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The Steam Deck

#1

Ravenpoe

Ravenpoe

Guess whose Steam Deck came in a day early! Mine!

steamdeck.jpg


I've now spent about 5 hours with this thing, which is not at all enough time to give it a review, but I can give you my thoughts.

First, the hardware on this thing is honestly pretty impressive, for a handheld*. See that asterisk? Assume that any time I mention how impressive the hardware is, it's in relation to it being in a small and relatively light form factor. This thing will not replace a high end gaming PC, or even a medium end gaming PC. But it will serve as a decent enough gaming PC on the go, or in bed, or just kicked back in a recliner, and that is really what makes this thing shine. Imagining being able to play Spider-Man on the bus and having it look as amazing as it does on the big screen with ray tracing and real time reflections? You are in a fantasy land, that's impossible**, certainly not at this price point. But you can play Spider-Man at 1200x900 resolution on medium settings, and on this small but sharp little screen it still looks pretty damn good, especially at 60fps.


**ok, it's kinda possible IF you have a really fast home network and are within range of that network, in which case you can stream Spider-Man or any game from your PC to the steam deck and it works pretty flawlessly. I don't have a super fast wifi network, so my image was a little compressed and text was a little blurry, but it still looked damn good, ran at a constant 60fps, and had no noticeable input lag, so if you're going to be playing this thing at home, every game on your steam library can become steam-deck approved just by streaming it from the PC.

I've also tooled around with downloading some emulators on it. Going into desktop mode, the deck itself runs SteamOS, a linux distribution, and so going into the discover window on the desktop I was easily able to download the linux version of retroarch, download some cores, download some roms, and give it a try. As expected, it works pretty fantastically for all of this, with the caveat that it will take a little time to get everything set up properly.

And therein lies the biggest flaw I can find with the deck. This is NOT a console experience. This is 100% a PC experience, with all the pros and cons that come with it. You will need to mess with configurations, you will need to experiment with configs, you will need to become familiar with steams controller abilities if you plan on playing a game that doesn't support gamepads, or if like me you hate playing a shooter with analog sticks and want to use the touchpad/gyros to aim instead. You'll also have to be comfortable with exiting out of steam and tooling around in a linux distro every now and then, and maybe even have to plug in a keyboard and mouse every now and then to really set some things up, especially since the steam desktop controls are a little wonky.

I'm going to have to spend a lot more time with this thing before I'm able to give a fully fleshed out review, but it's an impressive bit of kit. It is not, however, something you can just take out of the box and play games on, and so anyone getting one of these is going to have to keep that in mind.


#2

Frank

Frank

Looks rad as hell, I am jelly.


#3

Ravenpoe

Ravenpoe

Frank said:
Looks rad as hell, I am jelly.
Click to expand...
majora.jpg


Majora's Mask running on retroarch. This is without setting up proper upscaling or shaders, so it looks ugly as just raw rom output, but more just proof that it works and it works well.

Having never actually used linux before (at least not in the last decade) I'll need to familiarize myself with using it as well as pick myself up a usb hub and a high capacity microsd card before I can really start to tinker around with it, but as an emulation platform this thing seems amazing.


#4

Squidleybits

Squidleybits

Congrats on your new baby!

You mentioned getting an SD card. Do you know yet which you’re thinking of?


#5

Ravenpoe

Ravenpoe



I don't have a way to capture video off of it currently, so here's a terrible quality video taken with my phone of Death Stranding running on the deck hardware itself


#6

Far

Far

Squidleybits said:
Congrats on your new baby!

You mentioned getting an SD card. Do you know yet which you’re thinking of?
Click to expand...
These were $100 off a few weeks ago and I got 2 then. Work great.


Also picked this up to hold them in.

Amazon product


#7

Ravenpoe

Ravenpoe

So last night was my magic the gathering night, so I didn't have more than a couple hours to play around with it.

I got a few more games installed, as well as installed the full suite of emulators and tested a few of them. Overall my main takeaway is how impressed I am with Linux. Gaming on a Linux system has come a long
way. I had originally expected I would slap windows on here immediately, but the Linux OS it comes with is so light and efficient that I really don't want to bog the system down by putting bloated windows on it. And with Proton seeming to work really well compatibility is (mostly) a non issue.


#8

Squidleybits

Squidleybits

Mine is still shipping soon. $&%#!


#9

Bubble181

Bubble181

Squidleybits said:
Mine is still shipping soon. $&%#!
Click to expand...
Better Soong than Never!
1661524729682.png


#10

Ravenpoe

Ravenpoe

Bubble181 said:
Better Soong than Never!
View attachment 42360
Click to expand...
I'm pretty sure one of those is the devil


#11

Far

Far

Canadian's,

That 256gb Micro SD aboce is on sale at Best Buy for 49.99$ again this week. @Squidleybits


#12

Squidleybits

Squidleybits

Thank you!


#13

Cat

Cat

Ravenpoe said:
So last night was my magic the gathering night, so I didn't have more than a couple hours to play around with it.

I got a few more games installed, as well as installed the full suite of emulators and tested a few of them. Overall my main takeaway is how impressed I am with Linux. Gaming on a Linux system has come a long
way. I had originally expected I would slap windows on here immediately, but the Linux OS it comes with is so light and efficient that I really don't want to bog the system down by putting bloated windows on it. And with Proton seeming to work really well compatibility is (mostly) a non issue.
Click to expand...
Nice, looks like there's an app for installing gog games so I'm relieved I'll be able to use it as is out of the box


#14

Squidleybits

Squidleybits

Is this card any good? It’s on their site on sale for a few days.

it doesn’t have many reviews.
39B24091-D6C1-4A9C-9EB0-A3A012D19E78.png


#15

Far

Far

Assuming this one https://www.bestbuy.ca/en-ca/produc...u3-v30-a2-micro-sd-card-sdsqxa1-512g/14629090

Cardwise it's a good one, I just personally don't like the stuff sold on Best Buy not from Best Buy. Having worked for them when that whole thing launched, good luck trying to get any returns done. They will not take it in-store and you'll deal with "Deal Express" directly.


#16

Squidleybits

Squidleybits

Yes, that’s the one. I can’t remember if I have ever bought from the marketplace.

I will see what Amazon has.


#17

Tinwhistler

Tinwhistler

I would never buy a micro sd from any third party marketplace. I don't even like to buy them on Amazon. Too many scams--scammers can update the firmware to incorrectly report the available space...They'll repurpose cheap 1 gigs to report 512gigs for instance...and after you transfer a few files, it goes tits up.

SD cards are one of the few things I'll pay higher prices for to get from the manufacturer or in store.


#18

Squidleybits

Squidleybits

Are the ones sold by Amazon directly ok (vs the ones not fulfilled by Amazon) or should I avoid Amazon in general?

Thank you both for your answers. I appreciate it. I know very little about the cards.


#19

GasBandit

GasBandit

512 gigs these days will go like that *snap*


#20

Tinwhistler

Tinwhistler

Squidleybits said:
Are the ones sold by Amazon directly ok (vs the ones not fulfilled by Amazon) or should I avoid Amazon in general?

Thank you both for your answers. I appreciate it. I know very little about the cards.
Click to expand...
So, Amazon is terrible. And fulfilled by Amazon is a big part of the problem. They will basically bundle stuff together so stuff like this is problematic. Here's their thinking: "These are all 512gb cards by Sandisk. Sure, they all came to our warehouse from different vendors, but we're gonna put them all in a big pile of 512gb Sandisk cards. When someone orders one, we'll just pull from the pile at random, and send the money to the vendor that 'sold' it in our store". This sounds great for efficiency in the warehouse, but it allows a window for fraud. They call it "comingled inventory"

Unscrupulous people: "We'll counterfeit some 512gb cards by repurposing 1gb cards. They'll get mixed in the shuffle. Sometimes, people will get crap cards, but it won't be easily attributable to us, because they'll just come out of the random pile and no one will be able to determine where these pieces of shit actually came from"

www.redpoints.com

Amazon inventory management causes authentic vendors to sell fakes

Commingled bins in Amazon's inventory management system mixes fakes and real products, causing authentic sellers to receive backlash for counterfeiting.
www.redpoints.com www.redpoints.com

I have bought SD cards from Amazon, but not recently. These days, I prefer to buy them in the store. It costs me more, but it lowers the risk of fraud. If I were to buy one on Amazon, I'd buy one fulfilled and shipped by the actual vendor (say, Sandisk) but that usually keeps you from getting Prime shipping.


#21

Squidleybits

Squidleybits

Thank you, I had no idea.

I went to Best Buy in person the other day and they had sold out of the card linked earlier, so I ordered it from Best Buy online. I filtered the MarketPlace vendors out. We don’t have a ton of options out here.

The card, pink silicone case and the screw guard will be here this week. My Steam Deck is still « shipping soon » lol.


#22

Cat

Cat

Squidleybits said:
Thank you, I had no idea.

I went to Best Buy in person the other day and they had sold out of the card linked earlier, so I ordered it from Best Buy online. I filtered the MarketPlace vendors out. We don’t have a ton of options out here.

The card, pink silicone case and the screw guard will be here this week. My Steam Deck is still « shipping soon » lol.
Click to expand...
Huh, mine arrived today, much earlier than I was expecting it


#23

Ravenpoe

Ravenpoe

Cat said:
Huh, mine arrived today, much earlier than I was expecting it
Click to expand...
One of us. One of us.


#24

Squidleybits

Squidleybits

Mine arrives Monday!!


#25

Squidleybits

Squidleybits

I found a new power bank on Amazon. I have a few smaller ones that were great for Pokemon Go marathons, but didn’t seem to be able to keep my Switch charged on flights.

This should be able to keep both my Steam Deck and my headphones going and isn’t massive. I have a pretty big purse :D


#26

Dei

Dei

I can finally join the cool kids table
steam_zNqCrDBu9O.png


#27

Squidleybits

Squidleybits

Yay!

Monster Prom is Steam Deck verified :)


#28

Ravenpoe

Ravenpoe

Squidleybits said:
Yay!

Monster Prom is Steam Deck verified :)
Click to expand...

So is Halforums!

IMG_20220905_153230.jpg


#29

Squidleybits

Squidleybits

It did not arrive today :(


#30

Far

Far

@Ravenpoe Any tutorials you followed to get emulators on the deck? About to start looking myself but know you were successful.


#31

figmentPez

figmentPez

Far said:
@Ravenpoe Any tutorials you followed to get emulators on the deck? About to start looking myself but know you were successful.
Click to expand...
If Poe doesn't have any good recommendations, here are three guides r/SteamDeck seems to like:




#32

Ravenpoe

Ravenpoe

Far said:
@Ravenpoe Any tutorials you followed to get emulators on the deck? About to start looking myself but know you were successful.
Click to expand...
I haven't looked at them but the videos pez linked all probably work fine. I'm not using emustation, I know a few of them use that, I just used emudeck to set up the initial suite of emulators.

Just Google emudeck, follow the instructions, it will download and install everything* you need automatically as well as config settings and make all the appropriate folders.

*Some files are copyrighted and will need to be provided yourself, like the bios for ps2 and a few other emulators, or keys for switch. You can either dump these files yourself if you have the consoles and the right equipment, or "acquire" them on the internet


#33

PatrThom

PatrThom

Squidleybits said:
It did not arrive today :(
Click to expand...
It was a holiday here in the US. No shipping.

--Patrick


#34

Squidleybits

Squidleybits

My baby is here!

9DFD4F3F-3EC9-4CA7-95C0-F5A9340AEED4.jpeg


(Pardon the reflection)


#35

Squidleybits

Squidleybits

Modded Stardew Valley is up and running. I had never missed it before, but I wanted to try it with a different look.

It took a while as I found the desktop mode “interesting” without a mouse lol.


#36

figmentPez

figmentPez

Squidleybits said:
It took a while as I found the desktop mode “interesting” without a mouse lol.
Click to expand...
That is a very common complaint about the Deck. One thing that can help is reconfiguring the Desktop control configuration (Steam -> Settings -> Controller -> Desktop Configuration), and having Steam open. It's kinda counter-intuitive that you need to open Steam in Desktop mode so that Steam Input can do its thing.

One of the best changes to make to the default config is to change one of the touchpads to work as a scroll wheel.


#37

Squidleybits

Squidleybits

I found the buttons worked opposite to how I expected them to. The left trackpad acted like a right click in windows. It took me quite a while to realize it.

The good news is that I have a mini Bluetooth keyboard


#38

Ravenpoe

Ravenpoe

Blizzard: the battle net launcher does not support Linux or the steam deck...

Steam deck:
IMG_20220906_214939.jpg


#39

Bubble181

Bubble181

www.pcgamer.com

Everyone is using their Steam Deck like a better Nintendo Switch

August's most played Steam Deck games make the distinction clear.
www.pcgamer.com www.pcgamer.com


#40

PatrThom

PatrThom

Bubble181 said:
www.pcgamer.com

Everyone is using their Steam Deck like a better Nintendo Switch

August's most played Steam Deck games make the distinction clear.
www.pcgamer.com www.pcgamer.com
Click to expand...
Big Deck energy.

—Patrick


#41

Ravenpoe

Ravenpoe

Bubble181 said:
www.pcgamer.com

Everyone is using their Steam Deck like a better Nintendo Switch

August's most played Steam Deck games make the distinction clear.
www.pcgamer.com www.pcgamer.com
Click to expand...
I kinda find this article awful, because those games are also all on PS4/5 and x-box, because they're a handful of AAA titles and then third party titles all available on everything. But I guess "everyone is using their deck like a video game platform" is a less catchy title


#42

GasBandit

GasBandit

Everybody is using their video game platform like a video game platform?


#43

Squidleybits

Squidleybits

Who would do such a thing :D


#44

Bubble181

Bubble181

GasBandit said:
Everybody is using their video game platform like a video game platform?
Click to expand...
Hey I've considered getting a Steam Deck as a tablet-replacement for simple surfing and browsing :-D


#45

Squidleybits

Squidleybits

Bubble181 said:
Hey I've considered getting a Steam Deck as a tablet-replacement for simple surfing and browsing :-D
Click to expand...
Please grab a small Bluetooth keyboard then :)


#46

Ravenpoe

Ravenpoe

Bubble181 said:
Hey I've considered getting a Steam Deck as a tablet-replacement for simple surfing and browsing :-D
Click to expand...
I 100% would not recommend that. That is a weakness of the deck


#47

Tinwhistler

Tinwhistler

Bubble181 said:
Hey I've considered getting a Steam Deck as a tablet-replacement for simple surfing and browsing :-D
Click to expand...
I got a cheap ass chromebook for that.


#48

Squidleybits

Squidleybits

Ravenpoe said:
Blizzard: the battle net launcher does not support Linux or the steam deck...

Steam deck:
View attachment 42470
Click to expand...
Ooh I may need to do look into this for the next season.


#49

Ravenpoe

Ravenpoe

And now, PS3 emulation

IMG_20220907_221551.jpg

IMG_20220907_221734.jpg


#50

Squidleybits

Squidleybits

I ordered what I thought was an awesome beast of a power bank. It claimed to charge at 20W and has a 30,000 mAh capacity.

I plug it in and get the slow charging message. Evidently it’s only charging at 2.7W.


Are there power banks out there that charge fast enough to avoid this message?


#51

PatrThom

PatrThom

Squidleybits said:
I plug it in and get the slow charging message. Evidently it’s only charging at 2.7W.
Click to expand...
2.7W? Or 2.7A?
if you are plugging into a USB-A port (the “normal” rectangular one), you are probably going to be limited to around 2.7A (about 12W) max, because without proprietary shenanigans, that’s the most you’re supposed to be able to push through any USB-A port, by design.
If the power bank has a USB-C port (the smaller one with rounded ends), use that instead. Those things are rated for 90W and even beyond.

—Patrick


#52

Squidleybits

Squidleybits

I’m stunned ….

it has both.


#53

GasBandit

GasBandit

Squidleybits said:
It only has a USB A to charge devices. I guess I will return it.

thank you, I appreciate it.
Click to expand...
Can you tell us the model of the bank?


#54

Bubble181

Bubble181

I have a powerbank with t two ports that charge at different speeds, check if there isn't either an indication or a switch/button of some kind perhaps.


#55

Squidleybits

Squidleybits

GasBandit said:
Can you tell us the model of the bank?
Click to expand...
For sure, it’s this one. It claims to charge at 20W vs the smaller ones I have here for my Pokémon Go adventures.

** so I am a ding a ling. When I was getting the link for you all, I saw that the USB C input is also an output. It is now charging at 6.5W. I am still getting the slow charging message, but it does charge faster now.

Amazon product


#56

Far

Far

This is the one I got to charge it and I do not get the slow charge message. Keeps things going fairly well I'd say.

Amazon product


#57

figmentPez

figmentPez

Squidleybits said:
** so I am a ding a ling. When I was getting the link for you all, I saw that the USB C input is also an output. It is now charging at 6.5W. I am still getting the slow charging message, but it does charge faster now.
Click to expand...
The cable you use matters, but I don't enough to know how to tell if that's what's causing issues in your case.

If you want to fully power the Deck, you'll want a power bank that can do USB PD 3.0 at 15v/3A, but I can't find information on what other charging voltages the Steam Deck supports, other than that it doesn't do 20v. Some comments on r/SteamDeck suggest it will still count 12v as fast charging, which matches up with Far's power bank working, but I guess the 12v/1.5A of your power bank is not enough amperage to satisfy the Deck (though that should still be 18W, not 6.5W)


#58

GasBandit

GasBandit

USB's default voltage is 5v, and it can be negotiated higher depending on the capabilities of both the device and the power provider, and the quality of cable. It can go up to 20v, but for most things "fast charging" usually starts around 9.

Watts is just a measure of amps x volts. Volts always has to match exactly, but providing more amps than a device wants is ok because the device only draws the amps it can take safely. But what this may mean is that the wattage of power being used to charge may be lower than one would think.

For example, if your steam deck is unable to negotiate with the power bank to raise voltage above the default 5v, and it is only pulling slightly over 1 amp... that could work out to 6.5w.

Edit - reading the actual specs of the bank, it is in fact 3.7v... so it'd have to be pulling about 1.75 amps to get 6.5w. But the one Far recommended also said it was 3.7v, so I'm not sure what voodoo is going on for it to put out the 30w it says it provides in some circumstances.


#59

figmentPez

figmentPez

GasBandit said:
Edit - reading the actual specs of the bank, it is in fact 3.7v... so it'd have to be pulling about 1.75 amps to get 6.5w. But the one Far recommended also said it was 3.7v, so I'm not sure what voodoo is going on for it to put out the 30w it says it provides in some circumstances.
Click to expand...
You're looking at the voltage of the battery, not the output voltage at the USB port.

Squidley's is, for the USB-C port: 5V/3A , 9V/2.2A , 12V/1.5A

Far's is: 5V/3A , 9V/3A , 12V/3A, 20V/2.25A


#60

Squidleybits

Squidleybits

Thank you all for looking at these power banks. I really appreciate all of your help with this

The one Far shared is unavailable sadly.

There is one that is made by Amazon and is on back order.

I will continue to look for one :)



#61

PatrThom

PatrThom

GasBandit said:
the one Far recommended also said it was 3.7v, so I'm not sure what voodoo is going on for it to put out the 30w it says it provides in some circumstances.
Click to expand...
I assume there's some kind of DC<->DC conversion going on, unless they're putting the internal cells in series.
Even on some of the Mophie banks, "fast charging" is listed as just 18W. I wish they'd get this all straightened out so it would be consistent for the customer to know exactly what they're...
arstechnica.com

USB-C naming to somehow get worse with USB4 Version 2.0

USB-C is getting yet another specification.
arstechnica.com arstechnica.com
...oh COME ON NOW

--Patrick


#62

figmentPez

figmentPez

Squidleybits said:
Thank you all for looking at these power banks. I really appreciate all of your help with this

The one Far shared is unavailable sadly.

There is one that is made by Amazon and is on back order.

I will continue to look for one :)

Click to expand...
I don't know what your budget is, but here are some I've found that will work:

Anker PowerCore III Elite 19200 $110

Insignia 20,000mAh Portable Charger $60
Insignia 26,8000mAh Portable Charger $70

Aluratek APBQ20F $70


#63

Squidleybits

Squidleybits

Thank you. Those prices look great, I will try to find the Canadian equivalents :)


#64

Lurker

Lurker

If you're planning to take this power bank on airlines, be sure to check into the federal/airline limits (usually in mAh units).


#65

Squidleybits

Squidleybits

Ravenpoe said:
Blizzard: the battle net launcher does not support Linux or the steam deck...

Steam deck:
View attachment 42470
Click to expand...
How does Diablo run on the Deck?


#66

Squidleybits

Squidleybits

I just saw this one on Amazon Canada and ordered it.

Any of the faster charging ones go super fast.



#67

Ravenpoe

Ravenpoe

Squidleybits said:
How does Diablo run on the Deck?
Click to expand...
Diablo 2 runs fine, because the remaster also includes controller support for PC. Despite Diablo 3 being released on every console with controller support, the PC version has never had it, so if you want to play Diablo 3 on the deck you'll need to get creative with the controls (or use a community profile, I've seen one that works on D3)

You could also run the switch version of either if you have switch emulation set up


#68

figmentPez

figmentPez

Some Steam Deck history:


Link


Link


#69

Squidleybits

Squidleybits

Do any of you know how to use community controller configurations?

There is a new game that just came out that I’d like to get, but needs one of these configurations


#70

figmentPez

figmentPez

Ooooh, nice update to the Beta:
Steam Deck client BETA update for 9/15/22 (9/16/22 UTC)https://www.reddit.com/r/SteamDeck/search?q=flair_name%3A%22News%22&restrict_sr=1
Via the Steam Community:
Note: This update is for the Steam Deck Beta and Preview channels, and includes new features that are still being tested. You can opt into this in Settings > System > Steam Update Channel.
Click to expand...
General:
  • Improved Media page performance for users with a large number of screenshots
  • Restyled the Media page to show more screenshots at one time
  • Fullscreen screenshots can now be scrolled through by pressing left/right
  • Fixed an issue loading game carousel items on the home recommended tab
  • Fixed an issue where the on-screen keyboard would not type into chat tabs
Overhauled the Virtual Menu feature in Steam Input:
  • The visual style of virtual menus has been updated
  • Virtual Menus can now be named and moved between difference sources or converted between menu types
  • Bindings such as keyboard keys or gamepad buttons will now display glyphs when the user has not manually picked an icon
  • Icons and colors can now be assigned in the configurator
  • Menu items can now be easily reordered
  • Responsiveness of the cursor and general performance has been improved

I'm looking forward to when all this stuff becomes the mainline Steam. Some of this stuff I've been wanting in Steam Input for a while.


#71

Squidleybits

Squidleybits

My new power bank arrived and I don’t get the dreaded slow charging message using it!


#72

Ravenpoe

Ravenpoe

Squidleybits said:
My new power bank arrived and I don’t get the dreaded slow charging message using it!
Click to expand...
You know, even though the power bank I use only outputs at 20W and gets the slow charging message, I've found it's still more than capable of powering the steam deck. It simply won't charge the battery to full -and- play games at the same time, plugging it in and playing games while on the charger causes the battery to stay at the same level


#73

figmentPez

figmentPez

Squidleybits said:
Do any of you know how to use community controller configurations?

There is a new game that just came out that I’d like to get, but needs one of these configurations
Click to expand...
If it's a Steam game it should be pretty easy (non-Steam games can be a little more difficult, but it's still possible in many cases).

Since Steam OS 3.0 changed a lot of the interface, I don't know the exact steps, but I have used community configurations for several games. The hardest parts are figuring out which layout you want to use, which is tied into figuring out how the layout works. Unfortunately there's no real rating system beyond how many hours people have played using them, and there's not much way for layout creators to annotate their control schemes. The whole system could be a lot better, but as it is it's not hard to just slap something in place and try it out.

Go into controller settings, and then I think you're looking for "explore worshorkshop layouts". From there it should show you a list of all the Steam Deck layouts (and you can optionally show layouts for all controller types), you can then preview them, and apply whatever looks good.

I know that's kinda vague in terms of instructions, but I think I can help more with specific issues/questions.


#74

Squidleybits

Squidleybits

Ravenpoe said:
You know, even though the power bank I use only outputs at 20W and gets the slow charging message, I've found it's still more than capable of powering the steam deck. It simply won't charge the battery to full -and- play games at the same time, plugging it in and playing games while on the charger causes the battery to stay at the same level
Click to expand...
I got this one in the hopes that it would keep me going for one of my long work flights/travel days.

I kept the other one with the higher capacity as we have a lot of power outages and it will keep outlet phones going a long time.
Post automatically merged:

figmentPez said:
If it's a Steam game it should be pretty easy (non-Steam games can be a little more difficult, but it's still possible in many cases).

Since Steam OS 3.0 changed a lot of the interface, I don't know the exact steps, but I have used community configurations for several games. The hardest parts are figuring out which layout you want to use, which is tied into figuring out how the layout works. Unfortunately there's no real rating system beyond how many hours people have played using them, and there's not much way for layout creators to annotate their control schemes. The whole system could be a lot better, but as it is it's not hard to just slap something in place and try it out.

Go into controller settings, and then I think you're looking for "explore worshorkshop layouts". From there it should show you a list of all the Steam Deck layouts (and you can optionally show layouts for all controller types), you can then preview them, and apply whatever looks good.

I know that's kinda vague in terms of instructions, but I think I can help more with specific issues/questions.
Click to expand...
Thank you. I appreciate that. There is a new game that I am super interested in and I would need to figure this out to play it on the Steam Deck.


#75

chris

chris

After reading all the posts I serious wonder if I should invest in a Steam Deck instead of a new Gaming PC.


#76

figmentPez

figmentPez

A feature that users have been begging for since the Steam Deck came out has been added to the Steam Deck beta: The ability to set the resolution of the OS when using an external monitor, and automatic avoidance of 30Hz modes.

For those that don't know why this is an issue, when the Steam Deck is connected to an external display, it automatically chose the highest possible resolution reported by the display / dock / device chain. This included choosing 4K 30Hz resolutions when connected to either TVs or hubs that couldn't do 4K 60Hz or better. Because Steam OS scales all the games it runs in game mode to the resolution of the display, this meant that people connecting to a 4K 30Hz external device were then stuck at 30Hz for everything, even when running games at a much lower resolution.

This update also fixes problems with using mice in gaming mode, issues with formatting SD cards, and other stuff. Other recent updates improved the responsiveness of the on-screen keyboard. Overall, Valve is making some good improvements to the Steam Deck.


#77

Cat

Cat

chris said:
After reading all the posts I serious wonder if I should invest in a Steam Deck instead of a new Gaming PC.
Click to expand...
It is cheaper than a graphics card


#78

GasBandit

GasBandit

Cat said:
It is cheaper than a graphics card
Click to expand...


#79

figmentPez

figmentPez

Top games played on the Deck in September:


#80

Squidleybits

Squidleybits

Stardew Valley is a classic and I modded it for the first time on the Steam Deck. All cosmetic mods, but I am giving serious consideration to the one that gives you an elevator in Skull Cavern.

I downloaded the Disney character creator and I may need that game too. I can’t get enough farm sims.


#81

PatrThom

PatrThom

Squidleybits said:
I can’t get enough farm sims.
Click to expand...
Well then what a fine time to be alive.

--Patrick


#82

figmentPez

figmentPez

TL;DW
  • official Valve dock is now available ($89 US)
  • recent updates made a lot of improvements to Steam OS when using a dock, and other improvements
  • Valve has caught up on production and Steam Deck is available without a reservation (in regions it is currently available in).
  • Reservations have started for Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.


#83

Squidleybits

Squidleybits

I’m thinking of getting a dock. That one or there is one I saw on Amazon that looks good. I’m just not sure that mine will fit with the case I have on it.


#84

Far

Far

I ordered one. If nothing else I want a more secure way to charge it while it's not in use.


#85

GasBandit

GasBandit

I'm starting to feel tempted. Is the 512gb one that much better than the base one?


#86

Far

Far

GasBandit said:
I'm starting to feel tempted. Is the 512gb one that much better than the base one?
Click to expand...
I believe, other than storage space, the only difference is the anti-glare screen. Which I do really like, especially if you're going to be playing it in any kind of direct lighting. But if it's just the storage you're looking for you can go the lower capacity models and mod, either soft via sd cards and external drives or hard mod, and actually swap out the internals, down the road.


#87

figmentPez

figmentPez

GasBandit said:
I'm starting to feel tempted. Is the 512gb one that much better than the base one?
Click to expand...
@Far is correct. The increased storage also comes with faster drive speed, but it's not a huge difference, and games even run fairly well when loaded on an SD card. All the other internals are the same. The 512GB model does come with a slightly nicer case, a microfiber screen cleaning cloth, and a cheap drawsting bag that the US model charger fits in (but not the UK one).

One thing to note is that Steam OS likes to save shader pre-cache on the main drive, so users who download a lot of games to SD card are complaining on Reddit about how the 64GB model can fill up pretty fast. There may be ways to force the Deck to move the cache to the SD card, though. That said, some people are saying that the shaders are more sensitive to being on an SD card than most games are. I haven't seen any benchmarks, or other emperical testing, though.

You know what you're doing when it comes to hardware, so I won't warn you away from swapping out the drive yourself, but be aware that the Deck uses self-tapping screws, and Valve has warned that opening the Steam Deck permanently decreases it's resistance to drops. They go so far as to suggest using a torque screwdriver to avoid over/under tightening. Other than that, the Deck uses 2230 m.2 drives, and needs a single sided drive. Some users have crammed in 2240 drives, or cut down 2280 drives to fit, but Valve warns against this because those drives may draw more power and interfere with the rest of the system. Also, they warn that they can't be sure that any replacement drives won't interfere with the wireless chipset/antenna, which is located right next to the m.2 slot. Apparently they chose the drives they use to not cause problems.

If I had the money to get a Steam Deck, I'd be waffling between the 256GB for breathing room on the main drive, and the 512GB model to get the etched anti-glare screen. If you like to put screen protectors on your gadgets, then the 256GB would be an easy choice, IMO. I'm not looking to open up mobile hardware if I don't have to, though. If you like opening stuff up, then you can upgrade a 64GB model to 1TB for less than a 512GB model. (2TB 2230 m.2 SSDs exist, but they're hard to find and not a good value.)

Lastly, if you any of you ever do decide to open up your Steam Deck to upgrade the storage, replace the joysticks with hall-effect models from GuliKit, or any other upgrades/repairs, make sure you take the SD card out of the slot before opening up the case. Quite a few people have snapped their SD card in half this way, including Linus Tech Tips during a livestream.


#88

Far

Far

I was going to mention the OS size would be limiting on a 64GB but went to mine to find out just how much it currently uses and wasn't able to at a quick glance.


#89

figmentPez

figmentPez

Far said:
I was going to mention the OS size would be limiting on a 64GB but went to mine to find out just how much it currently uses and wasn't able to at a quick glance.
Click to expand...
That reminds me, dual-booting: Valve yet to release tools to easily set up dual-booting, but fans have found ways to do it. Currently I think one of the popular ways is to run Windows of an SD card, but at some point Valve is planning to make it easier to install Steam OS to a multi-OS system, and if anyone wants to be able to do that they'll probably want a larger drive, since Windows is a big-ol' storage hog, even if Steam OS is relatively small (if you don't count shader pre-caching.)


#90

Squidleybits

Squidleybits


I grabbed this so I can play on the tv :)


#91

Ravenpoe

Ravenpoe

figmentPez said:
That reminds me, dual-booting: Valve yet to release tools to easily set up dual-booting, but fans have found ways to do it. Currently I think one of the popular ways is to run Windows of an SD card, but at some point Valve is planning to make it easier to install Steam OS to a multi-OS system, and if anyone wants to be able to do that they'll probably want a larger drive, since Windows is a big-ol' storage hog, even if Steam OS is relatively small (if you don't count shader pre-caching.)
Click to expand...
Honestly unless there's something in Windows you absolutely need I wouldn't dual boot. I expected to be wowed by the hardware and then slap Windows on this thing immediately, but instead I've been thoroughly impressed by the software and just how far gaming on Linux has come. SteamOS and linux as a whole is so lightweight and fast and perfect on the machine that I can't imagine putting bloated windows on it


#92

PatrThom

PatrThom

figmentPez said:
including Linus Tech Tips during a livestream.
Click to expand...
This does not surprise me. They have a certain reputation.

--Patrick


#93

figmentPez

figmentPez

figmentPez said:
TL;DW
  • official Valve dock is now available ($89 US)
  • recent updates made a lot of improvements to Steam OS when using a dock, and other improvements
  • Valve has caught up on production and Steam Deck is available without a reservation (in regions it is currently available in).
  • Reservations have started for Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.
Click to expand...
Whoops, the video in this post has been made private, because Valve had the Switch emulator yuzu showing in it.


#94

Squidleybits

Squidleybits

The dongle/hub thing arrived today and is working well. My Steam Deck is on the tv. My PS5 controller paired up nicely.

I will test with a secondary micro usb tomorrow. Or a regular one I guess? There are two slots on the thing.


#95

figmentPez

figmentPez

Steam Decks are sold out until the end of the year (at least in some regions). It's back to reservations until at least 2023.


#96

GasBandit

GasBandit

Wow, my steam deck got here a lot faster than I thought it would.

So what's the first thing I did with it?

Install Plex of course.


#97

GasBandit

GasBandit

You know what's REALLY fucking neat?

The steam deck works with my thunderbolt dock.

Holy shit.

I've got 3 monitors, y'all.

On a steam deck.


#98

GasBandit

GasBandit

Doom. In desktop mode. On a thunderbolt dock.

PXL_20221021_002814808.jpg


#99

figmentPez

figmentPez



#100

Bubble181

Bubble181

Meh. Can it run Doom?


#101

GasBandit

GasBandit

Bubble181 said:
Meh. Can it run Doom?
Click to expand...
It's a Steam Deck. It can run Doom 2016 even :p


#102

Bubble181

Bubble181

GasBandit said:
It's a Steam Deck. It can run Doom 2016 even :p
Click to expand...
It's a pumpkin. It can barely run a flashlight.


#103

figmentPez

figmentPez

Reddit user made a SteamDeck out of graham cracker at their family's annual 'gingerbread' house building activity


#104

Frank

Frank

Well, whose got two thumbs and didn't win a Steam Deck during the game commercials....err....embarrassing over the hill actors...err....awards?


#105

bhamv3

bhamv3

Frank said:
Well, whose got two thumbs and didn't win a Steam Deck during the game commercials....err....embarrassing over the hill actors...err....awards?
Click to expand...
*everyone on the forum simultaneously points both thumbs at themselves in unison*


#106

chris

chris

Frank said:
Well, whose got two thumbs and didn't win a Steam Deck during the game commercials....err....embarrassing over the hill actors...err....awards?
Click to expand...
bhamv3 said:
*everyone on the forum simultaneously points both thumbs at themselves in unison*
Click to expand...
I had technical problems watching the stream, I don't even know if the registration was enough.

By the way what was that at the end of the Awards?


#107

Ravenpoe

Ravenpoe

chris said:
I had technical problems watching the stream, I don't even know if the registration was enough.

By the way what was that at the end of the Awards?
Click to expand...
A conspiracy nut that walked on stage, he's apparently since been arrested


#108

mikerc

mikerc

bhamv3 said:
*everyone on the forum simultaneously points both thumbs at themselves in unison*
Click to expand...
*Ahem*

IMG_0346.JPG

Nah, I'm fucking with you.

IMG_0347.JPG


#109

Tinwhistler

Tinwhistler

Ravenpoe said:
A conspiracy nut that walked on stage, he's apparently since been arrested
Click to expand...
www.pcgamer.com

Kid crashes Elden Ring GOTY acceptance at The Game Awards

An individual snuck on stage with the Elden Ring group and took the mic after their speech.
www.pcgamer.com www.pcgamer.com


#110

figmentPez

figmentPez

chris said:
I had technical problems watching the stream, I don't even know if the registration was enough.
Click to expand...
The UI was horrible. As best I could tell, there was no way to watch the stream in a full screen, or even nearly full screen, and also get the little banner that showed the Steam Deck winners. Additionally, there appeared to be zero user feedback that your watching was being counted as an entry for the drawing. Which lead to spam in chat of !steamdeck and /claim .

Valve is terrible at making User Interfaces.


#111

Frank

Frank

I had it on my second monitor while I played Chained Echoes and had to refresh it like 289 times.


#112

figmentPez

figmentPez

Tinwhistler said:
www.pcgamer.com

Kid crashes Elden Ring GOTY acceptance at The Game Awards

An individual snuck on stage with the Elden Ring group and took the mic after their speech.
www.pcgamer.com www.pcgamer.com
Click to expand...
I find it hilarious that Geoff Keighley claims the kid was arrested, while LAPD says no arrest was made.

Both video game executives and the police are known for blatantly lying to the press, so I have no idea who to believe.


#113

Tinwhistler

Tinwhistler

figmentPez said:
I find it hilarious that Geoff Keighley claims the kid was arrested, while LAPD says no arrest was made.

Both video game executives and the police are known for blatantly lying to the press, so I have no idea who to believe.
Click to expand...
I find it hard to figure out what 'crime' he could have committed. Being a twat and trying to ruin others' fun isn't a crime. Anyone playing any internet game with a PUG knows that ;)


#114

figmentPez

figmentPez



#115

figmentPez

figmentPez



#116

figmentPez

figmentPez

The latest Steam Client Beta has enabled local network game transfers, i.e. it makes it much easier to copy a game installation from one PC to another so that you don't have to download the whole thing from the internet again, or do any sort of manual file transfers.



#117

Ravenpoe

Ravenpoe

figmentPez said:
The latest Steam Client Beta has enabled local network game transfers, i.e. it makes it much easier to copy a game installation from one PC to another so that you don't have to download the whole thing from the internet again, or do any sort of manual file transfers.

Click to expand...
I was already doing this just using a basic linux networking client, but it's nice to see it's built in now


#118

Tinwhistler

Tinwhistler

figmentPez said:
The latest Steam Client Beta has enabled local network game transfers, i.e. it makes it much easier to copy a game installation from one PC to another so that you don't have to download the whole thing from the internet again, or do any sort of manual file transfers.
Click to expand...
So, when I was setting up my new PC, I was fully expecting to have to reinstall all of my games. the Dell Migration Assistant copied all my files, but did warn that software would still have to be re-installed.

I was pleasantly surprised when I opened up Steam, and after a moment, all of the copied games lit up as installed in my library.


#119

klew

klew

Sprung for the 512gb model during the steam sale, hopefully I get to work on my game backlog where it feels overkill to fire up the entire desktop for mini/casual games


#120

klew

klew

Worked fine for the first week, now unable to connect to home wifi, nothing changed in the network settings or equipment used (XFinity XB7 all-in-one router). Computers, phones, tablets, consoles all connect fine, just the deck has trouble. Either it can't connect to any internet, or after a restart and for a short while, it will not be able to reach the steam servers, then completely drop the connection and not be able to connect to the network again. Followed instructions to disable wifi power management and not much I can do to alter the xfinity router settings. Only solution so far is to hotspot off a phone.


#121

GasBandit

GasBandit

klew said:
Worked fine for the first week, now unable to connect to home wifi, nothing changed in the network settings or equipment used (XFinity XB7 all-in-one router). Computers, phones, tablets, consoles all connect fine, just the deck has trouble. Either it can't connect to any internet, or after a restart and for a short while, it will not be able to reach the steam servers, then completely drop the connection and not be able to connect to the network again. Followed instructions to disable wifi power management and not much I can do to alter the xfinity router settings. Only solution so far is to hotspot off a phone.
Click to expand...
It only has this problem with the xfinity router?

I might be tempted to wire a WAP to your router, personally.


#122

PatrThom

PatrThom

Yeah, if you can hotspot off your phone just fine (at a distance of more than 5m), then it’s probably not the Deck’s fault and you might need to go the CardiB solution like Gas suggests.

—Patrick


#123

klew

klew

In this case, the phone is connected to wifi from the xfinity router (not using cellular data at home). Does that mean it's acting as a repeater? The deck has never left home so I haven't tested it with other networks, other people have mentioned Xfinity networks don't like Linux. The deck also can't connect to the xfinity public wifi that every xfinity router can provide. Lastly, all devices (deck, phones, tablets) can see password protected networks from other houses, but the deck only shows 0-10% signal strength, while other devices show 4/5 bars. I have an old router I can probably connect to the xfinity modem/router


#124

GasBandit

GasBandit

klew said:
In this case, the phone is connected to wifi from the xfinity router (not using cellular data at home). Does that mean it's acting as a repeater? The deck has never left home so I haven't tested it with other networks, other people have mentioned Xfinity networks don't like Linux. The deck also can't connect to the xfinity public wifi that every xfinity router can provide. Lastly, all devices (deck, phones, tablets) can see password protected networks from other houses, but the deck only shows 0-10% signal strength, while other devices show 4/5 bars. I have an old router I can probably connect to the xfinity modem/router
Click to expand...
Most phones can't be used as a repeater. If they're put in "hotspot" mode, they're reconfigured to share their cellular data with devices that connect to them via wifi.

I'd try the old router, personally.


#125

PatrThom

PatrThom

WiFi is WiFi. There's no real reason any WiFi network should like one client more/less than another based on OS, it's more likely related to the specific brand of WiFi chipset being used.
So weird.
Try the old router. But connect it to the Xfinity router by cable, not as a WiFi extender.

--Patrick


#126

GasBandit

GasBandit

PatrThom said:
WiFi is WiFi.
Click to expand...
Having had to put up with several dozen different sites with wifi, this is decidedly NOT so. There's multiple flavors of authentication, There's the old A/B/G/N/AC problem, etc, etc, etc...

As locked down as the xfinity stuff is, it doesn't surprise me it'd have issues with certain client drivers. Hell, half the homes I've been to with comcast, they had SOME manner of device unable to connect to them properly.

I realize it's not an option for everybody, but the best you can do for yourself if you have comcast is to get some other internet service provider, and bring your own modem/router. I have to put up with Optimum (for now), but the Metronet guys finally got their cherrypicker on the utility pole outside my house yesterday... so hopefully any week now, I'll have fiber service.


#127

figmentPez

figmentPez

For troubleshooting I'd try changing the name of the 2.4Ghz wireless and seeing if the Deck can specifically connect to that when it's singled out.


#128

PatrThom

PatrThom

GasBandit said:
Having had to put up with several dozen different sites with wifi, this is decidedly NOT so.
Click to expand...
You are right, I should have been more clear and not assumed everyone else knows as much about WiFi as you or I. Flavors and protocols matter, yes, but if one AC/WPA2 device can connect, then the reason another otherwise AC/WPA2 device can‘t connect is probably not going to come down to what OS that second device is running. Instead it’s more likely to be vendor- or firmware-related.

—Patrick


#129

PatrThom

PatrThom

For anyone who wants Xmas in July:

www.techpowerup.com

JSAUX Launches Steam Deck RGB Docking Station

Electronics brand JSAUX is celebrating its seventh anniversary during July and it has announced a new batch of Steam Deck accessories: the RGB Docking Station and the RGB transparent backplate are now available, following the release of the transparent front plate and the redesigned transparent...
www.techpowerup.com www.techpowerup.com
See it in action at The Verge.

--Patrick


#130

figmentPez

figmentPez

GuliKit has announced a SNES themed docking station for Steam Deck (and other devices).



I can't help but wonder if they're going to run afoul of Nintendo's trademark lawyers.


#131

bhamv3

bhamv3

Aren't Nintendo notoriously overprotective of their IPs?


#132

Ravenpoe

Ravenpoe

bhamv3 said:
Aren't Nintendo notoriously overprotective of their IPs?
Click to expand...
I don't really see anything there that's trademarkable. Nowhere does it say Nintendo or SNES on it, and while it's obviously meant to evoke the design of the SNES it's not an exact copy. You can't sue someone for putting purple on grey.

*edit: ok actually you can sue for anything, but you can't -win- a lawsuit for that.


#133

mikerc

mikerc

Ravenpoe said:
I don't really see anything there that's trademarkable. Nowhere does it say Nintendo or SNES on it, and while it's obviously meant to evoke the design of the SNES it's not an exact copy. You can't sue someone for putting purple on grey.

*edit: ok actually you can sue for anything, but you can't -win- a lawsuit for that.
Click to expand...
You shouldn't be able to win a lawsuit for that. However, reminder - Apple & rounded corners on a phone.


#134

figmentPez

figmentPez

Ravenpoe said:
I don't really see anything there that's trademarkable. Nowhere does it say Nintendo or SNES on it, and while it's obviously meant to evoke the design of the SNES it's not an exact copy. You can't sue someone for putting purple on grey.

*edit: ok actually you can sue for anything, but you can't -win- a lawsuit for that.
Click to expand...
The shape of the SNES is almost certainly trademarked. (I can't find a link to the specific trademark, but I can find nearly every other Nintendo console, and the SNES and Famicom controllers. I'd be absolutely shocked if they haven't trademarked the shape of the Super Nintendo.) Not just copyright, trademark. "You can't sue someone for putting three circles together!" You can when they form a Mickey Mouse shape, and give the impression that Disney made the merchandise. That's the same thing that's happening here. You've got the shape of a Super Nintendo. Not just purple and grey colors, but arranged so that the slot and switches are recognizably a Nintendo console.

Nintendo also trademarked the button layout of the SNES controller, and it's rumored that 8BitDo stopped making their Super Famicom and Super Nintendo inspired controllers because Nintendo told them to. It didn't make it to a lawsuit, and I doubt this will. As soon as Nintendo is aware of this, they'll contact Gulikit, and any retailer who sells Gulikit, and if Gulikit doesn't back down, then Amazon definitely will. Once Amazon says, "change your design or you're out" then Gulikit will change it.


#135

Shakey

Shakey

It may get by on the fact that it’s not a gaming system shaped like a snes, it’s a docking station. But either way, Nintendo has enough money to throw at lawyers to easily make it no longer profitable to make it if they want to.


#136

Shakey

Shakey

I'l be getting a Steam Deck for Christmas. It's been so long since I've been able to check out non-switch games, I don't know where to start. I'll probably check out BG3 to start with.

Any tips or must have games?


#137

GasBandit

GasBandit

BG3 does run on steam deck but it's a little hard to play on the small screen, imo. It's better if you can dock the deck.

My list of games for the Deck may not actually be the best to go by, as I mostly use it docked instead of mobile.

But I'd say games like the following would be very suitable for using a deck undocked (in no particular order):
  • Slay the Spire
  • Stardew Valley
  • Darkest Dungeon
  • Shovel Knight
  • Carrion
  • Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
  • Don't Starve
  • Vampire Survivors
  • Battleblock Theater
  • Pit People
  • Dungeon of the Endless
  • Wildermyth
  • Loop Hero
  • Inscryption
  • FTL
  • Dave the Diver
  • Terraria
  • Noita
  • Hades
  • Undertale
  • Any side view fighting game (Street Fighter, Injustice, DOA, MK, DBZ, etc)
  • Subverse (very NSFW)
  • Bastion
  • Braid
  • Graveyard Keeper
  • Burnout Paradise
  • Hammerwatch
  • Cosmic Star Heroine
  • Castle Crashers
  • Core Keeper
  • Limbo
  • Super Meat Boy
etc


#138

Dei

Dei

I have played BG3 undocked a lot and it has not bothered me. If you play on a Switch a lot it might not bother you either.


#139

Shakey

Shakey

I'll probably do a good bit of both. Undocked until the kid goes to bed, and then I'll be able to dock it.


#140

Squidleybits

Squidleybits

If you like farming type games:

My time at Sandrock
Littlewood
Potion Permit
Dinkum

I’m for sure missing some.


#141

Far

Far

Hades and Spider-Man, for me both play great but I've not had a lot of time to try others.


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