Investigate the Linux engine beneath the Steam Deck's glossy chassis
Explore!
The Steam Deck game console runs on SteamOS, a variant of Arch Linux. While you typically use the Steam Deck like any other dedicated game machine, you can freely drop into a Linux Desktop mode of surprising and powerful potential.
The Steam Deck, the versatile game console that Valve began selling in 2022, is hardly the first consumer-oriented technology that runs Linux under the hood. Readers of this magazine might have fond memories of the original TiVo boxes, for example, or have noticed a full copy of the GPL lurking in the deepest recesses of their cars' dashboard UI.
However, the Steam Deck stands apart in the level of transparency it offers regarding its Linux underpinnings. While its primary user interface is optimized for non-windowed displays and game-controller navigation, the Steam Deck explicitly invites users to alternatively use the device as a self-contained Linux machine running a KDE Plasma desktop. Bolder Steam Deck owners can use the power of its underlying operating system to extend and enhance their gaming experience.
This article presents an introductory guide through the user-explorable parts of SteamOS. I aim to empower you to playfully investigate this less obvious Steam Deck mode while still maintaining the core intent of the device: playing video games on a healthy and up-to-date SteamOS. More radical hacks of the Steam Deck hardware are certainly possible – as with any PC, you can wipe it and install your own Linux on it, if you want – but that is beyond the scope of this article.
[...]
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
Hannah Montana Linux Is Back!
Developer Noah Cagle decided the world needed the once obscure but beloved Linux distribution and gave it a decidedly pink refresh.
-
System76 Refreshes the Lemur Laptop
If you're looking for a laptop with tons of power and battery, look no further than the latest iteration of the System76 Lemur Pro.
-
More than 43 Million Lines of Code in Linux Kernel 7.2
Using the cloc utility, Michael Larabel of Phoronix discovered that Linux kernel 7.2 has over 43 million lines of code.
-
Kubuntu Focus Goes Ultra
The Kubuntu Focus team has upped the performance ante of its M2 and Zr laptops with the latest, greatest CPUs from Intel.
-
Linux Gamers May Soon See Less Mouse Lag in KDE Plasma
Gamers using KDE’s Plasma desktop have been suffering from a slight input delay in mouse movement that could lead to getting fragged.
-
Three Lines of Code Improve Linux Storage Performance
A developer changed three lines of code, giving Linux storage performance a 5% bump.
-
AUR Hit Again with Malicious Packages
Once again the Arch User Repository is plagued by a high volume of malicious packages.
-
Alpine Linux 3.24 Features Fresh Desktops and a Newer Kernel
If you're a fan of Alpine Linux, it's time to upgrade because the latest version has been released with KDE Plasma 6.6, Gnome 50, and Linux kernel 6.18 LTS.
-
EU Open Source Strategy Plays Key Role in Tech Sovereignty Package
Comprehensive measures adopted by the European Commission aim to reduce dependency on non-EU countries.
-
Linux Foundation Report Indicates AI Driving Tech Hiring
Within growing security and skills gaps, AI has been found to be a positive driving force behind tech hiring trends in Europe.