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SteamOS

After a chunk of time in the preview branch, the new SteamOS updates are finally moving into the beta branch, inching closer to a full stable release. SteamOS 3.7.5 Beta features tons of great improvements, including updating the Linux kernel and graphics driver, support for new controllers like the Proteus Byowave, battery level display for Bluetooth devices, and support for frame limiting on VRR displays.

We also got the start of support for ASUS and Lenovo handhelds, as well as starting to support other non-Steam Deck handhelds. Specifically, the VRR display, power button, and input support for ASUS and Lenovo handhelds have been improved, which is great.

You can download the update yourself in the System Settings on the Steam Deck. Make sure your update channel is set to Beta.

SteamOS 3.7.5 Beta Changelog:

General

  • Updated to a newer Arch Linux base
  • Updated the Linux kernel to 6.11
  • Updated the Mesa graphics driver base
  • Desktop mode now ships with Plasma 6.2.5
  • Beginnings of support for non-Steam Deck handhelds
  • Added support for frame limiting with VRR displays (internal and external)
  • Fixed a crash when no displays are connected
  • Added support for the power button on Asus and Lenovo handhelds
  • Improved input support for Asus and Lenovo handhelds

Controllers and Input

  • Add support for the Proteus Byowave controller
  • Fixed an issue where Switch Pro Controller gyros might not work on first connection
  • Fixed an issue with stuck/hanging controller inputs when exiting Steam

Bluetooth

  • Fixed Bluetooth devices still being able to wake the Steam Deck from suspend, even when Bluetooth was disabled from Desktop mode
  • Enable HFP/HSP profiles, to allow using the integrated microphone from headsets and earbuds
    • Currently only available to select in Desktop mode
  • Added battery level display for supported Bluetooth devices
  • Include a bugfix for the Airpods when using the AAC codec
  • Bluetooth controllers can now wake LCD units from sleep, previously only available on OLED models
    • Known issue: Bluetooth LE based controllers are not currently compatible with bluetooth wake on LCD models

Steam Deck Dock

  • Made compatibility improvements for certain displays including TCL FireTV models and Dell VRR capable monitors

Graphics and Performance

  • Enabled AMD P-State CPU frequency control
  • Fixed a performance regression for No Rest for the Wicked

Desktop

  • Updated to Plasma 6.2.5 (previously 5.27.10) - see the big changes in Plasma 6 here
  • Surround sound now works correctly
    • Enabling the setting is currently only available via Desktop mode
  • KDE Filelight is now installed by default for disk usage visualization and low disk space notifications
  • Speed and robustness improvements when switching between desktop and game mode
    • Fixed a common cause of hangs when switching to desktop mode
    • Fixed some cases where Steam could take up to ninety seconds to exit on shutdown or switch to desktop
  • Added 'gocryptfs' support to desktop session to enable use of the Plasma Vaults feature

Misc

  • Fixed some cases where "filter-chain" or other virtual sound devices would erroneously appear in the UI
  • Fixed cases where applying system updates could fail if certain configuration files were corrupted or malformed
  • Various enhancements to System Report functionality for support and troubleshooting
  • Fixed compatibility issue with certain DNS servers causing very slow domain lookups
  • Improved responsiveness of system when running into out-of-memory crash situations
  • Enabled IPv6 Privacy Extensions by default
  • Fixed a bootloader crash on certain non-Steam Deck devices, including qemu-based virtual machines

Known Issues

  • Super NES controllers can erroneously show up as connected when they are not

Developer

  • Updated to a 6.11 based kernel
  • Added debuginfod URLs for SteamOS
  • Added systemd .socket units to the default list of /etc files preserved across updates
  • When running in a VM, system will now default to the desktop session
  • Swap file setup now uses standard 'mkswap' functionality instead of shipping an ad-hoc 'mkswapfile' script
  • The steamos-readonly command now warns that the status might not be accurate when sysexts are loaded
  • Fixed a case that could introduce duplicate boot entries for devices manually setup to dual-boot
  • The pacman cache is now cleaned after applying a SteamOS update
    • Fixes stale cache errors working with pacman after switching branches

If you enjoyed this article, check out the rest of the content on SteamDeckHQ! We have a wide variety of game reviews and news that will help your gaming experience. Whether you're looking for news, tips and tutorials, game settings and reviews, or just want to stay up-to-date on the latest trends, we've got you covered!

Noah Kupetsky
A lover of gaming since 4, Noah has grown up with a love and passion for the industry. From there, he started to travel a lot and develop a joy for handheld and PC gaming. When the Steam Deck released, it just all clicked.
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