Valve’s console is much more flexible than Nintendo’s in terms of possibilities; In the end, it’s more of a gaming laptop than a classic portable console. Not only does it provide access to our Steam library, but it also allows you to install different programs, browse, etc.
Installing Windows is possible, but not easy
In the tech world, many fans have questions. Typically, the biggest question is: will “x” work on this or that device? This question led us to see DOOM run in pregnancy tests, printers, food processors, in Minecraft, and a whole number of places.
The Valve console uses the SteamOS operating systemwhich is a Linux distribution personalized by the company. Although this operating system has been available for years, it was relatively little known beyond tech-loving geeks. It’s a great and very interesting operating system, but it’s still based on Linux, so it’s not for everyone.
Although this OS is great, someone said, “I’m going to install Windows on this console.” It achieved this, because as we mentioned, it’s still a super compressed and compacted laptop.
You might think that installing Windows 11 is something simple, just like doing it on your computer, but nothing like this. This is a slow and tedious process that requires advanced computer and Linux knowledge.
Below we leave you the specifications of the two variants of the Steam Deck available, so you can see that it is 100% compatible with Windows:
| Steam Deck LCD 64 GB | Steam Deck LCD 256 GB | Steam Deck LCD 512 GB | Steam Deck OLED 512 GB | Steam Deck OLED 1TB | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | 7nm AMD APU CPU 4 cores / 8 threads Zen 2 8-core RDNA 2 GPU |
7nm AMD APU CPU 4 cores / 8 threads Zen 2 8-core RDNA 2 GPU |
7nm AMD APU CPU 4 cores / 8 threads Zen 2 8-core RDNA 2 GPU |
6nm AMD APU CPU 4 cores / 8 threads Zen 2 8-core RDNA 2 GPU |
6nm AMD APU CPU 4 cores / 8 threads Zen 2 8-core RDNA 2 GPU |
| RAM memory | 16 GB LPDDR5 | 16 GB LPDDR5 | 16 GB LPDDR5 | 16 GB LPDDR5 | 16 GB LPDDR5 |
| Storage | eMMC 64 GB | 256GB NVMe SSD | 512GB NVMe SSD | 512GB NVMe SSD | 1TB NVMe SSD |
| Screen | 7 inch LCD screen | 7 inch LCD screen | 7 inch LCD screen | 7.4-inch OLED | 7.4-inch OLED with anti-glare glass |
| Resolution | 1280 × 800 pixels | 1280 × 800 pixels | 1280 × 800 pixels | 1280 × 800 pixels | 1280 × 800 pixels |
| HDR | No | No | No | Yeah | Yeah |
| Wireless connectivity | Wi-Fi 5 | Wi-Fi 5 | Wi-Fi 5 | Wi-Fi 6E | Wi-Fi 6E |
| Battery | 40 Wh | 40 Wh | 40 Wh | 50 Wh | 50 Wh |
| Autonomy | 2 to 8 hours depending on the game | 2 to 8 hours depending on the game | 2 to 8 hours depending on the game | 3 to 12 hours depending on the game | 3 to 12 hours depending on the game |
| PVPR | $369 | $419 | $469 | $569 | $679 |
Resources required to install Windows
We’re not going to walk you through it, we’re just going to tell you some of the things you’ll need to install Windows 11. As you’ll see, some are simple, but others are a little more advanced.
Components
You’re going to need it USB memory or one SD card to save programs and Windows ISO. You should know that the USB memory must be USB-C type otherwise you will need an adapter. Regarding the SD card, it must be SD UHS-I type or higher, since it must offer good transfer speeds.
Ventoy
This is a program that allows you to boot different ISOs from an external storage drive without the need for formatting. Note that Ventoy is quite simple to use software, enjoying great popularity among gadget lovers.
GNOME Partition Editor
Here things get a little complicated. We are going to need a software called GParted, which is ISO type, to create the necessary partitions on the Valve console SSD. You can download it from here.
Windows 11 ISO
A fairly simple step, since we can download it without problem from the Microsoft website. We remind you that you can install Windows 11 for free on any computer, however, some functions are not available.
Drivers
This is another simple step, since the drivers are public on Steam. Just go to the site and download them. Here we are told that installing Windows requires removing SteamOS since dual boot is not currently available. It’s possible, but it’s a complicated process.
Problems you might encounter
Now let’s see the most recurring problems that arise when installing Windows 11 on the Valve console. These issues can be frustrating and complicated to resolve, which is why we do not recommend installing the Microsoft operating system.
Won’t start or black screen
A fairly common problem that has no clear origin. It can be generated because we have other devices physically via USB on our portable console. This can also happen because the ISO was not loaded correctly or Ventoy was not installed correctly.
Windows error 0x80300001
This error is related to partitions, especially because they were not given the correct format or it is an unassigned blank partition.
Driver installation issues
This is another fairly common problem that usually occurs due to connecting other devices. To complete the installation, we will need, at a minimum, a keyboard since the console commands are temporarily unusable. Here we should just remove all devices.
SteamOS disappeared from Startup Manager
As we mentioned, Valve states on the Steam page where the console drivers are located that it does not support dual booting. Basically we should only have one of the two operating systems installed. This means that often when installing Windows, the SteamOS operating system disappears.
Returning the Valve software for the console is quite complex, since you have to enter the BIOS and from there perform several complex steps, including opening the Linux console and entering several commands.
Steam Deck controls not working
You may have successfully installed Windows, but realize that the console commands are not working. It’s not very complicated to fix, although it does require a few steps, including downloading the Steam client.
Really, is it worth installing Windows with all the problems it can cause?
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