When it comes to PC gaming, Windows dominates the market with over 70% of gamers still using it. But a question that often comes up is—should we be using Windows at all? There are alternatives like SteamOS, a Linux-based operating system designed specifically for gaming. It’s free, lightweight, and directly integrated with Steam.
So here’s the real challenge: can installing SteamOS on a dirt-cheap $100 office PC actually transform it into a usable gaming computer? In this blog, we’ll dive deep into that experiment. From the cursed hardware setup to the painful installation process, and finally the gaming benchmarks, everything will be laid out step by step.
Spoiler: it was not a smooth ride. But you’ll learn a lot about Linux gaming, GPU drivers, and the reality of gaming on old hardware.
🖥️ The $100 PC Setup
Before testing SteamOS, let’s take a closer look at the PC we’re working with. Calling it scuffed would be generous.
- CPU: Intel Core i7-6700 (6th Gen, from 2015) – surprisingly decent for the price.
- GPU: Nvidia Quadro K4200 – a workstation card meant for CAD and 3D modeling, not games. Released in 2014, it predates the GTX 900 series.
- Storage: A cheap SATA SSD (not officially supported by SteamOS).
- Power: Running off a $3 sketchy adapter.
This setup was never built for gaming. The CPU is the strongest component, but the GPU is the biggest bottleneck. Still, the Quadro K4200 is the best you’ll get for around $20, unless you count the GT 710—and let’s be honest, that’s basically just an HDMI port.
So the real test is simple: can SteamOS squeeze out better gaming performance than Windows 10 on this setup?
🎮 Windows 10 Gaming Benchmarks (Baseline)
Before switching operating systems, we need baseline numbers. Here’s how the PC performs on Windows 10:
- Tomb Raider (2013) – 60+ FPS on Ultra, but only ~38 FPS on Ultimate settings.
- Rise of the Tomb Raider – ~53 FPS, but only at 900p Medium.
- Shadow of the Tomb Raider – ~56 FPS, but lowest settings, 720p.
- Cyberpunk 2077 – shockingly ran at ~27 FPS on Low 720p.
Clearly, the CPU is trying its best, but the GPU is struggling. If SteamOS really is “faster for gaming,” we should expect a noticeable improvement.
🛠️ Installing SteamOS on Unsupported Hardware
Here’s where the real nightmare begins. SteamOS is only officially supported on the Steam Deck and a handful of handheld PCs like Lenovo Legion Go. That means getting it to run on a desktop requires hacks, workarounds, and patience.
The installation steps:
- Download SteamOS recovery image from Steam’s official website.
- Flash it using Rufus to a USB stick.
- Boot from USB and attempt installation.
Sounds easy? Not quite.
⚠️ Problems Encountered During SteamOS Installation
Trying to install SteamOS on unsupported desktop hardware is not a smooth ride. In fact, it quickly turned into a 6-hour debugging marathon. Here are the main errors that came up—and how you can fix or at least work around them if you face the same issues.
1. Mouse froze in weird ways / cursor enlarged randomly
This bug usually appears in the live installer environment when drivers don’t initialize properly.
Fix / Workaround:
- Try switching USB ports for your mouse (preferably USB 2.0 instead of 3.0).
- Boot with a kernel option like
nomodeset(can be added in the boot parameters). - If possible, use a basic wired mouse instead of a high-DPI gaming mouse.
2. SteamOS refused to install on a SATA SSD (expects NVMe only)
SteamOS images are tailored for the Steam Deck, which uses NVMe storage. On desktops with SATA SSDs, the installer refuses to proceed.
Fix / Workaround:
- Boot into the recovery shell.
- Identify your drive using the command:
lsblk(e.g., it might appear assdainstead ofnvme0n1). - Edit the installation script (
/usr/lib/steamos/whatever-script.sh) and replacenvme0n1withsda(or the name of your SATA drive). - Save changes and rerun the installer.
3. EFI partition issue – “needs ESP” error
The installer sometimes complains that the EFI partition is missing or incorrectly flagged.
Fix / Workaround:
- Use
gpartedorfdiskfrom the live session to ensure:- EFI partition is formatted as FAT32.
- Partition type is set to EFI System (ESP).
- It has at least 512MB of space.
- Example command to flag EFI partition:
sudo parted /dev/sda set 1 esp on
4. Corrupted scripts / accidental keystrokes breaking configs
At one point, an extra J was accidentally typed into the script, which caused a full failure.
Fix / Workaround:
- Open the file with
nanoorvimand carefully check for typos. - Compare the script with a fresh copy from the ISO if possible.
- Run
dos2unixon edited files to avoid hidden character issues:dos2unix script.sh
5. Extremely laggy installer (every command takes 1–2 minutes)
This usually happens due to driver conflicts and swap usage.
Fix / Workaround:
- Add boot parameter
noapicoracpi=offto reduce lag. - If system has <8GB RAM, create a temporary swap file:
sudo fallocate -l 2G /swapfile sudo chmod 600 /swapfile sudo mkswap /swapfile sudo swapon /swapfile - Restart the installer after enabling swap.
👉 Final Note: Even with these fixes, the official SteamOS installer is not designed for desktops with SATA SSDs and older Nvidia GPUs. For most users, it’s far more practical to use a SteamOS-based alternative like Bazzite or ChimeraOS, which already include these fixes and desktop hardware support.
At this point, 6+ hours had passed and the system was still unstable. Clearly, official SteamOS wasn’t designed for this hardware.
⚡ SteamOS Alternatives
Instead of giving up, the next step was trying community-maintained SteamOS clones designed to work better on desktops. Let’s look at each attempt.
1. Bazzite OS
- Designed as a gaming-focused Linux distribution, based on Fedora.
- Installation was smoother, but the GPU wasn’t supported out of the box.
- Nvidia drivers for the Quadro K4200 were unavailable, causing endless troubleshooting.
2. Nobara Linux
- Another gaming-focused distro, forked from Fedora with pre-installed drivers.
- Installed more easily, but still required huge updates (over 1,600 packages).
- Even after installation, the OS broke after GPU setup and became unusable.
3. Linux Mint
- A more traditional desktop-focused distribution.
- Much easier to install, update, and run drivers.
- Games launched, but performance was actually worse than Windows.
Clearly, the old Quadro GPU was the real limiting factor. Even with Linux, the lack of optimized drivers for ancient Nvidia cards ruined any chance of better performance.
🎮 Gaming Performance on Linux
Once the dust settled, here’s how Linux compared to Windows:
- Tomb Raider (2013) – ~30 FPS on Ultimate (8 FPS less than Windows).
- Rise of the Tomb Raider – ~43 FPS at 900p Medium (10 FPS drop).
- Shadow of the Tomb Raider – ~42 FPS at 720p Low (14 FPS drop).
- Cyberpunk 2077 – Couldn’t even launch.
Instead of improving performance, Linux actually made things worse in most cases, especially with Nvidia’s outdated driver support.
❓ Why Did Linux Perform Worse?
You might wonder why a lightweight Linux OS would perform worse than Windows. The reasons are clear:
- Nvidia Driver Support on Linux – Nvidia’s proprietary drivers lag behind their Windows counterparts, especially for older GPUs.
- GPU Age – The Quadro K4200 is simply too old. It lacks support for modern upscaling methods like FSR or DLSS.
- Compatibility Layers – SteamOS uses Proton (a Windows compatibility layer). On old hardware, that extra translation layer adds performance loss instead of gains.
If this test were done with a newer AMD or Nvidia GPU, results could have been very different.
💡 Lessons Learned
This experiment highlights a few important points for budget gamers:
- SteamOS and Linux are promising, but driver support matters more than the OS.
- For old Nvidia cards, Windows is still better due to mature driver support.
- Installing unsupported operating systems is a painful process, requiring patience and problem-solving.
- If you want to try Linux gaming, aim for a newer AMD GPU where open-source drivers are excellent.
📝 Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Can SteamOS replace Windows for gaming?
Yes, but only on supported hardware or newer GPUs. On outdated cards, driver support will ruin the experience.
Q2. Which Linux distribution is best for gaming?
Currently, Bazzite, Nobara, and ChimeraOS are popular choices. For general use, Linux Mint or Ubuntu are safer bets.
Q3. Why doesn’t SteamOS support SATA SSDs?
SteamOS was designed for the Steam Deck, which uses NVMe SSDs. Desktop users need manual workarounds.
Q4. Is Linux better for performance in general?
Linux uses fewer system resources, but performance depends heavily on GPU drivers. With AMD GPUs, Linux can actually beat Windows.
Q5. Should I try SteamOS on my old PC?
Unless you enjoy tinkering and problem-solving, stick with Windows for older hardware.
🔚 Conclusion
So, did SteamOS turn a $100 office PC into a gaming beast?
The answer is no.
After nearly 10 hours, multiple operating systems, and endless driver struggles, the end result was worse performance than Windows. That doesn’t mean Linux isn’t viable for gaming—it absolutely is with modern AMD or Nvidia GPUs. But for aging workstation cards like the Quadro K4200, the effort simply isn’t worth it.
The real takeaway? Linux gaming has come a long way, but driver support is still the deciding factor. If you’re on old hardware, Windows remains the safer option. But if you’re building a new PC in 2025, especially with AMD hardware, Linux might just be your next gaming OS.
Tags
SteamOS, Linux gaming, Windows vs Linux, Nvidia drivers, Bazzite OS, Nobara Linux, Linux Mint gaming, Proton compatibility, PC gaming experiment
Hashtags
#SteamOS #LinuxGaming #PCGaming #WindowsVsLinux #Nvidia #AMD #GamingSetup
