Yeah I’m not surprised, the steam deck hardware was picked with the best compatibility in mind. I’m aware in my case I have non-ideal hardware for Linux, such as an nvidia card.
This is also one of the primary reasons I'll buy the Steam Machine. Sure I could build whatever myself, but I actually want proper hardware support. I also don't mind that the profit margin that I pay to make my life easier goes to Valve and their Linux Gaming pursuits.
