Considering a steam deck

Worth it 100% for me, I love mine. I didn't think I would use it much, I honestly bought it initially to just support the project and help FOSS friendly hardware and software.

But once I started playing on it, I fell in love. I play lots of indie games and smaller studio games, like Brotato, Hollow Knight, Battle for Wesnoth, Core Keeper. I also installed RetroArch and play all of my favorite Game Boy games. I play Old School Runescape with my friend, some kart racing games, some fighting games.

I also have Jellyfin installed on there, so I use it docked to my TV as a box for streaming from my Jellyfin server to my TV for movie nights. Discord runs pretty well on it in the background, so it works well for group party games like Pummel Party with my friends. Also games like Table Top simulator to play DnD, and virtual board games.

Idk, it's just a perfect device for me. Super moddable, repair friendly, FOSS friendly, powerful enough to play most games without issue, works with every kind of Bluetooth device I've tested it with, controllers, headphones, etc. And now that it's been out for well over a year, all of the most severe and annoying bugs have been fixed, so the general experience is very smooth and stable.

Deck just went on sale for summer sale great time to get one. I love mine :)

It's been really great for me with that exact use case. I want to play some more intensive games but would still like to hang around in the living room. My wife and I both have one, we can play games alone or together and also hang out on the couch and watch something.

Yes it's worth it, exactly for the reason you state. You can play it while also being in the same room with other people. Sure, not always being the best companion but when your spouse is watching a series you are still around.

I've barely used my desktop for gaming since I got the Steam Deck last May. It's been great for playing on the go, or just sitting on the couch and gaming while my partner watches a show. Definitely recommend.

I love my Steam Deck. I do a lot of gaming on my regular PC. But I appreciate my Deck when I'm on the go. It's a great portable gaming device and all the games I'm interested in have worked fine.

What might be beneficial to know in your face, since you have your family and want to be close is the "suspend" feature. In the middle of a PC game, you can simple click the power button to Suspend the game and when you're done, just turn it back on and you'll be right where you left it.

100% yes. Have loved mine, and others I know have had similar experiences.

I can speak to exactly the issue you're having, you've got a family hanging out, you don't want to be all cooped in the office.

Get a steam deck dude. Do it. I work from home, my wife does too. We have an 8 year old. Not only do I get more gaming time in with my deck than I ever could previously, they're both happier about it. I can suspend power and do whatever, etc, it isn't an anchor at a desk.

And it can play the games. Keep in mind that steam themselves is very picky about their "this is great on the deck" blessing. There's a ton of games they only say will run, and even more they say won't run at all, that operate perfectly fine. More every month too, as Proton continues development.

You can also load all your GoG and Epic games easily, heroic launcher.

Seriously, get one. The mid or basic version is fine, sd cards are fine.

I love mine. I used it as a remote PC for 2 1.5 years on my skoolie bus conversion. If your work is compatible with linux and don't need a lot of intense specs (or can cloud all the heavy labor), then you'll be just fine. edit: sometimes time flies, sometimes it doesn't lol. Corrected the time I've owned this awesome little device.

It's actually so great. It isn't the most powerful system but you can play most of the top games from the past decade at 60 fps and the more recent unoptimized games could potentially get a patch via proton to make them enjoyable before official updates (elden ring was an example of this).

The basic user can enjoy most of games that don't suck on steam without any effort or issues. Couch and bed gaming friendly, fairly easy to pack with included carry case, decent battery life, and will work as a desktop in a pinch with a usbc dock/hub.

With willingness to use the Linux desktop mode you can do a bunch of extra stuff:

protonup via built in app store (discover) to get proton-ge for largely increased game compatibility and performance, ymmv by game. It also has steam tinker launcher which enables much more tweaking to the benefit of modding and cheat/trainers among other things. (As a working adult I totally support cheats in single player games since ain't nobody got time for grinding)

cryotools for more performance improvements

heroic, lutris, bottles, probably others. stores other than steam, games not from stores, programs that aren't even games, etc.

emudeck for basically every emulator mostly preconfigured. BYOB, that means bring your own baby bios. Yuzu pineapple etc will require further intervention.

steam deck refresh rate unlock for what it says. under and overclock. mine flickers at 30fps/30hz but my brother's doesn't. 70fps/70hz works for me too on games the system has enough power for.

steamos btrfs for more game storage via compression. I recommend only on the microsd. The odd game that has mods that mysteriously bug out usually works by making the correctly located and named folder for it on the ext4 system drive and toggling case folding before installing normally (can only toggle empty folders). I actually just delete and redownload because I have a steam cache server. btrfs doesn't have case folding.

If you aren't scared of opening it up, or drive reimaging, and can get an authentic and reasonably priced 2230 nvme, I recommend getting the base model and putting in the larger nvme. Just slide the wrapper off the old one and put it on the new one. Also get the gulikit hall effect sticks off AliExpress. It's basically necessary for jank ass minigame inputs like FF7R darts... They just released the new version that supports both stick types. My brother has the 512 and the screen difference is negligible, and nonexistent if you put a tempered glass screen protector which I can see no reason not to do.

tl;dr: great as is, so much extra great stuff if you are a Linux nut or willing to follow guides.

Absolutely. That's the exact reason I got mine. After a couple of days, my wife started wanting to play some. Now, she has her own deck, and we play LAN coop and LAN PvP games as well as remote play together. It's awesome!

Well you probably won't interact while gaming anyways. Little billy won't get attention when you're on a dark souls boss.

@Johnpwrinkle Well worth it. It can handle quite a bit locally, and can stream from steam on your main pc (or be set up to several cloud services).

Yes. I use mine on my living room couch about 90% of the time it's ever used. It owns.

I love mine. It's my primary (and only) gaming machine. I've gotten a lot of use out of it. I play it docked, with a controller, more often than not; but it's also really nice to bring on a trip for downtime at a hotel, playing outside on the patio, etc. Would be great for sitting on the couch with family. I play it in bed sometimes, too, but it's a bit too heavy for that for a lot of people. I just let it rest on a pillow, or even on its case, when I'm playing in bed.

Overall it was a great purchase. Very pleased with it.

My Steam Deck experience has been very positive, it’s a great way to play games away from the desk. For me the controls are great, and game compatibility continues to surprise me.

I would say the only problem with the Deck is the size - it’s big. When I got mine it seemed a lot bigger than I realised, and that was after watching/reading a lot of reviews. Depending on your hands the size might be an issue. If you know anyone else with a Steam Deck I would recommend trying it out for size before buying.

The Deck has become my main pc since months now. When I want to play, it's just perfect as it has been designed for that (and yes, I do agree with the many comments about playing on the couch or bed).

But when I need to do something non-gaming related I boot from a dedicated SD card with WinasapOS where I have a full and unlocked linux OS on which I can install and run everything I need. I even occasionally run a Windows 10 VM from there when I needed to flash some peripheral's firmware.

The Steam Deck is a quite decently powerful machine for its price, so why don't use all its potential?

What you're describing is almost exactly my main use for the Steam Deck. I do some travelling for work and that was my excuse for getting one - and it's absolutely wonderful for that. What I wasn't expecting was how much time I would play it on the sofa, so I could spend some time with my wife while she play Sims or watches TV.

i love my steam deck. i havea similar same issue where i now work from home and dont want to spend any more time at my desk than i have to. The controls are fantastic, it also is the most comfortable grip ive ever experienced on any hand held or controller. The only down side is that it's not the greatest for strategy games like civ that really lend themselves to keyboard and mouse. shooters, action/adventure games, and rpgs. it runs emulators really well also.

Well, since everyone has been super positive, let me try to be a bit more critical about it:

The Steam Deck is a an absolute brick of a handheld. It is really big and surprisingly heavy. Try to hold one in your hands if you have the chance to before buying. Or at least look up the size and weight details and hold something of similar caliber in your hands. You might not even want to take it with you outside since it is heavy.
The battery life of the Steam Deck can be, depending on use case, abysmal. If you plan to play graphically intense games, your Deck will run warm and battery might be fully drained within 2~ hours.

These are the main drawbacks I can think of. Personally, I still adore my steam deck and just like the chill couch/bed gaming experience I get from it, despite the negative aspects. It almost fully replaced normal PC gaming for me, since I just don't need the KBM scheme that much for my games and I don't feel like sitting in front of a desk all the time anymore. Oh, and emulation possibilities for retro gaming are amazing.

You're posting on a steamdeck group and you expect any different? Steamdeck can do so much. You can work through your shelf of shame (we all have that right?), emulate older games. It's a little bulky imo for long sessions compared to the switch lite but it's functionality overweighs the ergonomics issues. I just treat it as a built in hey-you're-playing-too-long mechanism

In my opinion, you really have to have clear expectations. It will struggle to play newer games (Returnal, etc.) and is best to think of it as a portable PS4/XB1 gen device. If you're fine with that and want to clear your backlog, play PC games, then I think what's on offer here is amazing - the controller is by far the best controller I've ever used and the trackpads don't get praised near enough for how much versatility they add with Steam Input (like virtual menus and so on). It's to the point where I want to play even PS5 through my Steam Deck using Chiaki4deck, even when I'm right next to it, because the controller is so far ahead of any other controller.

I use my boyfriend's to emulate Gameboy and Wii games and it's definitely worth it for that

The Steam Deck is a great device.

Connecting it to a Gamepad and TV or Monitor is also possible.

get a cheap docking-dongle with power in and video, ethernet, and usb-a adapters plus a bluetooth wireless keyboard to make it a full PC you can use from the couch!

then get a couple wireless xbox controllers and you got the best couch gaming setup around.

It cant run the latest and greatest games at high res, but there are thousands of good games it can run just fine

I'd wait a few more days at least. There's a Steam Sale coming up soon, and the last one unexpectedly offered discounts on the Deck. No guarantee they'll do it again, but it's possible enough to be worth waiting that little extra while if you think you'll want one

Depends on the games you like to play. I've been working through a bunch of metroidvanias and it's great. I would much rather sit on the couch with my Deck in hand than sit in front of my PC with a controller.

Others here have probably mentioned it, but I've heard the Deck is fantastic in situations where you use a main powerhouse PC to run a game (especially at the Deck's resolution of 800p), then stream it through your local network to the Deck.

I don't do that, but I daily drive a Steam Deck and can attest that it's a fantastic device handheld. It'll play a TON of stuff at low/medium settings natively, and you have a big PC to handle the top tear graphics-card-melters, which you can stream from (in that scenario the Deck is fine as it takes very little of the load).

My only caution point is the small screen. It's 7 inches diagonal, so small print in games can be tough, especially if you have 40s eyes like me. Otherwise, it's exceeded wildly beyond my expectations.

In my opinion, if you own a computer - a streamdeck is a great investment regardless.

I mostly use my computer for software development, and web development and i have to say that the streamdeck has been a lifesaver in those regards.
I do play games once in a while, including Euro Truck Simulator 2 on my other gaming rig and i wouldn't be able to play it without a streamdeck. I have mapped most of the binds to keys, and use my streamdeck to press those keys. Its really handy.
Same goes for the other car simulator i play, i use the streamdeck on Live For Speed to send pre-defined text messages, as well as ignition, lights, TC etc.

Anyway, i tried to keep this comment short. Sorry.
One last thing: I have had it for around 3 years now and would not be able to replace it anytime soon.

I've been able to play a lot more video games thanks to the steamdeck. Something about having to turn on the tv, making sure the controllers are charged, and having a loud console creating more heat in the room just deters me from playing usually. But i've realized I've always been more of a handheld gamer.

I'm going to offer an alternative.

Steam lets you streamplay games from your computer to another computer.
Your phone is a computer.

You don't like the built in controls for a phone.
You can pair xbox and ps5 controllers to androids phones with little to no effort. Not sure about other phone OS's, and quite frankly, not my bag baby.

So now you have a controller hooked up to your phone, and it's channeling games from your computer over wifi.

Never had a cause to try it personally, but I might just do that and come back to confirm it works.

Might save you a couple bucks for your kids college fund.

Edit: I hooked it up and it worked on my android phone. I had to download Valve's "Steam Link" app, the regular Steam app didn't want to do it. Hooking up a PS5 controller was pretty straightforward, just holding the ps button and the screenshot button until it flashes and scanning for a bluetooth device. I used wired headphones for the sound, not sure if wireless headphones would have issues with a phone pairing to multiple bluetooth devices at the same time, I know that's sometimes a problem for phones.

Not only does it work well for Steam games, it’s also really convenient for streaming PlayStation and Xbox games.

I think its worth because its more than just games. A full linux desktop with an unlocked bootloader. You actually own the device unlike a switch.

Absolutely. You can also stream games from your desktop to the steam deck. The only caveat is what people said already: some games have small text on the screen and don't work well. So consider if what you like playing would work on a handheld.

Non-Steam games can be a bit of a pain, and the biggest issue for me is the lack of native Game Pass support.

Otherwise, it's been fantastic for me. Performance is way better than specifications might suggest, so it's not like you're limited to simple games.

The best thing is being able to game in bed.

Yeah, it's spectacular for your exact use case. Plus, a cheap dock/hub can let you play multiplayer pc games like duck game (with mods!) on your TV!

I love my steam deck and got it for exactly the same reason. I love being able to sit with my wife or kids and play my games while they play their own or watch TV. We can still interact and I get to play a lot more games than I used to.

I don’t have one yet and I think it’s worth it. I will be getting one shortly, everything I have read and seen shows it’s truly one of a kind.

Once I get my money it will be purchased.

If your PC is much more powerful than Steam Deck you should be able to play on it remotely from the Deck. I recently do all my gaming remotely on a PC in a different room, from my laptop. In my case both are running Linux, but Windows PC should work as well for this purpose.

Definitely worth it. I got mine not long after we had our baby as I missed gaming and wanted to squeeze in a few minutes to pick up and play games when I could; as others have said the suspend feature is really useful for that. Also emulators opens up a whole new level of choice and recently I got Xbox gamepass ultimate and I haven't really noticed much lag or performance issues from streaming.

I’ve never been a PC gamer (mainly cause I have always been in the Apple ecosystem), but have always wanted to get into it. Have felt like I’ve been missing out a lot.

I’ve considered a Steam Deck, because I’ve heard so many great things, including that it’s helped reignite passions for gaming in many people! But my concern is that I already am so busy and struggle to find time to sit down and game with my Switch or Xbox…I don’t know if getting a Steam Deck would even really make much of a difference in helping me play more at this point. Could be a pretty costly investment for myself if I don’t end up using it a ton.

Anyway, that’s my two cents. If you are gaming regularly and want to be able to do more “mobile” PC gaming, it’s probably a good option!

Honestly since I got mine a few months after they started shipping my gaming PC has mostly been collecting dust. I don't play a lot of MP games anymore, and the ability to just sit on the couch with the wife and game while she's watching TV or whatever is the best.

The 2-4 hours of battery I get has never been a problem, I'm usually ready to put it down by the time the battery is running dry.

I think for people who want to be a little more flexible with their gaming it's really the perfect system for it.

Steam Deck got me back into gaming. It has gotten to the point that if I can't play it on the Deck, I won't play it at all. I have a PC, Ps5, and a Switch and the SD has become my primary device. I absolutely LOVE it and it has been one of the best purchases I've made in years

I personally find it uncomfortable. I tried a couple of games on my boyfriend's Steam Deck. I didn't really like the controls for either game, they were probably more designed around keyboard and mouse so it was awkward to play them. Overall it wasn't comfortable to hold and I haven't had any desire to use it again. On the other hand, my boyfriend uses his all the time now. The biggest problem I currently have is constantly trading the power cord because he always needs to keep plugging it in, the battery life seems abysmal.

I suppose keep in mind what kind of interface the games you like have - do they play well with a controller or do you need to add in a keyboard and mouse to your family room setup? With games that require controllers, I prefer the Switch for comfort (downside is buying a whole separate set of games from PC). My hands are tiny, so the detachable Switch controllers suit me well, plus I like holding one Joycon in each hand so I can hold my arms in different positions instead of holding onto one joined controller with both hands. For keyboard and mouse games, I don't mind playing PC games on my laptop when I feel like playing on the couch because that doesn't strain my wrists like the weight of the Steam Deck does.

I don't play much, mostly because of work and life...but partly because the time I have to spend with the family is short and my gaming pc is remote from where we all hang out. I got a set of Shokz bluetooth headphones to pair with my deck, and it's made gaming in the living room a nearly friction-free event. The headphones mean that I can hear the game as well as everyone in the room, but they don't have to listen to my gaming - they can have the TV on or be reading a book or surfing. The pause functionality (for single player games, of course) means I can look up and become part of the conversation almost as easy as if I was reading a book. If it's not a financial burden, I'd say go for it.

I bought it last year, and I could not have been happier. It is awesome. Although I also have a gaming laptop, I reach for Steam Deck more often - it's because of it being a hand held.

The moment that there will be a next version of Steam Deck, I am ordering it.

Steam Decks are one of the best handles Ive ever held. The whole set of controls is just amazing. The trackpads are just great. Being able to sleep at anytime like a Switch is amazing.

On the other hand... it is heavy, not all games work great, and controls can be iffy on some games. But Community Controls fix most of that.

I'm generally a console gamer because I like joysticks and not fussing with software installations. That being said I love my steam deck and I am overjoyed at the ability to play PC games. Steam and the community really make gaming easy for folks who might need more help.

I like it but I have only been playing cyberpunk and harry potter. The hardware is pretty good for the price. I got the top one for more drive space since I want to play around with it as a sorta laptop replacement. If I ever get my lazy but in gear on it. If your just using games I don't see the need to have more than a few on it at any particular time (at least large main ones) so I would think the base woudl be fine.

Totally worth it IMO. If you are not a mobile gamer it can still serve as fairly inexpensive gaming PC with the help of the dock. The bonus is, you can take this PC to play on a couch with you ;)

I was in exactly the situation you're in. Do it. You'll get your pc gaming time back. I went from "I never play anything" to "daily gaming again"

I'm considering getting one as well. Putting it off until a gifting holiday as they're expensive. Only debating between the cheapest and second cheapest size - I would get a microSD expansion either way but I'm not sure if it's better to have the additional space or not. Odds are I would only have two or three games installed at a time really.

I like my steam deck. It is a big device. The other thing to consider is the games you will be playing. It runs steamos out of the box, so not every game works on it. It is a decent amount, but something also to consider.

Easily the smartest purchase I've made in a decade. Primarily a console player, but I love modding, so this thing seemed like a slam dunk. I've had mine for almost a year and it is an absolute champion, I'm seriously thinking about abandoning my main PC even for normal PC functions and just going deeper down the Linux rabbit hole, because the Deck has been such a treat.

You're probably not going to find many people recommending against the Steam Deck on a Steam Deck forum, but they're a wonderful device. My beefy desktop PC is still my main gaming rig, but the Steam Deck is awesome for travel or just being present in the room while my wife is watching TV or something.

I really like my steam deck. But if you have problems with your eyes, they get tired very soon (especially after a long day at work). My most played games are No Man's Sky and Dead Cells. No Man's Sky has sometimes much text, which isn't really comfortable on the deck for me. The best advice is to consider which games you're gonna play on the deck. I can't recommend it for games with much text.

I got the Steam Deck in November 2022, and it was all I played games on until this month. What they've made is really amazing, it'll run just about anything from any launcher and more. I recently beat Dusk on there, and I would have never imagined playing a game like that with a controller, but the touchpad and back buttons made it so easy. It's the most versatile game system I've ever owned.