How to Install SteamOS on ASUS ROG Ally X: A Step-by-Step Guide

Preparing the Bootable USB Drive

• 💡 SteamOS installation on the ASUS ROG Ally X requires a USB flash drive with at least 8GB of storage and a USB-C connection.
• ⚠️ Ensure no personal data is on the USB drive, as it will be completely erased during the process.
• 💻 Download BalenaEtcher from its official website and the SteamOS ISO image from the steamos.cloud website.
• 🚀 Use BalenaEtcher to flash the SteamOS image onto the USB drive, selecting "flash from file" and then your USB drive as the target.

Configuring the ASUS ROG Ally X BIOS

• 🔌 Power off your ASUS ROG Ally X completely.
• ⌨️ To enter BIOS, short-press the power button and then hold the Volume Down button until the BIOS menu appears.
• ⚙️ Navigate to the Security section, find Secure Boot Control, and disable it to allow SteamOS installation.
• 💾 Save changes and exit BIOS by pressing 'Y' to enter advanced mode, then selecting "Save & Exit".

Installing SteamOS

• 🔄 After flashing the USB, safely eject it from your PC and insert it into the ASUS ROG Ally X, preferably using the faster USB-C port.
• 🖱️ Re-enter the BIOS menu and navigate to the Boot Menu.
• 🎯 Select the first partition of your USB flash drive to boot from it.
• 🖱️ Choose "Wipe device and install SteamOS" and proceed with the installation.
• 🔌 Once the installation is complete, you can safely remove the USB drive and reboot your device.

Initial SteamOS Setup and Plugin Installation

• 🌐 Select your preferred language and time zone, then connect to a Wi-Fi network.
• 💻 Switch to Desktop Mode by pressing the Xbox button, selecting Power, and then "Switch to Desktop".
• 🦊 Open the Firefox browser and navigate to the DeckyLoader website (decky.xyz) to download and install it.
• 📂 Use the Dolphin file manager to run the Decky installer file from your downloads folder.
• 🔌 After DeckyLoader is installed, return to Game Mode, press Xbox button + A, navigate to Decky, select the gear icon, go to General, and enable Developer Mode.
• 🛠️ Install the SimpleDeckTDP plugin from a zip file via Developer Mode to manage TDP and GPU settings, allowing for finer control over power consumption.