[Digital Foundry] Steam Deck OLED: A Stunning HDR Upgrade... But There's So Much More

[Zzero]

if anything they underrate. steam deck is the single best gaming device of all time.

Do you include dual use devices, because I'd still take a gaming PC over one for versatility of use.

 

[flaccidsnake]

Do you include dual use devices, because I'd still take a gaming PC over one for versatility of use.

There's something magical about Steam Deck having game-focused controls with a game-focused UI, good speakers, good screen (even before the oled), no wires... a totally self contained device that can play an insane library of games even if you only do what's supported on Steam. Plus, at ~500 you're getting pretty competitive price to performance with low-end gaming laptops.

 

[Dr Bass]

if anything they underrate. steam deck is the single best gaming device of all time.

This depends on the user. What if there is absolutely nothing on it that I really want? I already have Steam, and I already don't really use it. It also kind of goes against the overall draw of PC IMO. I can see it being better in the future but for what it is, I just don't think it's there yet. So, for me, instead of being the best gaming device of all time, it would be a 500 dollar brick.

To me the ps4 pro was a downgrade, a few more frames for way too much noise. Even with noise cancelling headphones you could hear the fan. The x1x is an Xbox so it’s more power for nothing, most 3rd parties didn’t even utilize it and the 1st party games that did utilize it sucked.

The new Steam deck has a much better display and MUCH better battery life. With zero downsides and still the SAME price. That alone makes it the best refresh ever.

Yeah, I had all of those, and the PS4 Pro was not a downgrade. Sorry man, but that is just silly.

 

[Shmunter]

Oooh damn, this now takes the PS Portal down a notch in desirability. It should have been OLED.

 

[Shmunter]

There's something magical about Steam Deck having game-focused controls with a game-focused UI, good speakers, good screen (even before the oled), no wires... a totally self contained device that can play an insane library of games even if you only do what's supported on Steam. Plus, at ~500 you're getting pretty competitive price to performance with low-end gaming laptops.

It’s good on the go, but around the house you’d be better of streaming from the PC I imagine. And I suspect that’s the majority of use cases. Could be wrong.

 

[Falcs]

Motherfuckers! I only bought mine earlier this year!

 

[historia]

Motherfuckers! I only bought mine earlier this year!

I bought the cheapest version, slap 1TB drive into it.

What changes? OLED. Idk, I don't bring this thing outside since the battery will last as long as Barcelona when they played Bayern

 

[anonpuffs]

That’s a very low bar and sounds more impressive than it actually is. Ps4 pro was only a marginal improvements with 100x more noise. Xb1x was a decent improvement but it’s still an Xbox so it sucked anyway. Switch oled is the exact same just with an oled display.

TIL 3x GPU power = marginal upgrade

 

[JAHGamer]

TIL 3x GPU power = marginal upgrade

Yes marginal improvement. Games weren’t even reaching 60fps most of the time At best it was an inconsistent 40-50fps for most games, which at times felt worse than a locked 30fps.

 

[anonpuffs]

Yes marginal improvement. Games weren’t even reaching 60fps most of the time At best it was an inconsistent 40-50fps for most games, which at times felt worse than a locked 30fps.

Sure, if you tried playing at 4k. On 1080p it was solid locked.

 

[Box]

over a year out of date info

Steam Deck - Reserve Steam Deck now in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Hong Kong via Komodo - Steam News

We are happy to announce today that Steam Deck is expanding to more regions. With the help of Komodo, Steam Deck will ship later this year in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. We have worked with the team at Komodo for years, and are excited to have their help as our authorized reseller...

store.steampowered.com

Still not available in Australia

 

[MiyazakiLovesKojima]

Stream Boys are nothing like Nintendo boys such as @Falcs

 

[KiryuRealty]

This depends on the user. What if there is absolutely nothing on it that I really want? I already have Steam, and I already don't really use it. It also kind of goes against the overall draw of PC IMO. I can see it being better in the future but for what it is, I just don't think it's there yet. So, for me, instead of being the best gaming device of all time, it would be a 500 dollar brick.


Yeah, I had all of those, and the PS4 Pro was not a downgrade. Sorry man, but that is just silly.

The second version of the Pro, with the figure-8 power connection, wasn’t any louder than the original PS4, either.

 

[anonpuffs]

The second version of the Pro, with the figure-8 power connection, wasn’t any louder than the original PS4, either.

My pro was almost always quiet. It was never a jet engine like my friend's ps4.

 

[Petekilla]

People really love this thing. Granted I want one, but games media seems to overrate it slightly.

How can you say it’s overrated, when you never had one? Lol

 

[Petekilla]

The One X is still probably the best midgen upgrade ever, but only because the original was so awful.

The worst, if you want to call it one, was the Famicom becoming the NES, way bigger form factor, worse sound, no controller mic (it was shit anyway but still), no BC with original model games. Only saving grace was the longer controller cables and redesigned zapper that was released with it.

This is like Gameboy Advance SP.

 

[Petekilla]

These guys are massively overselling this. Looks like a fine device, but most comprehensive mid cycle refresh ever? Give me a break.

Did you look at what the improvements are?

PS4 Pro and X1X were markedly better refreshes than what this offers.

This isn’t a PS4 Pro, X1X type upgrade. This is more in line with GameBoy Advance SP, Nintendo Switch OLED. Mid Gen would be Game Boy Color, New Nintendo 3DS.

 

[ToTTenTranz]

To me the ps4 pro was a downgrade, a few more frames for way too much noise. Even with noise cancelling headphones you could hear the fan.

This is either a ridiculous exaggeration or you got a faulty unit.

 

[Petekilla]

To me the ps4 pro was a downgrade, a few more frames for way too much noise. Even with noise cancelling headphones you could hear the fan. The x1x is an Xbox so it’s more power for nothing, most 3rd parties didn’t even utilize it and the 1st party games that did utilize it sucked.

The new Steam deck has a much better display and MUCH better battery life. With zero downsides and still the SAME price. That alone makes it the best refresh ever.

To me the GB Advance SP is the best revision ever. It had full charging, and Nintendo finally included a backlit screen.

 

[Dr Bass]

The second version of the Pro, with the figure-8 power connection, wasn’t any louder than the original PS4, either.

Yeah I honestly don’t remember noise being an issue. Don’t people have the sound going anyway?