The Steam Deck is a very flexible device and one of the things that you can do with it is install Windows onto it.
Now, I'm going to get right into the meat of the article and give my pros and cons behind having Windows installed on the Steam Deck.
Flexibility is one of the main pros for me, when Windows is installed on the system it allows a lot of freedom. You can download and install other game launchers such as Ubisoft Connect, BattleNet, Epic Games etc. I liked this, because of the free games which I've picked up over on Epic Games store. However, there is a way to download these games through desktop mode on SteamOS using Lutris or Heroic Games Launcher, but I have to admit, I haven't had much joy with getting games launching or working smoothly using this method.
Having Windows installed also allows you to play games which might not be possible through SteamOS due to Anti Cheat not being compatible with Linux, so games like Destiny 2, Modern Warfare 2, FIFA 23, are all playable on Steam Deck when Windows is installed.
Xbox Game Pass on PC is another huge draw (well, for me anyway) as I can use my Game Pass Ultimate Subscription and download games natively to the device instead of using the Cloud Gaming solution through SteamOS, this is mainly down to the fact that my internet isn't up to speed to be able to play anything smoothly through Cloud Gaming.
In terms of flexibility its not just the gaming side of things that's a bonus, it's what Windows brings in general. The ability to get all kinds of programs running, from video/image editing to even having work programs. There is a lot that can be done on this small device with Windows installed and I think that's the appeal to a lot of people who have installed it on their Steam Deck
OK, so, I've given you some of the pro's of having Windows installed on your Steam Deck, but what are the con's?
One for me is the amount of tinkering that needs to be done once Windows is installed to get the controls working. There is a lot to be done, and even following instructions sometimes doesn't yield the right results and something might not work as intended. I found this when installing Steam Deck Tools (A program designed for controller support as well as control over certain game settings such as FPS etc) that it just didn't respond when I was trying to change from using the trackpads to the controller settings for use in game. It would just get stuck and even after some restarts, it was very temperamental.
It also felt as well that I needed to have a mouse and keyboard connected for 95% of the time just to be able to get some of the functions still working, which after all the tinkering and programs installed, felt like a waste of time.
Which brings me onto my next point that you can't beat the default system for me, SteamOS is designed for the Steam Deck, and its simplicity and design is easy to use, and for me, it's not often I go into Desktop mode, so when the Steam Deck boots up, everything is there for me, right on the front page.
Even accessing simple options like tinkering with FPS etc is done by the press of one button. In Windows, you've got to get back to the desktop, find the right Steam Deck Tools option and then go back to the game and see if it's had an effect.
I tried Windows and felt there was too much tinkering and maintenance needed for it to work smoothly. Then there was the games, while most worked as they should, there were some which we're playable on Windows but some such as Spiderman that I couldn't get a stable frame rate for and the game to me was unplayable, whereas on SteamOS I could get the frame rate smooth and the game was a very enjoyable experience.
This is why my choice was SteamOS, I am not saying Windows is a bad experience, it just isn't for me, I much prefer the simplicity and design of SteamOS for a handheld device.
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