Handheld gaming has always been full of compromises, most of them because of the limited power of devices. In other words, games will not be as good on a PSP as they would on a PlayStation 4. However, Valve’s Steam Deck is changing perceptions, even if it is not selling like hotcakes right now. Furthermore, SteamOS 3.0 is finding its way onto other handhelds, such as the One Xplayer.
At the moment, the One Xplayer is a handheld PC for gaming that currently runs Windows 11. However, with SteamOS showing promise, the company says it could switch the One Xplayer to Valve’s platform instead.
Before getting into the details, there is a slight irony here because last month Valve introduced the ability to run Windows 10 on the Steam Deck.
Even so, One Xplayer VP Jason Zeng says the company may start looking away from Windows. At the moment, the gaming handheld PC uses Windows 11. This makes sense because Windows is the default platform for PC gaming.
Changing Ideas
However, SteamOS is slowly becoming a viable alternative, especially for a nascent market like handheld PCs. Speaking to WePC, Zeng says One Xplayer is already developing a version of the device that will ship with SteamOS or Linux on board.
He also welcomed Steam Deck as a rival, but also called the device “influential.”
‘Steam Deck is a very influential product that has managed to leverage its accumulated assets and bring [the] public’s attention to the field of portable gaming. We sincerely congratulate Steam Deck for its achievements, and will keep working on our competitive edges.’
Microsoft is probably not worried about a device that likely sells thousands of units at best each year, especially when Valve is clearly eager to work with the company on its devices and Steam.
Tip of the day: For the most part, Windows apps are stable, but they can still be still thrown out of whack by updates or configuration issues. Many boot their PC to find their Microsoft Store isn’t working or their Windows apps aren’t opening. Luckily Windows 11 and Windows 10 have an automatic repair feature for apps that can resolve such issues.
