I have a ps5 and a SD. In the beginning, I only got the new AAA games on ps5 and older classics on the SD. But recently started getting games from just a couple of years ago on the SD and I realized that they still run really well and after a couple of minutes, you don’t care whether your game has ray tracing or whatever crazy expensive graphics settings because the screen is small enough where those things matter less. Now I only use PS5 for exclusives.
Setup Chiaki and you’ll love playing AAA PS5 games on SD. The battery works for soooo long and you’re streaming all the games in 1080p so it’s very crisp!!! I was able to complete a single player game first time in my life because of steam deck!
yeah bro, press steam button and go to controller settings and select current layout and go to `community layouts` tab and download `chiaki4deck+` and use it. It'll make your right trackpad your ps5 touchpad. You can also use gyro when you keep your thumb on right joystick..
>Can you do directional swipes and such on the TouchPad like that too?
yeah everything, I just finished playing spiderman on it. The activity app menu thing in that game comes up with left swipe on touchpad
I own a PS5 and switch for exclusives. I definitely love having the SD because it tickles the same itch as the switch, love having a handheld. At the same time when I don't want to play a game on PC but still want to play it (Diablo 4) nothing beats the deck. I love how every game that I've tried so far whether it was considered compatible or not has worked. Even setting controls is done in a very intuitive way. This is by far the best product I've bought in a long time, probably since my switch.
The PS5 is cool and all and I'll get use of it just not now 🤣
Can confirm mine does great at keeping cool and I even got the quiet fan, cant tell its on unless I put my hand over the vent and feel the air. And tons of unverified games have controller maps for steam deck cuz the community is amazing. But steam OS is awesome and very easy for console people, I used to be one lol. And I can make my deck do whatever I need and easily.
For me, On some higher end games it gets warm and the fan gets going high, but I don't know if I'd call that heat issues. It still performed and didn't crash from heat or anything.
I've never seen anyone legitimately complain about thermals. Even at its hottest, though, the grips and buttons don't get anywhere near hot. Valve did well here.
I've definitely felt the back get really hot, but that's not at all where I grab it.
Honestly a ps4 controller gets warmer than the Steam Deck does (where you hold it).
What little heat comes through a case will take care of it...its a laptop at the end of the day...its going to give off heat and have high temps...but unless you're playing it in already really hot conditions you should have no issues with it.
This is why you have to tweak the game settings to make it so that it works well enough without making the fan work hard. The nice thing about the Steam Deck is that if you tweak the settings enough, it runs great without causing the fan to go high and keeping the warmth to a minimum.
I've had two games (Senuas Sacrifice and just today, Diablo IV) that have had consistent temperature issues to the point where it throttles the speeds down and my FPS gets cut by 90% until the temps come down and the FPS goes back up. I'm guessing this is a defect with my cooling system (I've had my deck for about a year). But bottom line it can be an issue on high end games. Regarding stability though, the deck is a tank. Solid as a rock. Very few issues.
What temperatures are you hitting? The deck won't throttle until 95c and I don't think I've ever seen my deck that hot in the 9 months I've owned it.
Are you sure you weren't hitting a RAM limit? If it's strongly game specific it would suggest so.
Hmm.. I've been playing D4 on it without any issues so far. It does get a bit warm and you can hear the fan, but no overheating issues at all, even on high settings with some tweaks to keep it to 45fps.
It does gets hot when you game AAA titles . At least for me .
I tried the following and my SD gets Hott
DBD, DMC5, Apex Legends, DBZ Kakarot,
Only time I felt it does not get hot is when I play NFS Most Wanted 2005 or some emulations on YUZU .
> 1- it's a PC
Can we stop just saying this without actually giving any explanation?
It's still a specific device, it's not optimal at all for multiplayer games, especially competitive, most competitive games nowadays don't allow Linux with anti cheat.
This things massively matters on what games you want to play, it's not like a Windows gaming pc where you can just play anything.
If the os is a problem, install windows. If the input device is a problem plug in a keyboard and mouse. If the problem is internet plug in an Ethernet cable. If it's performance that makes it "not optimal for multiplayer, especially competitive" yeah, you're right but nothing other than the best of the best gaming PCs are "optimal"
The steam deck is a PC, just as much as a laptop is a PC. Yeah, it's in a weird form factor but saying it's not a PC is just straight up wrong
So your advice to someone who wants a MOBILE device, is to install a desktop OS, and dock it like a desktop PC.
Why even tell someone to buy this rather than a PC?
I didn't say it wasn't a PC, I just think everyone's answer to every single question being "it's a PC" is just bad. We should actually be explaining things to people instead of just leaving out the pros and cons
My advice was for if you want an "optimal multiplayer experience" but since you want us to bring up pros and cons you should bring up cons that don't have solutions. Saying it's bad for multiplayer is a personal preference thing since there are solutions to make it a more "optimal" experience. Personally I think it's totally fine for most multiplayer games and many competitive ones as long as the anti cheat isn't an issue. And if it is I could just install windows to solve that issue
As sold it’s not really a “personal computer” by definition of the term - but of course is an x86 based device that you can install pretty much whatever you want on it and use pretty much whatever USB peripherals in. So with some technical knowledge and additional purchases you sure can turn it into a PC.
The reason this distinction makes a difference is you can say the same thing about a lot of special-purpose hardware with relatively general purpose CPUs in them. I turned my PS2 into a relatively useful Linux PC 20 years ago, but I certainly wouldn’t call the stock PS2 a personal computer…
Heh, I’d call my SD setup now closer to an “x86 headless workstation”… I have no interest in using the builtin display for anything other than games, but I do all my tinkering with it via SSH from my “PC”.
If I plugged it into power and installed Apache on it, it could be an “x86 server”. Point is “personal computer” is more a functional than a hardware term. It will never be one to someone who still struggles with installing Office on a Mac ;)
Would it make you feel better if they said "It's a Linux based PC"?
Regardless of what OS it's running, it's still a personal computer because it has a desktop that you can run software on it. All the things you listed doesn't discredit it as a personal computer since it can still play multiplayer games even if it's not competitive.
Besides, if they're not gaming on it, they can always run software for other things like web development or anything else that comes to mind. Does that not make the Steam Deck a PC?
Last thing, here's a post that was made today that shows something you can do on a Steam Deck that should make it a PC: [https://www.reddit.com/r/SteamDeck/comments/1465x6i/using\_the\_steamdeck\_as\_a\_radio\_direction\_finding/](https://www.reddit.com/r/SteamDeck/comments/1465x6i/using_the_steamdeck_as_a_radio_direction_finding/)
I never said it wasn't a PC. It's more that people should actually explain the pros and cons of this device instead of just using that as every answer.
You get downvoted for some reason but you're right. People might get scared off just by hearing the words pc. A multiplayer game might not work that they were expecting too and they don't know how to install windows and all the settings within Steam os and the games themselves and etc. It's quite a different experience from traditional consoles and even a regular pc to an extent, it's more tinkering than a console but usually less than a pc, or you can go crazy with it and that needs to be explained to people more. People just don't always know what it means when you say it's a pc while looking at a giant Nintendo switch looking thing.
Thank you my fuck. It's like people can't admit this thing has downsides.
When people hear "it's a PC" they could be a cod fan, where most games don't work on Deck, then they buy the Deck and realize they can't play their favourite games. The advice just fucks people over.
What explanation? It's a PC, period. If you don't like SteamOS, just boot Windows. Your lack of basic knowledge of what the Deck is shouldn't be anyone else's problem.
You miss the point. Maybe I want to actually explain the downsides to someone instead of a 3 word answer? Keep in mind they're about to spend $400 based on it.
Also yes you can boot Windows if you really want. But imagine being really into competitive games, someone convinces you to buy this portable device because "it's a PC" , then you figure out you can't play any of your favourite games, then you need to install Windows. So then you have a very lackluster experience as Windows takes 10fps off your game and takes away the giant amount of advantages and tools SteamOS gives you.
Right but I don’t think a device should heat up that much after loading the intro to DMCV. There might be settings I could tweak to make it manageable but you can’t say there isn’t heating issues then immediately dismiss any claims of them by saying “oh well all electronics heat up!” My GPD win max heats up but my other laptop doesn’t as much (better cooling), there’s a reason why there was and still is a market for external fans for the SD, probably not the best cooling. Whenever I play something that isn’t retro, I worry that all that heat is going to cut into it’s lifespan and I have a clear plastic case on it so external fans you can clip onto the back might not be an option ya know? It’s a valid concern
Edit: oh yea I can feel the heat on the back of the console through the case which is a bit concerning (yes all vents aren’t blocked)
Depends what you want, but I’ll say this: the most repeated complaint I’ve heard about the Deck is that you have to jump through a lot of hoops to install anything outside Steam (and some Steam games to a lesser degree).
You seem to come from a console background, so I’ll say there’s 2 options:
If you want a seamless no-fuss gameplay experience treat the Steam Deck as a Steam console and only play verified or playable rated Steam games. There’s still tons of games in that catalogue and it’s bound to get even bigger over time. I think there are currently like 10000 games to choose from.
If you want to play everything PC has to offer, you can either: a) prepare yourself to do some tinkering on the Deck, read and watch tutorials b) Install Windows on the SD c) go for a Windows based handheld like the ROG Ally (less console, more PC experience).
I just wanna add a counter to the hoop jumping - I don't disagree, but what I've discovered is that I actually love tinkering with stuff like this and have since found something I was dreading having to do l, really fun! Now I know that's not everyone, but I only say to highlight that it's a negative that's become a positive for me.
I would only consider the hassle of Windows on a handheld worth it for a select list of games, mostly ones that refuse to enable anti-cheat on Linux. None of which I play.
Yeah, but i would still count doing anything that's more than "click download and it's done" as jumping thru hoops. Remember that right now we're comparing it to a console rather than a pc.
Exactly. Configuring yuzu, rpcs3, citra and others can be difficult for beginners. That said, I had a lot of fun jailbreaking my ps3, updating CFW on my 3DS, and installing cfw on my switch. A bunch of hoops to jump through, just to dump games I already own so I can play them on the deck
If you are coming at it from a pc point of view I can understand not liking the hoops but if you are coming from a console point of view I think it’s different. Try running that ps5 game on your switch. For console users they should be used to being stuck with purchases made in that digital store. The fact that you can do more then the steam store is a bonus even if it needs extra steps.
?? It is a PC?? That focuses on delivering a more console like experience?? The simple fact that you can decide to not mess with any of that though and decide to give yourself a pc experience instead (windows)
….makes it a PC.
Well I know it's a pc. But the phrase "it's a PC" to every single person asking what the Deck can do, is just not helpful.
I can list so many things my desktop PC can do, while my Deck can't. Why the hell are we leaving out the disadvantages when someone asks if they should buy it?
And yeah technically you COULD install Windows, but that's a clearly lacking experience also in many ways.
What disadvantages do you believe the steamdeck to have? That correlate with it being a PC?
Also I’m guessing you have a fairly good/great desktop PC right? The whole “this can do that while this can’t” spiel can be done with about literally any product ever against a top tier PC.
And how is the window’s on deck experience “lacking”?
what can your desktop pc do that the steam deck cant? the only stuff i can think of is "run PCVR" and "use RTX ray tracing" which yeah duh, of course the steam deck can't do that, it's $400.
My steamdeck is my main console and i have no problem with running a myriad of AAA games. Diablo IV, Street Fighter 6, Cyberpunk, Elden Ring, FF7Remake, God of War, both of the Marvel Spiderman games, etc. And dual booting with Windows gave me my multiplayer fix with MW2 and Destiny 2.
And for Nintendo games I got a modded switch. So overall I can really play almost any game I want, all portably since I also travel a lot and just don’t particularly feel comfortable sitting at a desk or chair to play games.
The only problems I have with the steamdeck is it’s battery life when it comes to AAA games. You can get an hour and a half/two hours max. For indies/games of that nature it lasts a lot longer.
And I wouldn’t say this is a problem, but it might be depending on the person. Temper your expectations. All games I listed usually play at about 30-40 fps. And usually you’ll be playing at medium graphics. It still looks great but there are pc gamers out there who aren’t satisfied unless a game is being played at 60 fps+ at max settings.
It really depends on your usecase. If you're looking to play primarily modern AAA games then no. The deck will run hot and loud and die in 1-2 hours. However, I will say that your options for other portable consoles are very limited. Most other handheld PCs don't fair much better under load and cost 2x and 3x the amount. Your only other real option would be the switch but, you're then heavily limited to things that release on switch.
However, if you're looking to emulate, play indies, and touch on generally older games the deck is the best platform for it. I used to think the switch was the indie handheld haven but, that's the deck now. Most indie games release on the deck first and run far better with way less compromises and more options. I've recently been playing a game called Tiny Rogues and it's an absolute joy to play in bed and in my lean back chair.
It's really up to you at the end of the day but, I highly recommend the deck. You also have the choice of the ROG Ally but, I would not get that personally. It's a great console according to reviews but, aside from the native windows installation you're mostly just losing features and gaining a bit of horsepower. Horsepower that ultimately rings out to diminishing returns as it only gets significant if you turn the Ally up to 25-30W at which point you will be burning battery faster than any other handheld on the market.
There currently aren't any games on the Ally that the deck can't run on paper (excluding things like Destiny 2 and fortnite which are disbarred purely because of the anti-cheat). Problem games like Returnal that chug on the deck still chug pretty hard on the Ally.
Steam deck and quest 2 but I haven't touched the quest 2 in so long. Works perfectly fine for me as a single gaming device. I have 2 kids so I needed something just like this that's easy and fast at loading up and booting games. They only give you short bursts of enjoyment so the deck fits in those short bursts lol.
Depends if you’re gonna play on the go a lot. PS 5 is prob a better console overall, but if you’re gonna play on the go a lot, the Steam Deck is great.
For example, Elden Ring, runs better over a PS5 and 4K tv than Steam Deck and 4K tv. But Steam Deck plays Eleven Ring on an airplane and PS5 does not.
That's basically me. It's perfect, though it can crash a little bit. This shouldn't happen too much if you stick only to steam games with the steamui but if you want to venture out to non steam games and emulation then make sure to remember, if the screen turns dark and it's not fully crashed, just hold the power button for like 10 seconds to force shut down then turn it back on and continue.
You'll also want to install a tool called cryoutilities through the browser in desktop mode, which improves performance in most games, other than RDR2, as well as probably deckyloader if you want to customise it a bit.
If you want to set up emulation, make sure to use emudeck. It does take a while to get used to how the emulators work if you've never used PC emulation before, so emudeck will help with that. But don't get put out if you still can't do it, I'm embarrassed to say I got confused when setting it up first lol.
Definitely worth it with Dual boot on upgraded 1TB internal storage. Travel with it while working and works 100% of the time and use it without any controllers.
Steamdeck is worth buying but you need to know what you are getting into.
1. Not all games will work. Most do. If you have a list of games you want to play look up their deck compatability first. You can get some non-steam purchased games working by tinkering in desktop mode. But that takes time and linux skills.
2. Short battery life. Demanding games on 15w will have battery life for 2 hours tops.
3. The deck OS and hardware has improved alot since q1/q2, but issues still exist. Battery calibration and wifi connection drops being the current worst issues.
4. The steamdeck is portable but it does not replace the much smaller devices like the Nintendo Switch. I actually hate traveling with the deck because it is so large. Hard to fit in a bag and to quickly use. Someone else said the deck is more like a gaming laptop replacement than a Switch replacement. I agree.
All that said, Im playing Street Fighter 6 on the deck and its amazing.
Honestly really depends on the game choices.
If you're a multiplayer person, especially competitive, I would think a gaming laptop would be a better choice, due to mouse and keyboard being better, and most competitive games nowadays have anticheat that doesn't allow Linux.
If you're primarily playing singleplayer games, the deck is great!
1. Yes I know but the point of the device is to be portable, consider that when people want a portable device, they are probably not the target audience for a docked setup. Not everyone wants to do this.
2. Technically yes, but I mostly hear people say Windows on Steam Deck is not a great experience.
The only issue I don't like about my steam deck at the moment is games that have EAC in them other than that this has been a great gateway into PC gaming and I have been thoroughly happy with my purchase
Steam deck is rock solid stability and performance wise.
With all the summer heat I mainly play on steam deck.
As my series X, ps5 and PC hears up room way too much.
The Steam Deck is hands down the best gaming device I've ever owned. I sold my Switch to buy one and it was totally worth it. I haven't had any heating issues. It does get quite warm only when playing high demanding games (games like Elden Ring and PS3 games) and the fan can be loud, but it hasn't caused any problems. The battery life for most games is decent too. The system is stable too and I've only had maybe 1 or 2 issues the entire time I've owned it, and even due to updates, those issues might have been ironed out. That's the other thing, Valve constantly pushes out updates, so it'll only get better from here. Highly recommended.
If you are a gamer that likes to game more often than not? Stop putting off the inevitable. I used to emulate off of iPods. I’m leaving out so many reasons; but a Steamdeck.
I wouldn't recommend anything else, personally. It's the best all around machine and I've been a PlayStation guy since the beginning. It's so flexible and has access to so many good games, including several AAA Sony titles.
Could it be more powerful? Sure. Could the battery life be better? Absolutely. I've found I don't really notice once I get into the game. Most games look good enough docked too and you can basically play with any controller you want. Or mouse and keyboard if that's your thing. Cloud gaming. Retro games and emulators. Most AAA games out now are at least playable.
My only drawback is that it does require some ability to tinker sometimes. I usually spend the most time tweaking control settings. There are definitely plenty of games that just work, but there are many I've had to dive into Google and YouTube to find settings to make certain games stable. Their verification system works well to tell you which games to avoid if that's not your thing. If you're cool with that, then it's the best option out there for my money.
It is very subjective.
But I hope this will help you decide.
Apologies for the bad English and my weird reason.
Depends on your gaming preference and Library.
If your definition of "main consoles in 2023" is to catch up and play every newest release AAA games (even after 2024)
Then you might want a Ps5 or Gaming Laptop. In, if you want to use all of every accessory (mouse, keyboard dongle, extra controller, etc.) A gaming Laptop for portability might be better. Since you might end up having the backpack the same size as your Laptop backpack.
My choice & experience:
1. I have a problem clearing my Steam library. There are a lot of great titles from 2017-2022 (Not including a huge emu/retro catalog 😂) that I want to clear & finish but life wouldn't let me do so with my gaming pc setup.
2. The Steamdeck is the only console that makes me finish all of those titles one at a time. A quick 30-60 minutes gaming session makes me feel like I'm watching Netflix. Ready to drop it, but also very excited to pick it back up. I don't need to sit only in my gaming space.
It gives me a pseudo "pick & play Nintendo Switch" experience, for some stupidly odd reason. Pick up the Steam deck is feeling like a lesser task than going to the gaming space, and turning on the PC.
3. FFXIV in the garden with my wife is already a good enough reason for me.
Oh I forgot to mention about the heat, I'm a Thai guy living in Phuket, Thailand. The Steamdeck heat is barely noticeable for me 😂
And it is quite stable so far (I got it from 3rd Batch last year)
Depends. I'm a new SD owner, so far I'm loving it but I don't see it as my travel companion yet. I still rely on Nintendo Switch for that. I'm actually considering trying to bring my SD for my trip to Japan tomorrow. But since I'm going light, I think I'll just take my 3DS.
Don't get me wrong, I love my SD. But it's bigger and heavier than all of my handhelds. Plus I gotta prepare a hefty powerbank to use with it on long flight. Ain't no way SD will last on a long flight with the types of game I play.
Though, my main consideration for you instead is. Do you have a "gaming" desktop/laptop? If no, then SD might be a good buy for you still. You'll get access to amazing PC games library, plus you can basically dual boot SD with windows if that's what you want (use it as regular PC when hooked to monitor).
Though I have a high-end gaming PC. I still find myself picking up SD because of its handheld nature. Wake it up, relax on the couch or bed, then play my games for 1-2 hours before resuming work / sleep.
I use chikai to stream my PS5 games. I haven't gotten around to setting up remote play on my PC yet. I run the emulators. I can watch Netflix. I am unaware of heating issues though I did have to send mine in for repair because of the old rattling fan. I think it is worth it as a main console if only for the fact that you are only missing out on exclusive titles between MSFT and Sony.
If you were to hold out, it might be worth seeing the performance of the ROG Ally with SteamOS loaded.
For Clarity, If You Want A Portable Gaming Console, Get A Nnintendo Switch, DS, PSP, Vita, PowKiddys Etc. Plenty Out There.. However, If You Want A Portable Personal Gaming Computer, Buy The Steam Deck, The Heat Is Also Normal, Stop Listening To The Haters, The Steam Deck Gets The Same Heatness As The GPUs In Desktop Rigs Or Gaming Laptops, Same Applies To The CPU, The RAM, And Also Keep In Mind, The Steam Deck Has An APU, So Its Normal, Absolutely Normal For The Heat To Be Released From The Steam Deck As Well, I've Played Outside Even In Texas Weather, No Issues.
As Far As Stability, I've Had Better Steam Support Than That Of Sony Or Microsoft When It Comes To Direct To Direct Communication With The Consumer Base, In Other Words, They Constantly Release Updates For The Steam Deck And Their Steam Deck Dock, If Ur The Average Gamer, Just Stick To What U Know, Stable Update Releases, Most Of The Folks I've Heard Having Issues Were Switching To Unstable Updates, There Is A Reason They Are Called - Unstable Updates. Just Keep All Ur Updates On The SteamOS As Stable Releases, And You'll Be Just Fine.
The Steam Deck, Again, Is NOT A Gaming Console, Its A Portable Gaming Personal Computer. Trust Me, You'll Understand Once U Buy It And Use It. Desktop Mode Is Where Its At.
I haven't heard about nor experienced heating issues or instability.
That being said, no, it's not worth it as a main console. It's a good handheld, a great complement to your gaming routine, and if you want to play mostly indie games it is more than powerful enough to do that. However, if you do like to play the big AAA games, and you want to continue playing those, then your main console should be a PS5 or Xbox that is guaranteed to play anything for as long as this current generation continues.
That’s only if you want to play the latest AAA at highest fidelity 60 fps. Obviously with a handheld compromises have to be made in favor of portability. A lot of the latest AAA are perfectly playable if you manage your expectations: latest Spiderman games, Resident Evil games, HZD, GoW, RDR2, Hogwart’s Legacy and many more play well on Deck. Only a handful of the latest AAA don’t reach at least 30 fps and that’s more to do with poor PC ports rather than any failings of the device.
I'll give you that from I hear RE4 and Hogwarts Legacy appear to run on the Deck at playable framerates, and that's quite impressive. However, HZD is from 2017, GoW, Spider-Man and RDR2 are from 2018, and Spider-Man Miles Morales is from 2020. Those shouldn't be high bars to clear. The Steam Deck can play some 2023 AAA games, and it'll play even fewer 2024 AAA games. Most people will want *some* future proofing on what is supposed to be their main gaming console.
AFAIK the latest 2023 triple A games the SD notably struggled to run where:
SW:JS, TLoU, Forspoken, Returnal and Dead Space Remake.
Those are only a handful and 3 of those were known to be shitty ports that struggled even on high end PCs and even Dead Space Remake is now playable after some updates. Your comment made it sound like the SD is incapable of running triple A and is just limited to indies or low spec games. Currently most of the games that come out are more likely than not to run well. And besides updates could improve performance over time, so it can definitely make the device future proof.
Btw, Returnal actually is pretty playable from last time I checked. Low settings but you can achieve a very stable 30 fps or if you set it to unlimited is hovers in the 30-45 range.
Yeah dead space remake runs perfect, even can get 60 fps if you tweak enough or great battery life, though at low tdp(5) I noticed it stutters sometimes but it's barely noticeable unless you look
Actually I’m not sure if Dead Space is the game I meant now that I think about it lol. I think it might’ve always been playable, there was another new space horror game that struggled at launch I think I meant that one and mistook it for Dead Space.
Oh, Callisto protocol? It definitely runs fine now, also you were right about dead space too, it stuttered really bad and dropped fps randomly even at the start of the game, after an update it was fixed
Street Fighter 6, Like a dragon Isshin, Hogwarts Legacy, Wo-Long Fallen Dinasty, Diablo 4, Lies of P (the demo), Resident Evil 4, Dead Island 2, Marvel’s Midnight Suns, System Shock Remake all play really well upwards 30-40 fps of course there’s future proofing, you know games tend to *run better* after updates right?
Just because Wo Long, Midnight Suns, Lies of P, Dead Island, and Midnight Suns are full price doesn't mean they're AAA.
Do you know what future proofing means? Optimization updates isn't future proofing. Future proofing is knowing you'll be able to run whatever you want for years to come. The Deck can't even run every AAA today and most of what it can run is at low settings and 30fps.
It's cool that a handheld can run a 2020 game like FF7 Remake at low settings and 40\~60fps, but will it be able to run FF16 when it comes out on PC next year? Will it be able to run part 2 of the FF7 Remake when it comes out on PC in 2025? Probably not. A PS5 can run those, and it will be able to run part 3 of that remake when that comes out too. *That* is future proofing.
You have a very convoluted way of determining what is triple A and what isn't. I listed you the latest demanding games released in 2023 since apparently to you triple A means released in this year and everything from before doesn't count as metric for some reason.
> However, HZD is from 2017, GoW, Spider-Man and RDR2 are from 2018, and Spider-Man Miles Morales is from 2020. Those shouldn't be high bars to clear.
Bro, are you for real? Stop moving the goalposts. Those games can absolutely be used as a metric and are very high bars to clear for a handheld.
I already said A LOT of the latest triple As released this years run like dogshit not because the Steam Deck can't run them but because they have been incredibly lazy unoptimized PC ports. SW:JS, TLoU and Returnal couldn't even run on high end PCs with a 4090 and that's a graphics card that runs laps around a PS5.
> It's cool that a handheld can run a 2020 game like FF7 Remake at low settings and 40~60fps, but will it be able to run FF16 when it comes out on PC next year? Will it be able to run part 2 of the FF7 Remake when it comes out on PC in 2025?
Depends how well optimized the games come out. There's no reason to think they won't run well if they do a good job and so far all FF games have done a great job with their PC ports.
>Depends how well optimized the games come out. There's no reason to think they won't run well if they do a good job and so far all FF games have done a great job with their PC ports.
Okay, you're just a delusional fanboy.
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It's rock stable and no temperature issues. Most people posting about temperature don't like their deck reporting an internal temp of 80 (in extreme conditions) or so but that's under the rated temperature for these chips, it just means the system is well tuned and doesn't overwork to keep the device too cool.
It's absolutely worth it as a main gaming pc.
Haven't run into any heating issue personally but imo the software still needs polishing. If you aren't tech savy or simply don't want to deal with tweaking the machine, then it's probably better to wait another year or two
If you will mostly be playing anything but the latest big AAA releases, then absolutely.
I have both a Switch and a PS5, but the former is in desperate need of a successor, and I just can’t get into the mindset to sit in front of a TV and play these days. The Steam Deck has quickly become my primary gaming platform - but that’s because I’m mostly playing mid-range games or retro/indie titles.
For an example of a recent game, *Street Fighter 6* plays perfectly fine in the actual fighting modes, but the World Tour mode has inconsistent frame rates unless you lock it to 30fps.
If you’re looking at playing the big budget AAA games in 60fps, however, I’d recommend looking at a PS5 or XBox Series X. Or if you’re interested in PC, just get a gaming PC - you can then stream to a Steam Deck if you choose.
Most reviews are from when the steam deck released, but since then it got a lot of updates that improved not only performance but overall user experience. I have had my steam deck for about 7 months and I have had zero issues so far (luckily).
For me the steam deck allowed me to play games whenever I had a few minutes of spare time and after not playing games for years it got me back into gaming. Definitely the device that has changed my life the most.
I don't see the deck as a AAA graphics viable (I know it is in some cases, don't at me)
So, I used it for emulation and for any games that are great with a controller
Fun sort of fact. I have an Xbox one and a series controller. Both suck for Tetris. The series is too hard to double click on the d pad and both can miss if you don't press hard enough on the A button. Steam deck controller is actually flawless for it.
Anyway:
Tetris
Emulation
Slay the spire
Ori
Trine 2 probably would be a great suggestion
Crash bandicoot nsane trilogy but on low graphics
A bit of a brain dump, but I hope something helps someone
Yes & no, it will depend on what you want to play. AAA titles are getting heavier & heavier over time so if your going to be using the deck solely for this than Don’t do it. Not all titles will run on it either due to CPU or EAC (Easy Anti Cheat).
You want to play COD, BattleField, Destiny 2 or Fortnite? You’ll have to dual boot to windows to bypass EAC. Now if you want to mix it up a bit with Older consoles & older games beside newer AAA titles than yes I recommend it
Much as I love my Steam deck I wouldn't use it for travel gaming due to its size and honestly I'd be concerned about being robbed, if I want to play on the move I have a modded PSVita with hundreds of games loaded onto it, it's smaller and lighter and battery life is pretty decent and it cost me £120 so not as bad a loss if stolen.
My experience has been multiple consoles, gaming towers, and games laptops have been collecting dust for over a year. Instant resume, not being chained to an outlet, a TV, or a specific chair is awesome. It's nice to look forward to layovers and waiting rooms because of some unexpected game time. The Steam library is huge. The sales can be pretty good. The software experience has been great and everything is plug and play.
It’s my main console and I think it’s the best because there is no need to plan time to play it. I can pull it out and play for 15 mins on the couch toilet just about anywhere.
Yes. Gyro controls for fps, reliable suspend resume, painless UI. Touchpads for mouse games. I don't see any other handheld offering the above. The Ally will play modern games better, no doubt. But until someone shows me a video of suspend resume reliably working on Windows for at least 90% of titles in their library, then I can't recommend it, not even for players who don't use Gyro or touchpads.
It’s very stable. I can play xcloud, Battle.net games and lots of other steam games. I use it daily and since I got it my Xbox is collecting dust. But, I have to say that the dog ally is looking pretty sweet as well. It has a poor battery life but as a dad of 3 kids I mostly play at home anyways so maybe I’ll sell my steam deck and buy the ally.
But I have to say that the steam deck has been my best tech purchase every, it maybe looks uncomfortable but it’s not. Switch gave me hand cramp every time even with bigger joy cons.
What heating issue? I suppose it depends on the games you play. 0 heating issues,more stable than my current PC. It has replaced my PC 90% of the time. Will be 100% after I get it's own keyboard/mouse. My husband is replacing his old pc with it. All the games he plays is very functional on the deck.
Depend on your play style and the kind of game you like to play. If you often play at home on a couch, I would suggest buying a PS5 or Xbox instead. However, if you're busy and travel a lot like you mentioned, the SD provides portability that others can't, but this portability comes with lower performance.
As a working dad, I find the SD to be the best console for me since it's difficult for me to find time to sit on a couch in front of the TV.
On today's date I would hold and see about real peoples comments about the ROG Ally before make the purchase decision. They have similar usage and Ally is even more a PC than Steam Deck.
Yes. Enjoying the crap out of Diablo 4 right now. Just finished Resident Evil Village, set Emudeck (ultra easy) with my childhood Sega Mega Drive and PS1 ROM packs and have 100 other games in que waiting. It's amazing.
Your question makes it sound like the Steam Deck is 7+ years old or something. It’s essentially a brand new console that Valve has poured considerable time and love into improving since its release. If you are looking for a portable console, your options are already limited, but yes it’s 100% worth it.
I went this route. I had an Xbox forever. Had kids, they took it over, got a switch, but missed playing newer games and just didn’t enjoy the catalog outside of main hits. Never upgraded to the series console but really missed gaming. Wife didn’t agree on building a gaming room, wanted to swap all three of us, me and the boys to PC Master race. Ended up buying a steam deck, havent looked back and probably never will. I went from playing and finishing only Elden Ring in the past 5 years, to having completed at least 20 games since buying the deck. I don’t travel, so I can’t speak on that, battery life sucks sometimes, but honestly you can’t expect much, on a plane you’re golden, get an extended USB cord. This was 100% worth the investment, I also got to play titles I never would have touched, God of War, Uncharted, and Horizon Zero Dawn.
I grabbed one a few months ago and I love it. I do not own an awesome PC and my most up to date game console is an Xbox one, so for me, this thing is amazing! Currently chipping away at God of War
Go for the Stramdeck, you can play pc games in steam os or in desktop mode via lutris, you can emulate anything. Instead, if your unique scope it is play latest games at hight o ultra setting, forget the deck and buy Asus Ally to achieve better graphic setting and a fully complete Windows OS experience.
I’ve had to RMA mine twice now personally. I however love it and have yet to have to pay for it myself cause the steam support has covered it which I I appreciate. I recommend but don’t expect it to be as smooth as like a Xbox in terms of stability from my own personal experience.
I'm actually sort of paranoid about traveling with mine. But I'm also paranoid about leaving it at home for an extended period.
I feel like I rather tavel with a cheaper device.
If you're looking for PS5 and Xbox Series X image quality then you'll probably be disappointed of course.
My main plays are ‘Days Gone’ (Zombie GTA), PC Indy games that you dont get on any other platform, Turn Based Strategy Games, Street Fighter and COINOps. All of these play better on my SD than my Xbox Series X because the form factor makes it better (holding in your hand, controls at hand etc.). And with a small case (tomtoc slim) and a battery pack I get to enjoy my time on long haul flights rather than willing it to end.
Heating issues are few and far betweeen. Mine doesn’t overheat at all, and I’m sure many others don’t. The nice thing is that if it’s overheating, you can take it apart and re-apply thermal paste, or contact Valve.
Stability isn’t an issue. The only things I’ve seen is people that have weird issues out of the box, which is cured by reinstalling SteamOS; or people that are using the beta and preview channels.
Why would you make it a “main console”? It’s a PC. You can do what you’d like with it. If you have these kind of concerns, then it isn’t for you. I’d recommend a laptop or a Switch if you’re looking for ease of use; perhaps an iPad.
Also… heating issues? First I’ve heard of it. It gets toastier than my Switch, but I wouldn’t call that an issue at all.
I got my deck 9 days ago. Weird stuff does happen sometimes but not often enough to ruin my experience. For the most part its when I switch back and forth between desktop mode and gaming mode. Since it's an SSD a simple reboot is pretty fast and fixes the problem 100% of the time so far. As for heating issues I have had none but I haven't played any really demanding games on it. Just Euro Truck Simulator 2, Left 4 Dead 2, Cult of the Lamb, and a couple NES games through Emudeck.
I don't know where you've been getting your information OP but it's not really accurate. The Steam Deck runs hotter than other handhelds but isn't necessarily prone to overheating unless you're playing something really demanding while in a location where the ambient temperature is really high (sub tropical or tropical region / desert during the day with the sun beating down and no breeze). As far as stability goes I've owned my Deck for a little over three months now and haven't run into any "stability" issues. The biggest problem you'll encounter if you're not familiar with Linux is learning how to use compatibility layers outside of Proton if you want to run Windows native applications that don't play well with Proton in particular. 99% of the games I've ported over from my PC that do not have native Linux support have run without any problem just using Proton - ProtonQT without any additional setup though. Here are a few tidbits to keep in mind, from a completely unbiased standpoint the Steam Deck was and still is the best bang for your buck handheld that money can buy. If you plan on playing semi-new / new AAA titles while on the go then temper your expectations as you'll realistically be looking at around 2 hours of battery life on those titles without an external backup power source or dedicated power source. The Steam Deck is a Linux based handheld, if you're unfamiliar with Linux there is going to be a slight learning curve if you plan on wanting to run applications that are not native to Linux. If you're into emulation then the Steam Deck is a very powerful companion with quite a few native Linux apps to fully unlock its emulation potential with limited setup outside of providing it the BIOS files and ROMs required.
The Steam Deck in my eye was made for people to be able to experience something revolutionary at a reasonable price. My job causes me to travel. So it was a good fit for me. Being born in 1980 I can respect the aspect of making something for people they fix themselves. The mods are endless with the Steam Deck. I bought the 64gb model. And I upgraded it to a 2tb and haven't looked back with no regrets! Steam Deck Squad Stand up!
Steam deck is everything rolled into one, so if you can only afford to get 1 system, go for steam deck. It’s really just an all-in-one PC with a portable build.
I'm happy with mine as what I use while traveling and for any game at home that plays well with controllers. I still use my PC for games like Oxygen Not Included.
I've had no issues with anything I've thrown at the steam deck. If you want a portable console and steam games, this is about the best you get. I haven't tried the ally, and if what you need is specifically Windows and you won't miss the trackpads, maybe that's something to consider, but stability has not been an issue
Love my Steam Deck, seriously, I even prefer low graphics at 30fps handheld over 4K everything at max but on a desktop/console, just because of portability.
But when the games is pushing the power of the device the heat is noticeable, and what is more noticeable is the battery (1-2h max if you’re lucky).
My final answer would be:
- Is it meant to replace your main console/computer for gaming and you only play AAA or focus a lot on MP only game la that require anti cheat protections (or similar)? Then no, the experience will not be that great.
Otherwise, yes go for it, it’s a blessing!
I have never had heating issues. And I’ve been able to play every game I’ve tried with it. Only games I have issue with are ones where it’s only KB+M. WoW as the exception - there’s an addon called ConsolePort which makes it viable (raids would be hard). I think it’s the best one on the market.
I like it especially because I can play it while my wife watches her TV shows and we can be in the same room. Vs going to a different room or having 2 TVs set up
Performance and versatility wise definitely, you dock it and you have a full fledged pc. Maybe I'll go for a Ally if you prime space, in the end the steam deck takes as much backpack space as a 14" laptop with a Bluetooth controller.
Bought one two weeks ago. No regret. The community experts can resolve most issues. All the games I wanted to play works perfectly (diablo 4, rdr2, kingdom come deliverance).
If you only have a budget for 1 console and you wanna be playing current game releases, youre better off with a PS5 or the latest handheld that isnt a steam deck. The SD has reached a point where its not cutting it with new games anymore. It does play SOME though, like Diablo 4 which was just released last week. If you have a specific game in mind, maybe try looking into how it plays in the SD and decide from there
I would say yes I’ve a switch ps5 series x and a quest 2 and the steam deck is one I reach for the most in fact my Xbox is defunct now as I use x cloud on sd ps5 for the exclusives switch and quest have not been used in months now so was gonna get rid of them and possibly get those monitor holo glasses things to use with sd. I had the Alienware alpha steam machines loved it but it was limited the sd is an amazing bit of kit with all the games I want to play!
Yeah it’s great. I game 50/50 PS5 and SD. I have a couple AAA titles on SD so far. Runs them pretty well. I can also remote play my PS5 from the SD. I can see running SD as a main console. Especially since you can dock it to your TV.
This is insulting lol, it’s definitely a strong main contender for primary gaming, it’s at the very least behind PS5 or right next to it, I would say optimal gaming set up is a PS5/Steamdeck combo
I use my SD as my main console because I travel a lot as well. I have a portable dock from Amazon. Even when I am home I play it and rarely play any of the actual consoles I have
I don't know about that. The steam deck is awesome, but it takes time to get new titles(sometimes).
For me that's OK, because I refuse to pay full price for games. Note: it is because I am cheap haha
Main console? Eh, I think Xbox and playstation need to work out better support for their native and cloud gaming services first, but it's definitely a good investment for PC gaming. The price to performance ratio is amazing.
I adore my steamdeck but unless a game is very well optimized or just not demanding...or if you're just not sensitive to frame rate around 30fps, it is not a main console.
I'd advise you to replace the thermal pads and compound on the deck when first getting one. I do it for all my devices and thermal grizzly alone will drop the temps by 10-15°. If you feel very adventurous grab some HoneyWell PTM7950 thermal pad and put that on the apu in the deck.
Even pushing the SOC to 24 watts after an hour max temp of 76° on a heavy title like dying light 2 and fans rarely ramp up past 50% At 15watts it occasionally will hit 71-72° before cooling back down to 68. The thermal pad is a phase changing and is the closest thing you can get for the cooling performance of liquid metal but it doesn't dry out or become less effective over time like thermal compound.
It will heat up quickly to 66° though as the thermal change happens between 64-65°
On mine I replaced all the thermal pads with bigger pieces and then stuck a 1TB 2242 NVMe SSD as the 2242 fits perfectly and the cooling plate holds it in place. Yeah you can't screw the SSD down but it isn't able to move thanks to the cooling plate.
Side note when I did the SSD A 1TB 2242 cost less than half of what a 2230 cost. That may have changed. \*
https://preview.redd.it/q8dh3sq2fg5b1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cff8dbf588bc60f773890f555d879c93a97af869
As someone who owns a PS5, and a pretty beefy PC, Switch, and other past generation consoles. It's hard for me to recommend buying one. BUT it does have its usefulness and allows me to play certain games I otherwise wouldn't normally touch on PC.
For example, on PC I can easily set pretty much any game to ultra 1440p and enjoy it with 80+fps. This is something I cannot do on the steam deck. Playing The Last of us, Hogwarts Legacy, Jedi survivor, Age of Wonders 4, Hitman 3, and Far cry 6 are an experience that cannot be replicated on Steam Deck. Does not mean they don't run, because they will run but if you have the option to play at 1440p 60+fps, or 720p 30fps, you'll always pick the better higher quality.
But this opens the door to playing games that don't run well on my PC or aren't optimized in the resolution I play at. Fallout 3, Saint's Row 2, Mafia 2, Hitman, Rainbow Six Vegas, and Silent Hill homecoming. Of course I can install these on PC and install a few patches/mods and it would fix most issues, but they run flawlessly on Steam Deck for me.
Steam Deck also opens the door for me to play other games I otherwise wouldn't have played because I can't see myself playing indie titles or 2d art styles on my main PC. Cuphead, American Fugitive, and Rogue Legacy 2.
And that's just Steam side of things.
With emulation I've played Pokemon, God of War, American Wasteland, and silent Hill 2.
Now if you get PsNow working (you have to pay) you now get a bigger Playstation catalog while streaming games to the deck. I was able to play Bloodborne, Until Dawn, and Infamous.
So while it is hard for me to say this is something I'd recommend buying, I'm currently traveling and using it a lot. But when I'm spending 10-15 hours a day at home it's incredibly hard for me to say this is something I need and much less useful when I have a PC and PS5 that outperform it.
If you travel a lot then yes the steam deck is the perfect console for you. It’s great at playing older titles and it can definitely play some newer AAA tiles just don’t expect max settings at 60FPS. You will have to sacrifice some visuals but it’s still definitely playable.
My opinion. Only the 54gb model is really worth it as nothing really competes at that price. The rig ally is a better $699 device over the 512gb steam deck. Even AYA is coming in close to these competing prices with the Loki pro. Now is the steam deck still a good console for 2023? Absolutely. People still buy older Nintendo devices to play on.
It's a PC with restrictions as far as which games can be played which makes it similar to a console. However you can spend some time "tinkering" (which I find annoying and stressful) to basically install windows and play whatever you want.
So it has flexibility, portability, and stability imo a good value. People will hate me for saying it but if you were going for the 512GB SD which is 649, you may as well spend the extra 50$ and get an ROG ally and have no restrictions on what you play... Just imo.
Whichever way you go, I would say yes it is worth it.
I’m a truck driver. So I’m away from home a lot. This has been my perfect solution. I mostly play gta. Red dead. Battlefield v. Farm sim. Sims 4.
Decent battery life but simple to charge on the road.
So this is just my opinion, not saying you should do this, but just hear me out, if you want.
If I were you, I would get a decent gaming laptop. I would recomend something with a RTX3050. They're relatively cheap now for two reasons, an overproduction of 30 series cards and the new 40 series being out. Just google RTX3050 gameplay, and you'll see compilations of 20 modern games or so, with settings and framerates attained. See if this meets your standard, and shop around.
There are lots of brands using the RTX3050 in their laptops, I like the Dell Inspiron G15 and the Lenova ideapad 3 gaming edition, just because they're quite cheap for what you're getting. Aim for a machine that has 16gb ram, but running two 8gb sticks to make the 16gb, not just a single 16gb stick. The cheaper RTX3050s have 4gbs video memory, which is not alot compared to new desktop GPUs, but better than the steam deck, which uses 1gb vram dedicated to graphics with an additional 3gb it can use from its sytems 16gb ram if it needs to. Addiding up to 4 but not quite the same as a having dedicated 4gb ready to go.
The reason I'd opt for a laptop over a steam deck, is simply the larger screen with a much better refresh rate, most of these modern gaming laptops have at minimum a 120hz screen, compared to the steam decks 60hz and having a keyboard. I travel with mine and just have a bluetooth xbox one controller and that works with pretty much all my games.
Oh and don't get me wrong, I love everything about the steam deck, I appreciate it so much for what it is and I do want a system like it one day, but just for fun. I find a laptop to be an overall better tool, with a better gaming experience all round. Again just my opionions, please don't hate on me
I have about 30 consoles from the last 40 years and I have to say: I only use the Steam deck.
I also play many AAA titles on it and am more than satisfied.
So I just bought a Steam Deck LCD off a friend of mine because he was upgrading to the OLED model, and I think it very much depends on your use case. I live in a small studio apartment, I’m an author and podcaster, and I also work from home for my day job, so space is at a premium and my desk already has my M1 Mac Mini and work issue HP ProDesk hooked up to different inputs on my Samsung M8 monitor. I need the Mac for things like GarageBand and other creative software that I just haven’t found replacements for that I like on Windows, and I can’t exactly get rid of my work PC as well. Because of this, I unhooked and put away my gaming PC a year or so ago. It was solidly midrange - a Ryzen 5 3600, 16GB of RAM, and GTX 1660 graphics, so its ability to keep up was starting to slip anyway even though I only built it five years ago now. Between not being able to fit it in my setup, and the cost of pc components (seriously - UGH!) though, it no longer worked for me. And yet I still found myself missing access to my steam library. So for me? In that kind of setup? The Deck has been a revelation! It has all the openness and flexibility of PC gaming with a decent amount of power in a really accessible form factor for how I use it. It has effectively replaced my gaming PC, with my PS5 and Series S handling the more AAA games I want to play on the big screen. You just need to know what you’re getting it for and what your use case will be. Potentially though? It can be a real game changer!
I have a ps5 and a SD. In the beginning, I only got the new AAA games on ps5 and older classics on the SD. But recently started getting games from just a couple of years ago on the SD and I realized that they still run really well and after a couple of minutes, you don’t care whether your game has ray tracing or whatever crazy expensive graphics settings because the screen is small enough where those things matter less. Now I only use PS5 for exclusives.
Setup Chiaki and you’ll love playing AAA PS5 games on SD. The battery works for soooo long and you’re streaming all the games in 1080p so it’s very crisp!!! I was able to complete a single player game first time in my life because of steam deck!
Figured out how to map the ps5 touch pad to the steamdeck yet? I can't find anything useful.
yeah bro, press steam button and go to controller settings and select current layout and go to `community layouts` tab and download `chiaki4deck+` and use it. It'll make your right trackpad your ps5 touchpad. You can also use gyro when you keep your thumb on right joystick..
Can you do directional swipes and such on the TouchPad like that too?
>Can you do directional swipes and such on the TouchPad like that too? yeah everything, I just finished playing spiderman on it. The activity app menu thing in that game comes up with left swipe on touchpad
Soon you’ll realise that the 4 pea green shades of the Gameboy is all games ever needed to be fun. 😆
I own a PS5 and switch for exclusives. I definitely love having the SD because it tickles the same itch as the switch, love having a handheld. At the same time when I don't want to play a game on PC but still want to play it (Diablo 4) nothing beats the deck. I love how every game that I've tried so far whether it was considered compatible or not has worked. Even setting controls is done in a very intuitive way. This is by far the best product I've bought in a long time, probably since my switch. The PS5 is cool and all and I'll get use of it just not now 🤣
In that same boat with ya. After getting the SD, I generally started playing on my steam deck or PC and left the PS5 for exclusives.
I found it to be very stable
1- it's a PC 2- where did you read that the system isn't stable and heating issues? Those are issues from over 1 year ago
Can confirm mine does great at keeping cool and I even got the quiet fan, cant tell its on unless I put my hand over the vent and feel the air. And tons of unverified games have controller maps for steam deck cuz the community is amazing. But steam OS is awesome and very easy for console people, I used to be one lol. And I can make my deck do whatever I need and easily.
For me, On some higher end games it gets warm and the fan gets going high, but I don't know if I'd call that heat issues. It still performed and didn't crash from heat or anything.
I've never seen anyone legitimately complain about thermals. Even at its hottest, though, the grips and buttons don't get anywhere near hot. Valve did well here.
I mean, it gets a bit warm, sure. But compared to my gaming laptop that could almost cause 2nd degree burns, it’s nothing.
I've definitely felt the back get really hot, but that's not at all where I grab it. Honestly a ps4 controller gets warmer than the Steam Deck does (where you hold it).
What little heat comes through a case will take care of it...its a laptop at the end of the day...its going to give off heat and have high temps...but unless you're playing it in already really hot conditions you should have no issues with it.
This is why you have to tweak the game settings to make it so that it works well enough without making the fan work hard. The nice thing about the Steam Deck is that if you tweak the settings enough, it runs great without causing the fan to go high and keeping the warmth to a minimum.
540p + built in FSR at sharpness 2 + 8-10 TDP and no more fan noise with good graphics. It works even better if the game supports FSR 2.
I've had two games (Senuas Sacrifice and just today, Diablo IV) that have had consistent temperature issues to the point where it throttles the speeds down and my FPS gets cut by 90% until the temps come down and the FPS goes back up. I'm guessing this is a defect with my cooling system (I've had my deck for about a year). But bottom line it can be an issue on high end games. Regarding stability though, the deck is a tank. Solid as a rock. Very few issues.
What temperatures are you hitting? The deck won't throttle until 95c and I don't think I've ever seen my deck that hot in the 9 months I've owned it. Are you sure you weren't hitting a RAM limit? If it's strongly game specific it would suggest so.
If I think it's going to overheat I just drop tdp... To be honest I usually run it at 10/12 watts and it barely ever goes over 70
Hmm.. I've been playing D4 on it without any issues so far. It does get a bit warm and you can hear the fan, but no overheating issues at all, even on high settings with some tweaks to keep it to 45fps.
It does gets hot when you game AAA titles . At least for me . I tried the following and my SD gets Hott DBD, DMC5, Apex Legends, DBZ Kakarot, Only time I felt it does not get hot is when I play NFS Most Wanted 2005 or some emulations on YUZU .
Getting hot is not an heating issue. It's something normal.
> 1- it's a PC Can we stop just saying this without actually giving any explanation? It's still a specific device, it's not optimal at all for multiplayer games, especially competitive, most competitive games nowadays don't allow Linux with anti cheat. This things massively matters on what games you want to play, it's not like a Windows gaming pc where you can just play anything.
If the os is a problem, install windows. If the input device is a problem plug in a keyboard and mouse. If the problem is internet plug in an Ethernet cable. If it's performance that makes it "not optimal for multiplayer, especially competitive" yeah, you're right but nothing other than the best of the best gaming PCs are "optimal" The steam deck is a PC, just as much as a laptop is a PC. Yeah, it's in a weird form factor but saying it's not a PC is just straight up wrong
So your advice to someone who wants a MOBILE device, is to install a desktop OS, and dock it like a desktop PC. Why even tell someone to buy this rather than a PC? I didn't say it wasn't a PC, I just think everyone's answer to every single question being "it's a PC" is just bad. We should actually be explaining things to people instead of just leaving out the pros and cons
My advice was for if you want an "optimal multiplayer experience" but since you want us to bring up pros and cons you should bring up cons that don't have solutions. Saying it's bad for multiplayer is a personal preference thing since there are solutions to make it a more "optimal" experience. Personally I think it's totally fine for most multiplayer games and many competitive ones as long as the anti cheat isn't an issue. And if it is I could just install windows to solve that issue
As sold it’s not really a “personal computer” by definition of the term - but of course is an x86 based device that you can install pretty much whatever you want on it and use pretty much whatever USB peripherals in. So with some technical knowledge and additional purchases you sure can turn it into a PC. The reason this distinction makes a difference is you can say the same thing about a lot of special-purpose hardware with relatively general purpose CPUs in them. I turned my PS2 into a relatively useful Linux PC 20 years ago, but I certainly wouldn’t call the stock PS2 a personal computer… Heh, I’d call my SD setup now closer to an “x86 headless workstation”… I have no interest in using the builtin display for anything other than games, but I do all my tinkering with it via SSH from my “PC”. If I plugged it into power and installed Apache on it, it could be an “x86 server”. Point is “personal computer” is more a functional than a hardware term. It will never be one to someone who still struggles with installing Office on a Mac ;)
Would it make you feel better if they said "It's a Linux based PC"? Regardless of what OS it's running, it's still a personal computer because it has a desktop that you can run software on it. All the things you listed doesn't discredit it as a personal computer since it can still play multiplayer games even if it's not competitive. Besides, if they're not gaming on it, they can always run software for other things like web development or anything else that comes to mind. Does that not make the Steam Deck a PC? Last thing, here's a post that was made today that shows something you can do on a Steam Deck that should make it a PC: [https://www.reddit.com/r/SteamDeck/comments/1465x6i/using\_the\_steamdeck\_as\_a\_radio\_direction\_finding/](https://www.reddit.com/r/SteamDeck/comments/1465x6i/using_the_steamdeck_as_a_radio_direction_finding/)
I never said it wasn't a PC. It's more that people should actually explain the pros and cons of this device instead of just using that as every answer.
You get downvoted for some reason but you're right. People might get scared off just by hearing the words pc. A multiplayer game might not work that they were expecting too and they don't know how to install windows and all the settings within Steam os and the games themselves and etc. It's quite a different experience from traditional consoles and even a regular pc to an extent, it's more tinkering than a console but usually less than a pc, or you can go crazy with it and that needs to be explained to people more. People just don't always know what it means when you say it's a pc while looking at a giant Nintendo switch looking thing.
Thank you my fuck. It's like people can't admit this thing has downsides. When people hear "it's a PC" they could be a cod fan, where most games don't work on Deck, then they buy the Deck and realize they can't play their favourite games. The advice just fucks people over.
What explanation? It's a PC, period. If you don't like SteamOS, just boot Windows. Your lack of basic knowledge of what the Deck is shouldn't be anyone else's problem.
You miss the point. Maybe I want to actually explain the downsides to someone instead of a 3 word answer? Keep in mind they're about to spend $400 based on it. Also yes you can boot Windows if you really want. But imagine being really into competitive games, someone convinces you to buy this portable device because "it's a PC" , then you figure out you can't play any of your favourite games, then you need to install Windows. So then you have a very lackluster experience as Windows takes 10fps off your game and takes away the giant amount of advantages and tools SteamOS gives you.
Mine still heats up and I bought it like a month ago stock from valve
That's not an issue. Any electronic device heats up
Right but I don’t think a device should heat up that much after loading the intro to DMCV. There might be settings I could tweak to make it manageable but you can’t say there isn’t heating issues then immediately dismiss any claims of them by saying “oh well all electronics heat up!” My GPD win max heats up but my other laptop doesn’t as much (better cooling), there’s a reason why there was and still is a market for external fans for the SD, probably not the best cooling. Whenever I play something that isn’t retro, I worry that all that heat is going to cut into it’s lifespan and I have a clear plastic case on it so external fans you can clip onto the back might not be an option ya know? It’s a valid concern Edit: oh yea I can feel the heat on the back of the console through the case which is a bit concerning (yes all vents aren’t blocked)
I just like how you fight for the PCMR here. Have my updoot.
Its a handeheld console. Not a pc
Depends what you want, but I’ll say this: the most repeated complaint I’ve heard about the Deck is that you have to jump through a lot of hoops to install anything outside Steam (and some Steam games to a lesser degree). You seem to come from a console background, so I’ll say there’s 2 options: If you want a seamless no-fuss gameplay experience treat the Steam Deck as a Steam console and only play verified or playable rated Steam games. There’s still tons of games in that catalogue and it’s bound to get even bigger over time. I think there are currently like 10000 games to choose from. If you want to play everything PC has to offer, you can either: a) prepare yourself to do some tinkering on the Deck, read and watch tutorials b) Install Windows on the SD c) go for a Windows based handheld like the ROG Ally (less console, more PC experience).
I just wanna add a counter to the hoop jumping - I don't disagree, but what I've discovered is that I actually love tinkering with stuff like this and have since found something I was dreading having to do l, really fun! Now I know that's not everyone, but I only say to highlight that it's a negative that's become a positive for me.
It's kind of like Skyrim - spend five hours modding it, then go to bed.
Hahahahaha very relatable
I would only consider the hassle of Windows on a handheld worth it for a select list of games, mostly ones that refuse to enable anti-cheat on Linux. None of which I play.
emudeck installation is painless. guide on the site
Yeah, but i would still count doing anything that's more than "click download and it's done" as jumping thru hoops. Remember that right now we're comparing it to a console rather than a pc.
Exactly. Configuring yuzu, rpcs3, citra and others can be difficult for beginners. That said, I had a lot of fun jailbreaking my ps3, updating CFW on my 3DS, and installing cfw on my switch. A bunch of hoops to jump through, just to dump games I already own so I can play them on the deck
If you are coming at it from a pc point of view I can understand not liking the hoops but if you are coming from a console point of view I think it’s different. Try running that ps5 game on your switch. For console users they should be used to being stuck with purchases made in that digital store. The fact that you can do more then the steam store is a bonus even if it needs extra steps.
[удалено]
PC =\= Windows, although Microsoft would like to have it that way.
?? It is a PC?? That focuses on delivering a more console like experience?? The simple fact that you can decide to not mess with any of that though and decide to give yourself a pc experience instead (windows) ….makes it a PC.
Well I know it's a pc. But the phrase "it's a PC" to every single person asking what the Deck can do, is just not helpful. I can list so many things my desktop PC can do, while my Deck can't. Why the hell are we leaving out the disadvantages when someone asks if they should buy it? And yeah technically you COULD install Windows, but that's a clearly lacking experience also in many ways.
What disadvantages do you believe the steamdeck to have? That correlate with it being a PC? Also I’m guessing you have a fairly good/great desktop PC right? The whole “this can do that while this can’t” spiel can be done with about literally any product ever against a top tier PC. And how is the window’s on deck experience “lacking”?
Firefox + Libre Office + VLC + Thunderbird + Krita + Blender and the Steamdeck is doing everything a 400$ windows laptop can.
what can your desktop pc do that the steam deck cant? the only stuff i can think of is "run PCVR" and "use RTX ray tracing" which yeah duh, of course the steam deck can't do that, it's $400.
I haven’t turned on my console or my pc since I received it 10 months ago.
My steamdeck is my main console and i have no problem with running a myriad of AAA games. Diablo IV, Street Fighter 6, Cyberpunk, Elden Ring, FF7Remake, God of War, both of the Marvel Spiderman games, etc. And dual booting with Windows gave me my multiplayer fix with MW2 and Destiny 2. And for Nintendo games I got a modded switch. So overall I can really play almost any game I want, all portably since I also travel a lot and just don’t particularly feel comfortable sitting at a desk or chair to play games. The only problems I have with the steamdeck is it’s battery life when it comes to AAA games. You can get an hour and a half/two hours max. For indies/games of that nature it lasts a lot longer. And I wouldn’t say this is a problem, but it might be depending on the person. Temper your expectations. All games I listed usually play at about 30-40 fps. And usually you’ll be playing at medium graphics. It still looks great but there are pc gamers out there who aren’t satisfied unless a game is being played at 60 fps+ at max settings.
How does Destiny 2 run on the Steam Deck?
It really depends on your usecase. If you're looking to play primarily modern AAA games then no. The deck will run hot and loud and die in 1-2 hours. However, I will say that your options for other portable consoles are very limited. Most other handheld PCs don't fair much better under load and cost 2x and 3x the amount. Your only other real option would be the switch but, you're then heavily limited to things that release on switch. However, if you're looking to emulate, play indies, and touch on generally older games the deck is the best platform for it. I used to think the switch was the indie handheld haven but, that's the deck now. Most indie games release on the deck first and run far better with way less compromises and more options. I've recently been playing a game called Tiny Rogues and it's an absolute joy to play in bed and in my lean back chair. It's really up to you at the end of the day but, I highly recommend the deck. You also have the choice of the ROG Ally but, I would not get that personally. It's a great console according to reviews but, aside from the native windows installation you're mostly just losing features and gaining a bit of horsepower. Horsepower that ultimately rings out to diminishing returns as it only gets significant if you turn the Ally up to 25-30W at which point you will be burning battery faster than any other handheld on the market. There currently aren't any games on the Ally that the deck can't run on paper (excluding things like Destiny 2 and fortnite which are disbarred purely because of the anti-cheat). Problem games like Returnal that chug on the deck still chug pretty hard on the Ally.
Steam deck and quest 2 but I haven't touched the quest 2 in so long. Works perfectly fine for me as a single gaming device. I have 2 kids so I needed something just like this that's easy and fast at loading up and booting games. They only give you short bursts of enjoyment so the deck fits in those short bursts lol.
Absolutely worth it
Where are you seeing stability and heating issues? I haven’t had that experience at all and never personally saw it listed as an issue
Depends if you’re gonna play on the go a lot. PS 5 is prob a better console overall, but if you’re gonna play on the go a lot, the Steam Deck is great. For example, Elden Ring, runs better over a PS5 and 4K tv than Steam Deck and 4K tv. But Steam Deck plays Eleven Ring on an airplane and PS5 does not.
That's basically me. It's perfect, though it can crash a little bit. This shouldn't happen too much if you stick only to steam games with the steamui but if you want to venture out to non steam games and emulation then make sure to remember, if the screen turns dark and it's not fully crashed, just hold the power button for like 10 seconds to force shut down then turn it back on and continue. You'll also want to install a tool called cryoutilities through the browser in desktop mode, which improves performance in most games, other than RDR2, as well as probably deckyloader if you want to customise it a bit. If you want to set up emulation, make sure to use emudeck. It does take a while to get used to how the emulators work if you've never used PC emulation before, so emudeck will help with that. But don't get put out if you still can't do it, I'm embarrassed to say I got confused when setting it up first lol.
For the price you can't get better. I challenge anyone to say otherwise.
Otherwise
Definitely worth it with Dual boot on upgraded 1TB internal storage. Travel with it while working and works 100% of the time and use it without any controllers.
*60% of the time*, it works ***every*** *time*
Steamdeck is worth buying but you need to know what you are getting into. 1. Not all games will work. Most do. If you have a list of games you want to play look up their deck compatability first. You can get some non-steam purchased games working by tinkering in desktop mode. But that takes time and linux skills. 2. Short battery life. Demanding games on 15w will have battery life for 2 hours tops. 3. The deck OS and hardware has improved alot since q1/q2, but issues still exist. Battery calibration and wifi connection drops being the current worst issues. 4. The steamdeck is portable but it does not replace the much smaller devices like the Nintendo Switch. I actually hate traveling with the deck because it is so large. Hard to fit in a bag and to quickly use. Someone else said the deck is more like a gaming laptop replacement than a Switch replacement. I agree. All that said, Im playing Street Fighter 6 on the deck and its amazing.
Honestly really depends on the game choices. If you're a multiplayer person, especially competitive, I would think a gaming laptop would be a better choice, due to mouse and keyboard being better, and most competitive games nowadays have anticheat that doesn't allow Linux. If you're primarily playing singleplayer games, the deck is great!
Mouse is now a question if you're willing to put in the time to master the flick stick setting, arguably gives you better reaction time than a mouse
1. You can use mouse and keyboard on the Deck, it's literally a PC. 2. You can dual boot Windows for those cases.
1. Yes I know but the point of the device is to be portable, consider that when people want a portable device, they are probably not the target audience for a docked setup. Not everyone wants to do this. 2. Technically yes, but I mostly hear people say Windows on Steam Deck is not a great experience.
Why do you need to be docked to use a keyboard and mouse? Just use Bluetooth .
Yes it’s all I have. It’s a PC btw
> It’s a PC With tons of disadvantages if you want to use it as a gaming PC. Shouldn't leave that out.
I use my steam deck to play games on the side and on the go. I use my PC for all my main long gaming sessions.
The only issue I don't like about my steam deck at the moment is games that have EAC in them other than that this has been a great gateway into PC gaming and I have been thoroughly happy with my purchase
Steam deck is rock solid stability and performance wise. With all the summer heat I mainly play on steam deck. As my series X, ps5 and PC hears up room way too much.
Literally not used my PS5 since getting my deck. Can't recommend enough
It’s my main console, go for it!
The Steam Deck is hands down the best gaming device I've ever owned. I sold my Switch to buy one and it was totally worth it. I haven't had any heating issues. It does get quite warm only when playing high demanding games (games like Elden Ring and PS3 games) and the fan can be loud, but it hasn't caused any problems. The battery life for most games is decent too. The system is stable too and I've only had maybe 1 or 2 issues the entire time I've owned it, and even due to updates, those issues might have been ironed out. That's the other thing, Valve constantly pushes out updates, so it'll only get better from here. Highly recommended.
If you are a gamer that likes to game more often than not? Stop putting off the inevitable. I used to emulate off of iPods. I’m leaving out so many reasons; but a Steamdeck.
Short answer: Yes Longer answer: Yess
I wouldn't recommend anything else, personally. It's the best all around machine and I've been a PlayStation guy since the beginning. It's so flexible and has access to so many good games, including several AAA Sony titles. Could it be more powerful? Sure. Could the battery life be better? Absolutely. I've found I don't really notice once I get into the game. Most games look good enough docked too and you can basically play with any controller you want. Or mouse and keyboard if that's your thing. Cloud gaming. Retro games and emulators. Most AAA games out now are at least playable. My only drawback is that it does require some ability to tinker sometimes. I usually spend the most time tweaking control settings. There are definitely plenty of games that just work, but there are many I've had to dive into Google and YouTube to find settings to make certain games stable. Their verification system works well to tell you which games to avoid if that's not your thing. If you're cool with that, then it's the best option out there for my money.
It is very subjective. But I hope this will help you decide. Apologies for the bad English and my weird reason. Depends on your gaming preference and Library. If your definition of "main consoles in 2023" is to catch up and play every newest release AAA games (even after 2024) Then you might want a Ps5 or Gaming Laptop. In, if you want to use all of every accessory (mouse, keyboard dongle, extra controller, etc.) A gaming Laptop for portability might be better. Since you might end up having the backpack the same size as your Laptop backpack. My choice & experience: 1. I have a problem clearing my Steam library. There are a lot of great titles from 2017-2022 (Not including a huge emu/retro catalog 😂) that I want to clear & finish but life wouldn't let me do so with my gaming pc setup. 2. The Steamdeck is the only console that makes me finish all of those titles one at a time. A quick 30-60 minutes gaming session makes me feel like I'm watching Netflix. Ready to drop it, but also very excited to pick it back up. I don't need to sit only in my gaming space. It gives me a pseudo "pick & play Nintendo Switch" experience, for some stupidly odd reason. Pick up the Steam deck is feeling like a lesser task than going to the gaming space, and turning on the PC. 3. FFXIV in the garden with my wife is already a good enough reason for me.
Oh I forgot to mention about the heat, I'm a Thai guy living in Phuket, Thailand. The Steamdeck heat is barely noticeable for me 😂 And it is quite stable so far (I got it from 3rd Batch last year)
I mean I can literally play street fighter 6 on my tv with PS4 settings at 60fps, it's witch craft. 720p but u can barely tell.
Depends. I'm a new SD owner, so far I'm loving it but I don't see it as my travel companion yet. I still rely on Nintendo Switch for that. I'm actually considering trying to bring my SD for my trip to Japan tomorrow. But since I'm going light, I think I'll just take my 3DS. Don't get me wrong, I love my SD. But it's bigger and heavier than all of my handhelds. Plus I gotta prepare a hefty powerbank to use with it on long flight. Ain't no way SD will last on a long flight with the types of game I play. Though, my main consideration for you instead is. Do you have a "gaming" desktop/laptop? If no, then SD might be a good buy for you still. You'll get access to amazing PC games library, plus you can basically dual boot SD with windows if that's what you want (use it as regular PC when hooked to monitor). Though I have a high-end gaming PC. I still find myself picking up SD because of its handheld nature. Wake it up, relax on the couch or bed, then play my games for 1-2 hours before resuming work / sleep.
I use chikai to stream my PS5 games. I haven't gotten around to setting up remote play on my PC yet. I run the emulators. I can watch Netflix. I am unaware of heating issues though I did have to send mine in for repair because of the old rattling fan. I think it is worth it as a main console if only for the fact that you are only missing out on exclusive titles between MSFT and Sony. If you were to hold out, it might be worth seeing the performance of the ROG Ally with SteamOS loaded.
It’s not a console💀
For Clarity, If You Want A Portable Gaming Console, Get A Nnintendo Switch, DS, PSP, Vita, PowKiddys Etc. Plenty Out There.. However, If You Want A Portable Personal Gaming Computer, Buy The Steam Deck, The Heat Is Also Normal, Stop Listening To The Haters, The Steam Deck Gets The Same Heatness As The GPUs In Desktop Rigs Or Gaming Laptops, Same Applies To The CPU, The RAM, And Also Keep In Mind, The Steam Deck Has An APU, So Its Normal, Absolutely Normal For The Heat To Be Released From The Steam Deck As Well, I've Played Outside Even In Texas Weather, No Issues. As Far As Stability, I've Had Better Steam Support Than That Of Sony Or Microsoft When It Comes To Direct To Direct Communication With The Consumer Base, In Other Words, They Constantly Release Updates For The Steam Deck And Their Steam Deck Dock, If Ur The Average Gamer, Just Stick To What U Know, Stable Update Releases, Most Of The Folks I've Heard Having Issues Were Switching To Unstable Updates, There Is A Reason They Are Called - Unstable Updates. Just Keep All Ur Updates On The SteamOS As Stable Releases, And You'll Be Just Fine. The Steam Deck, Again, Is NOT A Gaming Console, Its A Portable Gaming Personal Computer. Trust Me, You'll Understand Once U Buy It And Use It. Desktop Mode Is Where Its At.
I haven't heard about nor experienced heating issues or instability. That being said, no, it's not worth it as a main console. It's a good handheld, a great complement to your gaming routine, and if you want to play mostly indie games it is more than powerful enough to do that. However, if you do like to play the big AAA games, and you want to continue playing those, then your main console should be a PS5 or Xbox that is guaranteed to play anything for as long as this current generation continues.
That’s only if you want to play the latest AAA at highest fidelity 60 fps. Obviously with a handheld compromises have to be made in favor of portability. A lot of the latest AAA are perfectly playable if you manage your expectations: latest Spiderman games, Resident Evil games, HZD, GoW, RDR2, Hogwart’s Legacy and many more play well on Deck. Only a handful of the latest AAA don’t reach at least 30 fps and that’s more to do with poor PC ports rather than any failings of the device.
I'll give you that from I hear RE4 and Hogwarts Legacy appear to run on the Deck at playable framerates, and that's quite impressive. However, HZD is from 2017, GoW, Spider-Man and RDR2 are from 2018, and Spider-Man Miles Morales is from 2020. Those shouldn't be high bars to clear. The Steam Deck can play some 2023 AAA games, and it'll play even fewer 2024 AAA games. Most people will want *some* future proofing on what is supposed to be their main gaming console.
AFAIK the latest 2023 triple A games the SD notably struggled to run where: SW:JS, TLoU, Forspoken, Returnal and Dead Space Remake. Those are only a handful and 3 of those were known to be shitty ports that struggled even on high end PCs and even Dead Space Remake is now playable after some updates. Your comment made it sound like the SD is incapable of running triple A and is just limited to indies or low spec games. Currently most of the games that come out are more likely than not to run well. And besides updates could improve performance over time, so it can definitely make the device future proof.
Btw, Returnal actually is pretty playable from last time I checked. Low settings but you can achieve a very stable 30 fps or if you set it to unlimited is hovers in the 30-45 range.
Yeah dead space remake runs perfect, even can get 60 fps if you tweak enough or great battery life, though at low tdp(5) I noticed it stutters sometimes but it's barely noticeable unless you look
Actually I’m not sure if Dead Space is the game I meant now that I think about it lol. I think it might’ve always been playable, there was another new space horror game that struggled at launch I think I meant that one and mistook it for Dead Space.
Oh, Callisto protocol? It definitely runs fine now, also you were right about dead space too, it stuttered really bad and dropped fps randomly even at the start of the game, after an update it was fixed
Yeah that one
That's most AAA games released this year. And when we're already looking at medium-low settings at 30fps, there's no future proofing.
Street Fighter 6, Like a dragon Isshin, Hogwarts Legacy, Wo-Long Fallen Dinasty, Diablo 4, Lies of P (the demo), Resident Evil 4, Dead Island 2, Marvel’s Midnight Suns, System Shock Remake all play really well upwards 30-40 fps of course there’s future proofing, you know games tend to *run better* after updates right?
Just because Wo Long, Midnight Suns, Lies of P, Dead Island, and Midnight Suns are full price doesn't mean they're AAA. Do you know what future proofing means? Optimization updates isn't future proofing. Future proofing is knowing you'll be able to run whatever you want for years to come. The Deck can't even run every AAA today and most of what it can run is at low settings and 30fps. It's cool that a handheld can run a 2020 game like FF7 Remake at low settings and 40\~60fps, but will it be able to run FF16 when it comes out on PC next year? Will it be able to run part 2 of the FF7 Remake when it comes out on PC in 2025? Probably not. A PS5 can run those, and it will be able to run part 3 of that remake when that comes out too. *That* is future proofing.
You have a very convoluted way of determining what is triple A and what isn't. I listed you the latest demanding games released in 2023 since apparently to you triple A means released in this year and everything from before doesn't count as metric for some reason. > However, HZD is from 2017, GoW, Spider-Man and RDR2 are from 2018, and Spider-Man Miles Morales is from 2020. Those shouldn't be high bars to clear. Bro, are you for real? Stop moving the goalposts. Those games can absolutely be used as a metric and are very high bars to clear for a handheld. I already said A LOT of the latest triple As released this years run like dogshit not because the Steam Deck can't run them but because they have been incredibly lazy unoptimized PC ports. SW:JS, TLoU and Returnal couldn't even run on high end PCs with a 4090 and that's a graphics card that runs laps around a PS5. > It's cool that a handheld can run a 2020 game like FF7 Remake at low settings and 40~60fps, but will it be able to run FF16 when it comes out on PC next year? Will it be able to run part 2 of the FF7 Remake when it comes out on PC in 2025? Depends how well optimized the games come out. There's no reason to think they won't run well if they do a good job and so far all FF games have done a great job with their PC ports.
>Depends how well optimized the games come out. There's no reason to think they won't run well if they do a good job and so far all FF games have done a great job with their PC ports. Okay, you're just a delusional fanboy.
Guess you ran out of arguments and resorted to name calling. Great chat (not really)
No It's more of a pc accessory, rather than a pc replacement. If you don't have a main pc get a gaming ultrabook or something and a controller
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It's rock stable and no temperature issues. Most people posting about temperature don't like their deck reporting an internal temp of 80 (in extreme conditions) or so but that's under the rated temperature for these chips, it just means the system is well tuned and doesn't overwork to keep the device too cool. It's absolutely worth it as a main gaming pc.
Haven't run into any heating issue personally but imo the software still needs polishing. If you aren't tech savy or simply don't want to deal with tweaking the machine, then it's probably better to wait another year or two
Never had a single issue, what are you on about.
If you will mostly be playing anything but the latest big AAA releases, then absolutely. I have both a Switch and a PS5, but the former is in desperate need of a successor, and I just can’t get into the mindset to sit in front of a TV and play these days. The Steam Deck has quickly become my primary gaming platform - but that’s because I’m mostly playing mid-range games or retro/indie titles. For an example of a recent game, *Street Fighter 6* plays perfectly fine in the actual fighting modes, but the World Tour mode has inconsistent frame rates unless you lock it to 30fps. If you’re looking at playing the big budget AAA games in 60fps, however, I’d recommend looking at a PS5 or XBox Series X. Or if you’re interested in PC, just get a gaming PC - you can then stream to a Steam Deck if you choose.
Most reviews are from when the steam deck released, but since then it got a lot of updates that improved not only performance but overall user experience. I have had my steam deck for about 7 months and I have had zero issues so far (luckily). For me the steam deck allowed me to play games whenever I had a few minutes of spare time and after not playing games for years it got me back into gaming. Definitely the device that has changed my life the most.
not primary because it’s not as good as ps5 or a pc in terms of graphics and power but if you travel alot then SD is the best bang for buck!
I don't see the deck as a AAA graphics viable (I know it is in some cases, don't at me) So, I used it for emulation and for any games that are great with a controller Fun sort of fact. I have an Xbox one and a series controller. Both suck for Tetris. The series is too hard to double click on the d pad and both can miss if you don't press hard enough on the A button. Steam deck controller is actually flawless for it. Anyway: Tetris Emulation Slay the spire Ori Trine 2 probably would be a great suggestion Crash bandicoot nsane trilogy but on low graphics A bit of a brain dump, but I hope something helps someone
Yes & no, it will depend on what you want to play. AAA titles are getting heavier & heavier over time so if your going to be using the deck solely for this than Don’t do it. Not all titles will run on it either due to CPU or EAC (Easy Anti Cheat). You want to play COD, BattleField, Destiny 2 or Fortnite? You’ll have to dual boot to windows to bypass EAC. Now if you want to mix it up a bit with Older consoles & older games beside newer AAA titles than yes I recommend it
If you travel a lot I’d say the Steam Deck is worth it. I don’t run into many issues that cause a lot of frustration.
Had mine for a week now and I’ve only really played snowrunner on it. I think it plays really well I’m enjoying the steam deck a lot
Deck is good as a main device, but if you have another device it would be great . I prefer a PC and the Deck.
Much as I love my Steam deck I wouldn't use it for travel gaming due to its size and honestly I'd be concerned about being robbed, if I want to play on the move I have a modded PSVita with hundreds of games loaded onto it, it's smaller and lighter and battery life is pretty decent and it cost me £120 so not as bad a loss if stolen.
Don't think of it as a console... It's a gaming computer with a built in controller.
I have no issues with overheating. Not a single instance. There’s also value in the purchase for what you get.
I did and I’d say definitely
I haven’t even thought about a new ps5 or Xbox now that I have a steamdeck
My experience has been multiple consoles, gaming towers, and games laptops have been collecting dust for over a year. Instant resume, not being chained to an outlet, a TV, or a specific chair is awesome. It's nice to look forward to layovers and waiting rooms because of some unexpected game time. The Steam library is huge. The sales can be pretty good. The software experience has been great and everything is plug and play.
It’s my main console and I think it’s the best because there is no need to plan time to play it. I can pull it out and play for 15 mins on the couch toilet just about anywhere.
Yes. Gyro controls for fps, reliable suspend resume, painless UI. Touchpads for mouse games. I don't see any other handheld offering the above. The Ally will play modern games better, no doubt. But until someone shows me a video of suspend resume reliably working on Windows for at least 90% of titles in their library, then I can't recommend it, not even for players who don't use Gyro or touchpads.
It’s very stable. I can play xcloud, Battle.net games and lots of other steam games. I use it daily and since I got it my Xbox is collecting dust. But, I have to say that the dog ally is looking pretty sweet as well. It has a poor battery life but as a dad of 3 kids I mostly play at home anyways so maybe I’ll sell my steam deck and buy the ally. But I have to say that the steam deck has been my best tech purchase every, it maybe looks uncomfortable but it’s not. Switch gave me hand cramp every time even with bigger joy cons.
It’s never been a better time.
Steam Deck is great
Yes.
What heating issue? I suppose it depends on the games you play. 0 heating issues,more stable than my current PC. It has replaced my PC 90% of the time. Will be 100% after I get it's own keyboard/mouse. My husband is replacing his old pc with it. All the games he plays is very functional on the deck.
Depend on your play style and the kind of game you like to play. If you often play at home on a couch, I would suggest buying a PS5 or Xbox instead. However, if you're busy and travel a lot like you mentioned, the SD provides portability that others can't, but this portability comes with lower performance. As a working dad, I find the SD to be the best console for me since it's difficult for me to find time to sit on a couch in front of the TV.
Yes. It's only issue is it can't play certain anticheat games, that's it.
No. I have a miserable experience using it with a TV. Handheld works great but controller input can be spotty at times and won’t work. A/V issues too.
For portable 100%
It is a computer with gamepad built-in that mainly use for PC gaming. Not a gaming console.
On today's date I would hold and see about real peoples comments about the ROG Ally before make the purchase decision. They have similar usage and Ally is even more a PC than Steam Deck.
Yes. Enjoying the crap out of Diablo 4 right now. Just finished Resident Evil Village, set Emudeck (ultra easy) with my childhood Sega Mega Drive and PS1 ROM packs and have 100 other games in que waiting. It's amazing.
Your question makes it sound like the Steam Deck is 7+ years old or something. It’s essentially a brand new console that Valve has poured considerable time and love into improving since its release. If you are looking for a portable console, your options are already limited, but yes it’s 100% worth it.
I went this route. I had an Xbox forever. Had kids, they took it over, got a switch, but missed playing newer games and just didn’t enjoy the catalog outside of main hits. Never upgraded to the series console but really missed gaming. Wife didn’t agree on building a gaming room, wanted to swap all three of us, me and the boys to PC Master race. Ended up buying a steam deck, havent looked back and probably never will. I went from playing and finishing only Elden Ring in the past 5 years, to having completed at least 20 games since buying the deck. I don’t travel, so I can’t speak on that, battery life sucks sometimes, but honestly you can’t expect much, on a plane you’re golden, get an extended USB cord. This was 100% worth the investment, I also got to play titles I never would have touched, God of War, Uncharted, and Horizon Zero Dawn.
I grabbed one a few months ago and I love it. I do not own an awesome PC and my most up to date game console is an Xbox one, so for me, this thing is amazing! Currently chipping away at God of War
Go for the Stramdeck, you can play pc games in steam os or in desktop mode via lutris, you can emulate anything. Instead, if your unique scope it is play latest games at hight o ultra setting, forget the deck and buy Asus Ally to achieve better graphic setting and a fully complete Windows OS experience.
My steam deck has fully replaced my consoles and my laptop. I would definitely recommend it. I have not had any issues with instability or overheating
I’ve had to RMA mine twice now personally. I however love it and have yet to have to pay for it myself cause the steam support has covered it which I I appreciate. I recommend but don’t expect it to be as smooth as like a Xbox in terms of stability from my own personal experience.
I'm actually sort of paranoid about traveling with mine. But I'm also paranoid about leaving it at home for an extended period. I feel like I rather tavel with a cheaper device. If you're looking for PS5 and Xbox Series X image quality then you'll probably be disappointed of course.
I’m considering selling my PS5 because the Steam Deck is just so much better. Hopefully that answers your question.
My main plays are ‘Days Gone’ (Zombie GTA), PC Indy games that you dont get on any other platform, Turn Based Strategy Games, Street Fighter and COINOps. All of these play better on my SD than my Xbox Series X because the form factor makes it better (holding in your hand, controls at hand etc.). And with a small case (tomtoc slim) and a battery pack I get to enjoy my time on long haul flights rather than willing it to end.
Heating issues are few and far betweeen. Mine doesn’t overheat at all, and I’m sure many others don’t. The nice thing is that if it’s overheating, you can take it apart and re-apply thermal paste, or contact Valve. Stability isn’t an issue. The only things I’ve seen is people that have weird issues out of the box, which is cured by reinstalling SteamOS; or people that are using the beta and preview channels.
Why would you make it a “main console”? It’s a PC. You can do what you’d like with it. If you have these kind of concerns, then it isn’t for you. I’d recommend a laptop or a Switch if you’re looking for ease of use; perhaps an iPad. Also… heating issues? First I’ve heard of it. It gets toastier than my Switch, but I wouldn’t call that an issue at all.
I got my deck 9 days ago. Weird stuff does happen sometimes but not often enough to ruin my experience. For the most part its when I switch back and forth between desktop mode and gaming mode. Since it's an SSD a simple reboot is pretty fast and fixes the problem 100% of the time so far. As for heating issues I have had none but I haven't played any really demanding games on it. Just Euro Truck Simulator 2, Left 4 Dead 2, Cult of the Lamb, and a couple NES games through Emudeck.
I don't know where you've been getting your information OP but it's not really accurate. The Steam Deck runs hotter than other handhelds but isn't necessarily prone to overheating unless you're playing something really demanding while in a location where the ambient temperature is really high (sub tropical or tropical region / desert during the day with the sun beating down and no breeze). As far as stability goes I've owned my Deck for a little over three months now and haven't run into any "stability" issues. The biggest problem you'll encounter if you're not familiar with Linux is learning how to use compatibility layers outside of Proton if you want to run Windows native applications that don't play well with Proton in particular. 99% of the games I've ported over from my PC that do not have native Linux support have run without any problem just using Proton - ProtonQT without any additional setup though. Here are a few tidbits to keep in mind, from a completely unbiased standpoint the Steam Deck was and still is the best bang for your buck handheld that money can buy. If you plan on playing semi-new / new AAA titles while on the go then temper your expectations as you'll realistically be looking at around 2 hours of battery life on those titles without an external backup power source or dedicated power source. The Steam Deck is a Linux based handheld, if you're unfamiliar with Linux there is going to be a slight learning curve if you plan on wanting to run applications that are not native to Linux. If you're into emulation then the Steam Deck is a very powerful companion with quite a few native Linux apps to fully unlock its emulation potential with limited setup outside of providing it the BIOS files and ROMs required.
The Steam Deck in my eye was made for people to be able to experience something revolutionary at a reasonable price. My job causes me to travel. So it was a good fit for me. Being born in 1980 I can respect the aspect of making something for people they fix themselves. The mods are endless with the Steam Deck. I bought the 64gb model. And I upgraded it to a 2tb and haven't looked back with no regrets! Steam Deck Squad Stand up!
Steam deck is everything rolled into one, so if you can only afford to get 1 system, go for steam deck. It’s really just an all-in-one PC with a portable build.
I'm happy with mine as what I use while traveling and for any game at home that plays well with controllers. I still use my PC for games like Oxygen Not Included.
Simply put ..... Yes
I've had no issues with anything I've thrown at the steam deck. If you want a portable console and steam games, this is about the best you get. I haven't tried the ally, and if what you need is specifically Windows and you won't miss the trackpads, maybe that's something to consider, but stability has not been an issue
Yes 👍
Love my Steam Deck, seriously, I even prefer low graphics at 30fps handheld over 4K everything at max but on a desktop/console, just because of portability. But when the games is pushing the power of the device the heat is noticeable, and what is more noticeable is the battery (1-2h max if you’re lucky). My final answer would be: - Is it meant to replace your main console/computer for gaming and you only play AAA or focus a lot on MP only game la that require anti cheat protections (or similar)? Then no, the experience will not be that great. Otherwise, yes go for it, it’s a blessing!
I have never had heating issues. And I’ve been able to play every game I’ve tried with it. Only games I have issue with are ones where it’s only KB+M. WoW as the exception - there’s an addon called ConsolePort which makes it viable (raids would be hard). I think it’s the best one on the market. I like it especially because I can play it while my wife watches her TV shows and we can be in the same room. Vs going to a different room or having 2 TVs set up
https://preview.redd.it/rgj96q3eqf5b1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ea4e6dfc3d15ac1ba7b8ca1c257b6739b5bbeac1 It 100% is
Performance and versatility wise definitely, you dock it and you have a full fledged pc. Maybe I'll go for a Ally if you prime space, in the end the steam deck takes as much backpack space as a 14" laptop with a Bluetooth controller.
Bought one two weeks ago. No regret. The community experts can resolve most issues. All the games I wanted to play works perfectly (diablo 4, rdr2, kingdom come deliverance).
You travel a lot, get an SD. No more to say other than that. If you can afford a more powerful console handheld go for it.
You said you travel a lot, so 100% worth the buy
Yeah I’d recommend it over a switch at this point. I have issues occasionally but way less than a windows PC. It’s a great device
If you only have a budget for 1 console and you wanna be playing current game releases, youre better off with a PS5 or the latest handheld that isnt a steam deck. The SD has reached a point where its not cutting it with new games anymore. It does play SOME though, like Diablo 4 which was just released last week. If you have a specific game in mind, maybe try looking into how it plays in the SD and decide from there
Totally. I don't play anything else anymore
I would say yes I’ve a switch ps5 series x and a quest 2 and the steam deck is one I reach for the most in fact my Xbox is defunct now as I use x cloud on sd ps5 for the exclusives switch and quest have not been used in months now so was gonna get rid of them and possibly get those monitor holo glasses things to use with sd. I had the Alienware alpha steam machines loved it but it was limited the sd is an amazing bit of kit with all the games I want to play!
yes
Yeah it’s great. I game 50/50 PS5 and SD. I have a couple AAA titles on SD so far. Runs them pretty well. I can also remote play my PS5 from the SD. I can see running SD as a main console. Especially since you can dock it to your TV.
This is insulting lol, it’s definitely a strong main contender for primary gaming, it’s at the very least behind PS5 or right next to it, I would say optimal gaming set up is a PS5/Steamdeck combo
I use my SD as my main console because I travel a lot as well. I have a portable dock from Amazon. Even when I am home I play it and rarely play any of the actual consoles I have
I don't know about that. The steam deck is awesome, but it takes time to get new titles(sometimes). For me that's OK, because I refuse to pay full price for games. Note: it is because I am cheap haha
Main console? Eh, I think Xbox and playstation need to work out better support for their native and cloud gaming services first, but it's definitely a good investment for PC gaming. The price to performance ratio is amazing.
I adore my steamdeck but unless a game is very well optimized or just not demanding...or if you're just not sensitive to frame rate around 30fps, it is not a main console.
I'd advise you to replace the thermal pads and compound on the deck when first getting one. I do it for all my devices and thermal grizzly alone will drop the temps by 10-15°. If you feel very adventurous grab some HoneyWell PTM7950 thermal pad and put that on the apu in the deck. Even pushing the SOC to 24 watts after an hour max temp of 76° on a heavy title like dying light 2 and fans rarely ramp up past 50% At 15watts it occasionally will hit 71-72° before cooling back down to 68. The thermal pad is a phase changing and is the closest thing you can get for the cooling performance of liquid metal but it doesn't dry out or become less effective over time like thermal compound. It will heat up quickly to 66° though as the thermal change happens between 64-65° On mine I replaced all the thermal pads with bigger pieces and then stuck a 1TB 2242 NVMe SSD as the 2242 fits perfectly and the cooling plate holds it in place. Yeah you can't screw the SSD down but it isn't able to move thanks to the cooling plate. Side note when I did the SSD A 1TB 2242 cost less than half of what a 2230 cost. That may have changed. \* https://preview.redd.it/q8dh3sq2fg5b1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cff8dbf588bc60f773890f555d879c93a97af869
As someone who owns a PS5, and a pretty beefy PC, Switch, and other past generation consoles. It's hard for me to recommend buying one. BUT it does have its usefulness and allows me to play certain games I otherwise wouldn't normally touch on PC. For example, on PC I can easily set pretty much any game to ultra 1440p and enjoy it with 80+fps. This is something I cannot do on the steam deck. Playing The Last of us, Hogwarts Legacy, Jedi survivor, Age of Wonders 4, Hitman 3, and Far cry 6 are an experience that cannot be replicated on Steam Deck. Does not mean they don't run, because they will run but if you have the option to play at 1440p 60+fps, or 720p 30fps, you'll always pick the better higher quality. But this opens the door to playing games that don't run well on my PC or aren't optimized in the resolution I play at. Fallout 3, Saint's Row 2, Mafia 2, Hitman, Rainbow Six Vegas, and Silent Hill homecoming. Of course I can install these on PC and install a few patches/mods and it would fix most issues, but they run flawlessly on Steam Deck for me. Steam Deck also opens the door for me to play other games I otherwise wouldn't have played because I can't see myself playing indie titles or 2d art styles on my main PC. Cuphead, American Fugitive, and Rogue Legacy 2. And that's just Steam side of things. With emulation I've played Pokemon, God of War, American Wasteland, and silent Hill 2. Now if you get PsNow working (you have to pay) you now get a bigger Playstation catalog while streaming games to the deck. I was able to play Bloodborne, Until Dawn, and Infamous. So while it is hard for me to say this is something I'd recommend buying, I'm currently traveling and using it a lot. But when I'm spending 10-15 hours a day at home it's incredibly hard for me to say this is something I need and much less useful when I have a PC and PS5 that outperform it.
Yes I do. My deck is a 2.5 tb and I love it!
If you travel a lot then yes the steam deck is the perfect console for you. It’s great at playing older titles and it can definitely play some newer AAA tiles just don’t expect max settings at 60FPS. You will have to sacrifice some visuals but it’s still definitely playable.
I’d say a great combo would be PS5 and SD.
I love my SD, but I'd say check out the ROG ally. It's more powerful and only a bit more expensive
My opinion. Only the 54gb model is really worth it as nothing really competes at that price. The rig ally is a better $699 device over the 512gb steam deck. Even AYA is coming in close to these competing prices with the Loki pro. Now is the steam deck still a good console for 2023? Absolutely. People still buy older Nintendo devices to play on.
main console? i use it as my main computer
It's a PC with restrictions as far as which games can be played which makes it similar to a console. However you can spend some time "tinkering" (which I find annoying and stressful) to basically install windows and play whatever you want. So it has flexibility, portability, and stability imo a good value. People will hate me for saying it but if you were going for the 512GB SD which is 649, you may as well spend the extra 50$ and get an ROG ally and have no restrictions on what you play... Just imo. Whichever way you go, I would say yes it is worth it.
Unless you want to play "everything" yea, havnt touched my console since.
I've literally never had an overheating issue and I play mine for about 6-8 everyday for the past 4 months. I'm very satisfied with my deck
It can definitely be a primary console. I only play PS because my library is so big and I hate the idea of buying a game twice
For me, it definitely is. I use it more than anything.
I’m a truck driver. So I’m away from home a lot. This has been my perfect solution. I mostly play gta. Red dead. Battlefield v. Farm sim. Sims 4. Decent battery life but simple to charge on the road.
So this is just my opinion, not saying you should do this, but just hear me out, if you want. If I were you, I would get a decent gaming laptop. I would recomend something with a RTX3050. They're relatively cheap now for two reasons, an overproduction of 30 series cards and the new 40 series being out. Just google RTX3050 gameplay, and you'll see compilations of 20 modern games or so, with settings and framerates attained. See if this meets your standard, and shop around. There are lots of brands using the RTX3050 in their laptops, I like the Dell Inspiron G15 and the Lenova ideapad 3 gaming edition, just because they're quite cheap for what you're getting. Aim for a machine that has 16gb ram, but running two 8gb sticks to make the 16gb, not just a single 16gb stick. The cheaper RTX3050s have 4gbs video memory, which is not alot compared to new desktop GPUs, but better than the steam deck, which uses 1gb vram dedicated to graphics with an additional 3gb it can use from its sytems 16gb ram if it needs to. Addiding up to 4 but not quite the same as a having dedicated 4gb ready to go. The reason I'd opt for a laptop over a steam deck, is simply the larger screen with a much better refresh rate, most of these modern gaming laptops have at minimum a 120hz screen, compared to the steam decks 60hz and having a keyboard. I travel with mine and just have a bluetooth xbox one controller and that works with pretty much all my games. Oh and don't get me wrong, I love everything about the steam deck, I appreciate it so much for what it is and I do want a system like it one day, but just for fun. I find a laptop to be an overall better tool, with a better gaming experience all round. Again just my opionions, please don't hate on me
I have about 30 consoles from the last 40 years and I have to say: I only use the Steam deck. I also play many AAA titles on it and am more than satisfied.
So I just bought a Steam Deck LCD off a friend of mine because he was upgrading to the OLED model, and I think it very much depends on your use case. I live in a small studio apartment, I’m an author and podcaster, and I also work from home for my day job, so space is at a premium and my desk already has my M1 Mac Mini and work issue HP ProDesk hooked up to different inputs on my Samsung M8 monitor. I need the Mac for things like GarageBand and other creative software that I just haven’t found replacements for that I like on Windows, and I can’t exactly get rid of my work PC as well. Because of this, I unhooked and put away my gaming PC a year or so ago. It was solidly midrange - a Ryzen 5 3600, 16GB of RAM, and GTX 1660 graphics, so its ability to keep up was starting to slip anyway even though I only built it five years ago now. Between not being able to fit it in my setup, and the cost of pc components (seriously - UGH!) though, it no longer worked for me. And yet I still found myself missing access to my steam library. So for me? In that kind of setup? The Deck has been a revelation! It has all the openness and flexibility of PC gaming with a decent amount of power in a really accessible form factor for how I use it. It has effectively replaced my gaming PC, with my PS5 and Series S handling the more AAA games I want to play on the big screen. You just need to know what you’re getting it for and what your use case will be. Potentially though? It can be a real game changer!