TL;DR
- Google is reportedly making ready to check Steam on finances Chromebooks.
- This implies we may see Steam on Chromebooks powered by Intel N100/N200 chips.
Steam lastly got here to Chromebooks final 12 months as a part of a beta program, permitting you to put in the gaming storefront in your Chrome OS laptop computer. The app was restricted to Chromebooks operating latest processors although, specifically AMD Ryzen 3 or higher and Intel Core i3 or increased.
Now, Chrome Unboxed has uncovered proof that Google is testing or will begin testing Steam on low-end Chromebooks. The outlet discovered references to Steam being enabled for testing on Chromebooks powered by Intel Alder Lake N and AMD Mendocino processors.
Each of those chips are budget-tier processors, with Intel’s Alder Lake N collection (e.g. N100, N200), particularly, powering a wide range of low cost Chromebooks. So it stands to purpose that we’ll see Steam coming to low cost Chrome-powered laptops sooner or later if Google’s testing proceeds easily.
No AAA Steam video games on these Chromebooks
The outlet did categorical warning about taking part in even older 3D video games although, noting {that a} mid-tier system just like the Acer Chromebook 516 GE (Intel Core i5, Iris Xe graphics) struggled with titles like CounterStrike: International Offensive. So that you may need to mood your expectations in an enormous approach.
This expanded assist would nonetheless open the door to a great deal of much less demanding and/or older PC video games that might run on finances Chromebooks. So followers of outdated titles like Deus Ex or Half Life may be capable to get in on the motion. However there are additionally loads of newer PC video games with modest system necessities that may be capable to run on a finances Chromebook, corresponding to Vampire Survivors, Celeste, and the Spelunky collection.