I have used Arch Linux as the main OS of my PC since 6 years ago, but I always need to use Windows to play games. I never used Windows again after I got a Steam deck
iPhone + iPad/Mac + Steam Deck can meet all my daily needs.
I like it, want the Steam Deck 2, and also want the Steam console or Steam machine series.
Yes. I can and I did. But it costs much extra time to download, install, and adjust. Using the Steam deck is convenient because the default settings have already done everything, I just need to pick it up and play games.
You might just be able to play most games with Proton or Wine on a Linux desktop, it's pretty straight forward. Especially when using Lutris. I switched to Linux not too long ago and the only games I can't play are those with easy anticheat like Gta online. I also got Genshin Impact to work perfectly, despite claims of it not being possible due to anticheat.
Microsoft attempted to address this with Windows 8, but by forcing touch interface styling to a desktop user they created a massive flop. Adding Windows Mobile trying to do it's own thing in 2015, and failing to gain market share by not investing enough early enough, and they were solidly outclassed. If they had hot the right points, we might have seen smooth Mobile Microsoft gaming 10 years ago.
What might be the real killer feature of SteamOS is the ability to run a Linux desktop. For $400 one can have both a mobile gaming console that can dock with their television and also dock with a traditional PC for other traditional uses.
SteamOS already runs Linux desktop, at least on the steamdeck (it's just "switch to desktop" in the power menu). The default desktop environment is KDE plasma. Paired with a USBC laptop dock, you have an easily switchable desktop experience too.
Man I bought one of those windows phones, the Lumia 920 and boy did it suck. Had bugger all apps. I feel like I had it for nearly a year before I got sick of it. YouTube app was constantly borked and would crash frequently. The fb app once they got it going just felt like a shitty web app disguised as an app. And that was it, like they just released the phone OS and the Lumia series and just hoped devs would come across to the platform. One of the few times I tried to get off iOS and boy did it burn me hard. Hey at least the screen was strong enough to hammer in nails. So free hammer?
I picked up a cheap Lumia as the whole WinPhone thing was winding up. They were actually quite nice. The whole winphone project must have been too low-key for the usual Microsoft Management to stick their noses into, and left competent people running the show.
If WinPhone had actually caught on, I'm sure that some asshole manager would have taken over and turned it into yet another Windows 11. But for a brief moment, MS made a good OS.
With no apps.
I understand that people are hyped about a Linux distribution developed by a company they really care about. However, please be aware that SteamOS is focused at being an (almost) exclusive gaming OS with very limited hardware support. It doesn't support NVIDIA video cards, for instance.
Steam already runs perfectly fine in most generalist distributions and you'll have a wonderful time if you install them.
No, their Micro-compositor was written exclusively for AMD cards. The SteamOS setup just borks if you try to install it with nvidia. People coming from Windows won't really care who is to blame, they'll just be baffled it doesn't work.
It makes sense since steam deck only has AMD cards. SteamOS is targeted at gaming devices, not as a generalistic distribution.
Most windows users I know focus-build their PCs for games, then use them as they need to for other stuff. I can imagine having an OS that’s also focus-built for games as well being enticing.
If I ever built my own gaming rig, it’ll be to run SteamOS.
I do not think Microsoft is afraid, I think they are just not that focused on the gaming market, yes they have a console and a bunch of game studios, but I believe that is right now a secondary focus.
No Microsoft is focused on the tech heroine called AI, trying to inject it wherever they can. They see this as the new frontier. So even though I would have loved seeing Microsoft scream in pain as they realise another competitor has actually a more enriching product that will eat their lunch, unfortunately they are in another boardroom discussing how they can get more AI, does anyone know where they can get more AI
I like the Steam Deck but Steam don't allow more than One account to be on at a time which is stupid because i want the option of playing while my kid is on the PC or vice versa. That's why I opted for the ROG so I could at least install Xbox and be able to play titles on that platform if Steam is being used.
I agree that windows is really fiddly on a handheld. Would much prefer a more seamless experience like on Steam if possible.
AS others have said, the key is making your son a separate steam account, and then adding him to your steam family so he can access your games. That will let you both play your games at the same time, as long as you aren't trying to play the exact same copy of a game (1 game copy = 1 player at a time).
This also will give you access to some parental controls and let you limit what games he can access. I don't want to share some games like Cyberpunk or Baldur's gate with my younger kids for example.
My kid can use his steam account on my computer or his deck while I'm on my deck and use our shared library. The only limitation is we can't both play the same game.