SteamOS Successfully Runs on ROG Ally

Valve’s SteamOS will soon be officially released for use on third-party devices. However, technology commentator and YouTuber The Phawx managed to run SteamOS on the ASUS ROG Ally without waiting for the official release. During this test, the strengths and shortcomings of the current version of the operating system were revealed. SteamOS, which has not yet been fully optimized, cannot fully utilize all the hardware features of the ROG Ally.

SteamOS Performance and Shortcomings

According to the test results, SteamOS runs quite well on the ROG Ally. However, some shortcomings are noticeable. For example, the dedicated hardware buttons on the device are currently non-functional. In addition, since TDP (thermal design power) control is not performed, energy consumption cannot be optimized in some games. This situation causes 3D games, especially Sonic, to run at a high power consumption of 20W.

In comparisons with Valve’s own device, the Steam Deck, it was found that the Steam Deck performed better in optimized games. For example, in games like Cyberpunk 2077, the Steam Deck delivered higher frame rates than the ROG Ally. This is attributed to Valve’s special optimizations for the Steam Deck.

During the test, the performance differences between the ROG Ally and the Steam Deck were measured in certain games. Both devices were powered by 15W, and the following results were obtained:

These results show the potential of SteamOS on ROG Ally, but better optimization is expected with the official release of the software.

Although the official release has not yet been released, SteamOS is expected to receive updates to provide higher performance on devices like ROG Ally. In particular, fixing the deficiencies in hardware compatibility and energy management could allow this operating system to be used more effectively on third-party devices.

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