SteamOS, Valve’s operating system, might soon officially leave the confines of the Steam Deck. There are many gaming handhelds on the market, and most use Windows or Android. These systems work well, but they don’t have the same power efficiency as Steam Deck. Valve appears to be making it possible for other devices to enjoy what its handheld has.
SteamOS Appears To be Getting Expanded Official Compatibility
Evidence suggests SteamOS might expand beyond the Steam Deck. A recent SteamOS update hints at this. Valve wants SteamOS on more devices. However, work on new Steam Deck models slowed progress.
The SteamOS 3.6.9 Beta patch notes offer a clue. Under “Input,” it mentions adding support for extra ROG Ally keys. This suggests Valve is working on making SteamOS compatible with the ROG Ally.
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As of now, one of the few ways to get a SteamOS-like experience on other handhelds is by installing Bazzite. Bazzite is a Linux-based operating system that mirrors the aesthetic and functionality of Valve’s operating system. While not an exact replica, it strives to provide a similar desktop experience for users. Under the hood, however, Bazzite differs significantly from its inspiration.
Built on a custom version of Fedora 38, Bazzite offers broader hardware compatibility compared to Valve’s OS. It is based on a branch of Arch Linux. This means Bazzite can run on a wider range of systems, including those with Nvidia GPUs. Additionally, Bazzite incorporates KDE Plasma as its desktop environment, like SteamOS 3, and further enhances the resemblance by utilizing Valve’s KDE themes. This results in a desktop that closely matches the look and feel, complete with familiar wallpapers, icons, and a taskbar.
In essence, Bazzite presents itself as a viable alternative to SteamOS. It offers a similar gaming-centric environment. However, there’s a different underlying foundation and broader hardware support.
