Steam Deck Portable PC Games Hardware

SML

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Joking aside, it actually seems like a good device. It's twice the cost of a cheap switch, but indie games on steam are half the price compared to the nintendo store.

It's less than half of what you'd probably pay for the comparable devices that are on the market right now.

Valve is already selling it at a loss and they're likely to take down at least a couple of the other producers of handheld PCs, regardless of whether or not they've forgotten the deck exists this time next year.

It's like getting an ad-supported fire tablet on prime day because you're just going to run it through fire toolbox anyway.
 
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Jeneki

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I like the idea behind this as I already have a steam library, but I will wait for now. I hope it does well enough to warrant some alternate versions, in particular I'd want something with the d-pad placed in a nicer position (and put some texture on it to help grip the thumb).
 

SML

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I'm not sure this makes sense on Valve's end.

It makes sense for console manufacturers to sell at a loss, on the assumption that you'll make the money back in other ways.

It makes sense for Amazon to sell the Kindle at a loss, since *enough* buyers will keep themselves locked in Amazon's ecosystem, and the steepest discounts are reserved for people who are in the ecosystem through a prime subscription anyway.

The steam deck is a windows-capable PC. How many buyers are going to keep themselves locked into Steam OS? How much additional software do they expect to sell thanks to the deck? Just how much loss is Valve eating on each unit?

From my earlier link:

Steam Deck - $399/529/649

GPD Win Max 2021 - $1250/1750

ONEXPLAYER - $1059/1199

AYA Neo - $925/1015

GPD Win 3 - $1040/1215

One GX1 Pro - $1399

At the price points Valve has set for the Steam Deck, how are third party manufacturers supposed to produce "steam decks" of their own?

The price point seems to be geared toward creating a large user base, after which Valve will leave hardware production to third parties, as was the plan for steam machines, but I just don't see how, or why, third parties would have an incentive to do so.

It's way too expensive to replace the switch and way too cheap to sell without a cut of software sales.

I bought my queue spot assuming that the deck will be a "failure."
 

SpamYouToDeath

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I'm not sure this makes sense on Valve's end.

It makes sense for console manufacturers to sell at a loss, on the assumption that you'll make the money back in other ways.

It makes sense for Amazon to sell the Kindle at a loss, since *enough* buyers will keep themselves locked in Amazon's ecosystem, and the steepest discounts are reserved for people who are in the ecosystem through a prime subscription anyway.

The steam deck is a windows-capable PC. How many buyers are going to keep themselves locked into Steam OS? How much additional software do they expect to sell thanks to the deck? Just how much loss is Valve eating on each unit?
Microsoft is drooling at the possibility of turning their ecosystem into an App Store walled-garden. Valve needs an escape route. Selling millions of PCs that run Linux by default is a shot at that, I believe.
 
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SML

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Microsoft is drooling at the possibility of turning their ecosystem into an App Store walled-garden. Valve needs an escape route. Selling millions of PCs that run Linux by default is a shot at that, I believe.

You know, I was thinking that improved Proton and better dev support for Linux would be side-effects of the device, and it hadn't really occurred to me that those might be primary goals.
 

Jarofmayo

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I find it very funny people think this will really be the nintendo switch killer.
As if everyone with a switch is going to buy this and stop buying switch games. Let alone even out sell it.
 

pixeljunkie

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I find it very funny people think this will really be the nintendo switch killer.
As if everyone with a switch is going to buy this and stop buying switch games. Let alone even out sell it.
I doubt many believe that, just sounds like marketing BS.
 

heihachi

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So I reserved one of these (not gonna have it until Q3 next year apparently) but I’m also not sure how this thing is actually going to fit in the market. Any new games I’m going to play on the next gen consoles, Switch is still going to be relevant for all the Nintendo stuff, which leaves Steam deck for…games I got cheap in a Steam sale I guess? Kinda glad I’ll have a year to see what this thing is actually like when people have them in hand.
 

Neo Alec

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NeoSneth's post mirrors my thoughts exactly. I know the online community is excited for this, but I've seen every PC console (Ouya, etc, etc) come and go, and each time someone told me this time things will be different. As for this being the first successful PC console, I'll believe it when I see it.
 

100proof

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The problem with NeoSneth's meme is that half of those devices weren't made by Valve. The only real knock on Valve's hardware record is the Steam Controller which was a total dud. The Index was great hardware and its controllers are also super nice. The Steam Link does exactly what it was designed to do. Steam Boxes were just branding (that's like knocking Nintendo because the CDI Zelda game is shit) and the HTC Vive was the premiere VR device on the market for years. VR is just a niche market.

I'm not getting one of these because I don't play games on handhelds and I don't see this as a "Switch killer" (mostly because the Switch is already a well-established platform and Nintendo fans are hopeless sycophants) but the only way this thing could be a "failure" is if it has hardware issues. Even if it doesn't sell and Valve eventually discontinues it, it'll still have more, better and cheaper games and a better gaming platform than any other device like it.
 

Cousin_Itt

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I kinda see the versatility of this. But let’s face it, how many people are buying this so they can play FFXIV on the toilet?
 

Tripredacus

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At the price points Valve has set for the Steam Deck, how are third party manufacturers supposed to produce "steam decks" of their own?
Valve has the advantage on the price point because they are using the margins from sales in order to offset the retail price. Also wouldn't be surprised if it doesn't come with some sort of trial software that has royalty kickbacks to Steam, a tactic that computer manufacturers use to compete in the retail market.
 

SpamYouToDeath

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Other PC makers could also benefit, if developers target the weaker Steam Deck instead of beefy gaming PCs. Maybe nobody makes a $400 device and competes directly, but those $400 desktops at the Wal-Mart will be more useful with developers targeting AMD APUs.

(As it stands, PC game developers buy a workstation with a Xeon and a GeForce, work for 2 years on only that machine, and then panic about 2 weeks before they ship to make the game work on anything else.)
 

NeoSneth

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controller support already sucks in many Steam games. I have several games that do not work unless you have an Xbox controller, presumably from piss poor porting. It'll be interesting to see how easy this is to pick up and play....or configure Xpadder

Half the cost of comparable PC devices isn't all that interesting when it's main competitor is still the switch.
 

oliverclaude

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I kinda see the versatility of this. But let’s face it, how many people are buying this so they can play FFXIV on the toilet?
Versatility should come first, portability second. I'm somewhat interested in this part:

Deck can be plugged in to your TV​

Deck can be plugged in to your TV, monitor, or even your old CRT if you have the right cables.
Would this include variable resolutions even down to 240p?
 

SML

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Half the cost of comparable PC devices isn't all that interesting when it's main competitor is still the switch.

I'd really love to know how many people actually see it as a switch competitor, or how many people will still be thinking of it that way when they start coming out. Is it because the timing for this and the OLED were so close?

Maybe I'm the odd one out in that I know what I'm getting and why I'm getting it. My most recent console was the wii and all my controller-based gaming has been with a 360 or a Shield controller. I'm still using my Shield Handheld for in-home streaming. The deck isn't going to surprise me unless it has hardware issues like 100proof mentioned.
 
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Cousin_Itt

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let me just say, I have little to no intention of purchasing this. I doubt any parent would consider this for their child. Theoretically, you are buying a portable pc with infinite modification for the right price. Install windows so you can use gamepass, install epic game store for fortnite, install all the emulators your heart desires, all with less performance than the Xbox series s and twice the bulk of the Nintendo switch and for at least $100 more than either.
 

Tripredacus

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You can be assured it is not a $400 device
controller support already sucks in many Steam games. I have several games that do not work unless you have an Xbox controller, presumably from piss poor porting. It'll be interesting to see how easy this is to pick up and play....or configure Xpadder

Half the cost of comparable PC devices isn't all that interesting when it's main competitor is still the switch.
Steam only supports XInput controllers by default. If you want to use some other controller you need to use a controller emulator, like x360ce or that other one I forget. End result is that any non-Xinput controller is detected as xinput and the buttons can then be mapped. So if I use my Xbox 360 controller, it just works. If I use the PS3 DS3 or the PS2 DS2 using a USB adapter, I have to run the controller emulator to get it to work. For Steam games, just putting x360ce into the game folder does the trick.
 

SpamYouToDeath

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You can be assured it is not a $400 device

Steam only supports XInput controllers by default. If you want to use some other controller you need to use a controller emulator, like x360ce or that other one I forget. End result is that any non-Xinput controller is detected as xinput and the buttons can then be mapped. So if I use my Xbox 360 controller, it just works. If I use the PS3 DS3 or the PS2 DS2 using a USB adapter, I have to run the controller emulator to get it to work. For Steam games, just putting x360ce into the game folder does the trick.
On Linux, the standard for Steam games is SDL2. SDL2's Game Controller library does this automatically for anything like a 360 pad. It worked out-of-the-box with PS3, PS4, 360, and XBone controllers last time I tried.
 
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oliverclaude

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I bought my queue spot assuming that the deck will be a "failure."
My guess is, that failing will depend on how well Valve hits China. The original Steam was already allowed through China's governmental firewalls for years and it's worth to mention, that by November 2017, more than half of the Steam userbase was fluent in Chinese. Since early this year, they launched an official sanctioned version of their distribution there. I see the timing of their Deck's release mostly within this context.
 

NeoSneth

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My guess is, that failing will depend on how well Valve hits China. The original Steam was already allowed through China's governmental firewalls for years and it's worth to mention, that by November 2017, more than half of the Steam userbase was fluent in Chinese. Since early this year, they launched an official sanctioned version of their distribution there. I see the timing of their Deck's release mostly within this context.

China doesnt pay for games.... There is no market for gaming in china unless it's based on a subscription or is controlled by tencent.
 
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