This year there is a new hard-to-get game console that is not a Sony or Microsoft product. Only it can be purchased online. Most casual game players don't know about it.
The $400 steam deck is a console as basic as it sounds. The hand-held device, a slab of bulky black plastic with a built-in game controller, has the guts of a computer. It is like a gaming computer and a Nintendo switch had a child.
The consoles arrived recently after Valve began taking orders for the steam deck last year. Estimates suggest that hundreds of thousands have been shipped. If you try to order one today, you won't get it until autumn.
Valve tried to blend the benefits of modern game devices in the creation of the steam deck. There are gaming-dedicated computers, Nintendo's hand-held Switch, Sony's PS5 and Microsoft's Xbox Series X, which are living room consoles with faster computing chips for playing more intense games.
The steam deck is trying to be a jack of all those trades It has the ability to load a huge swath of new games, including titles made for personal computers and some PS and XBOX games. As with a computer, the Steam Deck can be tailored to run older games by installing emulated software, which can run digital copies of games for older consoles.
I decided to give the steam deck a try because I grew up with consoles. I think this is the best console for serious gaming fans who don't mind doing some tinkering to enjoy games new and old. It is definitely not for people who are looking for a plug-and-play experience.
The Steam Deck is a fully digital console that only plays games on the internet. The Steam app store is where the majority of titles will be found. Users need to set up a steam account to play games.
There are many choices from there. Counter-Strike and Among Us are two popular games that can be played on steam. Final Fantasy VII: ReMake is one of the titles that was previously exclusive to the PS.
Those who are adventurous can move to other places to play more games. The Steam Deck can be converted into a small Linux computer that can be controlled with a virtual keyboard and a small controller.
If you open a web browser, you will be able to download files that will allow you to set up the Steam Deck to work with the Xbox Game Pass to play games made for older consoles such as the Atari from the 1970s and the PSPortable.
The steam deck was fun to use in my tests Modern games with intense graphics like Monster Hunter Rise and the controller felt comfortable to use.
It was difficult to run games outside of the steam store. I watched a lot of videos to learn how to install a script on the device. It took more than an hour. I had to use my own keyboard and mouse because the steam deck's keyboard and trackpad didn't register clicks.
There were situations where people would need to use a keyboard and mouse, according to Valve.
I had a sweet setup running games that were new and old, like Vampire Survivors and Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII.
The practicality and polish of mainstream gaming devices make it difficult to recommend the steam deck to casual users.
I wouldn't take one with me on a trip or to a cafe because it defeats its purpose as a mobile device. Its battery life is not good. Even though I was playing games with minimal graphics, the steam deck lasted 90 minutes before I needed to plug it in.
It's large and heavy for a portable device. The Nintendo Switch is a portable that can last up to four hours on a charge.
While tinkering is optional, it is one of the main selling points of the steam deck, and compared with using a gaming computer, customizing the steam deck is not fun or easy.
Some people may not like the Steam Deck approach to buying games, but it will be seen as a dealbreaker by a lot of people.
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