Chromebooks aren't useless anymore! - Steam on Chrome OS Alpha
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Go to privacy.com to get $5 off your first purchase and get mom something nice this Mother's Day :) Create your build at buildredux.com Steam is finally coming to Chromebook! Are you excited?! No? Well, I think that its pretty neat. While Steam is still in Alpha, it seems like Chrome OS is thing that needs the dev work. Discuss on the forum: linustechtips.com Buy an Acer Chromebook Spin 713: geni.us Buy an Asus Chromebook CX9: geni.us Purchases made through some store links may provide some compensation to Linus Media Group. ► GET MERCH: lttstore.com ► AFFILIATES, SPONSORS & REFERRALS: lmg.gg ► PODCAST GEAR: lmg.gg ► SUPPORT US ON FLOATPLANE: floatplane.com FOLLOW US --------------------------------------------------- Twitter: twitter.com Facebook: @LinusTech Instagram: @linustech TikTok: @linustech Twitch: twitch.tv MUSIC CREDIT --------------------------------------------------- Intro: Laszlo - Supernova Video Link: youtube.com iTunes Download Link: itunes.apple.com Artist Link: soundcloud.com Outro: Approaching Nirvana - Sugar High Video Link: youtube.com Listen on Spotify: spoti.fi Artist Link: youtube.com Intro animation by MBarek Abdelwassaa @mbarek_abdel Monitor And Keyboard by vadimmihalkevich / CC BY 4.0 geni.us Mechanical RGB Keyboard by BigBrotherECE / CC BY 4.0 geni.us Mouse Gamer free Model By Oscar Creativo / CC BY 4.0 geni.us CHAPTERS --------------------------------------------------- 0:00 Intro 1:17 Steam on Chrome OS 2:55 "Benchmarks" 3:50 Chrome OS is Frustrating 4:51 What is Google's Plan? 6:43 Fix this FIRST, Google! 7:00 Conclusion 8:15 Outro
Chromebooks are stepping into gaming territory with Steam on Chrome OS, as the video explores the Steam Alpha on two supported devices, the Acer Chromebook Spin 713 and the Asus Chromebook CX9. The host explains that Steam on Chrome OS is currently in a dev Channel Alpha, requiring a few terminal commands and flag changes to get running, and that only a small subset of 11th gen Intel Chromebooks are officially supported now. They compare the Steam Alpha to Crostini, showing that while Linux-based Crostini can run desktop environments, the native Steam experience on Chrome OS is still in flux and presents several caveats. The benchmarks reveal a mix of results: some games run surprisingly well on the Alpha, while others struggle due to driver issues, non-native resolutions, and overall instability typical of early-stage software. The host notes that certain titles like Half-Life Lost Coast perform with mild gains compared to Crostini, whereas games like Talos Principle see much better playability on Alpha, though the results can be inconsistent across devices. The video also highlights Chrome OS usability friction, such as file management and system tinkering requirements, arguing that Google will need to balance ease of use with developer flexibility if gaming on Chrome OS is to become mainstream. Finally, the discussion places this development in a broader arc: Google’s ambition to position Chrome OS as a premium, gaming-capable platform, alongside Stadia, with a focus on keeping students and families within the Google ecosystem while gradually expanding the OS’s gaming capabilities. The conclusion remains cautiously optimistic, acknowledging the progress while calling for continued commitment from Google to improve troubleshooting, performance, and user experience for gamers on Chrome OS.
Topics · technology · gaming · operating_systems · hardware
Questions answered
- What devices are officially supported for Steam Alpha on Chrome OS in this video?
- The Acer Chromebook Spin 713 and the Asus Chromebook CX9 are among the six supported devices for the Steam Alpha at the time of the video.
- What are the main issues highlighted when running Steam Alpha on Chrome OS?
- Issues include the need to switch to the dev channel, enabling flags, non-native resolutions and performance quirks, instability typical of Alpha software, and challenges with file management and troubleshooting on Chrome OS.