this post was submitted on 07 Jan 2025
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I'm still holding onto the dream that we'll get SteamOS onto something small enough to fit in my pocket and run all my favorite 2D indie games. First manufacturer to do it gets all my money.
I bought a Miyoo Mini Plus a while back, purely an impulse buy for how cheap it was on sale, and ended up putting far more time into it than I ever did with my deck. This is the cozy form factor I need.
I'ma be real: It fucking kills me that Steam on Android has been mostly used for 2FA and the idea of it being an alternate game store for Android somehow just... doesn't exist?
Especially, out of all companies to take the fight about that kind of stuff to Apple and Google, Valve has the punching power, and they've literally already had Epic forge a path for them in this regard.
Why is my Android copy of Balatro unable to use the same cloud save system as Steam? Why am I stuck in Google's fucking lame gaming ecosystem? It just makes me heave and sigh because I'd way rather be purchasing games for Android via Steam on the Steam Android app. It just feels like such a missed opportunity.
I'm going to be honest because this sounds like a frivolous reason, but this is pretty much the only reason I haven't bought Balatro for Android.
It's one of my favourite games, and it's not even the price holding me back.
I'm just trying to get all of the achievements and I don't want to unlock one and then have to do it again on the computer version.
A decade or more ago, I thought surely that was what the app was going to do, considering Humble would package Steam + Android keys in the same purchase back then.
A Steam phone with Steam Mobile OS. If there's anyone that can pull a Linux phone is them.
I wish, but it feels like Valve is still mostly trying to support x86/x64 type devices and ARM/RISC-V doesn't seem on the roadmap as much.
They have in fact been working on a ARM compatibility layer and Android app support through Waydroid.
https://www.gamingonlinux.com/2024/09/valve-appear-to-be-testing-arm64-and-android-support-for-steam-on-linux/
Maybe in 10 years after SteamOS has conquered this space, that could be the next target to expand into...
I remember them investing into x86 emulation. I think the rumors suggested that it's for Deckard, their next VR headset. If that is true it should be a short jump from there to phones.
Aren't newer android versions welcoming more Linux's features?
I see they could fit something like this there.
Same, the Deck and all the other alternatives are way too big. There's the Chinese companies but I can't say that I trust them and certainly not their support if anything breaks.
I wonder if Valve plans to release an Arm version of SteamOS. They'd have to for it to ever show up on a device like the Miyoo Mini Plus, which uses an Arm based CPU, instead of the x86 based CPU in the Steam Deck, and other Windows handhelds.
Right now I think the OS of choice for Arm based devices is Android, which works well enough, but I don't think very many PC games are ported to Android.
https://www.gamingonlinux.com/2024/09/valve-appear-to-be-testing-arm64-and-android-support-for-steam-on-linux/
Awesome. I'm glad to hear it because I think that's the way things are going. Arm, or maybe even one day an implementation of RISC-V, just make more sense for handheld devices, where power management is very important.
Running x64 Windows games on x64 Linux with Proton is way easier than running x64 binaries on arm. That said, Apple have managed it so maybe one day!
Dude off the top of my head Balatro (won many Game of the Year awards), Vampire Survivors, Terraria, and Minecraft all have Android ports.
The problem here is you'd be relying on a translation layer similar to Proton, but would probably have to be built off of something like Box64 for it to work. There just may not be enough horsepower on these small devices for that to do well.
https://www.gamingonlinux.com/2024/09/valve-appear-to-be-testing-arm64-and-android-support-for-steam-on-linux/
Well, then you should be able to play those games on smaller handhelds running Android, of which there are several.
I would kill for something like the Miyoo Mini in a GBA form factor.
I get that there's a lot of nostalgia for the Gameboy / Gameboy color layout but the GBA/SD layout is definitely more ergonomically friendly.
Anbernic rg34xx?
I have an rg35xx h (just a generic square thing) and I'm pretty happy with it. I play mostly GBA and some PSP games on it
this is the one I have and it's amazing.
Anbernic recently released the RG 34XX. It doesn't have SteamOS, but it's still Linux.
The miyoo flip is a GBA SP form factor and it’s more powerful. It can run n64 and Dreamcast games
There are dozens of similar products in just about any form factor you'd like, including ones explicitly themed after classic handhelds.
None of them run SteamOS yet though, they're all either Android or a customized lightweight ARM Linux running Retroarch.
The GPD WIN 2 fits perfectly in a pocket, I hope the new one keeps those dimensions since it's already confirmed that it will be Steam OS compatible.
I had the Win 2. You needed fairly large pockets, and I wouldn't really trust its build quality there anyway.
Yeah, not exactly for skinny jeans, but you don't need cargo pants sized pockets either. The Win 2 quality was a complete disaster.
You could look at this: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/gpd-win-4-2025-amd-apu-handheld-console
I have one of their older products and I’m happy with it. I’m considering this one.
Comes with Windows 11 but says it supports SteamOS. Should certainly run at least older games well. They say it’s 220x92x28 mm (7.87x3.62x1.1 in) which is a bit chonky for something I’d put it my pocket but not unmanageable.
Hadn't come across the Miyoo before so went to have a look... looks like a really good little product but wow what an annoying website constantly popping up the chat box over the whole mobile screen whilst browsing!
Anyway, how have you found it ?
Get bigger pockets?
The flip has some great ports apparently. Balatro being one of them. I'm hoping for the same as you. I want a steam Gameboy like.
I love my Steam Deck but it’d be an i stant purchase if they released a Steam Deck lite with half the size and the same capability