Android handhelds become compact Steam Decks thanks to the Frame's SteamOS on Arm support

With the release of Valve's Steam Frame all-in-one VR headset, with its Arm-based Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor and native version of SteamOS, modders are now using this as a baseline to bring the popular handheld operating system to more portable devices.

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Android-based devices from AYN, AYANEO, Retroid, and more all feature similar Qualcomm processors, and with that, ROCKNIX is bringing Steam and even Windows game support to its Linux distribution for handhelds. This includes AYN's popular Odin 2 and Thor handhelds, the AYANEO Pocket series, and the Retroid Pocket 5 and 6. With ROCKNIX, users can transform their compact gaming handhelds into mini Steam Decks.

As Retro Handhelds spotted, the latest ROCKNIX update adds support for "native Linux games as well as Windows games through Proton," Valve's translation layer for SteamOS. With Valve's compatibility layer, Proton 11.0, ported to Arm, this opens the door to x86-on-Arm gaming on par with the Steam Frame.

Because this feature is still in active development, it's only available in nightly builds; expect bugs and regular fixes as it evolves.

Story Q&A

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From TweakTown's coverage of this story.

How does Steam game performance on ROCKNIX-powered Snapdragon handhelds compare with the Steam Frame?

There are no measured Steam game performance results comparing ROCKNIX-powered Snapdragon handhelds with the Steam Frame. ROCKNIX's Arm port of Proton 11.0 enables x86-on-Arm gaming on par with the Frame in terms of compatibility, and PC games on these handhelds could offer a similar experience. The feature remains in nightly builds and has bugs, including an inaccessible Steam menu while a game is running.

Which Steam games have been confirmed to run through Proton on ROCKNIX handhelds?

No specific Steam games are confirmed by name to run through Proton on ROCKNIX handhelds. ROCKNIX nightly builds add Windows game support through Proton 11.0 on Arm, but the story does not identify any tested titles.

What steps are needed to install ROCKNIX and enable Steam on an AYN Odin 2 or Retroid Pocket 6?

Use a ROCKNIX nightly build for the AYN Odin 2 or Retroid Pocket 6, since Steam support is currently available only in nightly builds. Once ROCKNIX is running, select "Install Steam" from its menu. The steps for installing ROCKNIX itself on either handheld are not specified.

How do ROCKNIX's renderer options affect game performance on Qualcomm-powered handhelds?

ROCKNIX lets users switch between renderers, but no performance difference between those options is reported. The story only suggests that PC games on Qualcomm-powered handhelds could offer an experience similar to the Steam Frame; it does not tie that possibility to a particular renderer.

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One notable bug is the inability to access the Steam menu while in a game, which means you need to fully exit both the game and Steam before loading the next title. The installation process is straightforward, with a simple "Install Steam" option in the ROCKNIX menu. Users can also switch between different renderers, and based on how far GPU performance has progressed on mobile chips, running PC games on Qualcomm-powered handhelds could offer a similar experience to running the same games on a Steam Frame.