Valve Handheld: Steam Deck

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Email came through today, order placed!
 



Mondays & Thursdays for emails... I cancelled my base model reservation for the mid & landed in the Oct or later tier.
 
Now I gotta grab a Micro SD. Not sure if I should get a 512 or 1 TB.
Go for the TB, or the largest possible. I wish I did, but I wasn't sure how it would perform for Triple A games.

As I mentioned in another post I got this one, and Final Fantasy 7 Remake is on it. I had no idea it was running off of it. It was only supposed to be for emulation. It ran as well as any other triple A game on the SSD, or least it wasn't noticeably different.

I got it on a great sale, so I'm not too pissy about it. I'll def be upgrading to a TB when I see one on sale.
43c8f9d3-6f9b-45d0-a66c-ceb9ceae877a.40cdb579ef119eb8d6d2dfe6666e02a4.jpeg


I used this guy's video to help select one. These Youtuber thumbnails are cancel lol
 
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Go for the TB, or the largest possible. I wish I did, but I wasn't sure how it would perform for Triple A games.

As I mentioned in another post I got this one, and Final Fantasy 7 Remake is on it. I had no idea it was running off of it. It was only supposed to be for emulation. It ran as well as any other triple A game on the SSD, or least it wasn't noticeably different.

I got it on a great sale, so I'm not too pissy about it. I'll def be upgrading to a TB when I see one on sale.
43c8f9d3-6f9b-45d0-a66c-ceb9ceae877a.40cdb579ef119eb8d6d2dfe6666e02a4.jpeg


I used this guy's video to help select one. These Youtuber thumbnails are cancel lol

From what I’ve seen the Samsung is the fastest but is limited to 512. Thanks for your input btw, I would’ve assumed the same as you and not put as much thought into the SD.
 
From what I’ve seen the Samsung is the fastest but is limited to 512. Thanks for your input btw, I would’ve assumed the same as you and not put as much thought into the SD.
No worries. Yeah, the Samsung is slightly best in read, but the Sandisk Extreme is better is write and load. The differences are minor, so I doubt any of us wouldn't notice anything between the two, outside size options. I chose my card because it was on such a great sale.

This guy breaks down the best options/speeds

It's displaying as unavailable, but here's the direct link


Another thing to keep in mind is getting a USB C to USB3 adapter of some sort, if you plan on using a mouse and keyboard (M&K), or transferring roms and other files. You can always download things directly to the Deck, and use a Bluetooth M&K. I don't haver the the latter, and I have thousands on roms on an HDD already.

When I was setting up the Deck for emulation, I found using the trackpads could be inconsistent. You can click on the right trackpad, like using a mousepad on a laptop, but sometimes the click gets deactivated when configuring emulators. Sometimes it doesn't want to move the mouse cursor either when in desktop mode. Another issue was needing to resize certain windows for emulator configs. I couldn't always do that with just the Deck controls.

I bought this little guy, was around $10 Cdn (2 pack)

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Syntech USB C to USB Adapter Pack

I just plugged in a USB hub so I could use a normal mouse and keyboard, and plug in a USB thumb drive at the same time. It truly felt like a mini PC then.

I'm using emulation Deck. Once it's set up, you won't need any outside peripherals, but you'll be glad to have access to them when configuring it.
 
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Man, I'm really on the fence about getting either an iPad + Game Pass or the Steam Deck. I travel a lot for work and want something to pass the time because work travel sucks 95% of the time.

With the iPad + Game Pass, I get games for a monthly sub but would need to rely on hotel Wifi

With the Steam Deck I get much better performance but need to have games loaded.

It might come down to picking the Steam Deck because from what I've read, it can be plugged into your TV and you can play games that way. So I will have a Swtich, PS5 and Steam Library. However, I'm not sure what the limitations would be using it as a hub.
 
Man, I'm really on the fence about getting either an iPad + Game Pass or the Steam Deck. I travel a lot for work and want something to pass the time because work travel sucks 95% of the time.

With the iPad + Game Pass, I get games for a monthly sub but would need to rely on hotel Wifi

With the Steam Deck I get much better performance but need to have games loaded.

It might come down to picking the Steam Deck because from what I've read, it can be plugged into your TV and you can play games that way. So I will have a Swtich, PS5 and Steam Library. However, I'm not sure what the limitations would be using it as a hub.
People have figured out how to get Game Pass working on Steam Deck
Not sure if that helps with your decision
 
First impressions are overwhelmingly positive. The thing is massive but doesn’t feel it at all. Build quality is very high as well, feels like a premium machine and sticks and buttons feel great.

Oh and then you can play fucking Sekiro or God of War on a handheld so that’s amazing.

The screen isn’t the best quality, I wish they would have gone with an OLED for the premium models but turning the brightness down helps prevent a washed out look. Battery isn’t great but to be expected.

I can’t wait to really dive into this thing.
 
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<{Joewithit}>

It’s glorious…

First impressions are overwhelmingly positive. The thing is massive but doesn’t feel it at all. Build quality is very high as well, feels like a premium machine and sticks and buttons feel great.

Oh and then you can play fucking Sekiro or God of War on a handheld so that’s amazing.

The screen isn’t the best quality, I wish they would have gone with an OLED for the premium models but turning the brightness down helps prevent a washed out look. Battery isn’t great but to be expected.

I can’t wait to really dive into this thing.
Have fun!
{<redford}
My only kinda gripe is the screen as well. I would love an oled too. The battery is meh for any demanding game, but like you said, expected. If you're carrying the case around, you're definitely placing it in some bag. Having some power brick won't be cumbersome.

There's a great sight for selling parts

I really hope they make an oled version and allow us to swap screens. You can already upgrade to the anti-glare version, so I wouldn't be surprised.
https://www.ifixit.com/Store/Game-Console/Steam-Deck/Screens
 
First impressions are overwhelmingly positive. The thing is massive but doesn’t feel it at all. Build quality is very high as well, feels like a premium machine and sticks and buttons feel great.

Oh and then you can play fucking Sekiro or God of War on a handheld so that’s amazing.

The screen isn’t the best quality, I wish they would have gone with an OLED for the premium models but turning the brightness down helps prevent a washed out look. Battery isn’t great but to be expected.

I can’t wait to really dive into this thing.

Have you tried docking it on a TV yet by chance? Also, how are the battery levels when in use and charged? My switch likes to lose battery while also being charged which is odd. I plan on using it for business travel so an HDMI or bringing a docking station would be something I'm interested in.
 
Have you tried docking it on a TV yet by chance? Also, how are the battery levels when in use and charged? My switch likes to lose battery while also being charged which is odd. I plan on using it for business travel so an HDMI or bringing a docking station would be something I'm interested in.
Not yet and I’m not sure if I’ll take advantage of the functionality as I have my PC hooked up to my TV. I’ve only played off the charger so far but I’m curious to see now. Off I could’ve gotten over two hours of Sekiro pretty easily. Probably closer to 3 based on the settings I was using.

Mine came with a nice carrying case that has room for accessories like an external power source or cables.
 
Man, I'm really on the fence about getting either an iPad + Game Pass or the Steam Deck. I travel a lot for work and want something to pass the time because work travel sucks 95% of the time.

With the iPad + Game Pass, I get games for a monthly sub but would need to rely on hotel Wifi

With the Steam Deck I get much better performance but need to have games loaded.

It might come down to picking the Steam Deck because from what I've read, it can be plugged into your TV and you can play games that way. So I will have a Swtich, PS5 and Steam Library. However, I'm not sure what the limitations would be using it as a hub.
whoa ipad can run gamepass games?
 
Not yet and I’m not sure if I’ll take advantage of the functionality as I have my PC hooked up to my TV. I’ve only played off the charger so far but I’m curious to see now. Off I could’ve gotten over two hours of Sekiro pretty easily. Probably closer to 3 based on the settings I was using.

Mine came with a nice carrying case that has room for accessories like an external power source or cables.

It might depend on the wattage as well. Of course, airplane plugins suck which could be a factor. However, I remember reading that some SD's lost battery while being used and plugged in.
 
@SwamiLeoni

New video from DF going over the dock function. I haven’t watched it but it might be helpful for you.

 
@SwamiLeoni

New video from DF going over the dock function. I haven’t watched it but it might be helpful for you.



Pretty interesting watch, thanks Dizz. Seems like a good option for indie gaming and some less stressful titles which is fine by me considering I have a PS5.

Surely the Steam Deck will have a more accessible indie catalog than the Switch. Which means that the Switch really only has its first party titles going for it. They’re huge cash crops for sure, but can you survive on buyers picking up your handheld for only a handful of games?

Doesn’t seem like a solid plan to rely on. The Switch sold extremely well because it brought the best handheld to the market when there were few options. With the excitement the steam deck has been generating, what other competitors will pop up in the future?
 

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