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CRAM could make compressed memory behave much more like ordinary RAM, but current Steam Deck hardware lacks the specialized hardware used by the presented implementation. A SteamOS update alone would not enable it, and the reported memory-test gains do not show that games would run faster.
What is CRAM?
CRAM, short for Compressed RAM, is a Linux compressed-memory service presented by Meta engineer Gregory Price at the Linux Plumbers Conference in Prague on October 5, 2026. The conference session describes a tested implementation identified as mm/cram.c, which uses hardware to offload compression.
The design aims to keep compressed data usable as memory: the conference description says it can remain mapped in page tables and present in the page cache, with byte- or cacheline-level access rather than a software decompression step on read. The session abstract says the implementation achieved near-native DRAM performance under TAOBench and FIO and was tested for page-cache correctness under most in-tree filesystems. Those are claims about the presented implementation and tests, not proof of broad production deployment. Linux Plumbers Conference session description.
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| Aspect | CRAM as described at the conference | zram and zswap as characterized in that description |
|---|---|---|
| Where compression happens | Specialized hardware offloads compression. | Compression is software-based. |
| Reading compressed data | Designed for byte- or cacheline-level access without a software decompression-on-read step. | The described read path involves software decompression. |
| Mapping and page cache | The conference says compressed data can remain mapped and page-cache present. | The conference contrasts CRAM’s behavior with these approaches; it does not provide a complete feature-by-feature comparison. |
| Evidence cited here | The session reports TAOBench and FIO results, plus page-cache correctness testing. | No comparative results for zram or zswap across all systems and workloads are established by the cited materials. |
That comparison describes the approaches in the cited conference material; it does not establish a universal winner. Results depend on implementation, hardware, and workload. Linux Plumbers Conference session description.
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- Wi-Fi 6E
- 50Whr battery; 3-12 hours of gameplay (content-dependent)
- Carrying case with removable liner
What the reported performance figures mean
Notebookcheck reports that CRAM was up to 452 times faster than ZRAM in read-only memory operations, and 5.4 times faster with a workload containing 20% writes. The report also says read-only operations approached uncompressed RAM. These are ratios from specialized memory tests, not game benchmarks; the available reporting does not provide enough setup detail to independently reproduce the exact figures. Notebookcheck’s report.
The Linux conference abstract names TAOBench and FIO, but does not include the 452× and 5.4× figures in its session description. Neither source reports that CRAM raises Steam Deck game frame rates, reduces stutter, shortens load times, or lowers a game’s RAM requirements.
Rank #2
- International (UK) Version
- 7.4” diagonal, HDR OLED, 1280 x 800 x RGB, up to 90Hz Refresh rate, High performance touch, <0.1 ms Response time, 1,000 nits peak brightness (HDR), 600 nits (SDR)
- SteamOS 3.0 (Arch-based)
- 512GB NVMe SSD, 16GB LPDDR5 on-board RAM (5500 MT/s quad 32-bit channels), microSD UHS-I supports SD, SDXC and SDHC
- 6 nm AMD APU, CPU: Zen 2 4c/8t, 2.4-3.5GHz (up to 448 GFlops FP32
Why current Steam Deck owners cannot enable it
The presented CRAM implementation depends on specialized hardware, and Notebookcheck reports that current Steam Deck hardware lacks it. Installing a SteamOS update cannot supply a missing hardware capability. The cited reporting does not identify a compatible CRAM add-on or memory upgrade for the Deck. Notebookcheck’s report.
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That means CRAM is not a setting Deck owners can switch on, nor is there evidence here that a software utility can substitute for the required hardware. The benchmark results also cannot be translated into a prediction about a particular game: the cited tests measure memory operations, not game performance.
Rank #3
- Operating System: SteamOS 3.0
What remains unknown
- The cited materials do not establish whether CRAM will become generally available in an upstream Linux kernel, or when.
- They do not name a consumer memory device or future Steam Deck model that implements the required hardware.
- They provide no Steam Deck game benchmarks for frame rate, load time, stutter, or memory use.
CRAM is a promising hardware-dependent memory approach, but claims about consumer availability and gaming benefits remain unestablished. A future handheld could be relevant only if it includes compatible hardware; neither a release timeline nor a Steam Deck implementation is promised by the cited sources.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
- Valve is entering the gaming console marketplace with the new Steam Deck, a console geared towards PC gamers. The Steam Deck can be docked to a monitor, and used as a PC, or docked to a TV.
- Players can play a huge variety of games at any time with the comfort of a console and the freedom of a PC. Not anti-glare screen.
- Like the name suggests, the Steam Deck will include upgraded 1TB storage, and will include a carrying case. A micro SD slot will also enable expanded storage.
- Valve partnered with AMD to create a specialized APU optimized for handheld gaming, and Valve says the chip will deliver performance to run AAA gaming titles.
- The Steam Deck is outfitted with a 7-inch touchscreen, and two trackpads under the control sticks that allow gamers to operate games never designed outside of mouse and keyboard capabilities.
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