Thinking about getting a mini PC with Linux preinstalled and are a gamer? Instead of getting a regular mini PC, you could snag a Steam Deck, pair it with a dock, and end up with a versatile device that works great as an affordable Linux desktop while doubling as a nifty portable gaming device.
SteamOS Works Like Any Other Linux Distro in Desktop Mode
While everyone talks about Steam Deck's Game Mode, which more or less works as a more versatile Steam Big Picture mode, the good news for anyone who wants to use Steam Deck as a regular Linux PC is that the most popular handheld gaming PC also features Desktop Mode.
SteamOS Desktop Mode is based on the KDE Plasma desktop environment wrapped around an Arch Linux core. This combo works pretty much like regular Arch Linux (with some limitations), with the added benefit of having KDE Plasma preinstalled.
Marcus Mears III/How-To Geek
You can install and use most apps and tools compatible with Arch Linux, all while navigating the OS with a well-designed graphical user interface I, a long-time Windows user, got used to in about half an hour.
You can use preinstalled apps (Firefox browser, Dolphin file manager, Konsole terminal tool, and so on), install additional apps, or replace preinstalled ones via the Discovery store or Konsole, Flathub , Homebrew ( you can install Homebrew on the Steam Deck ), or by downloading supported installation packages from the web.
Steam Deck plays nice with handheld PC docks and USB-C hubs, meaning you can turn it into a tiny Linux desktop workstation in no time. I highly recommend this because, even if you use Bluetooth peripherals, you will be limited by the Deck's sole USB-C port.
Ever since I switched to an ASUS ROG Ally as my primary gaming handheld, I've been using my Steam Deck mostly in Desktop Mode. My dock of choice is the UGREEN 9-in-1 Steam Deck dock .
Aside from fiddling with some monitor-related options (making the external display primary and changing its refresh rate) and adjusting desktop scaling the first time I hooked the Deck up to an external monitor, the Steam Deck docked experience has been pretty much plug-and-play. The said dock has all the ports needed to turn the handheld into a proper desktop machine, including an Ethernet port.
The setup's footprint is similar to a larger mini PC, and I can undock the Deck in a jiff and then dock it back in just as swiftly. While I usually switch from Game to Desktop Mode before docking it, you can make SteamOS boot directly into Desktop Mode if you so desire, practically turning the handheld PC into a full-fledged Linux desktop.
Goran Damnjanovic / How-To Geek
I work as the PC handheld reviewer for another outlet, where I test PC handhelds but also benchmark games on popular PC handhelds. My usual workflow includes benchmarking a game on the Deck along with grabbing in-game screenshots, and then docking the device and switching to Desktop Mode to upload screenshots to the CMS and cobble together initial drafts for said game tests.
I'm writing this piece on my docked Deck, and the overall experience is as snappy as on my high-end gaming desktop (a 5700X3D paired with an RX 9070 XT) and my M4 Mac Mini . I even do some light photo editing (mostly cropping or resizing screenshots) on occasion and can say that the humble handheld has enough horsepower for most productivity workloads.
Goran Damnjanovic / How-To Geek
The Steam Deck can be a great everyday machine for light productivity or general computing. You can even run a media server off it if you want, and use it for everything you'd use a regular Linux PC for. With all that said, though, SteamOS does entail certain limitations compared to most other Linux distros.
You're Not Limited to SteamOS
Arguably, the most pivotal limitation of SteamOS is that it is, unlike most other Linux flavors, immutable . In other words, SteamOS has a read-only file system, the primary purpose of which is to prevent Steam Deck owners from inadvertently nuking the operating system.
This means that any change you make to the system gets rolled back with each system update. This can be pretty annoying if your everyday workflow includes using tools that make changes to the system partition or configuration files or if, for instance, you like to tinker with Hyprland .
A couple of other downsides include the lack of full disk encryption, delayed updates compared to regular distros (e.g., SteamOS gets KDE Plasma updates much later than a regular distro), and limited multi-monitor support (it works fine but has limited options, especially when you connect more than two monitors).
Goran Damnjanovic / How-To Geek
Luckily, you aren't limited to SteamOS. The best SteamOS alternative for Steam Deck owners is Bazzite , a gaming-friendly distribution that comes with full-fledged Game and Desktop modes. Now, Bazzite also has a read-only file system, but since it uses an overlay file system, you can make changes to the system that won't disappear after a reboot or system update.
Another advantage of Bazzite is that it comes with full disk encryption, available as an option during setup. Bazzite also works better with multi-monitor configurations made of more than two displays than SteamOS, and offers a choice between KDE Plasma and GNOME desktop environments.
While Bazzite is more than a decent SteamOS replacement , I don't recommend daily driving it on a Steam Deck unless you really need some of the features it offers that aren't available on SteamOS, since the latter is built from the ground up for Steam Deck.
Note that Valve's handheld PC can work with other distros ( like Linux Mint, for instance ), but they entail various limitations compared to using them on a regular PC. Also, installing most Linux distros on a Steam Deck can be quite a challenge. Lastly, opting for a popular Linux flavor will usually result in losing access to Game Mode, unless you opt for a gaming-focused distro that includes Game Mode (Bazzite or ChimeraOS, for example).
If a traditional, mutable Linux distro is a must for you, just get a regular mini PC and install Linux on it (there's a diverse lineup of distros that work great with mini PCs) or opt for a mini PC that comes preinstalled with Linux.
Steam Deck's Great for People Who Want a Linux Mini PC for Work and Gaming
I wholeheartedly recommend the Steam Deck to anyone looking for a Linux mini PC who's a gamer and would regularly use said Steam Deck in handheld form.
Tim Brookes / How-To Geek
Honestly, it's a great mixed-use PC that excels as a versatile machine you can take with you anywhere you go, or dock in a jiff and use as a desktop. It's compact, comes with a well-made carrying case, and can be used as a desktop PC by pairing it with a relatively inexpensive dock.
On the flip side, if you're someone who doesn't play games on a regular basis and are looking for a Linux mini PC to use for work and entertainment that excludes gaming, get a regular Linux mini PC instead. But if you're a gamer and can appreciate Steam Deck's versatility, knock yourself out.
Valve's Handheld is as Affordable as a Regular Linux Mini PC
Starting at $399 for the 256GB LCD model (even lower if you don't turn up your nose at a refurbished unit), Valve's handheld PC is more affordable than many mini PCs that come with Linux preinstalled. Even when you add the $50 or so you'll spend on a dock, a Steam Deck will set you back less than a similarly powerful Linux mini PC.
For the price, you get a quite capable (for a mini PC) four-core Zen 2 CPU, more than a decent RDNA 2-based iGPU , 16GB of LPDDR5 memory, and 256GB of storage, which you can easily expand with a microSD card . You can even replace the internal SSD , which is a reasonably straightforward procedure.
Its biggest advantage over regular mini PCs is that it is a full-fledged PC in a handheld form factor, making it more portable than any mini PC on the market. Its 7-inch screen is large enough to use the device in Desktop Mode only with Bluetooth peripherals, like you'd use a regular PC, even without a dock. Get a handheld dock, and you can turn it into a regular desktop PC you can undock in a second and play your favorite games anywhere you want.
On the flip side, SteamOS is an immutable Linux flavor and doesn't support full disk encryption, two drawbacks that can be deal-breakers for advanced users but shouldn't be an issue for anyone looking for an everyday mini PC they can also use for gaming on the go.
At the end of the day, the Steam Deck can be a fantastic, affordable Linux mini PC for gamers looking for a device they can game on and use docked as a proper desktop replacement, or someone who often travels and is looking for a gaming handheld they can also get some work done on.
But Valve's handheld PC simply isn't suited for non-gamers. Sure, it's versatile, compact, and portable, but if you won't play games on it, just get a regular Linux mini PC instead.
