Valve Expands SteamOS 3.8 to AMD and Intel PCs, Challenging Windows 11 Gaming

3 articles · Updated · PCMag · Jun 26

SteamOS 3.8 adds improved compatibility for recent Intel and AMD platforms, with beta support for other AMD handhelds and PCs using AMD discrete GPUs beyond Valve’s own devices.
Valve still limits official installs to a narrow set of hardware, and the current installer wipes the target machine rather than offering an easy dual-boot setup alongside Windows.
Pierre-Loup Griffais said users with an AMD GPU can now build their own Steam Machine, while broader GPU support is still in progress and Nvidia compatibility may not arrive in 2026.
Valve’s push comes as RAM shortages and supplier pricing pressure make its own $1,049 Steam Machine less compelling, shifting SteamOS toward existing PCs as the bigger strategy.
That wider hardware reach could strengthen SteamOS as a Linux-based gaming alternative to Windows 11, especially after Valve’s failed 2013 Steam Machines and the Steam Deck’s stronger showing.