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[Banjo64]

I bought my 512gb Deck from Valve for £479 at the end of July 24, I’ve just sold it to CEX for £396 (cash).

There’s a lot of talk about PC handhelds currently as a lot of major players have entered the market.

As a console player all of my life I wanted to give it a shot, with portability and free online play being my main incentives.

In the end, despite being a great bit of hardware, it couldn’t fulfil the promise.

2 of the first games I bought were Gears 5 and Halo MCC. Being a competent ranked console player I was absolutely destroyed in both these games on Steam. You’re using what is effectively the worst controls on the platform (a standard controller) vs everyone else using key board and mouse. There’s no amount of ‘git good’ that can compensate, if you want to compete you need to be using keyboard and mouse which defeats the object of the Deck. This issue obviously translates to every other FPS and third person shooter on PC.

I’ve always maintained that online fees on console are shite. But I was reluctant to even try a game like FIFA on Steam as I know how easy it is for players to cheat. There’s little point in playing a game like that unless you can be certain that the result is fair.

Sadly about a month or 2 after playing it, Rockstar removed Deck compatibility for GTA V - meaning I couldn’t play GTA online on it.

This left me with a small handful of games that I could/wanted to play on the Deck that I couldn’t get on Switch: Sea of Thieves which was unbelievably good. Helldivers II which I really didn’t like. TES Online which was very mediocre.

These are really cool pieces of tech and I’m glad they exist - and I may well buy a Deck 2 in the future (hell, even if I change my mind I could pick up the LCD refurb for £249) - but they really aren’t the alternate to console gaming that they are presented as. Definitely cool supplementary tech or if you’re buying solely for single player gaming or emulation (which I wasn’t).

 

[N0S]

 

[nial]

I get the appeal, but I don't want them.

 

[Kabelly]

10 years on and gyroscopic aim is still not being adopted by the masses. Then they complain they can't aim.

Stick aiming is oudated trash and gyro should become the standard period. People don't actually realize the huge benefit it has on aiming with a controller. Whine and moaning about waggle or something but the amount of movement you need to move your wrists is SO miniscule if gyro is implemented correctly.

If you're playing on a steam deck without gyro you did it absolutely wrong.

Also, "aim assist" is literally auto aim nowadays. No wonder controller users love playing with it. I was shocked at the magnetism some games have with that setting on.

 

[Banjo64]

10 years on and gyroscopic aim is still not being adopted by the masses. Then they complain they can't aim.

Stick aiming is oudated trash and gyro should become the standard period. People don't actually realize the huge benefit it has on aiming with a controller. Whine and moaning about waggle or something but the amount of movement you need to move your wrists is SO miniscule if gyro is implemented correctly.

If you're playing on a steam deck without gyro you did it absolutely wrong.

Fair point but I wanted to sit and relax on the sofa instead of moving my arms, hands and the significant form factor of the Steam Deck around none stop.

 

[BennyBlanco]

I think it’s my favorite gaming device ever tbh. But I also wouldn’t play those games on it. I have no desire to play sweaty FPS multiplayer on a handheld.

 

[simpatico]

Are you telling me Steam Deck isn't the optimal way to play online competitive FPS against PC gamers?

 

[Banjo64]

Are you telling me Steam Deck isn't the optimal way to play online competitive FPS against PC gamers?

I know. Crazy right?

 

[BlackTron]

Fair point but I wanted to sit and relax on the sofa instead of moving my arms, hands and the significant form factor of the Steam Deck around none stop.

Sitting at home playing a competitive online FPS from a handheld on the sofa?

Jesus

 

[Banjo64]

Sitting at home playing a competitive online FPS from a handheld on the sofa?

Jesus

I know I know to be honest I’d hoped there would be input based match making you could opt in to like there is on console but that didn’t seem to be the case.

 

[Kabelly]

Fair point but I wanted to sit and relax on the sofa instead of moving my arms, hands and the significant form factor of the Steam Deck around none stop.

Steam has literally the best gyro settings. I built a PC for it. I'm sure you could crank the sens up to the point you'd hardly have to move the deck. Like your arms? Huh? You move your wrists ever so slightly. Gyro is about giving yourself that final pinpoint accuracy to where you want to aim. Stick only is pure estimation on your part to where the reticle will land.

I'm a lazy shit and I play all my PC games on a couch with a Dualsense with gyro enabled for anything that needs it.

I mean if you're completely on your back facing up I guess it'd be uncomfortable. Either way you're playing COD, for example, on a handheld vs people sitting on their desks sweating it out. At least give yourself some edge if you are gonna put yourself in that situation.

I hear this argument over and over again about wanting to relax when playing games, and I hardly think about it when I'm playing a game. Are you people actually rocks when playing a game? Like, there's no way you're playing COD without a bit of addrenalin.

Actually COD has some really good native gyro settings itself I'm pretty sure.

 

[MAX PAYMENT]

I was on the fence for a steam deck since release and ultimately bought one when the oled version launched. I consider it one of the best gaming purchases I've ever made. My entire steam deck library was instantly available on it, with most games being functional, and I can stream from my pc to the device. It feels like a Nintendo switch type companion device to a pc.
Whatever I'm playing on pc, when I feel like jumping in bed and watching some TV, I can continue the game on the steam deck streamed all mods, saves, and changes included. Some older games I'll run natively on it. I also have a dock so if I want to stream my pc to the bedroom or play games natively on it I can do that as well.
But expecting to be competitive in multiplayer on it is probably asking too much, unless the game separates controller and mouse users.

 

[Calverz]

You already play competitive games with kbm but then complain about playing these games using effectively a controller. Like surely you knew this would be the case with the deck?

 

[BlackTron]

I know I know to be honest I’d hoped there would be input based match making you could opt in to like there is on console but that didn’t seem to be the case.

It exists, but on a game by game basis.

When I imagined what owning a Deck would look like, I only considered FPS games as viable with a mouse and keyboard (which is more viable than on a Switch). Of course, the reason I don't have a Deck is because it wasn't strong enough for this kind of Swiss Army device that does everything. It would be a bad FPS experience that left me wanting to plug a gaming laptop into the same monitor instead.

 

[Fess]

It’s perfect for some scenarios but obviously not all.

I use mine regularly to play in bed.

I’ve played lots and lots of Elden Ring on it, works perfectly.

Bonus awesomeness: I used mine to finish FF7 Remake recently. Played the game on PC and there was no save point between two boss fights at the end. Starting over from the first boss everytime I powered off the PC was extremely annoying and nearly got me to just end it right there and watch the ending on YouTube instead.
In came Steam Deck! There you have a sleep mode. So I could just leave the game ”on” and stay on the Game Over screen in sleep mode when ending the session for the night after dying at the second boss. Then retry another day without having to do the annoying and boring first boss fight again. Perfect!

 

[SenkiDala]

ok

 

[riko]

SteamDeck OLED has increased the time I spend gaming 2x. Yea sometimes I want to be at my desk with my 4090 and 2160p ultra-wide, but more often I would rather be on the sofa with my family. As an older gamer, it has greatly increased the time I spend gaming.

Would I play some competitive multiplayer games on it? Heck no. Wrong tool for that job.

 

[vaibhavpisal]

I would play stuff like Ori, Hollow Knight etc on it if I ever get one.

Am content for now between xbox and Switch so plan went to backburner.

 

[Shadowstar39]

You mentioned all online and gaas games. There is a solution to this. Single player games.

I play AA city builders, roguelikess, 4x turn based strategy games, crafting games and older fps games.

Dead space, civ 3 to 6, homm 3 and 5, darkest dungeon, no man's sky, greedfall, skyrim, EDF 4.1 to 6, tales of games, Kcd, Baldurs gate. Nwn, mass effect, dusk, quake 1 and 2, doom games, foundation, titan quest, grim dawn, tiny rogues etc..

Lots of great games and older games that are mouse driven and not competitive can be used with the track pads.

 

[Shadowstar39]

SteamDeck OLED has increased the time I spend gaming 2x. Yea sometimes I want to be at my desk with my 4090 and 2160p ultra-wide, but more often I would rather be on the sofa with my family. As an older gamer, it has greatly increased the time I spend gaming.

Would I play some competitive multiplayer games on it? Heck no. Wrong tool for that job.

The age thing and family part is a huge component. When you are young and work outside or moving around being on a pc is fine. When you work all day at a desk, you don't want to be there at night. Also you can play while your wife or gf is watching dumb reality shows, and sit next to her so you are still "spending time".

 

[ChoosableOne]

They are not very capable for games with good graphics, and even if they were, playing those games on a big screen is more enjoyable. If you want to play while traveling, you can’t play for more than 1-2 hours. They are too big and heavy for a handheld. You can't play online games on the Steam Deck, and on Windows handhelds, you have to deal with Windows-related issues...

For retro or 2D indie games, there are better, smaller, cheaper, and more handheld-y consoles. Considering all this, I decided not to buy one for now. Maybe I'll change my mind one day, but for now, I can meet most of my gaming needs with the PC, Switch, Miyoo Mini Plus, and Razer Kishi V2+android phone.

 

[StereoVsn]

I think it’s my favorite gaming device ever tbh. But I also wouldn’t play those games on it. I have no desire to play sweaty FPS multiplayer on a handheld.

Yep, FPS belong on full PC with large screen, high frames and KBM.

 

[adamsapple]

 

[Bernoulli]

Unless you are playing against other handheld players any online game will be a bad experience

 

[RCX]

If you're planning on playing competitive multiplayer on it you're likely to have a bad time.

For me it's been transformative. Play almost everything on it now. Even use moonlight to stream from desktop almost all the time because I like the control setup so much.

 

[StereoVsn]

I love my Deck OLED, but I don’t play MP or high twitch games there. It’s awesome for adventure games, plarformers, RPGs and more. Battery lasts several hours depending on the game and power management.

 

[Dorfdad]

i’m not sure I agree with controllers being shit compared to mouse and keyboard. There’s certain games certain genres where controllers seem to have benefits.. that said I think the bigger difference in competitive gaming with cross play is the FPS we’re on console your limited to 60 frames per second or 120 in certain games the same games on PC can have 240 360 FPS, which is a massive advantage.

That said competitive integrity doesn’t exist anymore. Cheating has been monetized and people feel like they can grow a career make money and become popular by cheating on online.

It’s a real shame because there are some talent gamers out there that have really good hand eye coordination, and should be recognized for their accomplishments, but far too many cheaters on PC nowadays.

 

[Hohenheim]

I (almost) never play fast paced online shooters, but if I do, I would definitely not do it anywhere else than my desktop PC.

 

[March Climber]

2 of the first games I bought were Gears 5 and Halo MCC. Being a competent ranked console player I was absolutely destroyed in both these games on Steam. You’re using what is effectively the worst controls on the platform (a standard controller) vs everyone else using key board and mouse. There’s no amount of ‘git good’ that can compensate, if you want to compete you need to be using keyboard and mouse which defeats the object of the Deck. This issue obviously translates to every other FPS and third person shooter on PC.

This is general advice for the thread/forum as a fellow Steam Deck owner: Don't bother purchasing this device for competitive online purposes. That's not it's primary purpose nor should it be a justification to ever spend money on it.

The only thing I'll agree with is that the industry should have kept trying to find better ways of aiming on a controller besides a joystick, as we have had almost 30 years to find a viable solution but no one seems to care enough beyond half-assed gyro controls.

 

[Danjin44]

The reason I buy any system because it has games I want to play.

Thats my entire reason getting systems like Gameboy, DS, PSP, 3DS and PSVita

I have no interest in system like Deck or playstation portal that mostly get games that I can already play them on my PS5.

 

[willothedog]

They are not very capable for games with good graphics, and even if they were, playing those games on a big screen is more enjoyable. If you want to play while traveling, you can’t play for more than 1-2 hours. They are too big and heavy for a handheld. You can't play online games on the Steam Deck, and on Windows handhelds, you have to deal with Windows-related issues...

For retro or 2D indie games, there are better, smaller, cheaper, and more handheld-y consoles. Considering all this, I decided not to buy one for now. Maybe I'll change my mind one day, but for now, I can meet most of my gaming needs with the PC, Switch, Miyoo Mini Plus, and Razer Kishi V2+android phone.

1. yes you can
2. yes you can

 

[Tarin02543]

Although really cool and well thought out, I never felt any hype or impulse to go buy a deck oled.

I have my pc already for my pc games.

Switch 2 on the other hand is a must have as a gamer

 

[chakadave]

I'm a laptop person so I don't get it either. I love the Swtich though and get games that are great on that system.

Then for older PC titles I'm going to be using my new M4 MBP.

 

[noob smokes]

Just turn off crossplay

 

[James Sawyer Ford]

It's almost as if games made for consoles work better on consoles, and games made for handhelds work better on handhelds.

I don't know why anyone would want to main most of their library on a handheld. I see these devices as nice optional companion devices for CERTAIN types of games only

 

[ChoosableOne]

1. yes you can
2. yes you can

Notably, games like Apex Legends and Grand Theft Auto V (GTA V) have withdrawn support for the Steam Deck and Linux platforms.
Other popular online multiplayer games that are currently unplayable on the Steam Deck due to anti-cheat software incompatibilities include:

• Destiny 2
• COD
• EAFC
• PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG)
• Rainbow Six Siege
• Dead by Daylight
• DayZ
• Smite
• Fall Guys
• Paladins
• Black Desert Online
• Hunt: Showdown
• ....

 

[willothedog]

1. power banks with ample PD exist
2. That is not all online games and those you listed can easily be solved with Win dual-boot.

 

[HRK69]

1. power banks with ample PD exist

Big fucking lol

That's not how battery-life works

Playtime on the Deck is limited, there’s just no denying that. Bringing up power banks just proves you recognize the issue

 

[bender]

Big fucking lol

That's not how battery-life works

Valve's not alone here, but I really dislike the size of modern handhelds. Adding power banks just makes them more cumbersome.

 

[reinking]

Switch 2 on the other hand is a must have as a gamer

It's not even here yet. What if someone does not like Nintendo games? Are they just not a gamer? This points out that we all carry our own bias.

Switch 2 will probably be a great system for Nintendo fans just like their previous consoles. Steam Deck is a great option for those that play single player games on PC and want to carry them around. While I do get the portability of the Steam Deck, I never felt like I could not grab a 14" laptop to bring PC games with me, but that is a me thing. Really, all of this is entertainment and we all have our individual wants and bias. There is nothing wrong with people having different opinions. At least not until enough of those "other" guys start impacting the overall market. (looking at your microtransactions that I railed against until I was defeated)

 

[Alandring]

I have about a 30 minutes bus ride to work, and for that, the Steam Deck is perfect.

I alo have a PC and I play on it when I'm at home, but the Steam Deck allows me to continue my game. It also helps me to stay involved in the game, because I can play almost every day, which I couldn't before.

 

[ChoosableOne]

1. power banks with ample PD exist
2. That is not all online games and those you listed can easily be solved with Win dual-boot.

Before going out with a deck;

 

[Tunned]

You don't buy a portable console to play competitive MP games OP, however Helldivers 2 is pretty fun on the SD. I own the OLED, I'm currently sitting in a plane with it at my side, I have a 6.5 hour flight ahead if me and I'm glad I have the Deck. I have over 30 installed games, not mentioning all of the emulated games from my childhood. I recently got back into C&C playing on the Deck, fucking love it, one of my best hardware purchases ever.

 

[HogIsland]

I don't see how you can call yourself a lifetime console player and then complain about gamepad controls for Halo and Gears.

 

[Spiral1407]

I just miss when handhelds were actually pocketable and lasted more than 2 hours.

 

[HogIsland]

I have about a 30 minutes bus ride to work, and for that, the Steam Deck is perfect.

I alo have a PC and I play on it when I'm at home, but the Steam Deck allows me to continue my game. It also helps me to stay involved in the game, because I can play almost every day, which I couldn't before.

even if pc graphics were worse than ps5 (lol), I would still buy games on PC for this reason.

 

[ShadyAcshuns]

imo PC handhelds defeat the purpose of... being a handheld. Hard pass.

 

[Guardian Monkey]

Before going out with a deck;

Dude, that’s just going into some of the threads here sometime

 

[March Climber]

I just miss when handhelds were actually pocketable and lasted more than 2 hours.

Same. You can still find models out there and (hopefully, eventually) install SteamOS on them, but they just won't be as powerful as the Deck or other Handheld PCs.

 

[HerjansEagleFeeder]

Like all devices, it can be great if you know what you're getting into. Some things it can't do well. Water is wet.