HP are interested in making a SteamOS handheld as the Windows experience sucks

If you look at nearly all reviews of handheld gaming PCs that run Windows, the major problem is Windows itself. So with Valve opening up the door to SteamOS Linux for more devices, it seems HP are interested in jumping in too.

Windows simply isn't designed for the use-case of being on a gaming handheld. Forcing you through a terrible setup experience, and just a generally poor experience when using it in this form factor. A few vendors have tried doing their own UI on top of Windows, but it all feels rather disconnected.

A point made by HP's SVP and Division President of Gaming Solutions Josephine Tan when talking to XDA Developers, Tan mentioned "If you look at Windows, I struggle with the experience myself. If I don't like it, I don't know how to do a product for it.". Tan continued "If I'm buying a handheld, I want a very simple setup. The minute I turn on my handheld, it will remember the last game I played. In the Windows environment, it doesn't".

When XDA asked Tan if they're interested in doing a SteamOS handheld the answer was simply "Yes".

We just need Valve to get going on that upcoming public SteamOS 3 beta. Still, it's going to take a lot to dethrone the Steam Deck, with Valve mentioning how it saw 330 million hours played in 2024 which is a big increase from 2023.