Valve today (12 November 2025) announced their new Steam Machine (x86 CPU, 6x more powerful than Steam Deck) and Steam Frame (self-contained and PCVR streaming VR headset with ARM CPU & “FEX” translation of x86 to ARM) to be released in early 2026. No prices yet.
I’m trying to speculate what effects this will have on the wider Linux ecosystem. Both devices will be running Steam OS and be open so you can run any OS.
First, I’ve read many people state that the Steam Deck considerably increased the number of devices running Linux, so it seems to me that these two new devices will accelerate that trend.
Second, it seems to me that the Steam Frame will significantly increase VR use and development for Linux.
Third, I wonder what the implications of Frame’s x86 to arm translation layer (based on FEX, an open source project that I only learned about today) as well as Android compatibility (they state it can sideload Android APKs) will be. Could this somehow help either Linux on Apple silicon or Linux phone efforts? I’m very unfamiliar with what’s going on with either of these efforts, so I may be way out on a limb here.
What do you think about all this?
Edit: this article may prompt some additional thoughts with its discussion of the openness of the Frame - https://www.uploadvr.com/valve-steam-frame-catalog-whole-compatible/
Sorry to put you on the spot but I saw this countless time this morning after reading the news so I’m asking you :
My point being that there already are standalone VR HMDs that do NOT need Meta and can be great to tinker. The example I share works, can be rooted and even run Linux proper (even though quite experimental) https://wiki.postmarketos.org/wiki/Lynx_R1_(lynx-r1)
So… it’s a nice thing to say, and yet please do not give your “money to the zucc” but also I believe that means there is something else people are missing, otherwise they’d have already made the move. I don’t mean this as a criticism, only to try to understand what that gap is.
Can the XR1 work as non standalone like the Frame with the receiver? That’s the advantage for me, to have more processing power when I need/want it.
I never tried with it specifically (done with with numerous other HMDs though) but it’s just streaming and they have a Alvr repo https://github.com/Lynx-MR/ALXR so I imagine so yes.
Quite frankly, I’ve simply never heard of that. I tried one of the quests at a convention once and I was like “wait hold on, they’ve got the computer inside the headset? That’s awesome I want it” and then I learned it was Facebook so I lost interest
No worries, it’s quite niche even for XR professionals some are surprised to learn it even exists. So I’d put that on lack of communication from Lynx.
Also FWIW for Meta/Facebook one can use a headset without any account now via PrivateQuest so if bought 2nd hand, not 1 cent goes to the zucc.