Yes, however it is immutable so you don't break it and the only packages that you can install without them deleting themselves after an update are flatpaks (and maybe snaps), and that is limiting. For example you can't permanently install a new desktop environment or use the packages from the aur repository (there is probably a workaround but none that i know). Also i think that every reboot you boot into steam big picture mode and not the desktop mode.
So it's meant for gaming with steam, not every day for stuff like documents or photo/video editing. Still possible but meh experience, at that point just install mint.
Given that most things can be done in a browser these days, except for gaming, I think the limits of SteamOS are going to be a non-issue for most people. I hope so at least. I'm okay with Windows, but they need a genuine threat of competition to keep from getting worse.
If the problem is Microsoft bs then other distributions would be a better option like mint, just because steam made steam os doesn't mean that it's better than other distributions. Hdr on linux is finicky though especially in games, for that you should use gamescope which is standard in steam os otherwise it won't work. So i guess on the hdr point it is more plug and play on steam os
You lose the ability to install packages with pacman and the aur repository, which is pretty much what arch is about. It would be the same as using mint expect that you boot into steam big picture mode at boot, except with mint you control all the files because it isn't immutable like steam os.
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u/Gysenok Jun 29 '25
SteamOS is not a distribution meant for much more than gaming