Sounds like a good strategy. I don’t know all the details, but from the way I understand it, your Linux build would be run by Steam in a Linux container, Steam Runtime. So build and test against that if you can. If I have it right, maybe the Steam Runtime container will give you more confidence if you are able to go with a Linux build.

edit: If you sell your game through Steam.

LOL

Still nothing.

No. I responded to your statement that ‘They are going to write the Linux driver and say, “put this in your handheld.”’ So we’re talking only about Linux development.

Because the driver is for Linux? What a stretch. “the big laptop manufacturers” aren’t going to suddenly drop their expectations just because of “Linux Development”. How laughable. You have nothing. If you really believe that, you better send AMD an email, let them know how Linux development “actually” works. AMD is doing too much and needs to stop helping Valve, Asus, and Lenovo. Clearly the PC(Windows) heavy weights are setting the bar too high for all these “1 off ARM” device vendors.

LOL

Nice, you got nothing.

The industry is more than just Intel and Intel are an outlier with respect to Linux kernel development.

Intel is not an outlier with respect to PCs. Which we are talking about. Specifically, “the big laptop manufacturers”, who are PC manufacturers. These are the manufacturers who are making the overwhelming majority of these Handhelds. Again, not some 1 off ARM vendor.

They already do: https://gitlab.com/evlaV/linux-integration https://gitlab.com/evlaV/linux-integration/activity

Again, you got nothing. All you have left is disingenuous links. Valve works from a fork, like everybody else. You know good and well, Google is doing something very different with their Android Kernel. https://web.git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/log/?qt=grep&q=Valve Valve, and all their contractors work to mainline their additions/changes to Valves fork. I can build a recent Linux kernel from the mainline and use it to boot my Steam Deck.

I’m shocked that this is news for you but, it’s not just Intel who works off their own forks of the different Windows kernels. We get our drivers certified with WHQL and then hand them off to the OEMs who use our IP for release with their devices. In parallel work is done with Microsoft engineers to inbox the drivers. Valve is doing nothing different. Valve does the exact same thing with their fork of Linux. There is no reason to expect anything different out of Valve, Intel, or any other company or individual.

No offence mate but you’re talking bollocks. You clearly don’t know anything about Linux development.

Scuttle the argument how you like. You have nothing so it’s to be expected. We are clearly talking about OP’s claim, which is for the PC industry. Not Linux development. “the big laptop manufacturers”, remember? You can go around and talk about all the “1 off ARM vendors” out there and how poor their practices are and how little they offer; knock yourself out. OP specifically said, “the big laptop manufacturers”. I outline why he is correct in his claim from my direct industry experience. These laptop manufacturers are going to expect the same white glove treatment working with SteamOS as they do for Windows. The exact same treatment AMD did for Valve.

Sounds like you have zero experience with the PC industry and zero experience with even one of “the big laptop manufacturers”.

LOL your experience in Windows driver land is in no way transferrable to Linux driver land.

My experience at Intel with drivers is directly transferable. Intel sells the whole product. That’s why an OEM would choose Intel IP. It’s a core part of the sales strategy at Intel, not Just PC, Servers too (even Linux servers). Especially to the smaller OEMs who don’t have huge engineering teams. Name a server technology or Server component that didn’t get mainlined or inbox’d of Intel’s? Again, core to the sales strategy.

You mean for PCs running Windows.

Yes.

Which is not what we’re talking about.

Yes we are, “At the very least, the big laptop manufacturers”. Lenovo, Asus, and MSI are PC OEMs that make Windows PCs. Laptops, Desktop, Workstations, and now Handheld PCs. Right now PC is dominated by Windows. If the SteamOS version of the Lenovo handhelds are a clear winner, other Windows PC OEMs will follow. They, the big laptop manufacturers, will bring their expectations with them. Just as AMD mainlined into Linux the drivers they did for their components in the Steam Deck, Intel will too. And that brings us back to, “the big laptop manufacturers making Linux handhelds means just from a cost cutting and resource perspective, there’s a good chance laptop and desktop hardware support improves even further just because they reuse parts across devices.” If, the big laptop manufacturers, want the SteamOS name and branding, they will have to mainline and that means selecting IP that has or will have mainline drivers. Valve will not want to go the Google route and maintain a separate Linux Kernel.

Windows PC manufacturers, not 1 off ARM vendors.

How many pink 50’s did you accept?

I can’t imagine why you would expect drivers to be mainlined by a vendor.

Because I was a Windows kernel developer for Intel. It was standard practice for us to give our reference drivers to the OEMs to deploy with their devices, while we worked with Microsoft to inbox the reference drivers. This was part of the value of the Intel IP.

That’s not the norm.

It is the Norm for PCs. And we are talking about, “Laptop manufacturers making handhelds, leading to cost cutting from a resource perspective.” We aren’t talking about ARM vendors making 1 off devices.

Sucks to be you if you are accepting fake money.

I should clarify. I’m speaking from the perspective of the IP owner who writes the driver and manufacturer who puts together all the components. And I’m sure the drivers would get mainlined. That’s what Intel does now. They inbox their Windows driver with MSFT and mainline their Linux driver with the Kernel.

there’s a good chance laptop and desktop hardware support improves even further just because they reuse parts across devices.

100% agree.

This is how Linux has caught-up-ish with respect to hardware in the first place. The BSOD from all the crappy drivers in Windows forced MSFT to create WHQL. Then MSFT charged for certification. Then OEMs started licensing IP that already had the certification instead of writing their own drivers for less well know IP. Someone writes a Linux driver for a certain IP and now a ton of systems are further supported.

These companies are definitely going to reuse IP across all their devices. Companies selling IP will want to sell their IP in as many markets as possible. They are going to write the Linux driver and say, “put this in your handheld.”

I’m sure all the fake money spend well in the real world.

larping doesn’t count.

Pics or it didn’t happen.

Give it a go and see how random you look.

That’s actually the face your Insurance company make when their claim adjuster reviews the Tesla ‘Sentry Mode’ footage.

I think that’s what Valve is doing. Valve said the OLED was the actual device they wanted to build in the first place. They could further iterate on the OLED but, as far as I have heard, everybody is really happy with that device. Valve also said there wouldn’t be a Steam Deck 2 until there is a significant leap in performance that matches the same power profile. I’m guessing that means 2027 but really that could be 2028 or 2029 with the way things are going. If things get pushed out to 2028 or 2029, I definitely think an OLED refresh could be on order. I still have the LCD and I’m not really in a rush to replace it. Really, for me a Steam Deck 2 would be a nice to have right now.

What I think Valve is actually working on right now is a Steam console. I wouldn’t hesitate to buy one of those. I use my Steam Deck as console all the time. It’s great, but it would be great to have a console that’s unconstrained by the power profile required for the hand held. I’ll probably just build my own console and throw Bazzite on there, but still I’d rather just buy the Steam Console.

I’ve not had any issues with the WIFI. At least nothing that would have bothered me. I’ve taken the deck with me riding around the U.S. and Mexico for a couple years on my motorcycle. I’ve definitely connected to a lot of different WIFI’s. Everything seems normal.

You can set your Steam Deck up to stream the PS5 with Chiaki (https://git.sr.ht/~thestr4ng3r/chiaki). Pretty cool feature for when the TV is in use.

Good call. I still have mine from 2022. I payed the 5 bucks to pre-order on the first day. I really just thought I was at least putting money into Linux and showing interest. I wasn’t expecting much but, shocked at how good the Steam Deck actually was. Valve really stepped up and turned a decent handheld (that I would still be using today in the state it was released in), into really well done polished device. The LCD is even getting Wake-on-BT in the next Steam OS 3.7 release. I tried the preview, it works great. In a couple years when the Steam Deck 2 releases, if I’m still playing older titles, I’ll probably just wait for the first sale to buy. You can’t go wrong with a Steam Deck. It’ll change the way you play games.

I’m in the same boat. Just buy games. Don’t care if it’s supported by Proton. If it’s not now, it will be soon. That’s how I feel. So far, everything I’ve bought has worked flawlessly.

When the new CosmicDE gets to stable, I’m 100% switching.