Overview:
The Steam Deck is Valve’s first step towards fully entering the handheld console market. The Steam Deck is a portable PC with a custom AMD processor running a modified version of the Linux operating system. The Steam Deck is mainly marketed towards gamers who want to play their PC games on a handheld device. While games can run natively on the Steam Deck, you can also stream games directly from the PC for a more visually appealing gaming session.
The best thing about the Steam Deck however is that it is essentially a desktop PC in the palms of your hand, it can do anything a regular PC can do, albeit some tweaking may be required from time to time. YouTube videos, Twitch streams, Word docs, Excel spreadsheets and even more can be done on the steam deck, and with the two trackpads on the device it is very easy and intuitive to navigate the desktop and gaming interface on the Steam Deck.
The Steam Deck is the first to rival the Nintendo Switch for its portability, and while the Steam Deck is almost double the size of the Switch, it does come with added benefits like a larger display, better graphics, and an expansive list of games.
Specifications
- Dimensions: [ 11.7 x 4.6 x 1.9 inches ]
- Weight: [ approx. 0.669 kg ]
- 1280 x 800 resolution
- 7" touchscreen
- 60 Hz refresh rate
- GPU: 8 RDNA 2 CUs, 1.6 GHz
- CPU: Zen 2 - 4 core/8 thread, 2.4-3.5 GHz
- RAM: 16 GB LPDDR5
- Storage: 64, 256, 512 gb
- Storage expansion: MicroSD card
- 40Whr battery [ 2 - 8 hours of gameplay ]
- Bluetooth 5.0
- 2 trackpads
- 4 rear buttons
- ABXY controller layout
- Microphone
- Headphone jack
- USB-C charging port
What's in the Box
- Steam Deck
- Steam Deck carrying case
- microfiber cloth (model dependant)
- USB C charging adapter
- Charger sleeve (model dependant)
- User manual
The Good
- Portable
- Easy to setup & use
- Comes with carrying case
- Charges quickly
- Runs many AAA games
- Amazing for indie games
The Bad
- Poor battery life
- Requires tweaking to play many games
- Cannot play online games with DRM or anti-cheat systems
Honest Rating
4.75 Stars
Honest Review
The Steam Deck is the perfect complimentary device for any PC gamer, or any gamer for that matter. After a long day of sitting at the computer, I oftentimes find myself not wanting to do sit down at another computer for a gaming session. That is where the Steam Deck comes into play. After a long day, I can just pick up my steam deck, lie in bed and just relax while playing some indie games or streaming my collection of games to the handheld device.
The Steam Deck can run games natively and with an 800p screen and even lower graphical settings look great. The bonus however is that if you have games installed on your PC through Steam, it’s super simple to pick up where you left off on your previous gaming session thanks to Steam Cloud saves. While the steam deck can run Steam games amazingly, if you’re like me and have too many game launchers and games on different platforms like Epic or GOG it is super easy to get those games running on the machine as well. This can be done through apps like Heroic games launcher which puts all your launchers and games in one easy to find place. So, you are not limited to the platform (Steam) you want to play on when using the Steam Deck.
My only complaints with my experience with the Steam Deck would be the battery life, it drains almost too fast when in use and sometimes even when playing games that aren’t graphically intensive or demanding (something that has been greatly improved with the Steam Deck OLED). It also seems to lose a tiny amount of charge per day even when turned off completely, but that is intentionally to ensure that the battery stays healthy. While Linux is an amazing OS, it also has some limitations when running specific games, as many developers with online games that have anti-cheat systems cannot run on a Linux based platform.
The Steam Deck LCD is amazing. The Steam Deck OLED is even better, but if you are looking for a good complimentary gaming device, portable PC or even a simple multimedia player the Steam Deck can do it all.