One of the main challenges in the video game industry is the high level of performance required by many modern titles to run properly on a computer. However, this need isn’t always due to the complexity of the games themselves, but rather to the poor resource optimization by the most commonly used operating system: Windows. In this context, SteamOS is increasingly emerging as an attractive alternative for gamers.
Most Steam users run Windows, an operating system originally designed for general use. Over time, it has incorporated improvements to adapt to the growing demands of the gaming sector. Still, it continues to carry a number of unnecessary functions and background processes that negatively affect gaming performance. As a result, more and more users are experimenting with alternative systems specifically optimized for gaming—like SteamOS—which, so far, is proving to be one of the most promising options.
Nowadays, spending over €2,000 on a gaming-ready setup has become an unrealistic expectation for many. The issue goes beyond poor game optimization; the operating system itself plays a crucial role in overall performance. Excessive background tasks, inefficient resource management, and other limitations built into Windows continue to hamper a computer’s full potential—something many users have simply gotten used to.
But what if we told you it’s possible to enjoy smooth gameplay on a €300–400 laptop that wasn’t designed for gaming, with modest specs and an integrated GPU? It might sound hard to believe, but thanks to SteamOS, it’s entirely possible. That’s exactly what content creator ETA PRIME has demonstrated on his YouTube channel, where he’s been installing Valve’s operating system on a variety of devices to test their performance. So far, the results have been impressive.
In one of his latest videos, ETA PRIME tests several games on an ASUS Vivobook Go 14, powered by a Ryzen 7302U processor with 4 cores and 8 threads, integrated 610M graphics, and just 8 GB of RAM. On games with relatively modest graphical demands—such as Hades 2 or Left 4 Dead 2—the laptop maintains a stable 60 FPS. Even in more demanding or poorly optimized titles like Kingdom Hearts 3, the experience remains fluid, though with graphics set to the lowest settings.
Naturally, its performance doesn’t match that of a similarly priced Steam Deck. But it’s important to keep in mind that the laptop’s hardware is far more limited. Even so, what SteamOS achieves on this kind of machine is a clear example of how a well-optimized operating system can make a real difference—even on budget hardware.
