Valve has issued SteamOS 3.9.3 to the Beta and Preview update channels. The software refresh updates the underlying platform to Linux kernel 7.2, bumps Desktop Mode to Plasma 6.7.3, and adds compatibility fixes for third party handhelds like the Legion Go 2. The update is currently available for testing through the system settings menu on supported hardware.
Valve rebased the operating system on Linux kernel 7.2. This kernel addition brings HDMI 2.1 FRL support, enabling AMD GPUs to output 4K video at 120 FPS. Desktop Mode moves to Plasma 6.7.3 alongside updated Arch Linux core packages. Handheld compatibility expands with initial brightness slider controls for the Legion Go 2 and a crash patch for Forza Horizon 6. The update also resolves a bug preventing titles like Elden Ring and Dark Souls 3 from running on Intel Panther Lake processors, while fixing an issue where Asus devices spun fans at maximum speed after waking from sleep.
Valve corrected a frame limit bug where refresh caps applied incorrectly to VR titles when streaming to the Steam Frame. Display hot plugging in multi monitor setups no longer drops audio streams. Specific title patches correct GPU errors in The Crew Motorfest and restore performance in Star Wars Galactic Racer after waking a Steam Machine from sleep. On fresh installations, the default WiFi backend moves to wpa supplicant to enable faster network reconnection when resuming from sleep. Developers also gain initial support for system hibernation and improved virtual machine graphics acceleration using virtio gpu drivers.
