SteamOS 3.8 adds initial support for Steam Machine hardware

Valve has released SteamOS 3.8, its Arch-based Linux distribution for the Steam Deck, Steam Machine, and Steam Frame. The update brings "initial support" for the upcoming Steam Machine and adds the ability to wake a SteamOS device from sleep with a connected Steam Controller.

The patch notes do not mention the Steam Frame. Desktop mode now defaults to Wayland instead of X11, a change that Valve says addresses several instances of reduced performance in Desktop Mode compared with Game Mode. Moving to Wayland also improves scaling on TVs and adds support for external HDR and variable refresh rate (VRR) displays.

The release includes new BIOSes for both LCD and OLED Decks: the LCD BIOS adds preliminary hibernation support, while the OLED BIOS makes the charging LED respect the device's configured charge limit (for example, showing fully charged at an 80% limit).

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