SteamOS has had a big impact on the gaming handheld market, and today, not only non-Steam Deck handheld owners but also desktop gamers want a convenient and easy-to-use gaming-focused OS rather than, well, Windows. Fortunately, we know that SteamOS won’t be exclusive to the Steam Deck anymore, and the first non-Valve SteamOS handheld will soon arrive – SteamOS Lenovo Legion Go S pre-orders are now live.

Apart from companies like ASUS, Lenovo, and MSI, which are already in this space, we might also see a few new players enter the scene. This comes from an interview with Josephine Tan, SVP and Division President of Gaming Solutions at HP, who suggests that HP is also interested in making a gaming handheld running SteamOS. Thanks to Valve adding the “beginnings of support for non-Steam Deck handhelds,” that will now be possible. Tan says that they “struggle with the experience” of Windows.

Valve isn’t the only one with big plans

While SteamOS is undoubtedly a fan favorite among gamers, it's not the only solution we have. Earlier this year, Microsoft announced plans to combine “the best of Xbox and Windows together” for handheld gaming devices, and we recently caught a glimpse of what it could look like. According to an accidental leak, Microsoft, along with its Xbox-branded handheld device, is working on a new UI to potentially replicate the level of convenience SteamOS offers.

“User experience is super important. That’s the number one thing we consider when we enter the market. The second thing we always ask ourselves is, how do we differentiate? I don’t want to be a system integrator and just put things together. Anybody can do that.”

HP’s Josephine Tan to XDA developers

So, more companies are now working on alternatives to not just Windows but also SteamOS, and HP also seems to have similar plans. In fact, Tan says that they don’t want to be a “system integrator and just put things together” and instead wants to create something that sets HP apart from the market. This means that we might see HP come up with an entirely new ecosystem of its own with features like OMEN AI or the ability to seamlessly connect an HP peripheral to your HP PC.

Companies are shifting their focus to software

Over the years, we have seen several key players introduce strong alternatives to the Steam Deck, like the Lenovo Legion Go. However, these have all been shipped with Windows. But with Valve bringing SteamOS to any device, companies are starting to recognize the need for an OS that, as Tan put it, “provides a very simple setup, and the minute I turn on my handheld, it will remember the last game I played.”

That said, for desktop gamers, Windows still remains a necessary option. While Valve plans to release SteamOS more widely, a shift toward gaming-focused OS on desktops is not going to happen overnight, despite gamers showing resistance to switching to Windows 11.

About the Author

Hassam Nasir

Hassam boasts over seven years of professional experience as a dedicated PC hardware reviewer and writer.