Steam Deck (handheld from Valve) - shipping is 4-8 days from NL to UK

[yakumo]

12 minutes ago, wavey said:

 

Loss of SteamOS functionality - yes, you lose e.g. the automatic graphics memory management SteamOS does, so I put it up to 4G in the BIOS. By default you lose the menus that pop up for the Steam and ... buttons, but I've not looked into those at all yet. For Steam, the experience is exactly the same as a desktop running big picture mode, with the same kind of Steam overlays and configuration options. Valve do provide Windows drivers for the GPU, Bluetooth, audio, wifi etc.

 

Performance - I remember seeing benchmarks where people have measured a performance loss under Windows, but it's not something I've noticed while playing.

 

Configuration being a hassle - not that I've noticed, any more than on a standard Windows desktop. But I haven't looked at e.g. optimizing the battery performance, so if that's a concern I'd do more research first.

 

Controller - there are a few ways to support the controller in Windows I believe (outside of Steam - inside, it works perfectly). I use this app, but haven't tried out any of the alternatives yet.

 

At the moment, I must say I have something that doesn't feel like a console at all outside of the games themselves, and it's a question of taste whether you're alright with that or not. I'm sure I could get it booting into some kind of frontend to make it nicer, but for me it's not worth the hassle. I have it booting to a Windows desktop - it's ugly and a lot less nice to use than the SteamOS deck mode, but like I say, I was aiming for the stability and compatibility of games more than anything else.

 

Thanks , yeah it does sound more I should wait until duelos is officially introduced in Steam OS 3.0 before thinking of snagging one. I'm so tempted but while I don't fiddling with controls, I'm not sure if I have the patience.

[spatular]

14 hours ago, wavey said:

Suspend / resume works perfectly

 

oh that's cool, i'd assumed that wouldn't work on windows. and thanks for the windows impressions, as that's how i'd want to run it if i get one.

[shirubagan]

Windows 11 is stuck in an endless loop of "Preparing Automatic Repair" and doing nothing, making the fans go haywire or just going to a blank screen (screen is still on).

 

No idea how to get past this screen... any ideas bar a format of the SD card & reinstall?

[deerokus]

I honestly don't think the tradeoffs are worth it to install windows. It's slightly fiddly but easy to get the vast majority of non-steam games working in steam OS with all the benefits that provides without having to go the windows route.

 

Apart from game pass games, most of which I play on series x anyway.

 

If you're only going to use it docked to a monitor as a really cheap gaming pc, maybe?

 

 

Meanwhile, Days Gone is kind of staggering on this. I'm enjoying it more than I ever did on PS4 due to the handheldness (it seems to be running on higher graphic settings even)

[wavey]

Gamepass was the main attraction for me, but yeah, it's definitely not something I would recommend to everyone. If you're not having any problems, stick with SteamOS, it looks like updates are regular and it will only get better over time.

[shirubagan]

I have no clue what I'm doing with Windows at all and was mucking about with it on an SSD for Game Pass, but yesterday's updates seem to have borked it. I'll stick to SteamOS until Win11 is officially supported/I can get someone who knows what they're doing to set it up for me.

[T Pot]

4 hours ago, SaintAnselm said:

Are you able to download Roms directly onto the Deck, or am I going to have too dust off my laptop from 2010.

 

Yep. I have about 800 Games across SNES / NES / MD and GB and 15 or so PS2 / Gamecube. I did it all on the deck in handheld mode. I haven't connected it up to anything external yet!

[T Pot]

3 hours ago, wavey said:

I have it booting to a Windows desktop - it's ugly and a lot less nice to use than the SteamOS deck mode, but like I say, I was aiming for the stability and compatibility of games more than anything else.

 

Could you just have Steam open at startup and have it start in Big Picture mode? I've read that their plans soon is to replace big picture mode with the interface from Steam OS which would be great. 

[yakumo]

Another thing I don't get is all these proton layers, does Steam automatically adjust and chooses the best profile?. Or is this a case of just just testing to see what works best case by case?. Also anyone using desktop mode, wondering how is it for Chrome etc.

[T Pot]

3 minutes ago, yakumo said:

Also anyone using desktop mode, wondering how is it for Chrome etc.

 

I use edge in DT mode but it's fine. I've made a few posts on here from it when my phone was flat. 

[wavey]

17 minutes ago, shirubagan said:

I have no clue what I'm doing with Windows at all and was mucking about with it on an SSD for Game Pass, but yesterday's updates seem to have borked it. I'll stick to SteamOS until Win11 is officially supported/I can get someone who knows what they're doing to set it up for me.

 

If it's the latest Win 11 update (22H2) then I know that can cause a crash with the audio driver for the deck - I had to install an earlier version (21H2).

 

3 minutes ago, T Pot said:

Could you just have Steam open at startup and have it start in Big Picture mode? I've read that their plans soon is to replace big picture mode with the interface from Steam OS which would be great. 

 

Yes I'm sure that's an option, and the Deck UI will be nice when they release it, but it's not a priority for me at the moment, it's only an extra tap or two.

[thesnwmn]

6 minutes ago, yakumo said:

Another thing I don't get is all these proton layers, does Steam automatically adjust and chooses the best profile?. Or is this a case of just just testing to see what works best case by case?. Also anyone using desktop mode, wondering how is it for Chrome etc.

 

Most people don't and shouldn't worry about it.

 

To be frank, either spend time reading/watching about this stuff or just stick to the defaults.

 

The whole thing can be an exercise in trail and error across the board.

 

For Chrome... it's a PC it does PC things in desktop mode. Linux == Windows for the basics just a bit different.

[Siri]

4 minutes ago, yakumo said:

Another thing I don't get is all these proton layers, does Steam automatically adjust and chooses the best profile?. Or is this a case of just just testing to see what works best case by case?

 

You're basically given the latest version of Proton when you start - all games default to that, and it's what is supposed to be tested against for the verified program. This should be more than enough for most games.

 

If something doesn't work, you can try other versions on a per game basis.

[shirubagan]

24 minutes ago, wavey said:

 

If it's the latest Win 11 update (22H2) then I know that can cause a crash with the audio driver for the deck - I had to install an earlier version (21H2).

 

Any chance you could PM me how to roll back the OS? I am utterly clueless.

[bradigor]

Gutted, was hoping I could find some mods for snooker 19. The aim lines are to feint for me and hoped there would be one to change the design, colour or something. But no mods at all. 

 

My big hope with Steam Deck is it really forces developers to think about the UI more the PC games.

[wavey]

33 minutes ago, shirubagan said:

Any chance you could PM me how to roll back the OS? I am utterly clueless.

 

It was a full re-install for me, I'm afraid, I'm not sure if there's a less drastic way to do it. I followed this guide to get hold of an older installer.

[shirubagan]

Thanks @wavey

[deerokus]

46 minutes ago, bradigor said:

Gutted, was hoping I could find some mods for snooker 19. The aim lines are to feint for me and hoped there would be one to change the design, colour or something. But no mods at all. 

 

My big hope with Steam Deck is it really forces developers to think about the UI more the PC games.

Definitely. I think we're already seeing this with indie games, I've played a couple of early access things the last day or two where the UI is scaled perfect for it by default.

[Gotters]

oh no, mine is in the hands of Evri.

 

I'm going to train the dog today to smell new games consoles so I can send her out into nearby bushes, hedges & neighbours wheelie bins looking for it in the coming days.

[Siri]

21 minutes ago, Gotters said:

oh no, mine is in the hands of Evri.

 

I'm going to train the dog today to smell new games consoles so I can send her out into nearby bushes, hedges & neighbours wheelie bins looking for it in the coming days.

 

You're assuming that it will leave the van 

[Simmy]

Hey everyone,

 

I've never played FF7 and know nothing about it.

 

I'm wondering if 1. the remake is worth it and 2. how it plays on the Deck?

 

Thanks a lot!

[Popo]

@Simmy maybe this video will be useful to you:

 

 

I bet this game chews the battery, mind you. 

[Luseth]

1 hour ago, Gotters said:

oh no, mine is in the hands of Evri.

 

I'm going to train the dog today to smell new games consoles so I can send her out into nearby bushes, hedges & neighbours wheelie bins looking for it in the coming days.

Mine is too uh oh

[StephenM]

Mine’s still stuck somewhere with Evri - almost a week now since it was out for delivery and never came. 
 

Steam still giving me the ‘wait another week’ in their slow replies, no idea when I’ll convince them to just dispatch another one!

[Siri]

1 hour ago, Simmy said:

Hey everyone,

 

I've never played FF7 and know nothing about it.

 

I'm wondering if 1. the remake is worth it and 2. how it plays on the Deck?

 

Thanks a lot!

 

1. I think a lot of my enjoyment is from seeing how they've changed the game from the original, so I find it hard to recommend by being a gatekeeping cunt - but it's quite accessible in terms of actually playing the game (the combat is more of a hybrid of action game and JRPG compared to FF7). The added parts might go over your head, though.

 

2. By default, it runs at 30fps with no problems, 60fps with drops - although the dynamic resolution is quite aggressive and can make the visuals rubbish, and you can't turn it off in game. I used a drop-in file mod to remove that, uncapped the framerate in game and then set it to 40hz refresh rate in SteamOS so it's smoother and better looking.

 

I think the battery life with those changes and a couple of tweaks is around 2 hours, and it's probably the same with the default settings. Considering the game we supposed to be the pinnacle of what the PS4 was capable of, seeing it running faster on something half the size of it is absolutely ridiculous, even with battery life getting battered.

[carlospie]

4 hours ago, StephenM said:

Mine’s still stuck somewhere with Evri - almost a week now since it was out for delivery and never came. 
 

Steam still giving me the ‘wait another week’ in their slow replies, no idea when I’ll convince them to just dispatch another one!

If it's any reassurance to you Evri stole my ps4 pro and gave me fifty quid compensation 

[T Pot]

Just completed Halo Wars. Such a great game and it runs perfectly on the SD. Switches to native controller input on boot. Gutted that HW 2 isn't on steam.

 

Now to play through all of the FPS Campaigns.

[Mallet]

Mine is in the delivery system as well. I've never heard of Evri before, do they deliver to Northern Ireland? 

 

 

[deerokus]

5 minutes ago, Mallet said:

Mine is in the delivery system as well. I've never heard of Evri before, do they deliver to Northern Ireland? 

 

 

It's Hermes with a new name if that helps.

[Gotters]

6 hours ago, Gotters said:

oh no, mine is in the hands of Evri.

 

I'm going to train the dog today to smell new games consoles so I can send her out into nearby bushes, hedges & neighbours wheelie bins looking for it in the coming days.

 

IFGO - and Evri only missed their quoted 1130-1330 slot by an hour, which all things considered makes me feel quite fortunate.