Yes, the Steam deck It has made me reconcile with Windows. No, I have not gone crazy. No, I haven't switched from Linux to Windows either. What has happened is very different, and has to do with what the hangheld Valve PC. It is sold as a console, but it is a miniature PC that can do a lot, and among this we have the possibility of connecting it to an external monitor and viewing the content in a large way.
What does all this have to do with Windows? I have had an external drive with a "To Go" version of the Windows system for a long time, but I practically don't use it at all. I have it to cover more possibilities, to have a Windows native in case there is something I can't do in Linux. But since for my normal use I don't need it, since I only connected it once a month - or not even that - to update the operating system and its applications.
Windows on the Steam Deck offers new possibilities
For much of what I do with the Steam Deck, SteamOS works for me. I started playing Horizon Zero Dawn and Soma, and when I acquired the dock I also started using it as a entertainment system. Although SteamOS can be modified to do whatever you want, the truth is that it can cost more than Windows, and for that reason I avoided going crazy and using the Microsoft system to perform some tasks.
Now I don't see Amazon Prime on Linux Kodi, limited to SD quality. Now I see it in Windows, in the browser, where I can see it at the maximum quality it offers. I haven't even tried installing Windows Chrome via Proton and all that - maybe I will these days - but why?
Another thing I like about Windows on the Steam Deck is how I use it, which is not with dual-boot and I don't mind losing its installation and starting from scratch. This makes me don't be afraid to install anything, such as, for example, ProtonVPN and 1.1.1.1, two programs for bypass certain crashes in Linux. They are much easier to install and run on Windows, and by not installing it on the Steam Deck system I also keep it "cleaner."
Windows games that only work on Windows
Another very important point is that there are games that only work on Windows, such as those that require a anti-cheat tool o anti-cheat. Some of them can be played in the cloud, but it would add some delay to the response, if that is a possibility. There are games that simply cannot be played from Linux.
When it was announced that "God of War: Ragnarok" would be coming to PC, Sony also said that a connection to PSN. Many doubted the reasons and whether it would be possible to play it on the Steam Deck... because it was not taken into account that Windows can be used. This does not happen on other consoles, such as the Asus Rog Ally or Legion Go, simply because they use the mega-compatible system.
Add options to the Steam Deck
You don't have to be hater ni fanboy, but intelligent. I don't like Windows, but as a main system. Using it all the time would be an ordeal, but doing it only for specific cases is not so bad. Of course, if we don't think about that we are using proprietary software. And I think the same about macOS: if someone has money and/or has to use multimedia applications, it is one more option, one of the best. The question here would be: Why limit ourselves if we can avoid it?
How to install Windows on the Steam Deck
I think this article should not be too long, so I will summarize the process. I may write a detailed article in the future, but in this one we'll leave you with:
- It is best to do it with Rufus from Windows, so we use a PC with the windows system.
- We download Rufus.
- We start it and download the image from the same program, or from the windows recovery page.
- We choose the “Windows To Go” option.
- We insert the pendrive or card into the Steam Deck and start from it. If we do not have a dock, we have to use the SD slot or a USB-C pendrive.
- We go to the Valve support page, we download the drivers and we install them. NOTE: if the drivers do not download, change the language of the page to English.
Another possibility is to use a dock with a USB-C other than the charging one, that is, normal data. In theory, Windows will detect the external SSD as a valid option and will allow us to install the system on it. In practice, it has not worked for me, and as a third alternative you can open the Deck, put in a new SSD, install the operating system there and have a complete non-to-go Windows. At the moment SteamOS does not officially support the use of dual-boot.