PC gaming handhelds are everywhere these days, but none have managed to unseat the Steam Deck. Some, like the Ayaneo Air, are smaller, while others, like the Lenovo Legion Go, are more configurable. Then there’s the Asus ROG Ally, probably the closest competitor to the Steam Deck thanks to its smaller form factor and its considerable power bump. Name recognition and aggressive pricing have no doubt contributed to the Steam Deck’s success despite its generally weaker specs, but it’s also held a serious advantage in convenience—but that’s changing.
Aside from power or build, the chief difference so far between the Steam Deck and competitors has been their operating systems. While most competitors use Windows, Valve’s system uses SteamOS, a version of Linux that is purpose-built for handheld gaming. It has some downsides when it comes to game compatibility, but it has still given the Steam Deck a serious out-of-the-box edge.
That’s why it’s surprising to hear that Valve confirmed to The Verge yesterday that it’s working on supporting SteamOS on competing devices. Referencing a note from SteamOS’ latest patch, Valve designer Lawrence Yang said, “The note about ROG Ally keys is related to third-party device support for SteamOS. The team is continuing to work on adding support for additional handhelds on SteamOS.”
This is huge news for PC gaming. It’s not the first time Valve has mentioned bringing SteamOS to other handhelds, but it is the first confirmation we’ve seen from the company in a while.
Why SteamOS compatability is a big deal
Why the fuss over an operating system? Well, as much as I’ve been tempted in recent years to switch from my Steam Deck, urged on by promises of higher resolutions or better frame rates, I’ve been unwilling to leave SteamOS behind. It’s just that good.
Unlike Windows, SteamOS boots directly to your Steam Game library, meaning launching a title is only a tap or two away. It also comes with a convenient quick settings panel built right into the operating system, allowing you to adjust anything from power draw to fan speed without diving through system settings menus. And it’s smooth as butter to navigate with a controller.
It does have its downsides compared to Windows—games that require anti-cheat aren’t playable on SteamOS, and some other games might have compatibility issues on a per-title basis (although in my experience, I can pretty much run anything I want, even if the Steam Deck says it’s not supported). It also has fewer uses as a general computer, even when swapped over to desktop mode, although fan-made utilities have done a lot to bridge that gap.
To me, SteamOS a much better handheld experience than Windows, which is difficult to navigate with a controller and usually requires sifting through too many menus and doing more debugging. Quick settings panels are also mixed on Windows, since you’re usually at the mercy of whatever proprietary solution your handheld’s manufacturer has developed, rather than something built into the operating system.
It’s unclear when exactly Steam Deck will make its way to rival handhelds, as Yang simply told the Verge the company is “making steady progress,” but that it isn’t “ready to run out of the box yet.”
It makes sense that this isn’t a priority for Valve, since SteamOS is one of the bigger draws to its own devices. But at the same time, the company is a storefront first, so it’s likewise no surprise it would want more people using a Steam-centric OS, regardless of where they play. While you can use SteamOS to play non-Steam games, it’s certainly less convenient. Having non-Steam Deck owners using SteamOS could improve Steam sales overall.
That said, not all of this is so transparently about boosting sales: Yang also told The Verge that Valve is working on implementing dual-booting on its Steam Deck OLED models, allowing you to swap between Windows and SteamOS at will for those times when SteamOS can’t run a certain game.
“There’s no update on the timing for dual boot support,” Yang said. “It’s still a priority, but we haven’t been able to get to it just yet.”
That also holds true for the general release of Steam OS 3, which would work not just on handheld machines, but also desktop computers.
Note that outside of Steam Decks, it’s unlikely any devices will ship with SteamOS as the out-of-the-box standard. But for people willing to spend an evening on the install, swapping to SteamOS could make the rest of their playtime a lot smoother.
