Make a requirements list before a performance comparison
| Requirement | Evidence to collect | What would change the decision |
|---|---|---|
| Favorite multiplayer mode | Developer support for that game’s anti-cheat on the intended OS | A required mode is unsupported |
| Non-game application | Publisher requirements for the exact application | No supported native or acceptable alternative workflow |
| Device functions | OEM support for the exact model and OS edition | Missing essential driver or recovery support |
| Progress across devices | Developer save-format and Cloud integration details | The needed progress does not transfer |
| Living-room controls | Launcher, menus and game input behavior | A required keyboard step defeats the intended setup |
This is an editorial decision worksheet, not a benchmark. Mark each requirement essential, optional or unknown. One unresolved essential requirement matters more than ten optional conveniences.
What Proton changes—and what it does not
Proton is a compatibility layer for Windows games on Linux. Valve documents support for Easy Anti-Cheat and BattlEye, but their integration still requires game-specific developer action. The presence of one of those products does not establish that every game using it works. Steam Hardware and Proton ↗
Do not alter anti-cheat files or follow bypass advice. Check the game developer’s support statement for the mode you actually intend to play. See device-specific compatibility for how official ratings fit this evidence.
Do not confuse Steam, SteamOS and a supported installation
Steam is the client and platform; SteamOS is an operating system. A Windows PC running Steam is not running SteamOS. Likewise, a community SteamOS installation is not automatically an OEM-supported configuration.
Valve lists SteamOS 3 and KDE Plasma for Deck OLED. That tells you what ships on that device, not which recovery image belongs on another manufacturer’s handheld. Valve: Steam Deck OLED specifications ↗ Use the software and channel guide before treating a patch-note hardware mention as a support promise.
Compare the same task on the same basis
If performance will decide the choice, compare the same game build, resolution, settings, power conditions and workload. Keep a locally rendered game separate from a stream whose host does the rendering. No such comparison was performed here.
Example: if your essential game mode has unresolved support on one OS, resolve that before shopping for a faster accessory. If the only concern is playing on a television, a supported streaming arrangement may answer a different question without replacing an operating system.
An OS change is not a harmless compatibility test
Before considering installation or recovery, identify the exact device, supported image, recovery route and independent backup of valuable files. This guide contains no installation, partitioning or dual-boot instructions.
A Cloud badge is not a whole-device backup. Read what Steam Cloud does and does not preserve. If your requirements remain uncertain, keep them unresolved instead of treating an irreversible change as the first diagnostic step.
Sources & review
Prepared with AI assistance under the Steam Updates Editorial Desk role. Supplied research synthesized with official documentation. No hardware, account, network or Workshop-item test was performed. Account-specific outcomes remain with Steam Support. Our methodology explains the limits.
Published 12 September 2026 · Published revision 12 September 2026 — First public edition. View editorial revisions.