SteamOS has always occupied a singular space in the PC gaming landscape, a Linux-based operating system tailored by Valve to deliver a seamless console-like experience on the Steam Deck. With the launch of SteamOS 3.7, Valve is decisively extending the tent beyond its own hardware, opening official doors to a new tier of AMD-powered handhelds and even broader AMD-based desktop and laptop support—a revision both celebrated for its inclusivity and scrutinized for its limitations.
SteamOS 3.7 is more than an iterative patch; it signals a pivotal shift in Valve’s OS strategy. For years, tinkerers keen to replicate the Deck experience on other hardware were forced to rely on community-maintained distros like Bazzite, HoloISO, or ChimeraOS, each offering creative workarounds but lacking the polish, timely updates, and deep driver integration from Valve itself. Now, with official support for select third-party devices and directional guidance for broader AMD configurations, SteamOS 3.7 is set to reshape portable gaming’s operating system landscape.
This cautious tiering serves two purposes. First, it underscores Valve’s commitment to a stable experience for their own hardware and that of close partners. Second, it reflects the inherent complexity of supporting myriad handhelds in an ecosystem where firmware and component configurations differ widely. For users whose devices don’t appear on the official roster, SteamOS 3.7 still offers hope: Valve’s announcement lauds compatibility with “other AMD-powered handhelds,” especially those based on Ryzen Z1 or Z2-series chips. In practice, this means owners of devices from brands like OneXPlayer, AOKZOE, or upcoming indie handhelds with similar internals should expect at least a baseline level of compatibility, so long as their hardware falls within Valve’s support envelope.
However, the very ambition that makes this update so welcome also exposes its limits. As of now, support is AMD-exclusive, and new users must be willing to adjust BIOS settings, forego some hardware-specific flourishes, and accept the rough edges that come with early mass adoption. If Valve continues to invest in broadening support, collaborating with OEMs, and streamlining the installation experience, SteamOS could well become the de facto platform for handheld and living-room PC gaming.
Until then, SteamOS 3.7 is both an exciting signpost and a challenge to the rest of the industry. For gamers willing to explore, the era of truly open, console-style PC gaming OS is just beginning. For everyone else, developments in this space are worth watching—because where Valve leads, a new wave of innovation inevitably follows.
Source: Ars Technica SteamOS 3.7 brings Valve’s gaming OS to other handhelds and generic AMD PCs
Valve Broadens SteamOS Horizons: A New Era for Handheld Gaming
SteamOS 3.7 is more than an iterative patch; it signals a pivotal shift in Valve’s OS strategy. For years, tinkerers keen to replicate the Deck experience on other hardware were forced to rely on community-maintained distros like Bazzite, HoloISO, or ChimeraOS, each offering creative workarounds but lacking the polish, timely updates, and deep driver integration from Valve itself. Now, with official support for select third-party devices and directional guidance for broader AMD configurations, SteamOS 3.7 is set to reshape portable gaming’s operating system landscape.Official and Improved Hardware Support: The Handheld Revolution
Valve’s support matrix for SteamOS 3.7 spotlights several prominent players in the handheld gaming PC space. Most notably, “official” or “improved support” now extends to the Asus ROG Ally, the Lenovo Legion Go, and its variant, the Legion Go S. Valve is explicit: full, “baked-in” support is currently reserved for the Steam Deck and the Legion Go S. For other devices such as the ROG Ally and the original Legion Go, Valve provides step-by-step installation guidance and tips for optimal configuration.This cautious tiering serves two purposes. First, it underscores Valve’s commitment to a stable experience for their own hardware and that of close partners. Second, it reflects the inherent complexity of supporting myriad handhelds in an ecosystem where firmware and component configurations differ widely. For users whose devices don’t appear on the official roster, SteamOS 3.7 still offers hope: Valve’s announcement lauds compatibility with “other AMD-powered handhelds,” especially those based on Ryzen Z1 or Z2-series chips. In practice, this means owners of devices from brands like OneXPlayer, AOKZOE, or upcoming indie handhelds with similar internals should expect at least a baseline level of compatibility, so long as their hardware falls within Valve’s support envelope.
The All-AMD Caveat
However, that support envelope is well-defined. SteamOS 3.7 is strictly for all-AMD platforms, a requirement that encompasses CPU, GPU, and, most likely, the system chipset. This blanket exclusion of Intel and Nvidia components speaks to the heavy customization of SteamOS drivers and the challenges of providing a bug-free, consistently performant experience across disparate hardware stacks. Critically, Valve also recommends that target devices include an NVMe SSD and that users disable Secure Boot—a security feature usually enabled by default for Windows 11 installations. While the requirement for NVMe storage is consistent with the performance ambitions of SteamOS, Secure Boot’s disablement remains a hurdle for the less technically inclined, as it often requires delving into system BIOS menus and wading through OEM-specific documentation.Installation Experience and Early Impressions
For those equipped with compatible hardware and a willingness to tweak system settings, the process of installing SteamOS 3.7 is now much more approachable than previous efforts that involved flashing community builds and dealing with missing drivers.Setting Up: AMD Hardware and NVMe Required
Valve’s own documentation reiterates the minimum requirements: an AMD CPU, AMD GPU, NVMe SSD, and Secure Boot turned off. Installation on the Asus ROG Ally and Lenovo Legion Go is aided by Valve-authored guides. For generic AMD portables (notably using the latest Ryzen Z1/Z2 chips), booting from the official SteamOS installer is now a real, supported pathway. The process assumes comfort with partitioning drives and updating bootloaders—still a technical ask, though no longer a journey into undocumented territory.Compatibility Beyond Valve’s List
Testing and early user reports from community forums and YouTubers suggest that, while out-of-the-box functionality is excellent on the Deck and Legion Go S, other devices present a more mixed story. Touchscreen and button mapping tend to work well if the device mimics the Deck’s layout and uses standard input standards. However, some features—like gyro aiming, advanced haptics, or battery monitoring—may require proprietary firmware or drivers not yet available outside the Steam Deck ecosystem. Valve does not guarantee a “just works” experience for these features. Users on platforms like r/SteamDeck and specialized Discord servers have cataloged device-specific issues and workarounds, with overall stability and performance correlating strongly with how closely a device matches the Steam Deck’s own hardware blueprint.What Makes SteamOS 3.7 Special?
The allure of SteamOS 3.7 springs from its blend of console simplicity and PC flexibility. It’s a full Linux desktop under the hood (based on Arch Linux), but with a streamlined interface for gaming first: Steam Big Picture Mode, tight controller support, integrated driver and firmware updates, and seamless access to the Proton compatibility layer for Windows games.Key Features and Improvements in Version 3.7
- Official support for select third-party devices: The ROG Ally and Legion Go/Go S headline the list, with others unofficially supported if hardware matches.
- Broader AMD desktop and laptop compatibility: All-AMD systems, not just handhelds, are in scope—opening the door for living room gaming setups and compact homebrew builds.
- Improved installer and documentation: Valve is investing in accessible guides and troubleshooting resources for common AMD-based hardware.
- Up-to-date drivers: 3.7 brings onboard the latest Mesa and Linux kernel improvements, ensuring that AMD GPUs leverage the newest performance and stability upgrades.
- Separation of “SteamOS Compatible” and “Steam Deck Verified” game labels: The new “SteamOS Compatible” badge helps PC gamers differentiate between titles designed to run well on Valve’s OS (regardless of hardware) and those specifically tested for the Deck’s controls and screen.
The Edge Over Community Distros
While Bazzite, HoloISO, and ChimeraOS have blazed the trail for non-Deck handhelds, they depend on back-porting Valve’s updates and may lag behind on stability and driver support. SteamOS 3.7, delivered directly from Valve, benefits from first-party access to up-to-date firmware and QA resources, which translates to fewer regressions, better performance, and more reliable game library access.The Risks, Tradeoffs, and What Users Should Watch For
Despite the leap forward in compatibility, SteamOS 3.7’s advances are accompanied by caveats and open questions.All-AMD, All the Time
The requirement for an all-AMD hardware stack is a double-edged sword. On one hand, Valve is able to maintain tighter control over experience quality, reduce support overhead, and minimize the number of hardware-specific bugs. On the other, it leaves owners of Intel/Nvidia-based portables and desktops in the cold—at least for now. Valve has not committed to expanding beyond AMD, and so users with, for instance, Intel iGPUs or Nvidia dGPUs must look elsewhere.Secure Boot and Accessibility
Disabling Secure Boot is another sticking point. While seasoned Linux users and PC gamers may sail through BIOS settings, less technical gamers—a demographic Valve has courted with the Deck—may be intimidated by the necessity to turn off a core security feature just to dual-boot or reimage their system. This also increases potential exposure to rootkit and bootkit malware if other protections aren’t in place.Firmware and Peripheral Support Gaps
Valve’s support for devices stops short of providing tailored firmware or drivers for each third-party handheld. This is most evident with peripherals: advanced rumble, motion controls, custom macro buttons, or even display color calibration often demand proprietary drivers. If the device vendor does not provide SteamOS-compatible firmware or if the community fails to deliver an open driver, certain hardware features may be inaccessible under SteamOS.Performance and Power Management
Some users report that, although basic game performance on AMD-powered handhelds is solid, nuanced power management features like TDP adjustment or smart fan control may lag behind what’s available on Windows or on the Steam Deck itself. Battery life can also be less predictable, as the Deck’s firmware and software stack have benefited from years of Valve’s closed-loop optimization, something that can’t be easily replicated on generic hardware.Impact on Developers, Gamers, and the Linux Ecosystem
The wider availability of first-party SteamOS carries implications far beyond individual players.For Developers
Game studios and middleware providers now have clearer incentive to target SteamOS as a platform distinct from, but adjacent to, the Steam Deck. The emergence of a “SteamOS Compatible” badge may nudge developers to test on a broader hardware base—especially with AMD’s growing market share in the handheld segment—boosting Linux gaming’s overall viability.For Tinkerers and OEMs
The barrier to entry for launching a Linux-based handheld with first-class Steam integration is lower than ever. New and smaller manufacturers can build around AMD’s mobile chips and offer out-of-the-box compatibility, leveraging Valve’s work without having to maintain their own software stacks. This, in turn, could accelerate innovation and diversity in the handheld market, pushing established Windows competitors to improve their platforms or risk obsolescence among Linux-preferring buyers.For the Linux Community
The legitimacy that comes with Valve’s imprimatur—especially with mainstream brands like Asus and Lenovo in the fold—bolsters desktop Linux’s visibility. Every new SteamOS-compatible device is an advertisement for Linux as a practical, gaming-first desktop OS and a refutation of the “Windows or bust” mentality that has long dominated PC gaming discourse.Future Directions and Lingering Questions
While SteamOS 3.7 is unequivocally a leap forward, several big questions remain.Will Intel and Nvidia Ever Get Official Love?
Valve has not outlined a roadmap for supporting other hardware vendors. Given that disparate driver stacks and greater platform fragmentation would complicate support, it’s a tall but not impossible order. Market pressure (should, for example, Intel’s next-gen handheld chips gain traction) could yet force Valve’s hand. For now, though, all-AMD remains gospel.Will Device Manufacturers Step Up?
The promise of wide-scale SteamOS adoption hinges on vendor buy-in. Asus and Lenovo’s presence in the official documentation is encouraging, but truly seamless experiences will require hardware makers to collaborate with Valve on SteamOS-optimized firmware, drivers, and updates. Luna, Ayaneo, and other indie handheld companies could distinguish themselves by delivering SteamOS-first devices.Will Valve Maintain Cadence and Quality?
Past criticisms of SteamOS centered on slow update cycles and backup in documentation. With greater public visibility and more devices in the wild, Valve faces pressure to keep its installer, drivers, and troubleshooting guides accurate and up to date. Any slip could see resourceful community distros regaining ground.Conclusion: A New Chapter for Handheld and Linux Gaming
SteamOS 3.7’s arrival on third-party handhelds and generic AMD PCs is a watershed moment for mobile and living-room gaming enthusiasts. For the first time, Valve’s Linux powerhouse steps beyond its own hardware to embrace an ecosystem that’s rapidly diversifying and innovating. Gamers—and indeed, anyone adventurous enough to try a hardware-native Linux gaming OS—now have a legitimate, supported pathway, provided they stick to AMD.However, the very ambition that makes this update so welcome also exposes its limits. As of now, support is AMD-exclusive, and new users must be willing to adjust BIOS settings, forego some hardware-specific flourishes, and accept the rough edges that come with early mass adoption. If Valve continues to invest in broadening support, collaborating with OEMs, and streamlining the installation experience, SteamOS could well become the de facto platform for handheld and living-room PC gaming.
Until then, SteamOS 3.7 is both an exciting signpost and a challenge to the rest of the industry. For gamers willing to explore, the era of truly open, console-style PC gaming OS is just beginning. For everyone else, developments in this space are worth watching—because where Valve leads, a new wave of innovation inevitably follows.
Source: Ars Technica SteamOS 3.7 brings Valve’s gaming OS to other handhelds and generic AMD PCs