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[Arsic]

I think a simple "pro" version for those who want oled and maybe an even bigger drive would compliment their offering more.

Seems the screen is a deal breaker for many in here.

For me I'm just waiting to see what switch 2 is and then make a choice. If it isn't backwards compatible with some fps boost for first party games then I'll likely get a deck.

 

[March Climber]

We call this a handheld PC.

...And handheld PCs are usually not on a 6-8 year console cycle with set hardware.

I don't know why you're so allergic to the word 'console' in regards to the Steam Deck. If it helps, I see the Steam Deck(version 3, 4, or 5) eventually being the best console in the far future.

This has been a great freshman effort for Valve going into the console market.

 

[DeepEnigma]

What about Half Life 3?

 

[rodrigolfp]

...And handheld PCs are usually not on a 6-8 year console cycle with set hardware.

I don't know why you're so allergic to the word 'console' in regards to the Steam Deck. If it helps, I see the Steam Deck(version 3, 4, or 5) eventually being the best console in the far future.

This has been a great freshman effort for Valve going into the console market.

Because it's not a console, thank god for that. It's closer to a laptop than any console.

 

[March Climber]

Because it's not a console, thank god for that. It's closer to a laptop than any console.

Your idea of the concept of a console is just as rigid as every modern console that isn't a steam deck. Before we ended up with just the console trio of the PS2 generation(Sony, Sega/Xbox, Nintendo), we used to have some out-there consoles that were more variable and open in design.

My argument is that the Steam Deck is more like one of those pre-trio era consoles. It is still a console, it just doesn't fit the modern rigid nature of one in terms of software. Hopefully that clears up my earlier post.

 

[El Muerto]

I'm fine with that. I mainly play metroidvanias and low spec games on mine and stream more demanding games from my gaming pc. If you want a beefier portable device then get a Rog Ally or Legion Go.

 

[Hugare]

Weird because their fanbase and main audience mostly wants to keep buying hardware.

Valve is probably taking a loss with each Deck, despite software sales on Steam

They want to play the Nintendo game of selling "outdated" hardware for profit

And the Deck can hold its own during the rest of the gen, I think, so they are not in a hurry

 

[Sleepwalker]

Give me the same deck with a better screen then

 

[Dream-Knife]

Mine with SteamOS + Win11 hardly disagrees.

Ewe why qould you put win 11 on the deck when it comes with a fantastic arch install out of the box?

We call this a handheld PC.

It is a handheld PC, but it's treated more like a console. It's no different from consolizing your PC by having it boot into big picture mode by default.

It's a non-cucked console.

Yeah I can program on it and do anything else I do on my windows or arch PC, but I don't. I assume most don't either.

We call phones phones still because that is their primary use, yet I'm using it right now to browse this site. Some idiots even play games on these.

 

[Imtjnotu]

I hope they wait for solid state batteries. If thst happens if buy one

 

[rodrigolfp]

Ewe why qould you put win 11 on the deck when it comes with a fantastic arch install out of the box?

Because of everything that doesn't work on arch or work worse than on Windows.

Yeah I can program on it and do anything else I do on my windows or arch PC, but I don't. I assume most don't either.

Just because you choose not to use it like a PC doesn't make it a console.

 

[THE DUCK]

Too long, by then it may be too late......

 

[rofif]

That thing needs 16:9 oled and it needs to be lighter. And triggers kidna suck.
That's about it. 16:10 sucks ass

 

[onnextflix5]

If they are not going release another steam deck anytime soon, why not release the software so others can release more powerful hardware.

 

[Panajev2001a]

Seems a bit weird for a PC like architecture. Unless AMD can't promise compatibility, a gradual update of the crucial parts, aligned with their new gen releases, especially to improve battery live, shouldn't be impossible and are much more needed than the power race on mobile where a ton of games hardly need the latest tech whereas any bit of more perf/W on this is very much needed? AMD anyway should get their act together and make APUs with a proper GPU part and not those good CPUs with underpowered GPUs like they do outside of the two consoles and the steamdeck. Make a proper entry level gamer tier as the standard above the current APUs and force intel as well to step up their iGPU game even more. Office PCs don't need it, but even the casualst of casual gamers could need a more balanced CPU-GPU combo, especially with the current non existant low end GPU releases.

What is understandable and AMD has figured out is that just because you can keep changing parts and launching new HW it does not necessarily make for a better machine.

They need to provide a consistent target to users and their own devs too, they are responsible for the device performance, OS integration with the HW, OS and games compatibility, and evolution and improvements to their SteamOS shell. They do want to make sure they get some of the best of a console experience with some of the best of the PC experience which is game modding, tweaking of games and the OS (somewhat), etc…

Without armies of devs and testers this becomes difficult to achieve if you have tons of HW profiles to support.

 

[Panajev2001a]

If they are not going release another steam deck anytime soon, why not release the software so others can release more powerful hardware.

Others are… with Windows. Valve does not want to offer support for other device makers and well what they do is open source already save for the Steam OS Game mode shell.

 

[Thirty7ven]

Valve is probably taking a loss with each Deck, despite software sales on Steam

They want to play the Nintendo game of selling "outdated" hardware for profit

And the Deck can hold its own during the rest of the gen, I think, so they are not in a hurry

For small games sure, but the Steam deck has been a beneficiary of long cross gen cycle.

 

[64gigabyteram]

That's about it. 16:10 sucks as

Maybe it's bias but the 16:10 screen is actually something i'd keep, even in future revisions.

it's superior for 4:3 content, the black bars for 16:9 isn't bad, and if you hate them, well you can vertically stretch the image and it doesn't look too wrong. I agree with oled though

 

[Dream-Knife]

Because of everything that doesn't work on arch or work worse than on Windows.

Just because you choose not to use it like a PC doesn't make it a console.

Literally everything but VR works better on linux.

So how are consoles not PCs then?

Others are… with Windows. Valve does not want to offer support for other device makers and well what they do is open source already save for the Steam OS Game mode shell.

I think the problem is drivers. Look at the updates they do on the beta channel. They're putting a ton of work into it. Keep in mind it's probably like 10 guys working on this project. They do benefit a lot from arch in general, but it is a custom fork.

Arch is bleeding edge. It updates every night.

 

[RaptorGTA]

Quite happy with mine. Currently in desktop mode reading the forum while playing World of Warships in desktop mode.

 

[bender]

That's smart. It should be a meaningful upgrade and not just a minimal performance bump. That will make current Deck owners feel justified in the investment and help them sell more as time goes on as people don't have to think to themselves that something better is right around the corner.

 

[Ozzie666]

Anyone else get the impression Valve isn't fully comitted to this? Maybe it didn't go as well as they had hoped? or it's done it's job already? I know the pandemic didn't help, but they didn't really set the world on fire.
Must be nice to generate so much money.

 

[Klosshufvud]

Anyone else get the impression Valve isn't fully comitted to this? Maybe it didn't go as well as they had hoped? or it's done it's job already? I know the pandemic didn't help, but they didn't really set the world on fire.
Must be nice to generate so much money.

I am surprised by the statement for sure. The PC-like environment of Deck allows for incremental upgrades like any other PC. They can do so much more with the handheld format. Maybe this does not rule out a minor revision but still disappointing. IMO they could definitely experiment more with the form factor. The hard work is done. They've managed to create a PC OS fitting for a handheld fairly well. I can't imagine what the smaller Chinese manufacturers are doing to be particularly resource straining.

If you want high-end handheld gaming, Deck will be a hard recommend the coming year considering what's out there now.

 

[Panajev2001a]

Literally everything but VR works better on linux.

So how are consoles not PCs then?


I think the problem is drivers. Look at the updates they do on the beta channel. They're putting a ton of work into it. Keep in mind it's probably like 10 guys working on this project. They do benefit a lot from arch in general, but it is a custom fork.

Arch is bleeding edge. It updates every night.

I know… all the more reason they should be proud of what they are achieving and why they should take advantage of the single unified specs instead of racing for performance and segmentation by releasing tons of HW versions (which would cost them a fair bit of money) at the expense of quality and battery life.

 

[Swagballs717]

Literally all I want out of a new Steam Deck is a better battery.

Just give me a battery that lasts longer and I'm buying day one.

 

[Panajev2001a]

I am surprised by the statement for sure. The PC-like environment of Deck allows for incremental upgrades like any other PC. They can do so much more with the handheld format. Maybe this does not rule out a minor revision but still disappointing. IMO they could definitely experiment more with the form factor. The hard work is done. They've managed to create a PC OS fitting for a handheld fairly well. I can't imagine what the smaller Chinese manufacturers are doing to be particularly resource straining.

If you want high-end handheld gaming, Deck will be a hard recommend the coming year considering what's out there now.

A handheld is not a modular device and there are downsides to just chucking HW out there (which you are seeing from multiple vendors not the same one) which has a cost in and of itself.

Valve is avoiding the waste of iterating on the HW, deliberately choosing a console like HW generational approach but allowing deep software customisability at almost all levels (best of both worlds), and investing resources in the OS, in the UI, in the features such as game controller layouts, in the drivers (they had fixes for StarField right away while some other Windows based machines also using a similar chipset did not). You are severely underselling what they are doing.

I think by the time the other handhelds get serious usage by devs you will see a Steam Deck 2 with much better specs and yet a great cohesive and polished experience and integration. They actively work to make sure you know how the game experience is on Deck and trying to improve with with and for devs.

Valve made a very well rounded and thought out machine, but yes not going for the highest possible spec at every second.

 

[64gigabyteram]

Literally all I want out of a new Steam Deck is a better battery.

Just give me a battery that lasts longer and I'm buying day one.

Hopefully around the time when we can expect an SD 2, Solid State Batteries will have been common in portable electronics. A Steam Deck with a solid state battery would eliminate so many issues with the device

 

[Klosshufvud]

A handheld is not a modular device and there are downsides to just chucking HW out there (which you are seeing from multiple vendors not the same one) which has a cost in and of itself.

Valve is avoiding the waste of iterating on the HW, deliberately choosing a console like HW generational approach but allowing deep software customisability at almost all levels (best of both worlds), and investing resources in the OS, in the UI, in the features such as game controller layouts, in the drivers (they had fixes for StarField right away while some other Windows based machines also using a similar chipset did not). You are severely underselling what they are doing.

I think by the time the other handhelds get serious usage by devs you will see a Steam Deck 2 with much better specs and yet a great cohesive and polished experience and integration. They actively work to make sure you know how the game experience is on Deck and trying to improve with with and for devs.

Valve made a very well rounded and thought out machine, but yes not going for the highest possible spec at every second.

I feel like this post is coming from someone that hasn't experienced any of the newer PC handhelds. Valve's work on Steam Deck is highly impressive and I won't understate that. However they are lagging behind somewhat extremely now. To the point where opting for the most expensive Deck SKU is just stupid with how close in range some 7840U devices are to that. I geniunely believe that besides the trackpads, most of other Deck advantages have been exceeded by the competitors. And while they can't beat Valve on price, they have beat Valve decisively on performance/portability/quality components.

I've used a W11 handheld now for some time and IMO I just can't go back to SteamOS after this. While SteamOS has crazy customization going on, the fact that I can start up any game on W11 without bothering with the correct Proton version or AntiCheat fuckery, just makes that so much more worthwhile. Not to mention the native compatibility it has with my already Windows PC.

IMO Deck does have some severe design flaws that does warrant an immediate revision. And such a revision would absolutely not undermine their other work. This is a multi-billion corporation. They can manage more than one thing at once. An updated SD revision would not put any particular strain on the software development.

 

[DeltaPolarBear]

the fact that I can start up any game on W11 without bothering with the correct Proton version or AntiCheat fuckery,

That is caused by software developers installing anticheat fuckery. Blame the source of the problem.

 

[Dream-Knife]

That is caused by software developers installing anticheat fuckery. Blame the source of the problem.

Bigger thing is, why would you play an online fps on a controller, nevermind a handheld.

But I guess if you wanted to do that you could always stream from your PC.

 

[rodrigolfp]

Literally everything but VR works better on linux.

HDR works? Xenia works? Game pass app works? Games with some anti cheats works? Tons of unsupported games under proton works? Tons of games with lower performance works better?

 

[Laieon]

I'm more than okay with how games play on SteamDeck, I just wish the cooling was a bit quieter. My fan can get a little loud.

 

[Panajev2001a]

I feel like this post is coming from someone that hasn't experienced any of the newer PC handhelds. Valve's work on Steam Deck is highly impressive and I won't understate that. However they are lagging behind somewhat extremely now. To the point where opting for the most expensive Deck SKU is just stupid with how close in range some 7840U devices are to that. I geniunely believe that besides the trackpads, most of other Deck advantages have been exceeded by the competitors. And while they can't beat Valve on price, they have beat Valve decisively on performance/portability/quality components.

I've used a W11 handheld now for some time and IMO I just can't go back to SteamOS after this. While SteamOS has crazy customization going on, the fact that I can start up any game on W11 without bothering with the correct Proton version or AntiCheat fuckery, just makes that so much more worthwhile. Not to mention the native compatibility it has with my already Windows PC.

IMO Deck does have some severe design flaws that does warrant an immediate revision. And such a revision would absolutely not undermine their other work. This is a multi-billion corporation. They can manage more than one thing at once. An updated SD revision would not put any particular strain on the software development.

I am not discussing Windows advantage for some things, but I have zero problems with what the Linux variant Valve uses offers.

The Steam OS overlay and all the customisations it offers are way way more than enough for me. These are not customisable modular PC's, chasing the specs e-peen game does not interest me at all (just to have one newer graphics card).

OLED screen yes, I miss that. Resolution of the screen and aspect ratio no, for a portable it was a great choice as it gives a realistic target that does not waste performance and adapts to lots of games that were designed for 4:3 and 16:10 resolutions. Their choices help them also achieve a more affordable price point (yes including the high volumes on a single spec)… trackpads and analog sticks positioning as well as actual comfort again help the Deck a lot.

 

[coffinbirth]

...And handheld PCs are usually not on a 6-8 year console cycle with set hardware.

I don't know why you're so allergic to the word 'console' in regards to the Steam Deck. If it helps, I see the Steam Deck(version 3, 4, or 5) eventually being the best console in the far future.

This has been a great freshman effort for Valve going into the console market.

To be fair, this is their sophomore effort.

They crashed and burned as freshmen.

I fully agree though, Steam Deck has felt like a breath of fresh air, and iterating hardware the console route is a smart play, IMO.

 

[OverHeat]

HDR works? Xenia works? Game pass app works? Games with some anti cheats works? Tons of unsupported games under proton works? Tons of games with lower performance works better?

HDR works now but that's it.

 

[Dream-Knife]

HDR works? Xenia works? Game pass app works? Games with some anti cheats works? Tons of unsupported games under proton works? Tons of games with lower performance works better?

I believe HDR works on deck, but who the hell is docking these? A docked deck is called your desktop.

Lol gamepass.

 

[March Climber]

To be fair, this is their sophomore effort.

They crashed and burned as freshmen.

I fully agree though, Steam Deck has felt like a breath of fresh air, and iterating hardware the console route is a smart play, IMO.

I guess I never counted Steam machines because there were too many different versions, variables, specs, and different manufacturers. Steam Deck always felt more like an official first console release because there was simply one design. Aside from slight variations with the screen and storage(like pro/slim editions) it essentially has set hardware specs amongst all shipped, so that no one was experiencing better graphics or better speeds than another one. That's always been the spirit and intent of consoles imo.

 

[Klosshufvud]

I am not discussing Windows advantage for some things, but I have zero problems with what the Linux variant Valve uses offers.

The Steam OS overlay and all the customisations it offers are way way more than enough for me. These are not customisable modular PC's, chasing the specs e-peen game does not interest me at all (just to have one newer graphics card).

OLED screen yes, I miss that. Resolution of the screen and aspect ratio no, for a portable it was a great choice as it gives a realistic target that does not waste performance and adapts to lots of games that were designed for 4:3 and 16:10 resolutions. Their choices help them also achieve a more affordable price point (yes including the high volumes on a single spec)… trackpads and analog sticks positioning as well as actual comfort again help the Deck a lot.

This steers hard into opinions territory but I think Valve could easily revise the hardware (like console manufacturers create "slim/Pro" models) to adress its most glaring shortcomings. A Steam Deck revision that boosts an 8' display with better color accuracy, bigger fans and battery size of a minimum 55Wh would transform the device. They would also be able to raise the TDP to 20W given the better cooling and battery life which would add further value to the product. These aren't radical changes. These shortcomings were known at launch and IMO, given Deck's large size, should make these changes feasible. Right now, it's just a tad bit too big, noisy and short-lived to qualify as handheld proper in my book. We're seeing some really exciting form factors from Chinese manufacturers and they are showing there is so much that can be done here.