Steam Deck [Handheld PC] - Dec.2021

[heyadol]

I may have hit my limit with the Steam Deck but definitely loving the number of quality handheld PCs popping up, Valve really inspired some good competition. Pretty sure I clocked more PC gaming time this past year than the past decade thanks to the convenience of Steam Deck.

[VictoryAtNight]

For a limited period of time, Valve is discounting its hugely popular Steam Deck handheld. Since its release back in 2022, the Steam Deck has only ever gone on sale a few different times. This is primarily due to the fact that Valve itself manufactures and ships the device, which means it has direct control over its pricing. Now, to coincide with the Steam Summer Sale, the Steam Deck is seeing a sizable price slash that will save buyers over $50 at a minimum.

Starting today, those looking to buy a Steam Deck can pick up the device for 15% off of its normal price. In an offer that will last until July 11th, the base 64GB model of the Steam Deck can now be purchased for $296.95 rather than $349. The 512GB version of the platform has also seen the same 15% drop and now retails for $381.65 rather than $449. While this might not seem like the most drastic sale, it's still a pretty great one given promotions like this basically never happen.

https://comicbook.com/gaming/news/st...k-summer-sale/

[VictoryAtNight]

To celebrate Steam’s 21st birthday, Valve is specifically discounting two models of Steam Decks with LCD screens. The 64 GB version of the LCD Steam Deck is currently going for $296.65, meaning it’s about 15 percent off at the moment. The 512 GB model, meanwhile, has been discounted to $336.75.

These models are some of the oldest Steam Decks around and are being phased out in favor of the more expensive OLED versions, which is probably why they’re available at such steep discounts until September 26. For those prices, the Steam Deck is nearly as affordable as most versions of the Nintendo Switch, and comes with a much more massive library of games. It also performs significantly better.

https://kotaku.com/valve-steam-deck-sale-lcd-1851647277

[heyadol]

Steam Deck OLED: Limited Edition White, shipping in limited quantities. Available worldwide on November 18th, 3PM PST for
$679.00

Steam Deck OLED: Limited Edition White has all the same specs as the Steam Deck OLED 1TB model, but in white and grey. It also comes with an exclusive white carrying case and white microfiber cleaning cloth.

https://store.steampowered.com/news/...31215261073464

https://store.steampowered.com/steamdeck

[dyne]

In for the exclusive white microfober cleaning cloth!

[ChadFL]

So apparently Steam is looking for another crack at a home consolized PC. Obviously, they made an attempt at this about a decade ago with their Steam Machine line. That was a flop for a variety of reasons - rushed to market, SteamOS not being ready for prime time controller issues/delays, a confusingly wide array of third party hardware at prices all over the place (similar to the ill-fated 3DO), etc.

I do think Steam may have more success this time around as most of these problems appear to be solved. Though I do wonder how Steam trying to become a more direct competitor to Sony and Microsoft consoles might affect their support for Steam going forward.

[dyne]

Not sure what they really need to “support” at this point. They’re the major gatekeeper for PC’s and it prints money.

They already have a hardware team so it’s not like they’re going to take heads from the software side for this.

[heyadol]

Announced today at the CES trade show, gamers will soon be able to play titles from their Steam library at GeForce RTX quality with the launch of a native GeForce NOW app for the Steam Deck. NVIDIA is working to bring cloud gaming to the popular PC gaming handheld device later this year.

https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/geforce-now-ces-2025/

GeForce NOW | Full Support for Steam Deck Coming Soon - YouTube

[heyadol]

SteamOS 3 is officially available for other devices. Right now only AMD is supported, no idea if there will be support for Nvidia or Intel in the future.

Installing SteamOS on other devices
We are continually working to improve compatibility with other devices. Currently, expanded support includes devices with AMD hardware and an NVME drive, targeted toward handheld devices. Please note, support for all devices that is not officially 'Powered by SteamOS' is not final (currently anything that is not a Steam Deck or Legion Go S)

https://help.steampowered.com/en/faq...testingsteamos

SteamOS is Valve’s Linux-based operating system. It features a seamless user experience that's optimized for gaming, while retaining access to the power and flexibility of a PC. SteamOS plays tens of thousands of games on Steam, and we are constantly testing the Steam catalog for SteamOS compatibility. It's an open Linux platform that leaves you in full control, and you can install new software or content as you wish. By default, the Steam Client serves as a user interface and provides connectivity to our Steam online services, but you can still access the standard Linux desktop. Users should not consider SteamOS as a replacement for their desktop operating system.

https://store.steampowered.com/steamos

[heyadol]

GeForce NOW | Supercharge Your Steam Deck

GeForce NOW | Supercharge Your Steam Deck - YouTube

Supercharge Your Steam Deck with GeForce NOW. The new native GeForce NOW app gives you access to the latest GeForce RTX technologies on your Steam Deck, including ray tracing, DLSS4, and HDR10. Play directly on your Steam Deck or stream to your TV in stunning 4K at 120fps with HDR10. Plus, GeForce NOW helps preserve up to 50% of your battery life by streaming from GeForce NOW data centers. Play over 2,100 titles, including the latest free-to-play hits like Marvel Rivals, FragPunk, and Once Human, or dive into AAA blockbusters like DOOM: The Dark Ages, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, and Baldur’s Gate 3. GeForce NOW also supports Xbox PC Game Pass titles, so you can stream games like Forza Horizon 5, Call of Duty, and Avowed—all without installs or downloads.

[heyadol]

How to Install the GeForce NOW App on Steam Deck

How to Install the GeForce NOW App on Steam Deck - YouTube

In this video tutorial, learn how to install the GeForce NOW app on your Steam Deck. The new native GeForce NOW app gives you access to the latest GeForce RTX technologies on your Steam Deck, including ray tracing, DLSS4, and HDR10. Play directly on your Steam Deck or stream to your TV in stunning 4K at 120fps with HDR10. Plus, GeForce NOW helps preserve up to 50% of your battery life by streaming from GeForce NOW data centers. Play over 2,100 titles, including the latest free-to-play hits like Marvel Rivals, FragPunk, and Once Human, or dive into AAA blockbusters like DOOM: The Dark Ages, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, and Baldur’s Gate 3. GeForce NOW also supports Xbox PC Game Pass titles, so you can stream games like Forza Horizon 5, Call of Duty, and Avowed—all without installs or downloads.

The overall layout kind of reminds me of the Wii U Pro controller, which I actually liked, so this doesn’t bother me much. That said, the D-pad and face buttons look a bit awkward — maybe not the most comfortable for long sessions.

I’m not planning to buy it right now, but I’d definitely like to try it out first. Who knows, that hands-on experience might convince me to get one after all.

[WorldForgot]

How has the Steam Deck held up?

I'm considering buying one in the upcoming months, but I'm curious if any Steam faithfuls have found other pc-handhelds that might have usurped the Deck's capabilities without hitting 700+. Is there a reason to get this over like a ROG Ally? Does the Deck have more app flexibility within desktop/proton integration, does it have a longer lasting body/hardware, whatever the case may be?

[heyadol]

Originally Posted by WorldForgot

How has the Steam Deck held up?

I'm considering buying one in the upcoming months, but I'm curious if any Steam faithfuls have found other pc-handhelds that might have usurped the Deck's capabilities without hitting 700+. Is there a reason to get this over like a ROG Ally? Does the Deck have more app flexibility within desktop/proton integration, does it have a longer lasting body/hardware, whatever the case may be?

I don't touch my Steam Deck any more, switched to a Windows handheld and it is better in almost every way. Steam Deck is still a quality product, but I wanted more powerful hardware so I could play more of my games.

SteamOS is the best interface for gaming on PC. Unless you really want an OLED display or have no interest in easy access to other PC game stores, my recommendation is to pick a newer AMD-based handheld. If you only use Steam, you can install SteamOS on other AMD handhelds with better processors, more RAM, VRR displays, hall-effect sticks/triggers, etc.

[Talal86]

Originally Posted by WorldForgot

How has the Steam Deck held up?

I'm considering buying one in the upcoming months, but I'm curious if any Steam faithfuls have found other pc-handhelds that might have usurped the Deck's capabilities without hitting 700+. Is there a reason to get this over like a ROG Ally? Does the Deck have more app flexibility within desktop/proton integration, does it have a longer lasting body/hardware, whatever the case may be?

depends on what kind of games you're expecting to play, modern AAA/Unreal Engine 5 games won't run well on it, unless you're fine with 30fps or less

I think it's better than the windows handhelds because of the Os, I don't think you can put windows handheld on sleep, which is essential for a handheld, short play sessions

[Modren]

Originally Posted by WorldForgot

How has the Steam Deck held up?

I'm considering buying one in the upcoming months, but I'm curious if any Steam faithfuls have found other pc-handhelds that might have usurped the Deck's capabilities without hitting 700+. Is there a reason to get this over like a ROG Ally? Does the Deck have more app flexibility within desktop/proton integration, does it have a longer lasting body/hardware, whatever the case may be?

I think the SD is a great product, particularly the OLED model. The ergonomics, control options, and software are very polished by now, and there's a lot of community support for things like controller layouts and settings guides. That said, if your primary interest is current AAA games, then I don't think you'll get much out of it. It's already fallen behind and will only fall moreso over time. But if you have a large backlog of 7th-8th gen games and indie titles, you can get a lot of use out of this thing.