I'm Not Waiting for SteamOS! - Linux Gaming Update 2025
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Promos
Stream some of your favorite games directly to your phone, TV and more! Amazon Luna’s cloud gaming services can keep you in the action, wherever you might be. Check it out at: luna.amazon.com Let us know what you think of this sponsorship: viraln.co We all know how hard it is for Valve to count to three, so its no surprise that SteamOS 3 is still only available for the Steam Deck. But Linus is impatient. Is SteamOS 3 ‘ready enough’ for him? Discuss on the forum: linustechtips.com ► GET OUR MERCH: lttstore.com ► GET EXCLUSIVE CONTENT ON FLOATPLANE: lmg.gg ► GET A VPN: piavpn.com ► SPONSORS, AFFILIATES, AND PARTNERS: lmg.gg Purchases made through some store links may provide some compensation to Linus Media Group. CHAPTERS --------------------------------------------------- 0:00 Intro 1:42 Think about Joey 3:05 Install 4:04 Hardware Support 5:04 Test System 6:12 Game Mode 10:27 HDR? 13:00 Desktop Mode 15:41 He's not a wizard. 17:36 Is it ready? 19:50 Outro
I'm Not Waiting for SteamOS! - Linux Gaming Update 2025 surveys Valve's SteamOS 3 and its readiness for a broader Linux gaming future, focusing on a lived-in assessment of installing SteamOS 3 on non-Deck hardware and testing its UI, performance, and ecosystem. The video frames the discussion with the context of Valve's ongoing push to offer a console-like experience for thousands of PC games, while acknowledging that SteamOS remains closely tied to the Steam Deck hardware. The host experiments with two installation paths, noting the current limitations and the potential for a broader Linux-friendly gaming future if Valve continues to iterate on installers and hardware compatibility. The exploration then pivots to live gaming sessions in Game Mode, where the interface, controller support, HDR behavior, and the general living-room usability are put to a test with actual games like Vampire Survivors and Doom Eternal. The segment culminates in a balanced verdict: SteamOS 3 shows substantial promise for living-room gaming and a broader Linux gaming footprint, but it still requires more polish, broader hardware support, and straightforward workarounds for tasks beyond pure gaming, such as printing, Discord, and alternative storefronts. The final synthesis positions SteamOS 3 as a strong but not yet fully ready competitor to Windows for mainstream gaming, with Valve needing to finish an installer, expand hardware compatibility, and add more out-of-the-box utility to deliver a truly frictionless living-room PC experience. The sponsor integration with Amazon Luna is presented as a complementary cloud gaming option, highlighting its cross-device streaming and controller flexibility as a potential stopgap or supplement while SteamOS matures. The video closes on an optimistic note about SteamOS progress, inviting continued discussion and experimentation from the community.
Topics · Science & Technology · Computing · Gaming · Linux
Questions answered
- What are the two initial paths to SteamOS 3 installation discussed in the video?
- The two paths are (1) buying a Steam Deck to run SteamOS 3 or (2) downloading the Steam Deck recovery image, flashing it to a USB drive, and installing SteamOS on compatible non-Deek hardware.
- Does SteamOS 3 work perfectly on all hardware according to the video?
- No, it works best on hardware similar to a Steam Deck and there are caveats such as limited firmware support for some NICs, potential driver issues, and the need to manually configure some settings or use workarounds for gaming and non-gaming tasks.
- What is the overall verdict on SteamOS 3’s readiness for mainstream use?
- SteamOS 3 is promising and capable for living-room gaming with a large library, but it is not yet fully ready for mainstream Windows replacement due to remaining edge cases, installer gaps, and broader peripheral support.
- What additional features or improvements does the host suggest Valve should implement?
- A simple installer, out-of-the-box hardware compatibility, more printer support, and more polished utilities like Discord integration and alternative app stores to improve non-gaming usability.