Steam Deck gets a fix for one of its biggest problems with Windows 11

Steam Deck owners who want to install Windows 11 on the portable, rather than running with SteamOS, will doubtless be pleased to hear that Valve has fixed one of the major problems with going this route – namely the audio side of the equation.

As we’ve seen with many complaints from folks adopting Microsoft’s OS on Valve’s compact gaming PC, there has been an issue with sound drivers which means that with Windows 11, you don’t get audio – not unless you use Bluetooth speakers (or a USB-C headset).

But now, Valve has provided Windows audio drivers (two of them) which cure the problem, so you’ll now get sound via the Deck’s built-in speakers (or you can use headphones with the audio jack, rather than relying on a Bluetooth pair).

Instructions are provided along with the drivers on Valve’s Windows resources page, and note that there’s an APU driver here which you must install first to get audio support working.

Analysis: A step in the right direction – but it is just one step

It’s obviously good to see that Valve is not just pushing forward with work on the Steam Deck as-is – doing plenty of tinkering to add useful features like the recently implemented per-game performance settings – but also considering those who might want to take an alternative route like installing Windows 11 on the handheld (or even Windows 10 for that matter).

That said, if you’re mulling over sticking Windows on the Steam Deck, even with one of the rougher edges now smoothed out in the form of audio drivers, it’s still a rather suspect proposition to install Microsoft’s OS on the portable gaming PC.

Why? For starters, it’s still in the very early stages of development, with Windows support only having officially arrived for the Steam Deck a few weeks ago – so there will doubtless still be driver and other technical issues floating around (indeed, it’s possible that these newly released audio drivers could still be glitchy for some).

Plus as we’ve pointed out before, SteamOS is purpose-built for a slick and streamlined experience with the Deck, but if you venture into Windows territory, that’ll be a very different matter. Furthermore, installing Windows on the Steam Deck is not a trivial exercise for the less tech-savvy – but if you do want to give it a whirl, we’ve got a full guide on how to install Windows 10 and 11 on a Steam Deck.

Is it really possible to ditch your work laptop for a Steam Deck?

Via Tom’s Hardware

Source: TechRadar

The hidden cost of food delivery

Noah Lichtenstein Contributor Share on Twitter Noah Lichtenstein is the founder and managing partner of Crossover , a diversified private technology fund backed by institutional investors, technology execs and professional athletes and entertainers. More posts by this contributor What Studying Students Teaches Us About Great Apps I’ll admit it: When it comes to food, I’m lazy. There are dozens of great dining options within a few blocks of my home, yet I still end up ordering food through delivery apps four or five times per week. With the growing coronavirus pandemic closing restaurants and consumers self-isolating, it is likely we will see a spike in food delivery much like the 20% jump China reported during the peak of its crisis. With the food delivery sector rocketing toward a projected $365 billion by the end of the decade, I’m clearly not the only one turning to delivery apps even before the pandemic hit. Thanks to technology (and VC funding) we can get a ri

Technics EAH-AZ60 review: Contending in stunning fashion

Technics serves notice that everyone should notice these earbuds. Technics ventured into the wireless earbuds category to go after the big dogs in the race. Think of the likes of Sony, Bose, and Sennheiser on sound quality, as well as the best you can find on design and functionality. It's a combination that comes at a price, but if done right, it gets easier to justify spending more. That's the case Technics makes with its EAH-Z60 earbuds. Its newest pair aims to take what the company has done in the past and make it even better. The results are easy to like and are significant enough to consider them as serious contenders. Technics EAH-AZ60 review: Price and availability What's good What's not good The competition Should you buy? At a glance Technics EAH-AZ60 Bottom line: Technics didn't just do one thing right with the EAH-AZ60. It covered almost the whole gamut of what makes wireless earbuds feel and sound exceptional. As a result, the p

iPhone 13 Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro Buyer's Guide: 50+ Differences Compared

The iPhone 15 Pro brings over 50 new features and improvements to Apple's high-end smartphones compared to the iPhone 13 Pro, which was released two years prior. This buyer's guide breaks down every major difference you should be aware of between the two generations and helps you to decide whether it's worth upgrading. The ‌iPhone 13‌ Pro debuted in 2021, introducing a brighter display with ProMotion technology for refresh rates up to 120Hz, the A15 Bionic chip, a telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom, Macro photography and photographic styles, Cinematic mode for recording videos with shallow depth of field, ProRes video recording, a 1TB storage option, and five hours of additional battery life. The ‌iPhone 13‌ Pro was discontinued upon the announcement of the iPhone 14 Pro in 2022, but it is still possible to get hold of it second-hand. Our guide helps to answer the question of how to decide which of these two iPhone models is best for you and serves as a way to c

Tech Talk

Search This Blog