I do not see how Microsoft’s Xbox PC application will win me – especially when I am obsessed with Steamos
Microsoft and Asus Rog Xbox’s ally is on the horizon, adding to the growing list of portable game PCs on the market, and with this comes from Microsoft’s increased efforts to optimize Windows 11 for portable devices.
It is not a secret that portable PC players (and I) expressed frustrations concerning Windows 11 and its lack of portability. You will probably probably have to make your way through the PC game launchers and to face other problems when you try to get out of a game window.
What aggravates is the lower game performance compared to the steamos of Valve (which I will develop later). To put it simply, Windows 11 is a waste for pocket computers, and we have needed a solution for a long time now.
In Comes, the new Xbox PC Xbox application from Microsoft, which, to be fair, is currently still in its early beta phase, but what is offered so far has not almost Enough to convince me to start using Windows 11 again to play on my Asus Rog Ally.
The new aggregated game library seems to be a welcome addition on paper; He brings games from all other PC launchers like Steam, Battle.net, Epic Games Lancen and Gog Galaxy, automatically detecting what is installed and placing the titles in the Xbox application, but he still opens other launchers anyway. The same thing also happens on Steamos if you add another launcher as a team without a team, but the user interface makes this practical, and Steam has almost all the games on its window now.
I was previously enthusiastic about the improved Xbox application, and frankly, I am, especially since it is an initial version of initiates, and it is great to see Microsoft recognize that its operating system must improve for players.
What seems much better, however, is the next `full screen experience ”, which is essentially supposed to reproduce the Steamos game mode – this is completely focused on the game experience, by removing all unnecessary background processes, which ultimately provides more memory for better performance. However, I think Microsoft has a very long way to go to challenge Steamos de Valve.
I’m sure the equivalent game mode of Windows 11 Steamos will be great, but it’s too little, too late
In all honesty, Steamos has had years of updates to his credit, with a valve rationalizing the user interface more for a console type experience, fast and easy.
Tools like Decky Loader allow the community to make fun and beneficial changes via plugins, to further improve experience, without disability on performance. In fact, there are plugins like Decky Scaping Scaling, which uses the weft generation to improve performance and sweetness in the game.
For Windows 11 users, when the full screen experience of the Xbox PC application is launched, it will only be available on ROG Xbox Ally porting computers, while Xbox plans to provide it in other Windows portage computers in 2026.
If Microsoft was not already late in the race against the Valve vapor game, on the basis of the disadvantages of game performance and ease of use, I think it will have even more difficulty in catching up, especially when there is no clarity exactly when other pocket computers will have access to this upgrade.
It should also be noted that Valve goes beyond the steam bridge, because the Lenovo Legion Go S is now officially fed by Steamos – and Valve is already devoted to providing updates to pocket computers not in teams for greater Steamos compatibility. It is if you are not already using Bazzite (a steamos clone) as I am with my Asus Rog Ally.
We must also wait and see if this new mode offers better game performance, which is undoubtedly the most important factor.
Do not get me wrong, I do not search for Microsoft for his efforts, because they are very welcome and appreciated. What I say is that I strongly doubt that the new Xbox PC application and the new full experience will be sufficient to divert me from Steamos as my main operating system for the game.
However, it will not be entirely ignored by me, for some simple reasons.
At least, the complete experience of Windows 11 Xbox will be ideal for a double boot configuration
Although I would love to go with the Linux -based operating system, Microsoft Windows 11 always has its advantages, and for me, these are two simple things. Some games like Call of Duty Black Ops 6 Who have an anti-cheat activity will not work on Steamos, and some mods for some games require additional steps on Linux.
This is exactly why a double boot (or even desktop PC) configuration, allowing you to use Steamos for the vast majority of games, and Windows 11 for anti-checking titles (which are mainly multiplayer). This can be done by creating a separate partition on the same reader, or even easier, a separate reader if you are on an office PC or using an external SSD.
On my ally Asus Rog, I can simply go back and forth between the two operating systems according to what I choose to play; Now that the new full screen experience is on the horizon, it should make life easier for windows.
As I also plan to use Bazzite on my strong desktop platform, I will do it with pleasure because I have enough storage records to get involved. It will be just interesting to see to what Microsoft can go with its portable mode and if it can win players on whom Steamos already uses. I doubt that it is enough for me, but I would be mistaken with pleasure.
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