As someone who mains Windows 11 + BPM on Steam, I do feel your pain somewhat.I hooked up my old laptop to a TV so it could act as a console ( I main Steam after all). I set everything up, no password login, Wake on LAN, auto boot to Steam BPM, etc. As versatile as PCs are, being able to control them without KB&M is their biggest weakness. Something constantly breaks, it's very frustrating, Few examples:
- BPM overlay doesn't work in Shadow of War, so I don't see an achievement pop-up, I can't see the message when someone messages me, and I can't put my system to sleep while the game is running.
- I downloaded Plex HTPC, added it to Steam, and configured the controller, and it usually works, but when Plex decides it's time to update, it just shows a big popup and Steam Input stops working. I have to pull out my laptop and accept the update. There is no way to disable auto updates except by editing some .ini files.
- I added a Chrome shortcut to Steam that instantly launches YouTube in TV mode. When it works, it works great. But often it decides it just won't launch at all. No idea why.
- After few hours in sleep mode, I suddenly can't wake my laptop with a controller.
- Sometimes BPM loses focus
- Sometimes I launch the game and all I can see is the Steam loading screen
Those issues are even more frustrating considering the fact that they are not happening on my Steam Deck. The easiest solution would be to install a Steam OS-like system on my laptop and I would be all in for that, but there are none that would fully support Nvidia graphics that are in my laptop. Some people buy these little handy dandy little Bluetooth KB&M combo, but I don't see it as a solution, I would like to not use it at all. It made me angry to the point where I started to consider getting an Xbox Series. I borrowed XOX from my brother in the meantime, I'm downloading Sea of Stars and Lies of P as I type this. If my experience with Xbox will be positive, it will be a bleak future for my Steam library, and the Asus Strix G16 that I recently bought.
I've got a Logitech K400 that works well enough for the few times I need to take control with a keyboard and mouse. It doesn't happen that often, but then again I don't have Plex HTPC installed on my PC. For any non-gaming entertainment on the TV it's the Apple TV for me. I'm hoping one day Plex will release the Plex HTPC app to Steam, so the client handles the updates. It'd be a massive boost to people running Windows-based HTPCs.
But frankly, a new Steam Controller can't come soon enough. If Valve just took the Deck controls and put it in a gamepad, they'd be on to a winner.