Valve Steam Deck?

[xSuperMario64x]

so I haven't watched it yet but someone I'm subbed to on youtube said that the steam deck has basically made the switch irrelevant. I'm wondering if the steam deck would be a good investment?

I'm particularly interested in using emulators on it (mostly N64 and Gamecube emus) so if that's possible then I may just look into it. also idk what kind of games are on there, I don't play anything on Steam (though I'm always open to suggestions).

anyone here who has a steam deck, do you think it's been a good investment so far?
I think Firesquids has one but I can't remember exactly

 

[Corrie]

I'm wondering if it's worth the purchase as well. I've been doing research and found THIS if it's true, only six of my games are compatible which sucks. It looks like a work in progress still?

 

[DarkDesertFox]

No doubt it's a very cool device, but I don't think it's something that's going to make the Switch irrelevant. As long as Nintendo owns strong IPs and keeps pumping out new games for them there will always be a reason to own a Switch. That also goes for motion controller games as well that you can't play on the Steam Deck. Another reason is the insane wait time to even get ahold of one of these things. I bought a device called a Retroid which is a pocket sized portable emulator to hold me over until I can actually afford/come off the wait list for one of these. I can't speak as an owner of one whether it's worth the investment or not sadly. I want one for emulation purposes as well, but also to play Steam games in a more comfortable way. I really don't like gaming on my PC despite it being able to handle a vast majority of games. I really just prefer to play on a portable game console or the TV. I would only invest in one if you really plan to get a lot of use out of it aside from emulation and have the patience. I can vouch for the Retroid device being good for something that's $100. It's just not strong at emulating Gamecube and up.

 

[Ichiban]

if you have the money for one i'd say it could be worth it if you are willing to tinker with it. im not sure if it can handle emulating switch games with yuzu but if it could then you could say it makes the switch irrelevant since switch emulation is getting progressively better, as there are many perfectly playable games now including the new kirby.

i think it could be a emulation beast i would just recommend upgrading the storage if you were to get one, as even the $800 version only comes with a base storage of 512 gb which isnt very much when you consider the size of many modern titles on steam. another thing to consider is the battery, i'm not aware of how good or bad it is but i would recommend looking into battery performance. i dont own a steam deck and dont plan on getting one since i'm content with my current pc and i never really was much of an on the go gamer.

Post automatically merged: Jul 2, 2022

I've been doing research and found THIS if it's true, only six of my games are compatible which sucks. It looks like a work in progress still?

its definitely not perfect, but if you click on steam deck compatibility for games listed as "playable" some may just have very minor issues such as requiring you to use the touchscreen keyboard, this is honestly another reason i would consider waiting a bit for them to make more games function better on the deck

 

[Belle T]

The Steam Deck will probably be perfectly adequate for emulation, and at a base price of $399, it's by far the most financially feasible compared to similar devices like the OneXPlayer or the AYA Neo. However, I'd probably recommend at least opting for the 256GB version, which costs a little under $200 more. An increasing number of games are in the 20-50 GB range in file size, and if you plan on emulating GameCube and Wii games, those will eat up memory faster than you might initially think. All Steam Deck models do support memory expansion via Micro SD, but it's not optimal for performance reasons to offload more or less your entire library onto external storage. Also, the read-write speeds of a solid state drive versus an embedded multimedia card are immense and will have quite a noticeable impact on performance both in games and in general use.

If you can afford it, then I think it's worth the price. I've even heard good things about people using it as an actual PC, unrelated to gaming, which is what I would personally love to use it for. But alas, it's a bit pricey for me. Oh well.

 

[MiniPocketWorld]

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[Kitsuragi]

every generation has it "THIS IS THE (nintendo console) KILLER!!" hype. switch & steam deck have pretty different games on it for different purposes. i wouldn't favor one over the other because IMO, they're different enough to where its not redundant to have both.

that being said, the steam deck is a great idea if you have an expansive steam library and dont want to fork out money for something like, a laptop, and its even more portable than that. build quality i've heard is a bit nicer than the switch and of course it has better power capabilities.

 

[Belle T]

every generation has it "THIS IS THE (nintendo console) KILLER!!" hype. switch & steam deck have pretty different games on it for different purposes. i wouldn't favor one over the other because IMO, they're different enough to where its not redundant to have both.

I would argue there is a quite bit of an overlap between the Switch and the Steam Deck if you're primarily into casual or third-party games. I remember one person on this forum asking if they should get a Steam Deck for Stardew Valley, and I really can't recommend it for a game that will run on a potato, but I don't think it's beyond doubt that there will be a reasonable amount of people scouring Steam's storefront, seeing a lot of games that are also available on Switch and deciding that since the Steam Deck is like a Switch but with more features and (probably) doesn't suffer from Joycon Drift and other little issues, that they should get it for that purpose. That, and because third party support for the Switch is the highest for a Nintendo console arguably since the Super Nintendo, there's going to be a lot of genuine debate as to whether or not it's worth getting a Steam Deck for the same third-party games you can get on Switch, or if you're willing to settle with the lower framerate and resolution of the Switch versions.

I agree that it doesn't succeed at making the Switch irrelevant. Obviously, the Steam Deck does not (natively) have any of Nintendo's first party offerings, so if you're a big Nintendo fan--as I'm sure most people on this forum are--then it's likely worth it to own a Switch for that reason alone. In addition, the Switch is not only cheaper (if only a little), but doesn't have a waiting list of thirty billion years before it finally arrives. But I think there is plenty of overlap in terms of games that makes the question of getting one or the other a fair question to debate.

 

[Jhine7]

Got mine today! Looks great so far. Looking forward to seeing what more it can do!

 

[Zisym]

I considered getting the Steam Deck a couple of months ago so I reserved mine. I expected it would take me at least a year to get it so I decided to buy myself a Switch not too long ago with some games. After that, Valve announced that those reserved as of the announcement could expect to purchase it in Q4.

At first, I want the Steam Deck but after getting the Switch, I don't really want the Steam Deck anymore, especially this soon. I only wanted the Steam Deck for convenience and when I feel like playing on the bed or couch, I'll just use that but I guess I don't need it anymore since the Switch can pretty much cover all that. Also, I have a lot of exclusive games on the Switch to catch up on like ACNH, Metroid Dread, Zelda, Pokemon, Fire Emblem, and Xenoblade.

Still undecided whether to get it or not when the times come. Would I regret it if I get the Steam Deck or will I be glad? I don't know, that is a tough decision to make.

 

[Mick]

I have had a steam deck for quite a while now and I have to say that it was already worth it entirely. I've been able to get a lot more gaming done, and worked on my big old backlog of games I wanted to play.

However, I wouldn't say it makes the switch irrelevant. The deck feels sturdier and performs better in many ways, but there are many great titles that will always be Nintendo exclusive. Also, the deck has that typical pc game problem where you will be troubleshooting from time to time (or a lot, if you want to start emulating and such), which isn't for everyone. Where with the switch, you can be pretty sure that the game cartridge you push into it will just work.

Having to pick one honestly comes down to preference. I definitely prefer having both. They're both their own thing, and not the same.

 

[SirSean]

I ended up pre-ordering it a year ago but when I got the offer to purchase it I decided to cancel. Feel like after a year of thinking I'd rather put that money towards a future more powerful Switch.

 

[Corrie]

I have had a steam deck for quite a while now and I have to say that it was already worth it entirely. I've been able to get a lot more gaming done, and worked on my big old backlog of games I wanted to play.

However, I wouldn't say it makes the switch irrelevant. The deck feels sturdier and performs better in many ways, but there are many great titles that will always be Nintendo exclusive. Also, the deck has that typical pc game problem where you will be troubleshooting from time to time (or a lot, if you want to start emulating and such), which isn't for everyone. Where with the switch, you can be pretty sure that the game cartridge you push into it will just work.

Having to pick one honestly comes down to preference. I definitely prefer having both. They're both their own thing, and not the same.

Can most of your Steam games in your library run? I've heard that's a work in progress. Do you have to do some nerdy hacky stuff to get them to work?

 

[Mick]

Can most of your Steam games in your library run? I've heard that's a work in progress. Do you have to do some nerdy hacky stuff to get them to work?

The short answer: 3D games in genres that typically aren't too graphically demanding like platformers, adventure and puzzle games, and also any 2D games have been working really well for me so far. At a guess, roughly two thirds of my own library is playable.

The long version: The "work in progress" is Valve going through all the games and seeing if they are playable on the Deck or not. They put them into 4 categories:

• Verified (Games that should work)
• Playable (Might need tweaking)
• Untested (Not yet categorised by Valve)
• Unsupported (Does not perform on Steam Deck)

You can find the steam deck category of any game on its store page, if you want to check your own games and get a feel for this yourself.

To give an indication: Of the 140 games in my steam library, about 50 currently show up as verified "working great" on deck. Another 50 are 'playable', usually with very minor issues listed such as "text input may be needed with the on-screen keyboard" (when you only occasionally need to name something) or "text on screen may be small and hard to read" (which is usually not a huge problem especially if you already know the game).

Only 18 games show up as completely unsupported, half of those simply for being VR games so I can't really fault it there. Another 15 are currently "untested."

I have actually played about 10 games on the Deck so far, and all but one of them worked straight away. The one that didn't (Celeste, which was stuttering) was solved with a single google search and switching the compatibility mode in the settings. Not too much nerdy hacky stuff yet!

Performance: Although I've been pleasantly surprised with the steam deck's performance so far, for anything 3D it'll mostly be playing on low/minimal settings to get a decent frame rate (which is pretty tolerable on a small screen) and even then it may not be entirely smooth depending on the game. But hey, it's a handheld. Don't expect miracles, and you'll be okay.

 

[Midoriya]

I am pretty interested in this and have seen good reviews about it, but I just don't think I have the budget or enough interest in it to warrant it. I have seen other people play it though and it looks pretty sweet.

 

[Etown20]

Mine came a couple weeks ago (after preordering in January) and it's been a great investment so far.

As for comparing it to the Switch, it's tricky. I picked up a couple current-gen games for Steam Deck that are also on Switch. While the games have the capability of looking better on Steam Deck, running them at their highest settings drains the battery fast and makes the device run pretty hot. On the plus side, PC versions of multiplatform games are usually cheaper than Switch versions, and Steam sales offer better deals than e-shop sales.

As numerous YouTube videos will vouch for, it does emulation incredibly well. Emulating past-gen systems doesn't drain nearly as much battery as current-gen games as far as I know. There's even this thing called EmuDeck that makes it super easy to set up and scrubs box art for the games so they look great in the Steam Deck UI. The new shaders and upscaling make past-gen games look better than they did on their native consoles.

My only concern for it is how well the hardware will hold up over time. Joycon drift aside, Nintendo has a long history of very dependable products, whereas Valve doesn't have as good of a track record when it comes to hardware. That said, the Steam Deck does feel like it's built well.

I think some people might see the device as being too complicated and as such I don't really see it as a Switch competitor for the general public, however, I could certainly see it becoming many people's favorite console depending on the type of gamer they are.

 

[Corrie]

I'm bringing this thread back to say that I've purchased one! For years I've wanted to jump into PC gaming and have a handful of games on Steam. I've played a couple on my laptop using a USB controller and it was a good time. Unfortunately, my laptop was not made for gaming so it limited the games I played. Plus, I wasn't a fan of having to sit at a desk to game, especially since I sit at a desk for 8 hours at work.

I mained the Switch but have gotten sick and tired of depending on its lack of power as my 'main' source for gaming. I had to check game reviews before buying to see if they would even run properly and some games I had to get on Steam because the Switch version sucked (Dangaronpa, A Hat in Time). I just got tired of only being able to play the crappier version of games because I preferred the portability.

Now I can have both!

Let's just hope I can figure this out lol.

 

[Tee-Tee]

Just jumping onto this thread~

I've always been a console player, wanted to play PC games for ages, didn't have the room or money for a decent PC. Recently found about the steam deck, and it was everything I wanted!

There is 3 options to choose from, I brought the lowest costing one £349 for the 64gb. This is because I wanted to change out the SSD, so no point going for the 512gb. Found a good deal on a 1TB SSD (If you want to changed the SSD, make sure it is 2230) It was my first time tinking with anything I've owned, so was kinda nervous. But all went smoothly!

Put a matt screen protector on and it helps alot getting rid of the reflections. Now, I'm able to play games with my brothers! So, deffo worth it for me~

Spoiler: Plus ya can decorate ya Deck!

 

[Corrie]

Just jumping onto this thread~

I've always been a console player, wanted to play PC games for ages, didn't have the room or money for a decent PC. Recently found about the steam deck, and it was everything I wanted!

There is 3 options to choose from, I brought the lowest costing one £349 for the 64gb. This is because I wanted to change out the SSD, so no point going for the 512gb. Found a good deal on a 1TB SSD (If you want to changed the SSD, make sure it is 2230) It was my first time tinking with anything I've owned, so was kinda nervous. But all went smoothly!

Put a matt screen protector on and it helps alot getting rid of the reflections. Now, I'm able to play games with my brothers! So, deffo worth it for me~

Spoiler: Plus ya can decorate ya Deck!

Your deck looks great!! What's the difference between a regular SSD and a 2230 SDD? I need to buy either a 1TB or 2TB for mine so I want to be sure I'm buying the right one.

 

[Tee-Tee]

Your deck looks great!! What's the difference between a regular SSD and a 2230 SDD? I need to buy either a 1TB or 2TB for mine so I want to be sure I'm buying the right one.

The SSD that is already inside the Deck is a 2230 one, it's basically just the size of the SSD. I seen some peeps buy other SSD that aren't 2230, some have to mod it (file down to the size of the 2230 SSD) so it fits into the deck.

I would try to find 1TB/2TB 2230 SSD, just because I think Valve made a statement about how SSDs that aren't 2230 can effect the deck.

I watched alot of YT before buying my deck, some have used different SSD and said there been no problems, I just went with 2230 so I didn't have to worry about it.
If ya comfy going for a different SSD then 2230 just look on YT for vids about it, or reddit! c:
I've had no problems with my deck so far, I switched out the SSD when I first got my hands on my deck lol.

I dont think I explained anything well, welp~ ^^'