Valve Steam Deck - Thoughts so far?

[DarkDesertFox]

I'm surprised I didn't see a thread on this yet. Valve is introducing a new portable PC gaming console called the Steam Deck. I think this looks promising! As someone who has a gaming computer but doesn't find it enjoyable to play on the PC, this seems like a good alternative. I also think this is fantastic that it finally gives Nintendo competition and they'll have to finally making some improvements to the Switch. Lately they've been pushing out some half-finished games, have still not addressed joy con drift, have not provided good benefits for Nintendo Switch Online members despite the amount of people subscribing to it and have still been charging full price for ports. As for the layout of the Steam Deck, I am slightly concerned about that. I think sacrificing the space where the d-pad and buttons normally go for the trackpads was not a great move. I could really live without those since I doubt I would ever use them. They should offer a version with and without the trackpads in my opinion.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1415718021469925378

 

[Dio]

I think the steam deck is very promising and is a great option for anyone who doesn’t have a gaming pc. The specs are similar to PS4 and if you feel like it you can connect it to your pc monitor and install Windows OS. I believe you can also play games like death stranding at 30 FPS handheld as well.

It’s not going to kill the Nintendo switch since people buy Nintendo consoles for the exclusives, but the ability to emulate Nintendo games on steam deck would’ve led me to pick steam deck over the Nintendo switch if I didn’t have one already (Assuming there are no major issues on release).

Just curious, what about PC you don’t find as enjoyable compared to console? :0

 

[Mairmalade]

Incredible potential as both a portable device and a media center powerhouse. I've been chatting with a few people about this and we share a general consensus: not going to be an immediate buy when preorders go live. Going to wait to see tests/performance from consumers when it releases.

I'm also skeptical about the layout and battery life, though I'd see myself using this more docked in a living room if I'm not at my computer rather than taking it out and about. The Switch itself is uncomfortable for me when using as a handheld and this looks a bit heftier and somewhat awkward to use.

Thought it was funny to see the only difference across price points was the increased storage capacity (don't consider the extras in the 512GB version selling features). Seeing 64GB as an option for this type of device is...questionable? Would likely go with the 256 and use a micro SD card if I buy it in the future.

Either way, smidge of excitement when I saw this yesterday.

 

[Firesquids]

I reserved mine a little while ago, my fiance is still trying to reserve his.

Looking pretty neat, I'm a sucker for handhelds because I love to go camping (plus I have access to like 800 games on steam so it'll be nice to have easier access to them)

 

[DarkDesertFox]

I think the steam deck is very promising and is a great option for anyone who doesn’t have a gaming pc. The specs are similar to PS4 and if you feel like it you can connect it to your pc monitor and install Windows OS. I believe you can also play games like death stranding at 30 FPS handheld as well.

It’s not going to kill the Nintendo switch since people buy Nintendo consoles for the exclusives, but the ability to emulate Nintendo games on steam deck would’ve led me to pick steam deck over the Nintendo switch if I didn’t have one already (Assuming there are no major issues on release).

Just curious, what about PC you don’t find as enjoyable compared to console? :0

Ah, I could write a really long post about it if I got into it. It's a lot of thing the little things that add up. I prefer to play on a TV over a monitor/laptop screen for one. While I have the capabilities to set that up, it's not the most convenient thing to use regularly and I run into issues doing it sometimes. I bought a laptop awhile ago that can run most games well, but the problem is the fan can be really loud depending on the game which is annoying. I know if I pop a game into my Series X it's as quiet as a mouse and will run fine. I've just found it to be a big time sucker for trying to get things running rather than actually playing a game.

Incredible potential as both a portable device and a media center powerhouse. I've been chatting with a few people about this and we share a general consensus: not going to be an immediate buy when preorders go live. Going to wait to see tests/performance from consumers when it releases.

I'm also skeptical about the layout and battery life, though I'd see myself using this more docked in a living room if I'm not at my computer rather than taking it out and about. The Switch itself is uncomfortable for me when using as a handheld and this looks a bit heftier and somewhat awkward to use.

Thought it was funny to see the only difference across price points was the increased storage capacity (don't consider the extras in the 512GB version selling features). Seeing 64GB as an option for this type of device is...questionable? Would likely go with the 256 and use a micro SD card if I buy it in the future.

Either way, smidge of excitement when I saw this yesterday.

The Switch is definitely uncomfortable in handheld mode. I legitimately cannot play it without the Satisfye grip. It makes it much more bearable. I actually didn't even look into the storage sizes yet but 64GB seems horribly low to the point it shouldn't be offered. If I did get this I would probably opt for the 512 GB version just because of how much space certain games take up. It sounds like they'll have a slot to expand the storage which is nice. I'm pretty excited for it. I'll most likely have to decide between this and a PS5 for Christmas. Though I'd be lucky if either were in stock.

 

[UglyMonsterFace]

I really want one but I never invested in my steam library too much unfortunately I've bought most games I'm interested in for the Switch instead since I love handheld gaming.. And I really dislike the idea of not having all my games just on one handheld if I start getting other games for the Steam Deck instead... I would have bought all my games for Steam if I knew this was coming. I love doing achievements and it sucks that Switch doesn't have them.

So right now, I'm probably not gonna get it until my steam library has more games that I'd like to play handheld.

 

[Corrie]

This looks really interesting! It'll be really nice to play my Steam games on the go! I'm holding off for now to see more about it and the general reviews when it launches. I personally think this is a smart move to cater towards console/handheld gamers. Very excited for this!

 

[Ichiban]

i can't see it being the most comfortable thing to play, not just taking the button placement into account, i can't imagine how hot it would get playing AAA games. i'll stick with my pc.

could be good for getting casual gamers though

also its pretty pricey for one with good storage, you're not really going to be able to hold much for 64 gigs, and that ones 500 bucks

 

[a potato]

I'm really interested in it. I only have Nintendo consoles and my computer isn't really built for gaming, so I'm fairly limited in what I can play. I'm a Mac user too, so that puts even more strain on it. I would love to be able to have a system that can run just about everything else I'd want to play. The fact that they're advertising it as a PC is really attractive part of it for me, too. It's nice to have a Windows computer in the case my Mac can't run a program. There have been quite a few times where I've been limited by it, and I anticipated more occurrences in the future.
I know it's not the most powerful device, but I think it will be good enough for me. I'm fine with playing on lower graphics settings, and I've never really been one who needs 4K. I just want to play to have fun. I don't really see myself playing fast-paced online games, either, so it should really be just what I need to play things like Kingdom Hearts and Resident Evil. lady dimitrescu my beloved

 

[Neb]

If I can't find a PS5 by the end of the year, I might use whatever money left to get a Steam Deck. The specs are considerably better than my current gaming laptop. Not only can you play Steam games and emulate other systems, but you can even use streaming sites on it! I only have a couple grips about the system. First, the layout looks like a hand cramp in the making. The grip looks decent, but the buttons are way too high. Second, you can't upgrade the parts. One of the best parts of PC gaming is that you can change the parts if your specs become out of date. Once PC games become more demanding, this system will be harder to use. Lastly, the TV dock is sold separately. It's kind of sad that a Switch competitor doesn't offer TV support right out of the box.

I do hope this system does well. Nintendo has had a monopoly on the handheld gaming market for a while, so it's nice to see some good competition from another company.

 

[porkpie28]

It looks like a really great idea my idea my pc is not good for gaming I may buy it

 

[Belle T]

The device itself looks EXTREMELY uncomfortable to hold. The Switch isn't particularly great in that department, either, but it's at least passable, and I don't play my Switch in handheld mode often enough to matter. That being said, I am still interested in the actual technology. I'd be willing to give it a try, but I'm not going to be buying one at full price...

Or possibly ever, now that scalpers have already gotten their hands on them.

 

[DragonAceSg7]

It looks interesting but right now, the price isn't worth it, mostly because I don't really travel and I don't like playing on a TV, my eyesight is too poor to be able to read anything (yes, working on getting the glasses). And, as was mentioned, it looks awkward to play (I dislike the Switch in handheld mode for anything other than Animal Crossing. Gamecube controller all the way.) And the storage size is weak for PC titles. And I also agree I'm curious how it will handle cooling. Games like Phasmophobia can make my CPU numbers spike like crazy on certain maps. Maybe in a few years when they come out with a version 2.0 or something.

 

[Tao]

It looks like a very possible purchase.


Around 2 decades of absolute quality games, some Sony and Microsoft console exclusives, streaming and emulation as well as access to various storefronts and sales that support Steam?

The button layout is stupid though, not to mention it will have to be seen how recent the games it can handle are. I'm sure you could drop many down to potato settings, but are we talking games as old as 5 years ago or something released today?

 

[Haru Okumura]

Seems like a good idea for those who can't afford gaming pcs. Not a fan of the button/d-pad placement however - they're too far up the steam deck and too close to the d-pad for my liking. The 64GB model seems so unnecessary too - sure you'd manage with smaller games and an sd card, but otherwise what's the point when I can buy the 512GB model instead? Most modern games are huge.
Performance is another concern as some users already mentioned - I'm a bit curious how graphically intensive games like RDR2 will fare on this. I hope it has good cooling/vents because it'll get so hot lol
Seems promising so far, but I'm gonna need more hands on impressions and reviews.

 

[Ichiban]

another thing i forgot to mention, there are a LOT of steam games that require a constant internet connection to play (not just multiplayer games, its kinda scummy) so i feel like that kind of defeats the purpose of making a handheld, unless this thing has built in internet the amount of steam games you'll be able to play is probably a lot lower than you'd think

 

[BluebearL]

I would be willing to buy it if I were someone who has the money, after seeing some reviews and further information. I really do hope that it is some real switch competition- I think that would see improvement on both sides. Very exciting to see something like this in development

 

[Mick]

I'm honestly very likely to get one, since it would allow me to play so many of my favourite games away from my desk. Not even talking about the newer titles there. With emulation, it opens up a whole load of other game libraries too. This seems so much more promising than Nintendo's new Switch model, and if I'm buying anything it's definitely going to be the Steam Deck now. I've never had much trouble with controller ergonomics anyway, so that won't be stopping me.

I've put in the reservation, we'll see how I feel by the time orders become available!

another thing i forgot to mention, there are a LOT of steam games that require a constant internet connection to play (not just multiplayer games, its kinda scummy) so i feel like that kind of defeats the purpose of making a handheld, unless this thing has built in internet the amount of steam games you'll be able to play is probably a lot lower than you'd think

It has wifi, no worries there. Except for the problems that come with playing competitive over a wireless connection I guess, which is a nightmare if you're used to wired internet.

 

[porkpie28]

I was going to get it due to having a rubbish pc but I have a switch and PlayStation is there any games that I can only find on steam

 

[Ichiban]

It has wifi, no worries there.

so you would need to be near a wifi connection to play a lot of the games, still not really ideal for a handheld