The SteamDeck is my favorite purchase of last year.
Literally the best PC I’ve ever owned.
Yep, at the end of the day it’s so much nicer to lay in bed to play vs. sit at my PC desk. I play so much more of my backlog now.
Do you use it hand held? I ask because I’ve had a Switch for years and I’ve used it hand held like three times. I’m interested in how the Steam Deck performs ‘docked’.
Works exactly like you’d expect. Plug it in and keep playing. I use a ps5 controller, no issues. No performance changes as nothing is throttled when you play it in handheld mode
Nice. Thanks
That dude left out a couple negatives.
First, all games will default to the Deck’s output resolution. You need to go to the game’s settings before launching to set the resolution to match the TV’s.
Since running a game at a higher resolution hurts performance, you’ll usually get worse performance docked than handheld unless you’re ok with using a lower resolution intentionally.
There are various issues with external controllers. Here are a few that I’ve had personally:
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PS5 controller developing input lag over the course of an hour. Need to disconnect and reconnect.
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Double inputs caused by Steam Input happening on top of a game’s built-in input
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Some games not correctly interpreting multiple controllers because the Deck’s controls still register as a controller while docked
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Some games like Stardew Valley not accepting controller input without going into settings and reordering
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Not reconnecting to Bluetooth controllers automatically, needing to go to settings and manually connect (for some reason this doesn’t happen with Xbox controllers for me)
Unrelated to controllers, there are some other dock issues:
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Constant audio buzzing and disconnect while docked. Need to enable Developer mode and change a setting to fix.
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Severe UI slowdown while docked.
These are all with the official Steam dock. So yeah, it’s not the seamless Switch-like experience a lot of Deck users pretend it is.
I don’t doubt you. I haven’t personally had any of those problems except fixing the resolution. I use Xbox clone controllers.
I don’t use the official dock, just one of the dozen random USB-C docks running around my house. My Deck is mostly stock, except for an SSD upgrade. I used to dock it about a third of the time I played it but now I’ve got a mini PC running HoloISO connected to the TV to play games remotely from my rig if I want to play on the big screen (I’m too lazy to walk over and dock it and someone who will remain nameless borrows the deck from time to time). HoloISO hasn’t shown any of the problems either.
Luck of the draw, I guess.
Edit: removed the line about it being dead stock because I wasn’t thinking about my SSD upgrade when I wrote it. I addressed it elsewhere anyway.
Interested in this exact setup. Would you mind telling more about your setup? Which model mini pc do you use? And I assume you stream via steam link? Any issues with the resolution or lag? Any issues with HoloISO? Thanks in advance!
HoloISO hasn’t been updated on a long time but there is Chimera and Bazzite that deliver a similar experience.
Sure! It’s the Beelink with the 5500u. I am using steam link and everything is wired. No resolution problems, but I do have about one stuttering issue a week for a second or two. At 4k I had alignment problems that didn’t make sense (everything was shifted 3 inches to the left) but my eyes aren’t great so 1080p fine for me. Moonlight would probably fix it but I’m lazy.
HoloISO has been great. I had a Bluetooth issue where it wouldn’t come back from sleep, but there was a setting I added in desktop mode that took about 3 minutes that fixed it right up. I use Xbox clone controllers or my old stadia controllers that I’ve set up for Bluetooth depending on what’s closest (did I mention I’m lazy?).
Ask questions and I’ll answer. I like talking about my setup.
Constant audio buzzing and disconnect while docked. Need to enable Developer mode and change a setting to fix.
What’s the setting? I have this issue and the only thing I found online is that it was a known problem to be fixed in a future update.
maybe enabme the beta channel, idk just guessing
What’s the general resolution that seems to work well?
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It’s great docked, except for an audio bug in Linux that causes some occasional minor (but annoying and concentration-breaking) static sounds while outputting over HDMI. It comes and goes on its own.
The bug is acknowledged by Valve, and it’s (to the best of my understanding) not something specific to the Steam Deck. Supposedly it’s being worked on, but no fix yet.
Once fixed, the Deck will be nearly perfect in my eyes.
I also experience audio dropouts. Not very common, but they do happen.
There is inherently more “fiddling” with the Deck overall compared to the Switch, which I believe is unavoidable. You aren’t playing games designed only to run on one locked down device. You are running games designed to run on PCs of just about any era. Upside, you could be running emulators, games or programs from sources other than Steam, even a Word Processor. Downside, it differs require a little more knowledge and fiddling.
Having said that, if you stick to game mode and games rated as great on the Steam Deck through Steam, your experience will come very close to the Switch for ease of use, with an arguably larger library.
I don’t have a switch but I only use my deck handheld. It works great IMO.
Ok?
Thanks for such an elaborate, thoughtful comment.
They did the opposite of answer the question. There was no point in thier reply.
I think it might be one of the best purchases I’ve ever made. It definitely doesn’t fit everyone’s use-case, but it fits mine very well!
Yeah, more horsepower can’t beat being able to play from an airplane!
It’s the perfect balance, I used to love my switch but this is a lot better while retaining 90% of the portability. And the key thing - it’s not better only in terms of performance (graphics), but in terms of compatibility: it will take most of the games available on switch, either natively as pc versions or through emulation. But also a truly vast array that goes from Sega’s sonic adventure to cyberpunk2077 or Starfield. It’s awesome.
They deserve it just for their contributions to Proton/WINE/Linux. The Steam Deck might be my favorite console ever but I’m even more excited about the future and what Valve’s efforts will enable. One of the things that’s great about open source is that someone somewhere might build something on top of your work that you never expected. In 5 or 10 years, I would not be shocked if the work they’ve done on Proton ends up way bigger than games.
Seems pretty easy.
Step 1: direct the largest library/store of games ever
Step 2: create the best piece of gaming hardware ever
Step 3: dribble out pre-orders for a year to really get that slow hype train rolling
The only problem with this plan is that Valve have massive issues when it comes to counting to 3.
Confirmed?
If that’s their biggest flaw, I’ll take it every day.
I wouldn’t call the steam deck the greatest piece of gaming hardware ever. There are many very well equipped PC handhelds out now. The difference that Valve brings is that their software is impeccable and they have a good history of supporting their hardware with up to date software for many, many years.
While there is better hardware out there now I can guarantee you that the software sucks on all of them in comparison to the steam deck. And if you run HoloISO on them you won’t get the full feature suite.
Plus of course the price point. You can get a refurbished SteamDeck for like 330€ now. While alternatives start at like at least twice that for almost the same performance.
Competitors have better performance, but the overall hardware of Steam Deck is unmatched so far. Trackpads alone make it so much more flexible.
You’re absolutely wrong and cannot be more wrong with that condescendingly patronizing attitude of yours.
Can you elaborate on how I’m wrong? That’s a pretty destructive comment you wrote there
Where were they condescending or patronizing? They just disagreed with you politely, relax dude.
I mean ya can’t really evaluate the hardware and ignore the software. The hardware won’t do anything without it.
Additionally Valve was the first to my knowledge to incorporate actually comfortable hand grips (at the expense of size), gyros, and trackpads.
Any handheld that’s not just a basic emulator is totally nullified by their garbage software (in my opinion).
According to the logic of this video it costs Valve $0 to produce steam decks. Jeez, the Internet is so filled up with these unresearched, amateurish attempts at journalism.
Yeah, title is clickbait. In reality it would be nigh-inpossible to calculate how much money it has made them.
Not only because Valve is a private company but because they mostly make money on games and it’s impossible to say which games were sold because Steam Deck exists, though you could probably get a pretty close estimate based on playtime % on Steam Deck vs. other hardware, users who ONLY register a Steam Deck, and other such data. But again, because they’re a private company we don’t have access to most of that data.
Likely they are breaking even or even taking a small loss on the actual hardware, but I’m sure they have achieved the intended goal of increased game sales well into the millions.
I would bet they’re basically losing money on the $399 model, but making money on the higher spec models. No other manufacturer has been able to offer similar performance at that low price point (yet).
Cost analysis estimates I’ve seen have them also taking a small loss on 256GB units, only making a profit on 512GB units.
They didn’t have official data though, they were mostly working backwards from taking the ifixit part costs and assuming ifixit used their standard markup.
Makes sense, Gabe said in an interview that making that $399 price point was “painful”. But I guess the point is that the Deck sales drive Steam game sales.
they were mostly working backwards from taking the ifixit part costs and assuming ifixit used their standard markup.
I mean that’s pure BoM and doesn’t include costs of development or assembly.
I would bet that they aren’t losing as much money as other companies would. Valve made their own OS for the Steam Deck. Asus and Lenovo made similar devices, but they both run Windows and have to pay Microsoft licensing fees.
It’ll be really interesting if Valve opens up a partner program with other OEMs to allow things like firmware updates through SteamOS on more devices than just the Deck. I think then, we’d see $500 or less competing consoles to the Deck.
Windows licenses cost dick to Asus and Lenovo, they’re already OEMs.
One could make the case that SteamOS is actually a massive cost because they had to mostly develop it themselves. Not to mention Proton.
But then those other OEMs make their own GUIs also.
Not sure which one cost more…
I’d say that’s probably a fair assessment
what’s the battery life of these beasts?
Depends on your game, settings, screen brightness, etc. It’s highly tunable with stuff like FPS limiters and even custom TDP limit settings built into the UI. Just running a Gameboy Color emulator, for instance, you might get 6+ hours. Running Baldur’s Gate 3 at reasonably optimized settings from an online guide, you’d get about 1.5-2 hours
That’s almost impossible to answer because it all depends on how you’re using it, what games you’re playing, screen brightness, etc.
But in general I would say it’s pretty good.
You can literally make a steam deck last 30 mins at minimum. Lol. I would say most users are getting 2 to 3 hours with reasonable settings. So many variables at play. Your best bet is to go in with realistic expectations.
Thanks all, of course, my comment was about 3D games. You don’t buy a Steamdeck to play Mario Bros SNES or SuperMeatboy.
Speak for yourself, friend. Lots and lots of people bought it because it’s so great for playing emulators.
There’s lot of handheld more cheaper for such thing.
Cheaper doesn’t mean better. There’s also more expensive, which again doesn’t mean better. There are no other amd64 handhelds with a working sleep function that I know of.
Somewhere between 2 and 8 hours.
Whenever someone talks about Steam Deck, I feel like I am in an alternate universe from my original one, because for some reason, I remember Steam Deck as a failed product attempt no one cares about lol, and now it is a big money maker, so yikes, in what universe am I now? Lmao
Are you thinking of the OG Steam Machines? They tried a PC console before that flopped, a while ago.
Oh, probably that then! Also, you (not the guy of the comment), did you really need to downvote me? This is just for laughs-
I’m using an app that equates swipes with votes on a phone where the “go back” function requires swiping. It happens.
You are too nice, I thought it wasn’t you, so I changed my comment
