Valve Expands SteamOS to Devices Beyond the Steam Deck, but Dual Boot Still Takes Time

The Valve continues to be firm in its plans to bring the SteamOS - the Linux-based operating system that powers the Steam Deck - to other gaming devices, including competing portables. After a recent beta update mentioned support for Asus ROG Ally controllers, Valve confirmed to The Verge that support for non-Steam Deck portable devices is still in development.

According to Valve engineer Lawrence Yang, "the team continues to work on adding support for additional portables in SteamOS." However, Yang warns that this support "is not yet ready for immediate use." This may be a relief for those seeking the superior performance of rivals like the ROG Ally, ROG Ally X, and Lenovo Legion Go, but prefer to avoid Windows 11, which can be challenging on small screens and thumbstick controls.

Despite the progress in third-party support, many Steam Deck owners are still waiting for the long-awaited dual boot feature with Windows. Unfortunately, according to Yang, this functionality seems to be even further away than the expansion of SteamOS. While Valve is preparing drivers for the Steam Deck OLED, there is no forecast for dual boot support.

Meanwhile, the alternative solution is to install Windows on a microSD card and boot from it, although many users hope to be able to keep both operating systems on the Steam Deck SSD.