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this post was submitted on 26 Sep 2024
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How would y'all feel if Valve started selling PCs with their flavor of Linux on it?
Steam Deck?
No "if", no "would", we are millions of gamers using our (portable) PC with SteamOS running on it for few years now already.
As others have pointed out already, the SteamDeck is exactly that. I even travel with it, use desktop mode with my BT mouse&keyboard with a USB-to-HDMI adapter and work on large screen and do my presentations with video projectors.
If they were to sell a desktop too... well I have a Corsair ONE already, naming a gaming desktop (2080Ti) with a very small footprint and relatively silent. It is not easily upgradable due to how compact it is (but can be done) so if I were to have an equivalent of it from Steam and they were to keep on contributing to FLOSS it would probably be an even easier buy because I trust their RMA and I imagine I wouldn't pay a "Windows tax" with it as it would "only" come with SteamOS.
TL;DR: I'd prepare my credit card.
Didn't work out that well last time. But Valve got a lot better with Hardware since then.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steam_Machine_(computer)
I had an alienware Steam Machine and it was perfectly fine.
I think the criticisms of the Steam Machine suffered from what I would call the Verge Syndrome, which is only being able to comprehend things in a binary of instant success or failure, with no in between and no comprehension of other definitions of success.
Steam Machines were a low risk initiative that were fine for what the were. They did not have a ring of death, they didn't have a blue screen, the OS itself was not glitchy, they didn't lose money, and they didn't fail any stated goals. They got the Proton ecosystem up and running, and got the ball rolling on hardware partnerships, which led to the smash success of the Steam Deck which would not have been otherwise possible.
I am sure they were fine machines. I don't think they were profitable for Valve (that is what I meant with "not worked out well"). On the other hand, the Steamdeck might not exist without the Steam Machines, so maybe I am wrong and it did work out well.
And the software ecosystem, much of which they have funded/developed. In 2015, there was no proton, no DXVK, no vkd3d, and most important, no Vulkan.
True. Better allaround.
You mean like Steam Machine?
Sort of, but aimed more at general purpose computing rather than gaming
If Valve could organize OEMs into selling Linux PCs I would be happy, of course on desktop there are better options however thats more nit picky.
After the deck, I'd trust it to be quality
Cheap ARM Linux laptops with all the gamez, GPIO, RJ-45, interfaces and space for 2-3 SSDs plz. And battery that holds 4 days (without gamez). And a choice between amoled and e-ink display options.
Having typed that, I suppose I won't live to see that. Still, something like RPi or OPi, but with 2 M.2 interfaces, would be sufficient to assemble a convenient enough laptop. EDIT: and upgradeable memory
I love to check on crowdsupply what people can make, take a peek at this pc and laptop section:
https://www.crowdsupply.com/laptops-and-pcs
I can't remember the last time I bought a PC. I just incrementally upgrade over the years. I would be disappointed if they came out with a PC that only ran with their flavor though.
Even the Steam Deck isn't locked to their flavor, so I highly doubt a full pc would be.