Valve's Steam Deck will begin shipping this December. While it is already known that this new handheld console will run on Windows, less is known about its compatibility with the more demanding Windows 11, and Valve and AMD are apparently working to make sure it runs smoothly right out of the box.

In a recent interview with PC Gamer, Valve Steam Deck designer Greg Coomer confirmed that the company is working with AMD to ensure that its handheld consoles run Windows 11 right out of the box

Coomer said.

Coomer said that Steam is looking into the possibility of making its handheld TPM (Trusted Compatibility Module) compatible with Windows 11.

"There is some work that we are looking at right now on the TPM. We have been concentrating on Windows 10 and haven't gone that far. Our expectation is that we can meet that," said Coomer.

TPMs are typically hard-coded cryptographic keys, usually on the motherboard as a separate chip. This adds an extra layer of security to Windows 11. Modern CPUs often meet Microsoft's TPM 2.0 requirements for Windows 11.

Valve's Steam Deck will be powered by AMD, specifically a custom chip titled Zen 2/RDNA 2 APU. So it makes sense that the company is working directly with silicon manufacturers to ensure that its new handheld gaming console is compatible with Windows 11.

"This is another conversation we are having with AMD to make sure that it is supported at the BIOS level. So there is nothing yet to indicate that Windows 11 will cause problems.

This news could be significant for those who are considering using the Steam Deck as their main desktop. The ongoing global chip shortage and duffers artificially inflating component prices have made building a new PC tremendously difficult. So far, Valve has set an ambitious goal of "getting every game working by the time we ship the Steam Deck" (as Valve software developer Eric Lieberman said in a developer video).

At this point, it is not known whether Valve's new handheld console will be able to compete with, or at least rival, the Nintendo Switch's user base. Nintendo's handheld and console hybrid has already outsold the PS3 and Xbox 360. As far as we know, the Steam Deck will ship this December for early buyers, with prices starting at $399. It will feature a 7-inch 1280x800 LCD display, up to 512GB of internal storage, and run on a proprietary Linux based operating system called SteamOS. Those interested in learning more about the console can visit the main Valve Steam Deck page.