en.Wedoany.com Reported - Valve has released official Windows drivers for the Steam Machine, meaning users can now install Windows 11 on this compact PC. However, this choice has sparked questions among PC gamers.

Windows 11 suffers from an increasing number of bugs and performance issues, while also including numerous AI features that gamers do not need. Installing it on a device designed for a lightweight Linux system is seen as a puzzling decision. The Steam Machine is equipped with underpowered hardware, lacking a dedicated GPU and featuring only integrated graphics based on older AMD technology, along with 16GB of single-channel DDR5 memory—specs that are poor for a gaming PC. SteamOS, the default operating system, is streamlined to prioritize gaming performance; in contrast, Windows 11, being a larger operating system, typically performs worse on such hardware.

After installing Windows 11, users may face performance degradation. The interface of Windows 11 is not designed for TV and controller scenarios, differing from SteamOS's Big Picture mode. Although Valve has not yet implemented dual-boot functionality, Windows 11 remains more user-friendly than SteamOS for some users. If users intend to use the Steam Machine as a standard PC, installing Windows 11 makes some sense.

SteamOS is essentially a Linux system with the Steam store as its interface, making it convenient for playing and purchasing games through the Steam platform, but using other stores like Epic Games Store, GOG, or Xbox is more cumbersome. Additionally, many online multiplayer games use anti-cheat software that does not support Linux, potentially requiring users to have Windows 11 to run these games.

According to reports, since dual-boot is currently not possible, installing Windows 11 will overwrite SteamOS, and the recovery process is complex. Valve has a poor reputation for Windows driver support, with the Steam Deck being a typical example; some comments note that users still rely on two-year-old graphics and audio drivers. Running games with outdated drivers results in a poor experience. However, Valve continues to update the Proton compatibility layer, allowing many games to no longer depend on Windows 11. Proton enables Windows games to run on Linux, reducing the necessity of installing Windows 11.