I have the exact the same feeling with Steam vs iPhone, iPad, Vision, or whatever they advertise as the next computer. What SteamOS has is a desktop that allow user to run real browser with proper ad blocker, has a desktop that user can set whatever shortcut the user like, run whatever script to process the user’s file. The next computer doesn’t do those things.
SteamOS is Google Play Services for desktop linux. For a while you couldn't use the touchpads without running the steam client. They break existing dual boot setups every firmware update so in some ways are more hostile to alternative OSes than Windows. The hardware of Steam Deck is generally more open though if you forgo SteamOS itself.
