux squaring up against DX11 on Windows. Though the performance difference is minimal, often attributed to normal variations in game performance, Windows narrowly claims victory.

Cyberpunk 2077 FPS comparison on Windows 11 vs Fedora 40

The results are quite astonishing, particularly as we delve into the realm of Proton. Proton, as developed by Valve, serves as a compatibility layer that converts Windows games for Linux operation. This technology is crucial for the Steam Deck’s functionality, significantly expanding the variety of games available on Linux.

However, running applications on an operating system for which they weren’t originally designed typically entails a performance drawback. With Proton, although it makes many games accessible on Linux, players often experience a performance decrease ranging from 5% to 30%.

That’s what makes both of these Cyberpunk 2077 results so interesting. Without FSR scaling enabled, Fedora 40 eeks out a 3% performance advantage. Considering the above info, that’s quite a victory in my book.

Cyberpunk 2077 FPS comparison on Windows 11 vs Fedora 40, with FSR Balanced

And wow, things look even brighter when utilizing AMD FSR! Bumping up the graphics from Low to Medium and switching on FSR “Balanced,” Fedora 40 pulls away a bit more, turning in 7% higher average FPS and, crucially, a 24% higher minimum framerate.

Forza Horizon 5 FPS comparison on Windows 11 vs Fedora 40 without dynamic resolution or image upscaling

Yes, Windows wins here. But what’s notable is what when Forza Horizon 5 released in 2021, Linux gaming websites published celebratory headlines about the fact that it ran at all. Now, three years later, this Microsoft-developed DirectX 12 game is performing admirably right out of the box. A 7% performance deficit with the overhead of running Proton? Things are definitely improving.

Another exciting takeaway is that holy cow, we now live in a world where a Linux laptop with integrated graphics can run a modern racing game above 60FPS at 1080p. I love living in that world.

These results are an interesting slice of the Linux vs Windows gaming picture, but certainly not representative of the entire landscape. A few shorts years ago, however, I never would have dreamed I’d be writing an article where even two games on Linux are outperforming their Windows counterparts.

That said, I want to run these same benchmarks on laptops with dedicated AMD and Nvidia GPUs and see what happens. If you’re interested in seeing those results, follow me here at Forbes or on Mastodon and I’ll keep you posted.

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