SteamOS isn’t quite ready for other devices yet, but you can install something like Bazzite or Zorin as a great alternative to windows. Bazzite is focused on providing an experience very close to SteamOS, and Zorin is extremely easy to learn for people moving from windows to linux. Linux Mint is also a great option.
You can check protonDB for game compatibility, but as a general rule any game or emulation will work fine as long as it isn’t a multiplayer game with particularly invasive anticheat. All Tom Clancy games should work except for Rainbow Six Siege. It uses Battleeye anticheat, which actually supports linux/steam deck fine, but Ubisoft is currently refusing to enable linux support. People are actively requesting support be enabled daily, so maybe Ubisoft will come around.
SteamOS is a Linux distribution so you can install any Linux distribution (ubuntu, fedora, mint, …) and use proton. I would recommend that instead of SteamOS since it might be less stable. Check https://www.protondb.com/ for compatibility with games.
I haven’t encountered a single game that hasn’t worked. Maybe like 5% required more than just clicking “start.”
From what I understand, it’s mostly games with anti-cheat where the devs face specifically made it so Linux won’t work. But I don’t really play MMO games so I haven’t encountered it.
I second the protondb suggestion. Amazing resource, and better than Steam’s official SD rating system. If a game says “unsupported” in Steam, you should double check protondb, because that’s often just not true.
Would i be able to replace this as the windows 10 death looms ? I play zelda and toms clancy, would it work ?
I run Pop!_OS and have had no problems playing through Tears of the Kingdom in an emulator. Don’t know about Clancy games though.
SteamOS isn’t quite ready for other devices yet, but you can install something like Bazzite or Zorin as a great alternative to windows. Bazzite is focused on providing an experience very close to SteamOS, and Zorin is extremely easy to learn for people moving from windows to linux. Linux Mint is also a great option.
You can check protonDB for game compatibility, but as a general rule any game or emulation will work fine as long as it isn’t a multiplayer game with particularly invasive anticheat. All Tom Clancy games should work except for Rainbow Six Siege. It uses Battleeye anticheat, which actually supports linux/steam deck fine, but Ubisoft is currently refusing to enable linux support. People are actively requesting support be enabled daily, so maybe Ubisoft will come around.
SteamOS is a Linux distribution so you can install any Linux distribution (ubuntu, fedora, mint, …) and use proton. I would recommend that instead of SteamOS since it might be less stable. Check https://www.protondb.com/ for compatibility with games.
They’ve been teasing a general release for like 3 years now.
I lost hope that it would be any time soon and just installed arch. That was 6 months ago and I haven’t had any show stopping issues yet.
What games have you tested ?
Timberborn, control, civ 6, tomb raider(s). Nothing MMO.
I haven’t encountered a single game that hasn’t worked. Maybe like 5% required more than just clicking “start.”
From what I understand, it’s mostly games with anti-cheat where the devs face specifically made it so Linux won’t work. But I don’t really play MMO games so I haven’t encountered it.
I second the protondb suggestion. Amazing resource, and better than Steam’s official SD rating system. If a game says “unsupported” in Steam, you should double check protondb, because that’s often just not true.