Google and Valve have been working for months to deliver a stable Steam build to Chromebooks, and they have now passed a major milestone.

Google has recently announced that Steam for Chromebooks has passed alpha and is currently in beta testing. This edition greatly improves its capabilities, including a slew of new features.

In terms of availability, this version of Steam is no longer restricted to the ChromeOS dev channel, allowing anybody with the ChromeOS beta build to download and utilize the service to download and play their favorite games. The update now includes support for AMD Ryzen 5000 C-series processors and Intel 12th Gen Core CPUs.

Google claims that the minimum CPU requirement has been reduced to Intel i3 / AMD Ryzen 3, which "more than triples" the number of compatible devices. Many newly announced cloud gaming Chromebooks include Steam functionality, while the firm recommends 16GB of RAM and an i5 / Ryzen 5 or higher CPU for the ideal local gaming experience.

Enhanced compatibility is only the beginning. The ChromeOS Steam beta also includes DirectX 12 and Volkan 1.3 compatibility, as well as an enhanced scaling mechanism for better interoperability with QHD and UHD external screens.

To that aim, Google has added 50 additional titles to a list of Steam games that they suggest for playing on Chromebooks, including classics like The Witcher 3, Hades, and Portal 2.

Users may run this beta version of Steam by following the steps outlined here.