Jump to content

Has the Steam Deck changed your gaming habits?

AlexM

By AlexM,
in Discussion

 Share

Has the Steam Deck changed your Gaming Habits?   

87 members have voted

You do not have permission to vote in this poll, or see the poll results. Please sign in or register to vote in this poll.

Recommended Posts

AlexM

AlexM

Posted
Posted

I noticed since getting this device that I'm even less interested in gaming on the traditional consoles (Xbox/PS5/Switch), I've turned them on to 'manage installed games' since getting the Deck but haven't actually played anything on them.

 

I now prioritise games that I can run on the Deck which also have cloud saves so I can seamlessly play them on my laptop as well, and I'm building a linux gaming PC which will be plugged into my Monitor/TV for the same purpose. I've wanted a 'single ecosystem' for a long time, and having it with a handheld is almost unbeatable.

 

Has the Steam Deck changed your gaming habits?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
ChewMagma

ChewMagma

Posted
Posted

Too early to say really - I'm playing a lot more stuff in my Steam library right now and correspondingly less stuff on my Series S, PS5 or Switch, but who knows how long it will last.

 

Probably I will end up buying less games on Switch and using it mainly for first party titles instead in order to avoid the Nintendo tax.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Jamie John

Jamie John

Posted
Posted

Yes, I think so, although I've not had it for that long.

 

I still play my 'big screen' consoles, but only in the evening, or when I've got time to myself. The Deck is perfect for when you've got 10-15 minutes here and there - before and after work, while dinner is cooking, on the bog, when the boy is watching Octonauts, etc. - but I won't sit down and play it for hours in the evening; that's what the TV and my mancave are for. To this end, however, I've been really enjoying playing Game Pass games on it through the cloud and then playing them again later, 'properly', on the telly. I've completed Mass Effect 3 and Immortality in this way so far this month already, and if it hadn't had been for the Deck, I doubt I would have bothered going for all the achievements in the latter.

 

What I haven't been playing much since I got it is my Switch. Most of the non-exclusive games on my Switch wishlist I'll now be getting on my Deck instead as they perform better and are generally cheaper. My Switch I'll only use now for first-party stuff, or games where the benefits of the OLED screen outweigh any potential performance hiccups.

 

It's a great console! If it had an OLED screen then if would be perfect.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Siri

Siri

Posted
Posted

I would say so, in that it's mostly replaced my need to turn on my larger desktop PC for games. I was already shifting away after being in Lockdown and using the same PC for WFH, but the Deck's more accessible format combined with it sipping energy compared to RTX cards has been a nail in the coffin in that regard.

 

I still use my Series S for Gamepass and Anticheat-laden games though, as well as acting as my media center - although with both YouTube and Twitch going crazy with Ads, and Kodi being awful with the most recent XBox update, I've been considering a Fire TV stick / Chromecast / Android TV for that purpose.

 

And that covers pretty much all my videogame consumption. I didn't want to say this is some amazing must-have product for about three months into ownership because of just being excited for a new thing like the Quest and a new Graphics Card, but I'm still using the thing daily for about six months now. For me, it's certainly passed the honeymoon period, and that's great. For me, at least.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Popular Post
Paulando

Paulando

Posted
  • Popular Post
Posted
10 hours ago, bradigor said:

It made the switch redundant for me. It's now horrible to hold and feels cheap.


This seems super odd to me. I think the Deck has made me love the Switch even more - the OLED display is astonishingly good (far better than the Deck’s LCD), and it’s so small and slim compared to the Deck. Also has an amazing collection of first party Nintendo titles, and will still be my format of choice for multi-format indie games that aren’t too taxing. I might not have felt the same way about the non-OLED though, to be fair.

10
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Siri

Siri

Posted
Posted

Actually, that's a point - I do chuck it in my backpack along with my lunch and take it into work Mon-Thurs for break instead of idly checking the internet. Lets me plod through the really short games that have languished in my account.

 

Not during the commute though, I'd crash my car.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
simms

simms

Posted
Posted

It’s allowed me to start on smaller games that I’ve been meaning to play for ever for short pick up play sessions like Stardew valley and Into the breach  Being a PC only gamer, suspend and resume on the deck has been a defining feature.  I love it along with emulation and it being my Outrun C2C machine.

 

I’ll still play graphically intense games and VR on my desktop which has more grunt or shooters so I can play mouse and keyboard.

2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Mogster

Mogster

Posted
Posted

Yeah, it has. It's become by far my most used games machine for a start, and it's also opened up new genres I wouldn't usually have considered playing on PC. I'm playing The Nonary Games at the moment for instance, which is perfect for a handheld but I wouldn't want to play it on a big TV or a monitor.

 

The other game I've lost a lot of time to is Dragon Quest XI. I haven't really got stuck into a JRPG in a while as it's just not that practical to devote so much time to a game any more, but being able to pick up and play it here and there is perfect.

 

Finally, with the increased energy costs at the mo I've become very conscious of how much energy I'm using when I play stuff on my PC. I haven't stopped completely, as it's still nice to play stuff on the big screen from time to time and some games just demand the full experience, but it's nice to be able to switch to a less demanding device for most of my gaming. Especially when you can charge it at work.:ph34r:

Link to comment
Share on other sites
alex3d

alex3d

Posted
Posted

It has. I've sold my high-spec gaming PC (just have a SFF one with a 1070 in it on my office, totally unused for the last few months though) and have gone SD-only. I'm still critical of the way non-Steam games are handled, but that's a different story. It's one of the greatest gaming machines of all time, period. As to reasons, see posts above.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Paulando

Paulando

Posted
Posted

My habits have changed in that I hated PC gaming before, but I’m all over it now.

 

Either you sit at a desk with a super expensive PC, or you let a super expensive laptop singe your knee and palms.

 

What they’ve achieved with such a small device is nothing short of a miracle.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Popo

Popo

Posted
Posted

I wouldn’t say it has changed my habits, no - but it has given me back my Steam library in a way that’s accessible to me again, and opened up the Steam ecosystem, which is great from a consumer point of view. It’s also unlocking the potential of Gamepass - blockbuster AAA games will always look better on the big screen, but those that are ‘perfect for Gamepass’ translate well to the handheld. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Calashnikov

Calashnikov

Posted
Posted

For a guy like me who’s been a console gamer for life, my Steam Deck is a clunky brick of shite. OLED Switch all the way for me when playing smaller games portably, while I’d also continue to prefer playing bigger shinier AAA games on my PS5, if only there were bigger shinier AAA games that actually existed / appealed to me.

 

If I was in any way competent with installing and playing emulators and shit, I’m sure my Steam Deck would be wonderful, but as it is, half the games I wanted to play on it are seemingly “unplayable” while the other half are PC ports of old Sega (MD/DC) games and PS360 stuff that I missed first time round. I actually do appreciate it giving me an opportunity to check those games out, since that was a generation that mostly passed me by, Wii aside.

1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Calashnikov

Calashnikov

Posted
Posted
1 minute ago, Stanley said:

I fear that would be me as I’m not much of a tinkerer. Can’t you just download Elden Ring  though, and play it? That would be enough for me. 


Yeah, at 30fps. A no doubt flakey 30 at that, but still. I’ll be doing it years down the line when it’s pint-priced.

1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
the_debaser

the_debaser

Posted
Posted

I got one a while back, but haven’t used it much in the last month after spending the first few weeks getting it set up, installing emulators and creating a sync system with my pc for emulated games. It’s a nice thing to have, but in some ways feels antiquated for something so new.
 

Steam os is an absolute piece of shit, the desktop mode is barely usable without a kb and mouse and the screen is really really bad with huge bezels. And it gets super hot too. Nice for on the go emulation I suppose, but way too expensive for what you get.

 

It’s made me appreciate my oled switch far more, as I just couldn’t imagine playing something as vibrant as Splatoon on that screen. 

2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
thesnwmn

thesnwmn

Posted
Posted

After a few days it's far too early to say much.

 

But it's massive and heavy. I think I'll be using it over the Switch for many things just because the games will be cheaper but the Switch is a portable in the way this is not for me.

 

But it makes up for this in being able to play PC stuff and Game Pass via xCloud.

 

I'm sure I'll be using both a lot.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
deKay

deKay

Posted
Posted
12 minutes ago, the_debaser said:

the desktop mode is barely usable without a kb and mouse

 

12 minutes ago, the_debaser said:

desktop mode

 

12 minutes ago, the_debaser said:

kb and mouse

 

Well there you go then.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Mogster

Mogster

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, the_debaser said:

the screen is really really bad with huge bezels

Well that's just not true. The screen is larger than the original Switch, and the bezels are pretty much exactly the same size as that console. The screen is obviously not going to match the OLED Switch in terms of vibrancy, but it's a perfectly fine LCD screen.

 

2 hours ago, the_debaser said:

 

Steam os is an absolute piece of shit, the desktop mode is barely usable without a kb and mouse and the screen is really really bad with huge bezels. And it gets super hot too. Nice for on the go emulation I suppose, but way too expensive for what you get.

 

The desktop mode is designed for desktop use, and yes this would involve a mouse and keyboard. I can't say I've noticed mine get too hot, although the fan gets quite noticeable when playing more demanding stuff.

 

The point of Steam OS on the Deck is that you don't need to use a desktop for its primary function, which is handheld gaming. It also gives you quick access to a whole bunch of system level performance options, including the screen refresh rate which makes 40fps a viable option. Then of course there's suspend/resume, which is something I never thought I'd see on a PC.

 

I think if you buy a Steam Deck and expect a traditional games console experience then you're going to be disappointed. What it does do is take PC gaming as close to that ideal as you can get at the moment, without removing the options you'd expect from buying a PC. You can absolutely avoid the desktop entirely if you only want to play supported Steam games, but if you want to stray outside that you have to expect some hurdles. Buying a games console doesn't have any such hurdles, but then you can't install the Xbox store on a PlayStation 5, or indeed install an entirely different OS.

1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. Use of this website is subject to our Privacy Policy, Terms of Use, and Guidelines.

  I accept