This YouTuber installed SteamOS on an ancient iMac, and somehow it’s performant

One YouTuber by the name of ETA PRIME has taken it upon themselves to test whether an olderApple iMac can conceivably function as a Linux-based gaming PC, as first reported by Notebook Check. To do so, the content creator purchased a $100 2019 iMac from Craigslist, and replaced its native macOS operating system with Valve’s SteamOS — the same OS that runs on the popular Steam Deck gaming handheld.

The iMac sourced for this experiment happens to be a 21.5-inch Retina 4K model, internally containing an Intel i5-7500 processor and a Radeon RX 560X graphics card. For 2019, this was a relatively potent package, though it would’ve been hamstrung by the Mac platform’s relative lack of gaming compatibility when compared to the likes of Windows.

Throughout the video, ETA PRIME catalogs the experience of setting up the iMac to run SteamOS, the roadblocks that were run into, performance metrics, game compatibility, and more. After everything was said and done, the results proved surprising: this iMac-SteamOS hybrid is surprisingly capable, pushing out a full 60 frames per second (FPS) on Hades 2 with high settings, 90 FPS on Forza Horizon 5 on low settings, and 40 FPS on Fallout 4 running in Steam Deck mode.

In effect, the YouTuber successfully built a dedicated all-in-one gaming rig, but with the unique properties of running SteamOS and of touting a polished Apple logo on its front-facing chin. This alone is certainly novel, but the real kicker is its shockingly competent performance while actually running games. No, it doesn’t measure up to the latest-and-greatest silicon currently on the market, but it also doesn’t keel over and quit, either.

As a way to breathe new life into an aging iMac, ETA PRIME’s solution is ingenious. I’m all for reducing the amount of e-waste out there, a problem which iMacs play a role in (owing to their all-in-one design and their lack of component modularity). For a small sum of $100, it’s possible to play Cyberpunk 2077 at between 40 to 50fps, all while doing so in style with Apple’s legendary hardware fit and finish.

SteamOS has legs

The Linux-based gaming platform will soon be available to all

In short, Valve’s SteamOS is a full-blown operating system based on Arch Linux. As with other Linux distributions or “distros,” much of the code here is open source, but Valve has an important trump card up its sleeve: its proprietary Steam Client program.

The Steam Client — which has long been available on Windows and Mac-based PCs — is a storefront filled with video games across every genre imaginable, from independent and big-budget studios alike. As a platform, SteamOS is specifically designed to maximize gaming performance and battery life, with restrictions placed on background task activities compared to general-purpose computer systems.

This, along with a dedicated user interface tailored towards gamers, makes SteamOS an intriguing platform. While the Windows 11 Steam app offers its own Big Picture mode with a game controller-friendly UI, it doesn’t solve the underlying overhead issues that can impact performance on Windows-based gaming PCs.

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With the recent market growth of PC gaming handhelds, including Valve’s own Steam Deck, competitors like Microsoft have reason to sweat. When pitting the Lenovo Legion Go S with SteamOS versus its Windows 11 equivalent, the former proves more efficient overall. Microsoft, for its part, is actively working on improving the Windows 11 gaming experience, and the company is working with Asus to build Xbox-centric gaming handhelds.

Valve has further ambitions for its SteamOS platform, too: the platform holder intends on opening the floodgates by allowing anyone to get SteamOS up and running on compatible hardware. An exact timeline hasn’t been announced, but I’m willing to bet it’ll hit general availability in time for Windows 10’s upcoming end-of-life.

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