Topic: Valve's Steam Deck console Thread

I still love the gamepad! I don’t understand why so many hated it…

The Wii U Gamepad is indeed very ergonomic for a controller of its size thanks to the light weight.

I'd think that the Steam Deck is going to be a fair bit heavier due to the battery and cooling system though, so it's going to be a somewhat different experience. Hopefully still a good one though.

Gamepad was super comfy. My issue with it was the glossy finish served as a fingerprint and dust magnet, the cheap non-capacitive 480p screen disappointed, and the deep recess of the screen resulted in dust and dirt constantly getting stuck along the edges and corners of the screen, which itself was also a dust and dirt magnet.

If it had a screen like Switch, at 720p capacitive that wasn't recessed, it might have been my favorite controller of all time.

Deck is the weight of a Switch OLED and a Switch Lite combined. I tried it out- it does feel heavy. But the Deck will be much wider with an ergonomic grip, so the weight will feel more evenly dispersed. And, I'm sure we will adjust to it with a bit of use.

@rockodoodle the gamepad plays well enough altough it is a bit too light for my taste (I also prefer wireless controllers because of the extra weight from batteries). But the main thing is that it was a gimmick that detracted from the perfect position for gaming aka with a smaller controller in yours hands under a blanket

I'll be sticking to Switch for Rise, as it already looks great on OLED and gets 5 hr battery life. But this is still amazing, and foreshadows all the hours I'm gonna spend in World on this thing...

Anouma = Switch Lite
Miyamoto = Switch
Reggie = Steam Deck

Mmm, first units are shipping next month.

I don't have one on order myself but I am keen to grab one eventually.

Oh lord, this thing is huge.

@Ralizah
And people said the Wii U game pad was bad.

It is big, definitely a chonky boy, but that picture is deceiving given how small Vita was.

We've known it's about the size of a Wii U gamepad (slightly wider but not as tall). Here is a comparison to the gamepad.

And the case is extremely efficient which minimizes the travel size as best possible

It's also about twice as thick as the Wii U gamepad at the grips and weighs about 35% more.

You'll presumably be able to get a good hold on one but it's probably not going to fit into your trouser pocket.

No, I don't think anyone is under the impression the Deck is a pocketable handheld. Even if you could, it wouldn't be advised. PC handhelds are much less durable and fragile. You definitely want them protected in a case.

The grips are a massive plus, as it makes the system more ergonomic to hold right out of the box. Considering its larger size, it's actually rather impressive how lightweight it is

Eh, does anyone put even a Switch Lite just in a pocket ....? I certainly wouldn't! I'm sure there'll be various cases done for Steam Deck as well as theirs

@JaxonH I've carried my original GPD Win around in my pocket a fair bit. The newer ones tend to be a fair bit larger, more expensive and power hungry though I'd be inclined to agree that nobody's really pursuing the idea of a pocketable PC right now.

@BruceCM It's an option:

(Women and the fashion conscious might struggle a bit mind you.)

Seriously, I know a lot of people prefer to carry theirs around in a bag or a case and that's fine. You're just going to need a bigger one for the Steam Deck.

I'd definitely put it in a case if I was taking it out, @Matt_Barber .... I think most people here use cases, too! Feel free to run a poll if you're curious

All this discussion about how large it is has had me wondering how many people actually play the Switch in handheld mode outside of their home and how many carry it in their pockets. If it is comfortable to hold, I find the size irrelevant. The weight of the Steam Deck could be a problem, grip though looks fantastic. The only complaint I have is how huge the bezels are, there is a ton of space to fit a larger screen.

Initially I was interested in it, but really can't be bothered ordering it only to receive it a minimum of 6 months later. If it is a success and gets a newer version with improvements, I might go for it.

I've always carried my handhelds around in cases outside of the house. My phones and tablets also live in protective cases that cover both sides and have screen protectors installed. Pocketability is never a consideration.

With that said, I'm increasingly thinking this is probably going to be a little heftier than I like. There's a reason I opt for my Switch Lite over Switch Phat for handheld play nine times out of ten, after all.

Putting a Switch Lite in a case and into your pocket aren't mutually exclusive. There are a lot designed to fit very snugly around it - like a phone one would - without adding much additional bulk. As for what the majority do, I don't really care. It just suits me to be able to carry it around that way and big factor in me getting the Switch Lite was a return to a size where that was possible.

Obviously it's not the be-all-and-end-all though and the Steam Deck is certainly comes with a lot of extra benefits for its size. It just ends up in that class of devices like large tablets and small laptops where you're really going to need a backpack to take it out and about.

I'd still be fairly confident in it being good for handheld use though; the weight is about the same as the larger iPad Pro, which already sees a fair bit of use as a premium gaming device, and the larger grips will probably make it feel lighter than it is.

Yeah, some trousers have quite big pockets, @Matt_Barber .... Perhaps there'll be a lite version of the Steam Deck in a few years?

So, limited hardware reviews are dropping.

The Phawx says, basically, for performance-heavy AAA games, you're gonna get 4 hrs battery life if you're running at low settings and capping at 30fps. Even on higher settings at 30, you'll get between 3-4 hrs. And you're gonna get around 2 hrs battery life if you're running high settings at 60fps.

Thats... acceptable. Battery life has always been the catch to these devices. And like he says- it doesn't matter how amazing the device is if it only runs for 10 minutes. That would be worthless to us. Battery life is crucial, absolutely crucial. Win3 is a super powerful device, but it's also only 90 minute battery life for any AAA game.

Being able to offer 3-4 hrs for modern AAA games is a miracle as far as I'm concerned. Obviously that's capped at 30fps, but that should go without saying. It's a handheld, after all. And the fact you can still run 60fps if you want, is a nice option. Maybe youre plugged in or don't plan on playing that long, or maybe the game isn't as demanding. Then go 60 all day. But me? I'm frame limiting at 30 across the board. I need respectable battery life, otherwise what's the point.