SteamOS 3.8.1 enters beta: what changes until the full release

SteamOS 3.8.1 arrives in beta with an updated graphics driver, newer Linux kernel, improved VRR, and initial support for Steam Machines.

SteamOS 3.8.1 enters beta

SteamOS 3.8.1 is now in beta, bringing a significant set of improvements to the Deck and for those who use the system on the desktop. The update includes an updated graphics driver, a newer Linux kernel, better VRR support, and the first stage of compatibility with future Steam Machines.

What changes in the changelog

General

• Fixes a Wi-Fi performance drop that occurred until the device was put into sleep mode or reconnected manually.
• Reduces excessive trackpad sensitivity on some early Steam Deck LCD models.
• Adds initial support for future Steam Machine hardware.
• Updates the Arch system base.
• Updated graphics driver with performance and stability improvements.
• Fixes a failure in applying per-app performance settings when launching a game.
• Improves support for screencasts in Game Mode, including OBS and Discord.
• Fixes drop-down menus not appearing in some games.
• Improves VRR synchronization.
• Fixes the FSR badge remaining off in the performance overlay, even when active.
• Improves support for games that open PDFs in external viewers.
• Fixes incorrect window placement in specific titles.
• Fixes the closing of some titles that caused session crashes.
• Improves support for certain USB steering wheels and USB devices that initialize in non-standard modes.
• Updates Steam Deck controller firmware progress on the splash screen.
• Resolves an issue in firmware that left the left controller inoperative during the session.
• Continues with various stability and security improvements.

Bluetooth

• Bluetooth wake re-enabled for the Steam Deck LCD.
• Fixes for wake failures caused by previous attempts.

Audio

• Detects HDMI channel count and exposes surround options when available.
• Adds setting to use Bluetooth headset microphones (playback quality may worsen during capture).
• Restores internal audio device upon restart if it was set to off in desktop mode.
• Increases suspension time for HDMI devices to prevent audio cutting after inactivity.
• Fixes an issue when switching input devices with a wired headset connected.
• Prevents audio underruns after wake/resume.

Accessibility

• Adds option to force mono audio output.

Desktop Mode

• KDE Plasma updated to version 6.4.3, with Wayland by default.
• Fixes performance drops in Desktop Mode relative to Game Mode.
• Improves support for rotated screens and TVs with proper scaling.
• Adds support for external HDR and VRR displays.
• Support for per-display scaling and keyboard layout adjustments as per Game Mode.
• Improves window management for games running via Proton.

System Firmware

• Includes LCD BIOS v133 with security updates, a new Memory Power Down option, and preliminary support for hibernation.
• Includes OLED BIOS v114 with security updates; the charging LED now changes color when reaching the charge limit.

Non-Deck

• Improves compatibility with recent Intel and AMD platforms.
• Improves video memory management with discrete GPUs.
• Fixes a boot issue with the chainloader on desktops with recent UEFI firmware.
• Support for short and long power button presses on various platforms.
• Improves support for OneXPlayer F1, GPD Win 5, GPD Win Mini, Anbernic Win600, OrangePi NEO, and Lenovo Legion Go.
• Adds support for OneXPlayer X1 and Legion Go 2, plus firmware updates for Legion Go 2.
• Preliminary support for charge limiting on Legion Go, Legion Go S, and Legion Go 2 (available in Desktop Mode).
• Controller RGB settings for Legion Go 2.
• Controller, TDP, and audio support for ASUS ROG Xbox Ally.
• Controller input latency reduced from 5-8 ms to 100-500 µs.
• Night mode, color vibrance, and temperature adjustments work on Z2E and more recent AMD APUs.
• Soft boot for Z2E and more recent AMD APUs.
• Better support for rotated internal screens on third-party handhelds.
• Enhancements in support for devices with BMI260 IMUs.
• Improvements in SD card reliability on handhelds like ROG Xbox Ally, Legion Go, MSI Claw, among others.
• Fixes for washed-out colors on Zotac and OneXPlayer devices with OLED.
• Fixes GPU crashes on Phoenix APU devices (Tales of Arise, Octopath Traveler II).
• Fixes power consumption on ROG Ally during login with fingerprint.

Developer

• Desktop Mode now uses Wayland by default.
• Linux kernel updated to 6.16.
• Steam now uses steamos-manager to query available desktop sessions and perform session switching.
• Option to set desktop password in developer settings.
• Initial support for running as a VM guest with virtio drivers.
• Support for third-party devices to trigger the boot menu via EFI variable.
• New custom-update verb for atomupd-manager to test specific builds.
• System reports now include more audio information for debugging.
• Initial support for the lavd CPU scheduler via steamosctl set-cpu-scheduler lavd.

If you enjoyed this announcement, follow the coverage on SteamDeckHQ for news, guides, and game reviews. Which change are you most looking forward to testing in the SteamOS 3.8.1 beta?

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