Windows On Steam Deck - WAN Show March 11, 2022

Episode Summary

Executive Summary: The episode centers on Windows support for the Steam Deck, where Linus and Luke argue it’s currently a rough, unsupported experience with missing drivers, poor input handling, and worse game performance than SteamOS. They also cover Apple’s M1 Ultra/Mac Studio launch, Artesian Builds’ collapse, LimeWire’s NFT relaunch, and a broader debate on the metaverse, platform fragmentation, and how tech companies make strategic decisions.

Main Topics: Windows on Steam Deck (Priority: 5/5): Linus explains Valve’s newly released Windows drivers and why, despite being officially available, they currently create a poor user experience: missing Wi‑Fi/audio support, Windows 10 limitations, navigation issues, and major performance problems versus SteamOS. Steam Deck vs SteamOS performance and game verification (Priority: 5/5): They discuss Horizon Zero Dawn and Elden Ring as examples of verified titles and translation-layer optimizations, but note severe instability, stuttering, and crashes that raise questions about Valve’s game verification quality control. Apple’s peak performance event (Priority: 4/5): The hosts review Apple’s Mac Studio, M1 Ultra, Studio Display, iPad Air M1 refresh, iPhone SE update, and Apple TV+ sports push, emphasizing Apple’s impressive chip engineering and performance-per-watt claims. Artesian Builds collapse (Priority: 5/5): A long discussion covers the company’s public backlash, alleged internal dysfunction, frozen finances, suspended employees, and how a poor response to a giveaway controversy apparently contributed to the company’s downfall. LimeWire’s NFT comeback (Priority: 3/5): They react skeptically to LimeWire’s relaunch as an NFT/music collectible platform, arguing the brand has little real relevance for Gen Z and that NFTs don’t solve a real music distribution problem. The metaverse and platform fragmentation (Priority: 4/5): Linus and Luke debate whether the metaverse means anything at all, concluding that without interoperability and shared standards it becomes just another set of competing walled gardens. Merch/store and business updates (Priority: 3/5): They promote the new LTT Store bonus bin feature, discuss potential product ideas and pre-orders, respond to merch questions, and touch on infrastructure, networking gear, and creator business strategy.

Key Arguments: Steam Deck Windows support exists but is too incomplete for most users; Valve is formally not supporting Windows, and the current driver stack lacks critical pieces like Wi‑Fi, audio, and polished input handling. SteamOS on the Deck remains the intended primary experience; Windows support seems more like a hedge or compatibility option than a viable daily OS right now. Game verification can be misleading if it is based on partial testing; Horizon Zero Dawn’s later crashes suggest titles may pass verification without being stable through an entire playthrough. Apple’s M1 Ultra is technologically impressive because its interconnect effectively makes two chips behave like one, enabling high bandwidth and strong performance-per-watt. Artesian Builds’ collapse illustrates how a badly managed public response can destroy trust, accelerate financial failure, and cost employees their jobs. The metaverse only becomes compelling if different services interoperate; otherwise, every company will try to own its own incompatible version. No company is your friend: AMD’s overclocking restrictions and Valve’s Steam Deck Windows stance are examples of companies making decisions that serve their own product strategy, not user freedom.

Data Points: Steam Deck Windows OS support: Windows 10 only - TPM/firmware support for Windows 11 was not ready, so users are stuck on Windows 10 for now. Apple Studio Display price: $1,600 - Price for Apple’s new standalone 27-inch monitor announced at the event. Mac Studio starting price: $2,000 - Entry configuration for the new Mac Studio. Mac Studio top configuration price: $4,000 - M1 Ultra model with 1TB SSD and 64GB RAM. Apple M1 Ultra interconnect bandwidth: 2.5 TB/s - Apple’s UltraFusion architecture linking the two dies. Apple M1 Ultra claimed GPU comparison: Comparable to RTX 3090 - Apple’s performance claims emphasized strong performance per watt. Artesian Builds employee count: 40–50 employees - Estimated number of people affected by the collapse. IPv4 address price: $50 USD per IP - CTO of the ISP said bulk IPv4 pricing had risen sharply. Previous IPv4 price: $24 USD per IP - Price a year earlier, showing a near-doubling increase. IPv4 price inflation: Almost 100% a year - Described as a rapidly depleting finite resource. LimeWire waitlist: Available - The relaunched LimeWire is asking users to join a waitlist for its NFT platform. Ukraine support bundle total raised: Over $4.2 million - They highlight the success of the Itch.io charity game bundle. Legal/charity bundle game count: 992 games - Size of the Ukraine support bundle being discussed. Steam Deck performance anecdote: Solid 30 FPS - Linus reported Horizon Zero Dawn running at medium settings, 1280x800, on SteamOS.

Pivotal Quotes: "You can put Windows on the Steam Deck, but right now, you probably shouldn't right now." — Linus: Bottom-line conclusion on the practicality of Windows support today. "What is the metaverse? Because it's not one thing." — Luke: Core criticism of the concept during the long metaverse debate. "No company is your friend." — Linus: Used to frame AMD’s overclocking restriction and Valve’s Windows stance as strategic business decisions.

Implications: Listeners should expect Steam Deck Windows installs to remain niche and frustrating for now, while SteamOS stays dominant. More broadly, the episode suggests hardware and platform wins increasingly depend on software polish, interoperability, and company incentives—not raw specs alone.