Valve and Intel Join Forces to Bring SteamOS to Intel-Powered Handhelds
In a significant move for the PC gaming handheld market, Valve and Intel have confirmed they are collaborating to bring official SteamOS support to devices powered by Intel chips. The immediate beneficiary of this partnership is MSI's line of Claw handheld gaming PCs.
Valve's Pierre-Loup Griffais stated that the company is "working closely" with Intel, which has "been doing a lot of hard work on getting the graphics stack up and running."
The first taste of this integration arrives with the SteamOS 3.8 update, which includes "initial firmware for upcoming Intel handhelds." This update also brings controller support for specific MSI Claw models, including the MSI Claw 8 AI Plus.
Early Hands-On Impressions
Initial testing suggests the experience is promising, if still rough around the edges. YouTuber ETA Prime tested a beta of SteamOS 3.8 on the MSI Claw 8 AI Plus and reported that it works "pretty well, for the most part," though he cautioned that it is "not perfect."
Separately, the community is also finding success with the new update. A Reddit user has managed to get SteamOS booted on an Intel Arc B580 desktop GPU, hinting at broader desktop compatibility.
Building Your Own Steam Machine
With the release of SteamOS 3.8, Valve has officially opened the door for users to build their own Steam Machine-like desktops. The updated operating system is now available for general installation, allowing DIY enthusiasts to create a console-like PC experience powered by SteamOS.
The Road Ahead: Panther Lake and Nvidia Support
While the collaboration with Intel is active, a timeline for support on next-generation hardware remains unclear. Intel's Nick Mijuskovic acknowledged that the company does not have "anything to share timeline-wise on SteamOS support" for Intel's upcoming Panther Lake architecture. However, he confirmed that Intel is aware of the demand on the Linux side and is actively working on the Mesa driver in collaboration with Valve.
Intel's Mijuskovic noted the demand on the Linux side, confirming they are "working on the Mesa driver" and collaborating with Valve.
Valve is also not limiting its partnerships to Intel. The company is simultaneously collaborating with Nvidia for SteamOS support, though gamers should not expect that integration anytime soon. According to Griffais, he does not expect Nvidia support to be available this year.