SteamOS Used to Run GNOME: 6 Reasons Why KDE Plasma Makes Sense
Reading Time: 4 minutesGNOME used to be the default desktop on SteamOS. So why did Valve decide to bring in KDE Plasma to the Steam Deck as GNOME’s successor?
The version of SteamOS that first came with the Steam Deck wasn’t Valve’s first attempt at making a Linux distro. It was actually version 3.
Before then, SteamOS used the GNOME desktop environment. But for the Steam Deck, Valve chose KDE Plasma instead.
GNOME is a more popular and arguably more mobile-oriented Linux interface. So why go with Plasma instead? We can’t speak for Valve, but here are several good reasons.
1. KDE Plasma Uses Less Memory
GNOME is the most common interface found on Linux desktops, but it’s not the most memory efficient. Many alternative desktop environments perform better in this area, and KDE Plasma is one of them. Plasma simply requires less RAM to run smoothly, and it functions fine on a weaker CPU.
Does the Steam Deck have a weak CPU or a shortage of RAM? Not at all. But having a desktop environment that requires less memory leaves more resources available to other software. And the benefits don’t stop there.
2. KDE Plasma Can Get Better Battery Life
That’s right. When a CPU doesn’t need to work as hard, then your computer doesn’t need to pull as much energy from a battery. Battery life is important on a laptop, but it’s even more essential on a device like the Steam Deck that’s less likely to be tethered to a desk.
Desktop Mode may be less ideal on the go than when you drop your Steam Deck into a Dock, but it’s still fully functional. You can navigate with the joysticks or touchpad and click using the triggers. You can also pull up a virtual keyboard. KDE Plasma gives you the freedom to use this mode for longer.
3. KDE Is More Familiar to Windows Gamers
Many Linux distros come with a default experience that looks very akin to Windows. GNOME isn’t one of them. KDE Plasma is.
Is a Windows-like experience the most welcoming? That’s debatable. Windows may be widely used, but many people have always found Windows confusing. There are generations of people learning how to compute for the first time using a mobile device, and there are lessons to learn from that type of interface that a desktop like GNOME has made earnest efforts to implement.
But is a Windows-like experience welcoming to PC gamers? You bet. For decades, most PC games have been developed with Windows in mind. So if you’re already an established PC gamer, you likely know your way around Windows, and you’ll likely have little problem navigating KDE Plasma in its place.
4. KDE Is Easier to Theme With Your Brand
GNOME is not the easiest desktop environment to apply your own brand to. Its design is decidedly minimalist. There are no logos, nor are there desktop icons.
You can set a Steam Deck-oriented wallpaper as the default, and have the Steam icon be the first icon on the dock in the Activities Overview, but doing more than that requires the use of GNOME extensions. And you run the risk of having to manually reconfigure each extension with each new release of GNOME.
On KDE Plasma, you can swap out the KDE Plasma icon in the application launcher for your distro’s icon. Many distros do this, and SteamOS is no exception.
You can also put a shortcut to Steam, or a shortcut to return to Gaming Mode, right on the desktop. This is what Valve did, so that it’s immediately obvious how to return your Steam Deck back into a gaming console.
Valve also slightly modified the KDE Plasma theme. Since KDE has theming built-in, this is no issue. GNOME, on the other hand, asks distros not to theme their apps.
5. KDE Connect Is a Great Way to Transfer Files
You can connect your Steam Deck to a portable hard drive to transfer files, or you could send those files wirelessly with KDE Connect. The latter is a built-in feature that can quickly exchange files between two devices with KDE Connect installed.
KDE Connect is available for GNOME as an extension, but like all extensions, that runs an increased risk of breaking. KDE Connect generally comes as part of KDE Plasma. And since KDE Connect comes from the KDE community, you get the top-notch experience on your Steam Deck without Valve having to do a thing.
6. KDE Is a Good Fit for a Rolling Release
Older versions of SteamOS were based on Debian. The version that comes with the Steam Deck is based on Arch Linux instead. Arch Linux is what’s known as a rolling release distribution, meaning all software updates ship to users as soon as they become available.
There are no major versions of Arch Linux. You install once, then update your machine continuously from then on, with major updates (like new versions of a desktop environment) arriving alongside minor ones (like simple bug fixes for an app).
New versions of GNOME come out every six months. This is easy to plan around, which is part of the reason some distros plan their own release schedule around GNOME’s. KDE ships software in more parts, such as KDE Plasma, KDE Frameworks, and KDE Gear. Each has its own release schedule.
Since there isn’t a set time of year when all components receive an update at the same time, this approach lends itself well to a rolling release model.
This empowers Valve to ship updates on its own schedule. But unlike on Arch, Valve tests components and assembles a known-working version of SteamOS before shipping that out to users as one big update. This is one of the differences between SteamOS and Arch Linux.
Should Valve Have Stuck With GNOME?
KDE Plasma is great on the Steam Deck, but it feels cramped on the device’s small screen. GNOME has a more touch-friendly and adaptive interface that better scales to both small and large displays.
But with so many pros in KDE Plasma’s favor, it’s hard to say that Valve made the wrong decision. Many gamers are encountering Linux for the first time through the Steam Deck, and they’re getting on with KDE Plasma just fine. At the end of the day, that’s what it’s all about.
Reference: https://www.makeuseof.com/reasons-kde-plasma-makes-sense-on-steam-deck/
Ref: makeuseof
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