Key Takeaways
1. Steam now has native support for Apple Silicon with the launch of a new beta version for M-series Macs.
2. The new Steam app performs significantly better than the previous Intel version, improving startup times and user experience.
3. The app previously relied on Rosetta 2 for compatibility, which limited performance; now it runs natively on Apple Silicon.
4. The beta version fixes various macOS-specific issues, enhancing usability for non-Steam games.
5. Major updates for Intel-based Macs will cease after WWDC 2025, with Rosetta 2 support ending in macOS 27.
Steam has been on Mac for a long time, but it didn’t have proper support for Apple Silicon until now. This changes with the launch of a new beta version of the game marketplace app, which is now available for Macs that use Apple’s M-series chips. The new version is much better optimized and performs significantly better than the Intel version. This update comes as Apple continues its shift to its own silicon and is phasing out support for Intel-powered Macs.
Native Support for Apple Silicon
The announcement about the Steam Client Beta was made on the Steam community forum, where it was revealed that both the Steam Client and Steam Helper apps now run natively on Apple Silicon. Previously, the Steam app depended on Rosetta 2 to function on Apple Silicon, which didn’t provide the best experience. Steam utilizes the Chromium browser for most of its web content, and the Intel version had to consistently process through the Rosetta layer. Now, Valve has transitioned the Chromium Embedded Framework from being Intel-exclusive to supporting Apple Silicon.
Performance Improvements
YouTuber Andrew Tsai conducted a comparison between the Intel and Apple Silicon versions of the Steam app, showing significant enhancements in startup times, navigation, and overall user satisfaction. The new version also fixes some macOS-specific issues, including problems with icons not automatically setting for non-Steam games and the missing game icon file dialog.
To get the new Steam beta, you need to open the Steam app on your Mac, go to Settings, then Interface, and find ‘Client Beta Participation.’ After that, you should click on Steam Beta Update, and the app will ask you to restart. Once you’ve restarted, the app will update to the latest beta version.
Future Updates
After WWDC 2025, Apple announced that it would stop providing major updates for Intel-based Macs post-macOS Tahoe. Regarding Rosetta 2, macOS 27 will be the final firmware update that supports it.
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