SteamOS: Is Valve's Gaming OS Finally Taking Off?

For years, SteamOS has been the underdog in the PC gaming operating system arena, overshadowed by the dominance of Windows. However, recent developments suggest Valve’s gaming-focused, Linux-based OS is finally gaining traction. At CES this year, Lenovo announced the Legion Go 2, a powerful handheld gaming PC, will ship with SteamOS pre-installed starting in June. This, coupled with Valve’s hints about expanding SteamOS compatibility beyond AMD devices, signals a potential turning point. Is SteamOS poised to disrupt the PC gaming landscape? This article dives deep into the current state of SteamOS, its recent advancements, and what the future holds.

Lenovo's Embrace of SteamOS: A Significant Step

The announcement of a SteamOS-powered Legion Go 2 isn’t a surprise, considering the growing popularity of PC gaming handhelds. Lenovo was the first hardware manufacturer outside of Valve to adopt the Windows alternative, releasing a SteamOS-compatible version of the Legion Go S last year. Ars Technica’s testing revealed that the SteamOS version of the Legion Go S often outperformed its Windows counterpart in many popular games, highlighting the potential benefits of the OS.

This move demonstrates a growing confidence in SteamOS as a viable gaming platform. The Legion Go 2, equipped with a Ryzen Z2 Extreme processor, 32GB of LPDDR5X memory, and an 8.8-inch 1920x1200 OLED screen, will offer a premium SteamOS experience with a starting price of $1,199. It provides a convenient, pre-built option for gamers who prefer SteamOS without the need for self-assembly.

Expanding Compatibility: Beyond Valve's Hardware

Valve isn’t solely focused on its own hardware. The company has been actively working to broaden SteamOS’s reach. The introduction of the SteamOS Compatible software label in May allowed users to identify hardware officially supported by the OS. Furthermore, SteamOS version 3.7 introduced manual installation support for AMD-powered handhelds like the ROG Ally and the original Legion Go.

This expansion allows users to experience SteamOS on a wider range of devices, fostering a growing community and driving further development. The availability of SteamOS on popular handhelds like the ROG Ally and Legion Go is a testament to its increasing maturity and usability.

The Promise of Arm Support: A Potential Game Changer

Currently, SteamOS’s compatibility is largely limited to AMD-powered devices. However, a significant shift is on the horizon. Valve’s upcoming Steam Frame VR headset will feature a new version of SteamOS specifically designed for its Arm-based hardware. This marks a crucial step towards broader Arm support.

A Cambrian Explosion of Hardware Options?

Valve envisions extending this Arm support to other devices in the future. Jeremy Selan, a Valve Engineer, stated in November to PC Gamer, “This is already fully open source, so you could download it and run SteamOS, now that we will be releasing SteamOS for Arm, you could have gaming on any Arm device.” This opens up exciting possibilities for a wider range of gaming handhelds.

Imagine popular Arm-based Android gaming handhelds like the Retroid Pocket Flip 2 running SteamOS natively instead of Android. While emulators like Fex currently allow access to Steam games on these devices, official SteamOS support could unlock a surge in hardware options with a native Steam experience. This could lead to a “Cambrian explosion” of affordable and diverse gaming handhelds.

Valve’s Pierre-Louis Griffais echoed this sentiment in a recent interview with The Verge, stating, “There’s a lot of price points and power consumption points where Arm-based chipsets are doing a better job of serving the market.” He further added, “When you get into lower power, anything lower than Steam Deck, I think you’ll find that there’s an Arm chip that maybe is competitive with x86 offerings in that segment. We’re pretty excited to be able to expand PC gaming to include all those options instead of being arbitrarily restricted to a subset of the market.”

The Nvidia Challenge: The Remaining Frontier

While the future looks bright for SteamOS on AMD and Arm-based hardware, Nvidia GPUs remain a significant hurdle. The integration of open-source drivers for Nvidia cards is still in its early stages.

According to Griffais, speaking to Frandroid about a year ago, “With Nvidia, the integration of open-source drivers is still quite nascent… There’s still a lot of work to be done on that front… So it’s a bit complicated to say that we’re going to release this version when most people wouldn’t have a good experience.” This means that desktop PC gamers with Nvidia GPUs may continue to rely on Windows for the foreseeable future.

SteamOS and the Future of PC Gaming

The recent developments surrounding SteamOS are undeniably positive. Lenovo’s commitment, the expansion of compatibility, and the promise of Arm support all point towards a growing ecosystem. While challenges remain, particularly with Nvidia integration, Valve is steadily building a compelling alternative to Windows for PC gaming.

Key Takeaways:

• Increased Hardware Support: Lenovo’s Legion Go 2 and expanded compatibility with AMD handhelds demonstrate growing industry acceptance.
• Arm Support on the Horizon: The Steam Frame VR headset paves the way for SteamOS on a wider range of devices.
• Open-Source Advantage: SteamOS’s open-source nature fosters community development and innovation.
• Nvidia Remains a Challenge: Driver integration is crucial for broader adoption on Nvidia-powered PCs.

The success of SteamOS will ultimately depend on its ability to deliver a seamless and enjoyable gaming experience. However, with continued development and industry support, Valve’s gaming OS has the potential to reshape the future of PC gaming, offering gamers more choice, flexibility, and performance. The slow march is continuing, and it’s looking increasingly like SteamOS is finally taking off. Keep an eye on GearTech for further updates on this evolving story.