SteamOS 3.9 released in stable version: Linux 7.2, Plasma 6.7 and new WiFi

Valve has released a stable version of SteamOS 3.9.5 for all users.This is the first stable build of the 3.9 branch: it includes changes that were previously available in the preview version.The release was released on Friday, October 23, and covers everything that has accumulated since the previous stable SteamOS 3.8.

New base and desktop

The system received an updated Arch Linux base and Linux 7.2 kernel.Desktop mode has moved from KDE Plasma 6.4.3 to Plasma 6.7.3.For details about Plasma 6.5, 6.6 and 6.7, Valve suggests looking at the announcements of KDE itself.At the same time, we updated the bootloader to improve compatibility with some motherboards, and added security and stability fixes.

Network and power consumption

The default for WiFi is now wpa_supplicant instead of iwd.Valve says this improves compatibility across different networks.The developers have modified wpa_supplicant so that the device quickly reconnects to the network after waking up from sleep mode: previously only iwd had this ability.Separately, we fixed a crash that prevented hidden networks from connecting on the first try.

Steam Deck has become more economical in terms of battery consumption when idle, if there is no sound playing in games.Valve writes about this in the changelog.

Fixes for other Valve devices

The update doesn't just apply to Steam Deck.For Steam Machine, we fixed Remote Play crashing when launched without an external display, rare errors when installing firmware, and the use of a frame limiter in VR games when broadcasting to Steam Frame.Performance drops in STAR WARS: Galactic Racer after exiting sleep mode have also been corrected.Wireless adapter support has been improved for Steam Frame.

There are also fixes in desktop mode: the lock screen can now be turned on in settings yourself, although it is turned off by default.Fixed RDP login for system users and a bug where changing the time zone prevented the user from switching to desktop mode until rebooting.

Among other changes, Phoronix names preliminary support for hibernation and improved operation of SteamOS as a guest system in a virtual machine.You can download the stable version and read the full list on the Steam Deck news page.

We wrote separately about Valve’s plans for the next generation of portables: in the article about Steam Deck 2 and waiting for the right chip.