Zotac Zone 2 switches to Linux to be the most direct Steam Deck OLED competitor
No Windows 11 or Steam OS here
🎮 We got another look at the Zotac Zone 2 gaming handheld at Computex 2025
🧠 Now it comes running on Manjaro Linux instead of Windows 11 or Steam OS
🙅🏻♂️ Unfortuantely we couldn’t actually play any games on the Linux-powered handheld
💸 The no-cost Linux OS should hopefully make the Zotac Zone 2 more affordable
💎 Possibly the best hardware of any gaming handheld we’ve ever seen
It’s been a while since we last saw the Zotac Zone 2 at CES 2025. Since then, it’s been converted into a Linux-powered gaming handheld at Computex 2025.
Instead of Windows or Steam OS, Zotac has loaded its Zone 2 prototype handheld with Manjaro Linux, an older but more user-friendly Linux distribution than Arch Linux, which Valve built Steam OS upon. Still, you can switch Zotac Zone 2 into a Steam Big Picture mode, which should replicate the look and usability of Steam OS.
I say should because my experience with the Zotac Zone 2 running Manjaro Linux was almost completely broken. While I could launch into games, I couldn’t interact with any of the main menus using either the handheld's physical controls or touchscreen once they were fully loaded.
Zotac told me it's still working out the kinks of getting the Zone 2 to run properly with Manjaro Linux. However, the prospect of a gaming handheld running Linux instead of needing a Windows license or any special partnership with Linux should result in a more affordable device. That’s great news, as the original Zotac Zone already cost $749.
The Zotac Zone 2 also looks extremely promising on paper, as it combines a lusciously vibrant AMOLED screen with AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370. This particular processor has proven itself to be a very effective gaming chip in other gaming devices, like the Asus ROG Flow Z13 gaming tablet.
The Zotac Zone 2 also features a fantastic suite of controls, including a pair of symmetrically arranged Hall Effect thumbsticks surrounded by rotating thumbstick dials, dual trackpads, and adjustable triggers.
Zotac hasn’t shared pricing or availability for its Zone 2 prototype handheld, but stay tuned. We’re sure to see it again soon at IFA 2025 in Berlin, Germany, this September.
Kevin Lee is The Shortcut’s Creative Director. Follow him on Twitter @baggingspam.