One of the perks of the Valve console is its lightweight operating system that emulates a console environment, enabling users to play PC games with ease and without any background tasks affecting performance. Its user-friendly interface is navigable through a remote control, making it an ideal choice for those who prefer playing games comfortably from their sofas. But you don’t have to own the Valve console to reap its benefits. In this article, we’ll guide you on how to install SteamOS on your PC.
It’s important to note that games created for the Steam Deck have been optimized for graphics cards with RDNA 2 architecture, such as AMD‘s RX 6000 series. These graphics cards are much more powerful than Valve’s on-chip GPU, regardless of whether you’re using a laptop or a desktop. However, if you have a laptop, a Ryzen 6000 processor should be sufficient, and you won’t even need a dedicated GPU to handle the graphics.
How to install SteamOS on any PC?
To install SteamOS on your PC and enjoy the benefits of a console-like environment, you can use HoloISO, a distribution of Steam Deck that is compatible with any computer that uses an AMD graphics card. However, if you have a configuration with a GeForce, this option is not available at the moment. Nevertheless, if you have a Radeon RX 5000 or above, you can use it without technical problems in games. While the TDP and FPS limiter features may not work properly, all other features of SteamOS on PC operate smoothly, making it a viable option for those looking for a console-like experience on their computer.
As for the requirements to install it, these are simple:
- Have the UEFI active, that is, do not use the Legacy mode of the BIOS.
- Disable Secure Boot.
- A Pendrive of at least 4 GB capacity for the installation.
To install SteamOS on your PC, you will first need to reboot the PC from the flash drive that contains the HoloISO software. This can be done by configuring the BIOS menu accordingly. If you have a dual boot system, you will be able to choose between running Windows or SteamOS once the installation is complete. It is crucial to follow all the installation steps correctly to ensure a smooth installation process. Once you have installed SteamOS, you will be able to enjoy a similar experience to that of a Steam Deck on your PC.
Can’t I really use it with an NVIDIA graphics card?
Unfortunately, the latest versions of Valve’s operating system do not support NVIDIA GeForce graphics cards, which make up 80% of the PC market. Valve has withdrawn support for these graphics cards, which is a major setback for users with NVIDIA hardware. However, third-party distributions, such as HoloISO, have made it possible to install SteamOS on PCs with AMD graphics cards. It is important to note that the PC must be based on the same hardware architecture as the Steam Deck for it to work.
In the future, if a custom firmware can be loaded on the Xbox Series or PS5, SteamOS is likely to be the first operating system that can be run on these consoles, due to their similar hardware architecture. These consoles use the Zen 2 CPU and RDNA 2 GPU, which is the same architecture used in the Steam Deck.