Gamescope gets improved ROG Ally support hinting at more progress for SteamOS

While Valve previously confirmed that they are indeed working towards a version of SteamOS (used on Steam Deck) for the ROG Ally / ROG Ally X, we're now seeing some of that get into Gamescope.

For those who don't know all the Linux lingo: Gamescope is micro-compositor, used by default on the Steam Deck (and can be used on desktop Linux) to manage the output of games in a way that's contained and then allow for many transformations on it like adjusting resolutions, FSR and NIS upscaling, fullscreen mode and more.

Just recently code was merged by a contributor (it's open source) into the project to allow for configuring the display on the ASUS ROG Ally and the newer ASUS ROG Ally X. From the notes on the code:

This introduces a display configuration for the ROG Ally and ROG Ally X handhelds. These devices feature the same 1920x1080p panel, which supports VRR and has a range limit of 48-120Hz in the EDID.

I tested this configuration on two separate units:
* ROG Ally - SteamOS Main 20240919.1002 with kernel 6.8.12-valve2-1
* ROG Ally X - SteamOS Main 20240919.1002 with kernel 6.11.2

Both function exactly the same throughout multiple games with the entire refresh rate slider within Steam.

To set expectations: this doesn't mean a SteamOS build for the ROG Ally / X are due any time soon. It may still be a while away.