Valve has finally released the first public beta version of SteamOS.
SteamOS 1.0 is based on Debian Linux version 7.1 with Valve's proprietary Big Screen interface and Steam client to provide console-like experience. The operating system is designed for living room gaming on TV screens, but standard Linux desktop is readily available to run any other Linux application.
Being an early beta, Valve recommends that non-technical users shouldn't install SteamOS yet. The operating system currently supports a certain set of hardware that's going to expand significantly before official launch.
In the meanwhile, SteamOS's hardware requirements are as follows:
- Intel or AMD 64-bit capable processor
- 4GB or more memory
- 500GB or larger disk
- NVIDIA graphics card (AMD and Intel graphics support coming soon)
- UEFI boot support
- USB port for installation
SteamOS beta is available here.