GamerOS Renamed to ChimeraOS

Valve revealed the Steam Deck on July 15. They highlighted titles such as "Control," "Doom Eternal," and "Hades" to demonstrate SteamOS 3.0 + Proton. Like ChimeraOS, SteamOS 3.0 is now based upon Arch Linux. The initial versions of SteamOS, versions 1.0 and 2.0, were based on the Debian distribution of GNU+Linux.

Over the past few months I've had a lot of time to look over the ends and outs of GamerOS (now ChimeraOS). In fact I have played through its various updates. I started out on version 17 and now it has been upgraded to the latest version 21. All the drivers and operating system files were updated in the background automatically. ChimeraOS includes emulators for Steam buddy, a web-based interface for managing non-Steam software. With additional platforms such as Neo Geo, GameCube, and Arcade.


The hardware requirements for ChimeraOS 25:

-A dedicated physical computer (dual booting not supported, virtual machines not supported)
-4GB or more RAM
-A single 20GB or larger storage device
-A single connected TV or monitor with a resolution of 720p, 1080p, or 2160p


For those who don't know ChimeraOS (famerly GamerOS) is an Arch based operating system that provides an out of the box couch gaming experience. It runs SOME windows exclusive games. This is possible due to the Proton compatibility layer that helps translate Direct-X windows-only games to Vulcan on Linux. Many Windows exclusive games that don’t work are due to various anti-cheat software built into them. To know how well a Windows exclusive game will run under proton you need to go over to the website ProtonDB. They hosts an extensive database of user-submitted reports on the compatibility of various games and hardware that you can use to check beforehand. So depending on your system setup your mileage may vary.

Here's all the main changes for what's now ChimeraOS 25

Key components:

- Linux Kernel 5.12.12
- Mesa 21.1.3
- NVIDIA 465.31
- steamos-compositor-plus 1.8.3
- Steam Buddy 0.11.2
- Proton 6.8 GE-2, 6.9 GE-2, 6.10 GE-1


Test system..

CPU: Ryzen™ 7 2700
GPU: Powercolor Red Dragon RX 5700
RAM: 16GB (2 x 8GB) (PC4 19200)
MOTHERBOARD: ASRock AB350M Pro4 (BIOS 5.90 2019/7/5)
STORAGE: Intel 545s Series 2.5" 256GB +WB Blue 1TB 7200 RPM

HORI Fighting Commander for Xbox One wired USB controller.
Microsoft Xbox One wired USB controller.
Black Web wireless keyboard.
Zelotes T-90 USB wired Gaming Mouse.

 

I've been looking at various games the past few years in the Steam catalog, but the real test for ChimeraOS 25 was games that come out last year. I highlighted titles such as "Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice", "Streets of Rage 4", "Doom Eternal", "Control", "Metro Exodus", "Desperados III" "Resident Evil Village" and "Assassin's Creed Valhalla" 

"Streets of Rage 4" "Metro Exodus" and "Desperados III" work well because they are native GNU games.

"Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice" "Doom Eternal" and "Control" work well with proton.

"Resident Evil Village" and "Assassin's Creed did not work for me.

So can you play every game out there on a ChimeraOS 25 based PC? No.

Other games that will work...

-Warframe (proton)
-STAR WARS: The Old Republic (proton)
-Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night (proton)
-Dungeons & Dragons: Shadow over Mystara (proton)
-DEATH STRANDING (proton)
-Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
-Shadow of the Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition
-LIMBO Hollow Knight
-Left4Dead 2
  

Note: Both ChimeraOS and SteamOS  contains proprietary software, including the Steam client it self and many proprietary drivers. Steam uses the evil Digital Restrictions Management (DRM) to impose restrictions on the software it distributes via the Steam store.

Steam Deck

 

Valve is making a Switch-like portable SteamOS 3.0 gaming PC. The new SteamOS has been optimized for handheld and touchscreen gaming, while it will also have a desktop mode for those who want it. SteamOS 3.0 is also now based upon Arch Linux, with the desktop mode being powered by KDE Plasma. SteamOS 3.0 includes Proton, a “compatibility layer” that allows Windows games to run on Linux “without any porting work needed from developers.

The base $399 Steam Deck comes with 64GB of eMMC internal storage and a carrying case. For $529, you can upgrade the storage to a 256GB NVMe SSD. The 512GB model costs $649 and comes with "premium anti-glare etched glass." The dock will be sold separately.

Possible spec

The Steam Deck’s 7-inch screen is an LCD with a 16:10 aspect ratio and a 60 Hz refresh rate at a 720p resolution of 1280x800. Its CPU is based on the company’s Zen 2 micro architecture and tops out at 3.5 GHz. The GPU contains eight RDNA 2 compute units running at up to 1.6 GHz. The APU has a power envelope of 4-15W.The Steam Deck also features a dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi radio  it’s compatible with 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz networks and Bluetooth 5.0 for controllers, accessories. Aside from the built-in storage, users will also be able to use microSD cards to increase their storage. All models will get 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM. The Steam Deck also functions as a normal computer, allowing players to install and use PC software.

 eMMC storage vs NVMe SSD

The current standard for eMMC storage is v5.1A, which can effectively deliver transfer speeds of up to about 400MB/s. NVMe SSD can effectively deliver transfer speeds  up to 1,100 MB/s. Whether or not you should avoid the Steam Deck eMMC verstion is more based on your budget and what you're games your going to be playing.

SteamOS 3.0 not Win11

The Steam Deck is a mini PC that will ship with SteamOS 3.0, which is an Arch-based Linux distro with the KDE Plasma desktop environment. Of course, people could also just get rid of SteamOS entirely and install Windows 10/11. However Valve recommends not wiping SteamOS for Windows.

Proton “compatibility layer” allows "SOME" Windows games to run on SteamOS.  

Proton is a compatibility layer for Microsoft Windows games to run on GNU+Linux-based operating systems. For example, using Proton, it is possible to play Death Stranding on SteamOS at high frame rates and high graphics settings with a controller or a keyboard and mouse, exactly as if you were playing on Windows.  There can be a small performance hit. Always keep in mind that some games might work perfectly the first time you run it. However, other games might never run at all. This is due to the issue anti-cheat software found in games like Destiny 2 Apex Legends, and Rainbow Six Siege.

GNU+Linux Native Games

Many big names from other platforms have been ported over to GNU: Metro 2033/Last Light/Exodus, Counter Strike, DoTA 2, Ark, Shadow of the Tomb Raider Definitive Edition, Streets of Rage 4 to name a few. Proton compatibility layer is not need for GNU+Linux games.

Conclusion. 

Is The Steam Deck for everyone? No. Will Steam Deck replace a i7 11700KF based system with GeForce RTX 3070 8GB GDDR6 GPU? No.  

Steam has a ton of old and new games that will likely never come to Switch, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Dream Fall Chapters, UnReal Gold and Left 4 Dead 2 to name a few. 

I have no need for a portable PC to play games. However, people do have different needs.

Note: SteamOS is a version of GNU/Linux that is distributed by Valve. It contains proprietary software, including the Steam client it self and many proprietary drivers. Steam uses the evil Digital Restrictions Management (DRM) to impose restrictions on the software it distributes via the Steam store.

Age COVID-19: Missouri once again the laughing stock

I haven't really posted in a while. And typically I post about tech related stuff. But here's some thoughts that is difficult to keep silent about. 

Hospitals in Springfield Missouri, which is in Greene County, have so many COVID-19 patients they have run out of ventilators and are facing staffing shortages. Cox Medical Centers in Springfield are also struggling, with 97 percent of their ICU beds currently filled. If you check the date of this post it is July of 2021. And not July of 2020. In 2020 this was also new. We were fumbling in the dark in a room we've never been in before. 

 

As of 2021.. Missouri has had the worst response to the pandemic of any state in the Union. Low vaccination rates in Missouri has led to the highly transmissible delta variant running rampant through the state.