Valve confirms SteamOS support is coming to ROG Ally and other Windows-based gaming handhelds

It looks like Valve’s SteamOS will be expanding its reach beyond the Steam Deck, with plans to support gaming handhelds like the ASUS ROG Ally.

According to The Verge, who spoke with Valve designer Lawrence Yang, the company is working on making SteamOS compatible with other devices. A recent SteamOS patch hinted at this, with notes mentioning support for additional ROG Ally keys. Lawrence explained that this is part of Valve’s ongoing efforts to add third-party device support. However, SteamOS isn't quite ready for non-Steam Deck hardware yet, so it might be a while before you see it running smoothly on devices like the ROG Ally or Lenovo Legion Go.

When SteamOS does eventually support other handhelds, it will be a big step up for PC gaming handhelds as Windows 11 is simply too resource-intensive to be an efficient and dedicated gaming operating system for handhelds.

But Lawrence also offered another interesting tidbit: dual-booting SteamOS and Windows. To be sure, Valve has only confirmed that this feature is in the works and there is no timeline set. Valve’s Steam Deck can run Windows, but doing so removes some of the OS’ unique features such as system-level gyro controls and the ability to suspend games. Dual-booting would allow handheld owners to switch between SteamOS and Windows at their own convenience, which will also make it easier to access different digital stores like Epic Games Store or PC Game Pass.

Source: The Verge

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