TL;DR
In tests on a Lenovo ThinkPad P1 Gen 8 equipped with an Intel Core Ultra 7 255H, Windows 11 outperformed Ubuntu 24.04.3 LTS across a range of workloads, including some rendering tasks where Linux has typically excelled. The reviewer and Lenovo investigated power, thermal, firmware and kernel variables but concluded the hardware appears to be functioning as expected; whether this is an isolated case or a wider trend is unclear.
What happened
A reviewer running side-by-side benchmarks found that a laptop shipped with Windows 11 delivered faster results than Ubuntu 24.04.3 LTS in numerous tests. The machine under test was a Lenovo ThinkPad P1 Gen 8 fitted with an Intel Core Ultra 7 255H 'Arrow Lake H' CPU, 64 GB LPDDR5-7467 memory, NVMe storage and NVIDIA RTX Pro 1000 graphics. Windows 11 led not only in general system workloads but also in CPU-bound rendering tests where Linux historically held a clear advantage. The reviewer re-ran comparisons with the OEM Linux kernel and with a mainline Linux 6.18 Git build, adjusted power and thermal settings, and experimented with tunables; Windows still came out ahead. Lenovo’s BIOS, thermal/power teams and Intel were consulted during follow-ups, and their assessment was that the results align with expectations. The reviewer noted the need for further testing across more hardware to determine whether this pattern is specific to this unit or more widespread.
Why it matters
- Challenges the common expectation that Linux consistently outperforms Windows on creator and CPU-bound workloads.
- Could influence OS choice for buyers of high-end mobile workstations if results are reproducible on other systems.
- Highlights the role of firmware, power management and vendor tuning in cross-platform performance.
- Prompts additional scrutiny and testing by reviewers, OEMs and chipset vendors to understand platform behavior.
Key facts
- The story is based on testing done by Michael Larabel (Phoronix), written 30 December 2025.
- Test platform: Lenovo ThinkPad P1 Gen 8 with Intel Core Ultra 7 255H 'Arrow Lake H' CPU.
- System configuration included 64 GB LPDDR5-7467 RAM, NVMe storage, and NVIDIA RTX Pro 1000 graphics.
- The Core Ultra 7 255H is described as having 16 cores (six P cores, eight E cores, two LPE cores) with a 28 W base and 115 W maximum power rating.
- Windows 11 shipped on the review unit (OEM preload) and was compared against Ubuntu 24.04.3 LTS.
- Linux testing used the OEM kernel and an additional Linux 6.18 Git kernel build; follow-up tunable changes were also tried.
- Lenovo engaged BIOS, thermal/power teams and Intel contacts during the follow-up investigation.
- Despite troubleshooting, follow-up tests still showed Windows 11 ahead in the workloads examined.
- The reviewer plans to acquire and test a Panther Lake laptop in 2026 to gather additional data.
What to watch next
- Whether independent tests on other Arrow Lake H or different OEM laptops reproduce the Windows advantage.
- Firmware, BIOS or driver updates from Lenovo or Intel that might change performance characteristics.
- Further benchmark runs by the reviewer on a Panther Lake laptop in 2026 to see if the pattern persists.
- not confirmed in the source: whether Microsoft has made OS-level changes specifically improving these workloads.
Quick glossary
- Arrow Lake H: Intel's mobile high-performance processor family used in some laptops, featuring a mix of performance and efficiency cores.
- OEM preload: An operating system and software configuration that a hardware vendor installs on a device before shipping to customers.
- Linux kernel: The core part of a Linux-based operating system that manages hardware, processes, and system resources.
- CPU rendering: A process where the central processor performs compute-intensive tasks to generate images or 3D scenes, often sensitive to core count and scheduler behavior.
Reader FAQ
Did Windows 11 definitively beat Linux in these tests?
On this ThinkPad P1 Gen 8 review unit, Windows 11 produced higher results across multiple workloads compared to Ubuntu 24.04.3 LTS.
Was a kernel bug to blame for Linux underperforming?
The reviewer tried the OEM kernel and a Linux 6.18 Git build and adjusted tunables; follow-up testing did not identify a clear kernel bug and results remained.
Is this result generalizable to other laptops or CPUs?
not confirmed in the source
What did Lenovo and Intel conclude?
They were involved in the follow-up investigations and the conclusion reported was that the hardware appears to be functioning as expected.
Unexpected Surprise: Windows 11 Outperforming Linux On An Intel Arrow Lake H Laptop Written by Michael Larabel in Computers on 30 December 2025 at 05:04 PM EST. Page 1 of…
Sources
- Windows 11 Outperforming Linux on an Intel Arrow Lake H Laptop
- Windows 11 Outperforming Linux On An Intel Arrow Lake H …
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