Steam Deck owners who want to install Windows 11 on it, rather than SteamOS, will no doubt be delighted that Valve has solved one of its biggest problems with it. The company has been looking at the audio side of the system.
There were many complaints from users who put Microsoft’s operating system on Valve’s handheld gaming PC. After the installation, a problem arises with the sound drivers, which means that you will be without sound. One solution was to use a Bluetooth speaker or a USB-C headset.
Instructions are included with the drivers on Valve’s Windows page. These mention that there is an APU driver that you must install first for audio support to work.
Analysis: A step in the right direction, but it is only one step
It’s good that Valve isn’t just working on improving the Steam Deck, but also taking into account users who are looking for an alternative and want to install Windows 11 (or Windows 10).
That said, there are still quite a few snags to install Microsoft’s operating system, even if some hurdles are removed.
Why? It is still in the early development stage. Windows support officially arrived for the Steam Deck just a few weeks ago. There is no doubt that driver-related or other technical issues are still present (it is therefore possible that some users may still experience difficulties with audio support).
As we’ve written before, SteamOS is built for a smooth, streamlined playing experience with the Deck. However, if you opt for Windows, it’s a whole different story. Installing Windows on the Steam Deck is therefore not for users with less technical knowledge. If you still want to opt for it, we have an instruction here on how to install Windows 10 and 11 on a Steam Deck.
Via Tom’s Hardware
