Valve releases SteamOS 3.8.28 with improved AMD graphics support

Valve has released SteamOS 3.8.28, a significant update that introduces a new Mesa graphics driver aimed at improving raytracing performance and video memory (VRAM) management. The update specifically addresses stability and performance issues that occur when devices wake from standby mode, particularly regarding discrete AMD graphics cards that previously experienced performance drops after being reactivated.

In addition to the operating system update, Valve released Firmware 108 for the Steam Machine. This firmware addresses CPU performance drops after waking from sleep and prevents the device from unintentionally waking up immediately after entering sleep mode.

The update also expands hardware support, providing improved compatibility for the MSI Claw and OneXPlayer series, and enabling direct recognition for gamepads from Ayaneo Pocket S2, Konkr Fit, and MSI Claw 8 EX AI+. Other fixes include resolutions for HDMI audio issues, long boot times, and specific game crashes in Final Fantasy 14 Online and Zenless Zone Zero.