SteamOS is finally heading to third-party handhelds

Valve has rolled out the SteamOS 3.6.9 Beta: Megafixer update, which brings many improvements and new features. Among the key enhancements are fixes for hardware and software issues. However, the highlight would be Valve's inclusion of “support for extra ROG Ally keys”, hinting at future compatibility with gaming handhelds beyond the Steam Deck.

In response to The Verge regarding these patch notes, Lawrence Yang, a designer at Valve, confirmed ongoing efforts to enable ROG Ally support. This would give Ally users an alternative to Microsoft's Windows, providing a more gaming-oriented operating system.

However, the absence of support for PC Game Pass and select popular multiplayer games such as Fortnite on SteamOS could lead some users to resort to dual-boot systems. Eventually, SteamOS will support a much broader range of devices, allowing users to install it on any PC, handheld or otherwise. In the meantime though, Valve seems to be starting its testing with the ROG Ally specifically.

In addition to introducing support for extra ROG Ally keys, the update addresses concerns like Steam installation problems, faster cold boot times, and OLED refresh rates. Notably, the update introduces support for new gaming controllers like the Asus ROG Raikiri and the Machenike G5 Pro.

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KitGuru says: Do you own a ROG Ally? Would you replace Windows with SteamOS, use dual-boot, or are you happy with the default OS?

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