Valve Is Expanding SteamOS Support to More Handhelds, and I Hope It Keeps Growing

Ever since the Steam Machine came retired a small implicit a period ago, Valve has been engaged releasing SteamOS updates astir weekly. In the latest update, the institution added preliminary gamepad enactment for 1 of the astir almighty handheld gaming PCs connected the market.

While Valve inactive hasn't added afloat enactment for third-party handhelds, the update notes constituent to "improved support" for MSI Claw handhelds, on with "initial gamepad support" for the Claw 8 EX AI+, the Ayaneo Pocket S2 and the Konkr Fit. Support for the Claw 8 EX AI+ is awesome, but not needfully surprising. After all, it's an x86 handheld conscionable similar the Steam Deck (and each the different handhelds that presently enactment Valve's gaming OS). The 2 different handhelds listed present are peculiarly interesting, though.

Valve has been moving connected bringing SteamOS enactment to ARM for a portion present – aft all, the Steam Frame volition beryllium moving the OS connected the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. But the Konkr Fit and the Ayaneo Pocket S2 – if they extremity up getting afloat SteamOS enactment – would beryllium the archetypal Android handhelds to bash so.

As for MSI, astir of its handhelds are powered by Intel processors and graphics, alternatively than AMD chips. I've known that Valve was moving connected enactment for different chipsets since I talked to the institution backmost erstwhile the Steam Machine came out, but this archetypal enactment is simply a motion that it's really happening. It doesn't wounded that close now, the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ is the astir almighty handheld from a mainstream manufacturer. The lone happening that truly held it backmost erstwhile I reviewed it was Windows, and getting SteamOS moving connected it would spell a agelong mode to making it 1 of the champion handhelds connected the marketplace close now. It's lone a substance of time, then, earlier SteamOS gets wider support.

Valve has surely said that's thing it's moving on. Back erstwhile the Steam Machine came out, the console's FAQ re-asserted that radical should instal SteamOS connected their ain hardware if they can't get their hands connected the Steam Machine. And, portion Valve acknowledged that, astatine the time, the OS lone worked connected AMD hardware, it was "working connected expanding enactment for the future." Well, a small much than a period later, and it looks similar that enactment is starting to wage off.

Regardless of whether oregon not you're funny successful buying a Steam Machine – and the mini gaming PC/console hybrid has surely been arguable – it truly does look similar Valve is mostly focused connected conscionable expanding SteamOS. And, yeah, Intel and ARM platforms getting enactment is going to assistance a batch with that, but the elephant successful the country is Nvidia.

It's nary concealed that Nvidia's graphics cards are successful the immense bulk of gaming PCs retired determination close now, and the deficiency of SteamOS enactment is simply a superior obstruction for Valve's evident mission. According to the latest Steam Hardware Survey, 72% of gaming PCs are utilizing Nvidia graphics. So, until Nvidia enactment rolls retired to SteamOS, there's lone truthful overmuch country for SteamOS to grow. There are surely ways to get Linux moving connected an Nvidia-powered rig, but they're a small much progressive than conscionable installing SteamOS connected an AMD rig, and usually requires utilizing a antithetic distro, similar Bazzite (which is awesome, by the way).

Valve did suggest successful an Interview with The Verge that Nvidia enactment would beryllium coming immoderate clip successful the future, and I anticipation that's true. But until we get immoderate spot notes from Valve saying that Team Green's GPUs are supported, we're conscionable going to person to wait. Once that enactment does travel though, I'm not definite determination volition beryllium overmuch crushed to instrumentality with Windows 11 astatine all.

Jackie Thomas is the Hardware and Buying Guides Editor astatine IGN and the PC components queen. You tin travel her @Jackiecobra