Get to know everything about Steam Deck at one place. Whether you want to know features, specifications, price, or compare it with other devices!
REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD BUY A VALVE STEAM DECK
Take a quick breath and get to see what to know before buying a Steam Deck. All of the most important points have been mentioned below to enlighten you.
Size
If you are eager to know what is the size of Steam Deck and whether it really is portable or not then you’d be happy. Steam Deck is almost a foot wide and has a pretty good screen on which you can play your games. The weight isn’t really bothering as is only a pound and a half. With this size, the buttons are ideally adjusted and you have a good grip on them. You can’t keep it in your pant pockets but some space in a bag would be perfect. The lightness of the device and comfortable grip make everything worth it. After all, you are holding a console!
Screen
1280 x 800 7-inch LCD touchscreen is really like a dream come true. Try to buy the 512GB model because its screen has a special anti-glare coating that is useful for better sight and health point of view.
Steam Deck – Valve
Performance
We must say that after this much use, it is a pride to say that no matter what game you play, Steam Deck won’t let you down. The device keeps on smooth gaming without any such loading or hanging problems. Our experience has been the same whether tried the bigger and heavier games or the lighter ones.
Display on monitor
If you do not feel satisfied with the 7cm screen or at home then no need to dock/plug your Steam Deck into your monitor screen. The Steam Software would connect the screen wirelessly. Fun and easy, right?
Battery Life
With 2-8 hours of battery life in general, everything linked to it depends on you and your pick. The bigger games you pick, the more battery they’ll suck, and vice versa with the shorter ones.
Emulation
There is something that you should realize before buying Steam Deck. The emulation of this device is absolutely awesome and no one would deny this (we bet!).
Sleep Mode
Would you believe that Steam Deck has a Sleep Mode? Yes, it has and this is actually brought a revolution to the industry. This is why we have mentioned that it is perfect if you have longer traveling due to work or studies, or both. Just make sure it is charged.
Updates
You might be astonished to know that the device offers to be updated every alternate day or so. Well, this is a good thing as bugs and other glitch problems are solved with every new update. Plus, the company desires to take Steam Deck to a new level though it has been a few months only since its launch.
HOW MUCH BUDGET IS NEEDED FOR STEAM DECK
The starting price of a Steam Deck is $399, which is not really very expensive when it comes to gaming consoles. However, you have hopefully read that this is only the starting price, the further you go for advancements, the amount adds up. Then again, even after all the additions, it doesn’t seem as costly as buying a brand-new latest console.
WHICH STEAM DECK MODEL SHOULD YOU BUY?
The idea that which Valve Steam Deck you should buy should be determined by your need and budget. Look, the higher you go in terms of storage and speed, the cost would be directly proportional too. Below we have listed the pros and cons of all three models available of Steam Deck.
Model 1
Is a 64GB steam deck worth it? This is the question we hear the most because this one is the cheapest model. It has eMMC storage for $399 only. What comes with it is a carrying case (plain black). If you are a quick player with short games like puzzles and others then this model is ideal. After all, a microSD card can help you with storage in this and all other models too. But the offside is that its boot speed is quite low.
Model 2
The model 2 has 256GB with NVMe storage. Plus, you can have an SSD option too. All this comes for $529. If it comes to reviews and overall experience then most of the users tend to this one. In terms of price and functioning, model 2 with 256GB works with perfection. With this one arrive a carrying case and an exclusive Steam Community profile bundle which is good.
Model 3
The 512GB model with NVMe storage and SSD is available for $649. The high price might quote that Steam Deck creators have given their best in this one. There is no denial to it. Buy if your pocket allows. Some perks offered by Steam Deck to lurk you toward this one include an exclusive carrying case, an exclusive Steam Community profile bundle, and an exclusive virtual keyboard theme.
IS STEAM DECK BETTER THAN NINTENDO SWITCH?
Steam Deck Vs Nintendo Switch
Size And Weight
You might be surprised to hear this but Steam Deck is half a pound heavier and two inches thicker than Nintendo Switch. While the most astonishing part is that both have the same size screens which is 7cm. Consequently, the grip on Switch isn’t as comfortable as Steam Deck.
Steam Deck Games
You can try the Verified on Deck which are also known as Deck games, ProtonDB, and last but not the least, Steam Library games. Whichever you find under the umbrella of the above three would run swiftly on the device. But still, we have some of the best games played on Valve Steam Deck by pro gamers. It is not necessary that you try limited games because whether you pick PC games or the ones from Steam Library, each works seamlessly as added to your list. If you desire to run multiple games at once and you would have no obstruction in that too. If you see a gray “Unsupported” icon on any game then consider the option of leaving it as it’s not compatible with Steam Deck.
FPS
Switch does not offer you to play games with higher FPS but that’s not an issue with Steam Deck. Play games with higher FPS on them and you’ll feel it smooth and under control.
Battery
Though the battery life of Steam Deck relies on the game we pick but, Switch is better in this case. If you play the same game on both devices then you’ll observe that battery of Steam Deck would drain comparatively faster.
Other Options
Without a doubt, Steam Deck offers its users higher clock speeds, more flexibility, bigger RAM, faster and swift storage options, and more tech-friendly CPU and GPU architectures. So, Switch doesn’t really match up to Steam Deck in the mentioned elements.
Other then Steam Deck, are you interested in Wallpaper Engine too? Maybe you should know more about this with one click.
ADDITIONAL SPECIFICATIONS
Additional Specifications of Steam Deck you should have in mind are listed. Scroll down.
Battery
- 40Whr
- 2-8 hours battery life
Sound system
- 2 x stereo speakers
- Dual microphone array
Storage and memory
- Depends on which model you buy. There are three (detailed above).
CPU
- AMD APU
- CPU: Zen 2 4c/8t, 2.4-3.5GHz (up to 448 GFlops FP32)
- GPU: 8 RDNA 2 CUs, 1.0-1.6GHz (up to 1.6 TFlops FP32)
- APU power: 4-15W
Camera
- No camera in any of the Steam Deck models.
Color
- Only available in black across the globe
HOW CAN I BUY A STEAM DECK?
The thing is pretty simple! The only place from where you can buy it is the official Steam Deck website. Order and enjoy when the parcel gets delivered to you. The item is not there in any stores for direct shopping.
ENDING NOTE…
The question that arises, in the end, is “Should I buy a Steam Deck?” Well, the answer would be yes, you should if you can afford it. Moreover, try it if you are comfortable with Linux and want your traveling moments to be fun. You can actually use this handheld in the train, sub, car, or even your home. You don’t need a big monitor, space, or mess for playing your favorite PC games. Keep in mind that game modding is not for this device so if you are looking for that then Steam Deck might not be your pick.
