Out of curiosity... Anyone use the Steam Deck as a computer beyond just gaming? I don't play games that much but I'd love a decent spec portable computer that I can also use to play video games, the price is quite generous given what its specs look like so...
this post was submitted on 29 Jun 2023
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Steam Deck
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A place to discuss and support all things Steam Deck.
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Yes, the KDE desktop works really well with a USB-C dock connected to a monitor with a mouse and keyboard. I use it when I need to do some work while not at home. The Steam Deck is beefy enough to be really snappy during desktop usage, even with multiple monitors.
There's no way to boot directly into the desktop with SteamOS without workarounds at the moment unfortunately.
I didn't bother installing another OS yet since I mostly play games but apparently the Steam Deck drivers are in the mainline kernel so it should be possible to install a normal distro that boots directly to desktop.
Yes, I've been using it as my PC for about a year now, I do game on it but my primary reason for purchase was that it was just a great deal on a Linux machine.
I mainly use mine for gaming because I have a desktop and a laptop too, but I don't see any reason why you couldn't use it as a decent semi-portable computer. It probably won't be as convenient is a laptop when it comes to typing on the go, and it certainly won't be as powerful as a desktop, but gaming on a Steam Deck is an absolute joy.
You'll definitely want some kind of dock, a monitor, a keyboard and a mouse.
I've used mine on the go with a Bluetooth mouse and keyboard. Works great, although the screen is a little small in that use case.
Docked with an external monitor is much more useful for regular computing. I suggest use Linux as my daily driver OS, so easy enough for me. Only thing the Deck is really missing is CUPS for printing.
Yes. External monitor, keyboard, mouse and the official dock. Of note though, it's not a very secure computer. You have basic pin protection and can configure a password but no easy full disk encryption.
Sweet, the dock is on sale! Snagging that. Thanks for the tip!
Damn, $71 is the sale price? That’s not what I was expecting.
Is the anti-glare screen worth it?
Does the eMMC version allow installing an NVMe drive?
The price difference between the 256GB NVMe version and the 512GB version is more than the cost of a 1TB NVMe drive.
Edit: Ah wait, just realised it's the stubby 2230 NVMe drives, the ones that are much more rare and like half the length of the long boyes.
Still, the storage is annoying. The difference betwee PCIe 3.0 and PCIe 4.0 is massive, and there's been another leap with PCIe 5.0.
You can just buy an aftermarket anti-glare screen. They are cheap.
You can change the SSD by yourself but you'll lose waranty. There's a noticeable speed difference between the eMMC and NVMe versions. There's no noticeable speed difference between the NVMe versions.
IMHO if can afford it and have a few technical skills buy the little one and install one of these. You might even want to wrap it in one these (there's a real leather option too) or these or replace the joysticks with these (can't get drift and have a much smaller deadzone).
You can change the SSD by yourself but you’ll lose waranty.
Just a FYI, but changing the SSD will not void your warranty. There are two cases you can void your warranty: 1) by opening up your Steam Deck you damage something. 2) you no longer have the original SSD (Keep it safe, because you'll need to put it back when you send it to Valve). Valve have been rather chill about the whole SSD change.
I don't think I'd bother with a skin, but those sticks look fancy - and not too expensive really.
Any of those said aftermarket screens you could recommend?
Agree on the NVMe bit, only reason why I took the 256GB intermediate aside from the fact that extra space gave me some breathing room off the bat
I can snag a better NVMe on sale down the road
Great tips all round, will be snagging those sticks you shared
You can get really fast SD cards these days and it supports installing games on either.
Does the eMMC version allow installing an NVMe drive?
Yes, the only hardware difference between the different version is really only the screen and the drive it comes with. You can technically buy the 64GB version and replace the screen with an anti-glare one at a later date, as it can be bought as a spare part for not much.
Personally I got the 64GB some time ago and am still happy enough with just an SD-card with good speed and decent size. I suspect that will change down the line, but right now I'm happy.
I feel like they'll upgrade the chipset in 1-3 years with newer PCIe versions, then it will be worth the upgrade for you.
Oh and the carrying/storage case it comes with seems to be different for the 512GB version. Not sure about the 256GB version though.
The anti-glare is definitely worth it and it's also very noticeable outside. The other option is that you could just upgrade the screen from ifixit if you're also going to be upgrading your storage anyways.
All versions of the deck allow you to upgrade the SSD. There's actually a lot more vendors selling 2230 nvme drives now. I'd recommend staying away from SABRENT Rocket since their support is nonexistent and they also have a high failure rate. The Corsair MP600 mini and Micron 2400 is a better option.
More than anything I'm sketched out about buying SSDs from untrusted sellers, don't want to pay for 1TB and get 256GB that pretends and gets faulty when filled.
There's tools you can use to verify the disk is right. It's smart to do so before you put it in the deck if you have access to a computer. Just get a cheapest enclosure.
Yeah I'm aware. I'd still rather avoid the hassle and buy from a trusted seller.
The eMMC one does support installing an NVMe, and from what I've seen the Deck can't really support more than PCIe 3.0 speeds. If you find a good deal on a PCIe 4.0 or 5.0 drive it will still work but there's no reason to spend extra on a newer drive.
Yeah I was mainly moaning about the chipset limitation being PCIe 3.0. Kind of makes me wonder if they're planning an update in the next year or so.
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I don't have one, because it still isn't available in Australia.
You can buy it through Kogan or other online stores, but those are imported versions. I'm broke right now anyway, so I'll probably just wait until I can buy it through Steam itself.
Yeah but I'm saving for a car rn... I might consider it once I get the car. Along with the laundry list of other things that I want to buy.
Still would be nice to buy it through official options regardless of how many third parties decide to sell it for marked up prices.
It sure is, because I bought one!
Wonder what games play the best on it
Tunic is a blast on steam deck, I highly recommend it. I've also been playing Vampire Survivors, Dishonored, emulated Nintendo games: Breath of the Wild (wii U), Super Mario Bros (switch) , Advance wars (ds). Basically anything that can be played with a controller works well, and some of what needs a mouse and keyboard is also good.
Ohh good suggestions! Def adding to the list
Breath of the wild is amazing on the Steam Deck! As is Tunic.
My current favorites are gamecube games (Tony Hawk Games and 007 Nightfire) and Forza Horizon 5. Played quite a bit of minecraft aswell, but I find it hard to be efficient with a controller.
Ohh, 007 has been on my list but I totally forgot about it!! Excellent suggestion. I haven’t touched MC in a long time, who knows haha
Figures I'd buy mine between 2 sales.
If you contact steam support they may give you a store credit for the difference
They still don't sell it at my country
¯\(ツ)/¯
I would like one if they sold those damn things in my country (Malaysia). On the flip side, the ROG Ally is officially launching here on July 1st.
Bought the ROG Ally for the same reason. Would have chosen a SteamDeck had they been avilable in Norway.
So, I guess there's no stupid questions: How future proof is it? How likely is it that in a few months / a year there's a new, better iteration of the steam deck? Also, if a new version was announced, can the current steam deck be upgraded?
Valve supports their hardware well, so I'd guess you can easily use it for 5 years or so. Probably have to replace the battery or sticks after a few years, but the good news is that most parts are replaceable.
Sick! I might have to snag a dock for mine...
The official dock is 20% off too.
Is this the first actual discounted price sale for Steam Deck?
It's the second time it's been discounted so far. The first time was on March 23rd this year, on Steam Deck's first birthday.
@cron I just found about this deal today. Don't know how I missed this post. Got it 2-3 months earlier than expected.
DAMNIT I BOUGHT ONE LAST WEEK
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