Valve today (12 November 2025) announced their new Steam Machine (x86 CPU, 6x more powerful than Steam Deck) and Steam Frame (self-contained and PCVR streaming VR headset with ARM CPU & “FEX” translation of x86 to ARM) to be released in early 2026. No prices yet.
I’m trying to speculate what effects this will have on the wider Linux ecosystem. Both devices will be running Steam OS and be open so you can run any OS.
First, I’ve read many people state that the Steam Deck considerably increased the number of devices running Linux, so it seems to me that these two new devices will accelerate that trend.
Second, it seems to me that the Steam Frame will significantly increase VR use and development for Linux.
Third, I wonder what the implications of Frame’s x86 to arm translation layer (based on FEX, an open source project that I only learned about today) as well as Android compatibility (they state it can sideload Android APKs) will be. Could this somehow help either Linux on Apple silicon or Linux phone efforts? I’m very unfamiliar with what’s going on with either of these efforts, so I may be way out on a limb here.
What do you think about all this?
Edit: this article may prompt some additional thoughts with its discussion of the openness of the Frame - https://www.uploadvr.com/valve-steam-frame-catalog-whole-compatible/
They’re releasing an SDK, which most likely will include a linux compatibility. Windowing desktops may not be the right starting point for a VR desktop, but hopefully some of the teams will grab the developers kit and consideration VR centric ways of working with applications.
Not sure you’re getting it…
SteamOS runs KDE desktop. Frame will also have KDE Desktop, be use it’s just running the ARM build of the same SteamOS that will be on all of these devices.
Making a VR-reaey compositor display for this is fairly simple after this point, you just need to hook all the sensors into camera movement for the screen, and that screen can show many composite views…like the desktop, or a media screen, or the Steam Library.
It’s a basic function of VDD. It will definitely be in there.