Valve continues to expand the reach of SteamOS, and an increasing number of handheld devices are being included.
Valve's SteamOS handheld presence has just expanded.
SteamOS isn't merely a product created for Valve's gaming hardware; the company is demonstrating this by extending compatibility to additional handheld devices beyond the Steam Deck. While the platform hasn't been exclusively for the Steam Deck, more handhelds from MSI, Ayaneo, and Konkr are now supported with Valve's latest SteamOS beta version.
Notebookcheck has reported that Valve’s new SteamOS 3.8.25 beta broadens support for several third-party handhelds. This doesn't mean that Valve is providing full SteamOS certification for every device, but the update helps bring several additional machines closer to functioning effectively with the company's gaming-centric operating system.
Four additional handhelds are now on Valve’s radar.
The most significant enhancements relate to controller compatibility. SteamOS 3.8.25 introduces initial gamepad support for the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+, Konkr FIT, and Ayaneo Pocket S2. Additionally, Valve has updated gamepad support for the OneXPlayer Apex when operating with its newer firmware.
Alongside these updates, Valve has enhanced compatibility for MSI Claw and OneXPlayer device variants, as well as handhelds that utilize external Wi-Fi adapters or lack Wi-Fi adapters altogether. A sporadic issue that caused inputs to be overlooked when using certain third-party handhelds has also been resolved.
SteamOS 3.8.25 is currently accessible through the Beta and Preview channels, indicating that the features are still undergoing testing. Valve has identified a known performance issue that may arise when composition is necessary, such as when FSR is enabled, but they noted that this specific problem has already been resolved in the current stable release of SteamOS 3.8.16.
SteamOS continues to break away from Valve's hardware.
This development has been anticipated for some time. Lenovo’s Legion Go S became the first third-party handheld officially licensed to come with SteamOS, paving the way for Valve's software to reach devices outside the Steam Deck lineup. The growth of SteamOS could intensify competition against Windows in the handheld PC sector.
Valve has also included Steam Machine Firmware 108 in the beta, addressing sleep-related issues, including a rare glitch that could reduce CPU performance after the system resumes from sleep mode. SteamOS itself has transitioned to Linux kernel 6.18.42. While the Steam Deck has introduced millions of users to SteamOS, the Steam Machine extends its reach even further. This rollout may prove to be crucial for the platform's long-term success.
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Valve continues to expand the reach of SteamOS, and an increasing number of handheld devices are being included.
The newest SteamOS beta from Valve incorporates gamepad support for handheld devices from MSI, Ayaneo, and Konkr, while also enhancing compatibility with various OneXPlayer and MSI models.
