Windows 11 is to be better optimized for third-party hardware. The in-house Xbox handheld is said to have been postponed internally for this reason.
It’s repeated every year, but this time it could really happen: 2025 could be the year for gaming on Linux. SteamOS has recently become compatible with non-Valve gaming handhelds, and thanks to the Steam Deck, PC game compatibility on Linux has been improving. Recent reports even show significant advantages over using Windows 11.
Microsoft seems to have come to the same conclusion: the native Xbox handheld is said to have been postponed internally to prioritize the optimization of Windows on handhelds.
Why this is important: Windows 11 on handhelds is not particularly well optimized for use on portable consoles. Initial tests with SteamOS on third-party handhelds have also shown that performance and battery life are better with the Linux operating system than with Windows on identical hardware. Prioritizing the optimization of Windows 11 for handhelds could address these weaknesses.
In detail: Windows Central has reportedly learned from internal sources that the native Xbox handheld has been postponed in order to improve Windows 11 on third-party hardware.
- This does not refer to the rumored Asus handheld, which was developed in collaboration with Microsoft. That device is still expected to be released this year.
- However, it is possible that this Asus handheld will already feature the first optimizations for Windows 11.
- The in-house Xbox handheld was originally expected in 2027.
SteamOS could be the reason: With the release of the Lenovo Legion Go S with SteamOS, it became possible to compare this new version with Windows. This is exactly what YouTuber Dave2D did and found that SteamOS provides a performance boost of up to 15 percent. We came to the same conclusion when we installed SteamOS 3.7.8 on the Lenovo Legion Go.
Time will tell whether Microsoft will actually implement these plans and optimize Windows for gaming. If not, SteamOS could become increasingly attractive to more and more PC gamers.
What about you? Which operating system do you prefer for PC games? Would you switch to SteamOS or another Linux distribution? What features and improvements would you like to see in Windows 11? Let us know in the comments!
