New SteamOS update for third-party gaming handhelds brings multiple improvements

Valve's introduction of SteamOS for third-party handhelds has brought a new level of competition to the gaming handheld market. This Windows challenger brings the things that make Steam Deck great to devices that don't come with Valve's OS out of the box, and it has just received a new update.

The latest version of SteamOS for non-Steam Deck handhelds, version 3.7.3, is still in preview, which means that it's only available to those who have opted into the preview channel. Per the official patch notes, the update brings a handful of improvements, especially in terms of the UX (user experience).

One of the notable highlights is the support for the power button for Lenovo and Asus gaming handhelds (1 TB Legion Go curr. $649.99 on Best Buy). With this, powering up and shutting down the supported gaming handhelds should be a breeze. The new update also brings better input support for compatible devices, which Valve hasn't provided much detail about.

Another notable change brought by the new SteamOS update for non-Steam Deck handhelds is support for frame-limiting for VRR displays. Valve also highlights that version 3.7.3 fixes the crash that typically happens when no output display is connected to the gaming handheld.

Again, this SteamOS update for non-Steam Deck handhelds is in the preview channel, so not all the new changes may function as intended. Users with a compatible gaming handheld can get into the preview channel by heading over to "Settings," then to "System," and toggle the setting under the "System Update Channel" tab.