Alt text: Trojan Horse meme, Steam Deck bringing Linux to Windows gamers
For new users that were otherwise scared of changing their daily driver, it does provide a nice little path for them.
Flip it into Desktop mode some times to get a feel for how different the DE is, play around with some command line stuff. Easy to factory reset, so mess it up if you want.
Then install something like CachyOS Handheld edition after a while to get a less restricted Linux experience, while maintaining game mode et all.
Hell, for the price, it’s a great device to use as a dev machine if you do Cachy or similar. I use mine as my daily use “laptop” since my other laptop died, and was less powerful any way.
Woah, Cachy sounds sick! How does the gaming mode perform in your experience? Is it effectively the same as the deck’s vanilla game mode? 🤔 very tempted to give it a shot myself!
Admittedly, I don’t use game mode as often as most. I do gamedev on this, so it’s almost always in Desktop mode, even when I’m actually playing games.
Having said that, the handful of times I have used it on Cachy felt no different at all to SteamOS. The UI is identical. They did a great job recreating the Valve-specific parts of SteamOS that aren’t just part of KDE or Arch.
The only downside, and it’s just a minor inconvenience for me, is that Cachy doesn’t have the option to boot into Desktop mode by default (yet). It always boots up into game mode first.
So are you lugging around a keyboard, screen and usb hub with it or what?
I switched to a MacBook Air + Steam Deck combo for work/gaming and it’s fairing much better than my old gaming laptop ever did on both fronts
Sorta. I work from home, so while here it’s docked on a desk.
When I travel, I’m usually in National Forests, so I don’t really get on the computer much. If I do need to, though, I have one of those Logitech keyboard+trackpad that I use. Otherwise it’s just a game/media machine when I’m traveling if I even pull it out.
SteamOS desktop mode is just KDE, so you could just make a Live USB of Kubuntu or whatever to try it out on your actual desktop or laptop PC.
Exactly, that’s my point. New Linux people don’t have to think about installing a new OS or even using a live USB, just flip to Desktop mode to demo it.
What advantages does Cachy have?
They give you a lot more control over the system in terms of the filesystem, its structure and format, use of pacman without being wiped on update, etc. It’s more of a true Arch Linux experience, plus it isn’t controlled by Valve.
Cachy also has their own Proton versions that seem to run a couple of games marginally better so far. Still, you have all the options when it comes to how you want to install and run games or anything else.
ETA: I think BazziteOS also has a handheld version that is tailored for the Deck’s hardware that gives a similar experience
I haven’t run into any limitations of the file system and I hardly even know what pacman is. And I haven’t felt ‘controlled’ by Valve, certainly not to the extent of a console or even Windows/Mac. I can sudo whatever I want. I’m sure you have a use case, but I’m still just not seeing it.
Are their proton versions just proton GE? To what extent does it actually run better?
If you get into Linux more, you will start using something like pacman (short for Package Manager), which is where you install libraries and apps natively. Then with Arch, there’s also the AURs (community repository).
The way you do it on SteamOS is usually through Discover Store (aka flatpak). That’s all fine and good, but there are nuances to how it sandboxes the apps that may not be desirable for everything you install and do. Secondly, when you update to a new SteamOS version, anything installed via pacman or AUR gets wiped. Only your home directory remains untouched (i.e., game installs and saves, Discover apps). Some tools just aren’t offered on flatpak, and some times what is there is behind a version or two.
For the average user, no real advantage. For developers and tinkerers, it opens all the doors. If you just want to have the same Steam Deck experience, but make sure everything that phones home is gone, then CachyOS also has something for you.
And I haven’t felt ‘controlled’ by Valve
That’s not what I mean. What I mean is that Valve controls and makes all the decisions on how the OS is designed. Some of it open source, some is not at all (telemetry stuffs, for example). Again, depends on how you use it whether or not it’s an issue for you.
Are their proton versions just proton GE? To what extent does it actually run better?
No, they are separately maintained Cachy Proton versions, based on GE. I haven’t looked deep into it, but I gather they run better because they are tweaked to fit into how Cachy has things setup. And again, only marginally better. I just notice less stutters in some heftier games where I would see a bunch before, that kind of thing.
ETA: there was one game, don’t remember which, that I couldn’t get to run in Proton, GE or otherwise. It does run in Cachy’s Proton, though
I use mine as my daily use “laptop” since my other laptop died, and was less powerful any way.
I just wish it had better IO. Either 2 USB C ports, or even better USB 4 and I’d own one by now.
Dear god, yes. One more USB C would solve a lot of problems.
Just get a small USBC dock, I got one with an HDMI, USBC and USB connection so I can connect it to a monitor, its power cord and a wireless keyboard/mouse dongle… It’s super compact so it doesn’t bother me at all.
I already have a bunch of those, but I want more than just a monitor. I’d like to connect it to my dock and have both of my 4k displays connected and running at the full 60hz.
Also the ability to add an eGPU would be killer. Great portable gaming experience, and a “real” at home gaming experience with the eGPU.
Then you just need a bigger dock, the USB plug is able to handle a lot of data… With the eGPU you won’t need the HDMI input on the dock though.
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I used my deck as my main computer when I was traveling earlier this year (I don’t have a laptop). I brought a small keyboard, no mouse, was able to do everything I needed. It’s convinced me I can easily make the switch I’m just waiting to move now and get a laptop when I’m out of tarrif-land
Yup. Fussing around in Desktop mode (aka handheld Arch) got me into it. It was weirdly easy to get Phantasy Star Online Ephinea working with luteix, and that game was easily one of my favorite Deck experiences running on 3W of power lol.
Windows user here.
Idgaf as long as it works and isn’t shit. If it has lots of cool clever stuff, all the better.
Windows is shit tho. Has been for a long time now.
I’m a power user, I don’t even want to upgrade or have to reinstall because of how much shit I’ve gone through to get it to this point. Easily a decade old install and very active use. I would lose so much random stuff if I ever had to upgrade or switch. Windows is shit and Microsoft are total bastards for that, there’s no denying it. But for me, it is not so simple as one being better or worse. Maybe if I were in a stage to switch I’d consider it, but still windows is not without its own offerings/positives.
If your OS is so brittle that you can’t upgrade it without “losing so much random stuff,” you’re not standing on solid ground, and I’d argue "it doesn’t work properly either. You’re basically balancing on a house of cards that, and eventually it will fall, and it won’t be pretty. Do yourself a favour and switch to a more future-proof solution, now that you still have proper access to your data. Future you will most likely thank yourself.
If you have a 10 year old Linux intall you wouldn’t want that to go away either. That has nothing to do with the OS.
Stop being so “aggressive” against people’s and let them have their own opinion. It is not helping to get others to get to Linux. What does help is to show people how it can be done.
The first mistake is not keeping your 10 year old installation updated
That’s not even a discussion if it was or wasn’t update
Steam in general, TBH.
You’ve got a friend in horse!
Buddy of mine mentioned how talking about computers with me always eventually leads to Linux yesterday.
Steam deck gave me the courage to dump Windows 10 for Endeavour OS. Very happy so far.
Fellow EOS user, glad to hear you’re enjoying yourself. Just make sure to check the news on the Arch website before updating, sometimes an extra step gets thrown in and you don’t wanna bork your system. I’d say use Informant, but it’s been giving me shit
Where are those? There isn’t much on the main page.
When I used Manjaro, there were threads for each major update. Known issues, known issues from past updates (if you didn’t get those yet), poll to see the update quality and a discussion thread.
E.g. the most recent one: https://forum.manjaro.org/t/stable-update-2025-04-12-kernels-plasma-systemd-mesa-grub-wine/176877
there are many games i play that dont work on Linux systems
Which ones, genuinely curious?
CS2 FaceIT, Tarkov, CoD, Le Mans Ultimate
I’ll start with Fortnite. Hate on it if you want but my kids and wife play it and I enjoy playing with them even if I don’t much care for it myself.
Kernel level anti cheat is such crap.
Oh my god! I thought I bought a gaming handheld but i bought… communism!
I don’t understand the comparisons people make between OSS and comunism. Comunism is a flavor of old-world authoritarianism, based upon the idea that mankind is incapable of choosing the right thing, so the right choice is instead mandated by law. OSS’s emhasis on freedom, choice, and the lack of any kind of governing authrorty or social dogma, as well as the inherent trust in the majority public to choose the right (to donate or contribute) has a lot more in common with liberalism than comunism.
Just a heads up, you were lied to about what communism means.
Who lied?
Society broadly. 🤷
Well that’s rather indeterminate.
Mostly because it’s dependent on who told you “Comunism is a flavor of old-world authoritarianism, based upon the idea that mankind is incapable of choosing the right thing, so the right choice is instead mandated by law.”
A good working definition of the ideas of communism is democracy of the work place and the economy. As it stands work places are dictatorships run by bosses that effectively have unilateral control over all choices of the company. Socialism and communism are built on the idea since workers are the ones actually doing the work that make the money and bare the brunt of the choices, they should be the ones making the choices.
Really it’s actually capitalism that supposes people are too dumb to make their own choices or know how a business is run, and thus shouldn’t have say over company choices.
The oligarchs in particular paid the propagandists to brainwash everyone
It’s a joke because Bill Gates once called it that. Nobody actually thinks that other than some tech bros that are high from huffing their own farts.
Which is ironic now that they have WSL, And Azure
heads up, neither USSR nor China were ever communist
Communism is a classless stateless moneyless society based on the principle of “from each according to ability, to each according to need”
Comunism is a flavor of old-world authoritarianism, based upon the idea that mankind is incapable of choosing the right thing, so the right choice is instead mandated by law.
You know capitalist nations also have laws, right…?
There is a vast difference between communism the theory and communism the real world application as it occured in 20th century.
Excusme sir, the word is now wokeness/wokeism.
Fuck, if it’s easy to mod games and run script extenders, I’ll be in-Stalin it this week.
I replied one too deep. Fuck.
I replied one too deep. Fuck.
I’m collectivising this comment, this is now our mistake, comrade. 😉
Does the steam deck come with socks?
Firstly: I feel seen.
Secondly: it’s working, SteamOS is so nice. I haven’t been this interested in Linux since the XP to 7 transfer. And I think imma’ actually do it this time.
I’m in the same boat. I am really not interested in Windows 11 at all, especially after using it at work. My primary hesitation has been video game playability in the past but the steam deck has really expanded how many games are playable on Linux and I also play a lot more games on consoles than I did a few years ago
I was you. I installed Mint and the only issue I had was with a hard drive that was being shared by both systems (dual booting) that had all my games on it. It was a symlink issue.
Bite the bullet. The startup time alone is worth it.
I’m probably going to do a trial run of Bazzite on my secondary computer to see how much does and doesn’t work and make my decision based on that
A good UI/UX is what Linux needs most to get people to switch. Valve has the money to pour into actually making something people want to use. Now I just hope the desktop release gets the same polish.
Linux has plenty of good UIs… KDE, Budgie, XFCE, Cinnamon, GNOME, etc. Literally no shortage of desktop environments.
It needs a decent UX, but most importantly it needs binary compatibility. No pleb will compile from source.
That too, but I don’t expect that to be a problem after it’s been out for more than a few weeks.
Currently it’s based off of Arch right? Are there many compatibility issues with its current form?
KDE is good already
Or are you talking about “gaming mode”?
It’s almost like an OS that wants to be useful is a better experience than an OS that wants to push you ads and steal everything you produce to feed into llm slop-generation.
Meh, there’s pretty easy (and legit) ways around the bullshit that makes managing it take less time than I had to spend making my Mint install work properly.
This is a lie! Nobody should read his comment, instead they should check out Raid Shadow Legends the epic, turn-based RPG that’s taken the mobile gaming world by storm!
I haven’t actually seen a raid ad in years at this point. (Except your hopefully ironic comment, so good job unironically promoting them)
I don’t know if it’s just my sponsorblock + adblock combo or if their gorilla advertising has fallen off, and at this point I’m too afraid to ask
*guerilla
It comes from the Spanish word for “little war” and has nothing to do with apes.
nothing to do with apes.
Not yet anyway 😏
Calm down, Caesar.
When they bring a desktop version of steamOS to market… it’s gonna be a dark day for MS share holders.
Linux is the crab of the digital world, eventually everything turns into it.
Are you crabs yet?
That would be unix then :)
Why would it be?
Linux, BSD, macOS, iOS, Android, QNX and so on are all Unix-like operating systems. Windows is the only widely used OS that’s not Unix-like.
They were posix certified at some point.
No idea why, but microsoft did go through the hoops to get that.
In practice posix functionality did not work. But they did have a paper saying it generally should.Like ms word and iso.
Ah I figured the monolithic kernel would make it opposite to the unix philosophy.
