When comparing Xbox OS vs SteamOS, the Slant community recommends Xbox OS for most people. In the question“What is the best set-top box OS?” Xbox OS is ranked 7th while SteamOS is ranked 10th.
Specs
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro Native graphics processor support
The OS natively supports Nvidia, Intel, and AMD graphics processors.
Pro Streaming service integration (under development)
Valve is in talks with streaming companies such as Spotify and Netflix to bring their features to SteamOS.
Pro For entertainment, it just works
What media center software do for videos, it does for games (and later videos).
Cons
Con Vendor lock-in
You have to use their services their app store and so on. There is no way to sideload apps.
Con Power demanding
On the XBox One it needs about 90-100 watts of you play a netflix movie.
Con Hard to install
If you've installed Arch you're probably fine, but for those used to simple installs like (Ubuntu to name just one) you should prepare some patience, determination, and painkillers. Good news is, it's getting better (it's very young).
Con Not built around the desktop experience
SteamOS is, first and foremost, meant to act as a gaming console - it doesn't ship with even some of the most basic applications, such as a file manager or image viewer. As a result, using SteamOS as your primary operating system would require a fair bit of work.