What is Valve Proton? The Steam Deck’s live-or-die Linux software, explained

Photo: Valve. Article by Brad Chacos. PCWorld – July 16, 2021.

The Steam Deck’s success will hinge on Proton, a Valve technology that lets Windows games run on Linux. Here’s what you need to know.

Looking at the spec sheet alone, the just-revealed $399 Steam Deck gaming handheld should be a winner. Valve’s PC-centric Nintendo Switch rival features a big 7-inch touchscreen, plenty of control inputs, an all-AMD chip based on the same hardware inside the Xbox Series S|X and PlayStation 5, and the ability to double as a full-fledged Linux PC. But forget the hardware. While it’s impressive indeed, the Steam Deck will sink or swim based on its software, and that means Valve awesome Proton technology is about to be thrust into the spotlight. […]

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