I used to be a big console gamer. I grew up on Super Nintendo and the Nintendo 64. Once I discovered the PS2, my years of Sony gameplay took hold and the Xbox 360 pulled me into the Microsoft economy.
I’ve been playing games on my couch my whole life, a clear divide between my desk and my games. Sure, this was probably for the best as someone who works from home and can’t really afford a lot of clear and present distractions where I work, but really, it was all about the console tradition. But on the couch, controller in hand, I have spent an altogether unhealthy number of hours brain-deep in games. And, boy, I do not regret a moment of it.
I used to be a console guy exclusively, thinking PC gamers were sort of stuck up and elitist. Don’t get me wrong, a lot of them were and still are, but maybe I was a little too harsh on them because once I got a good PC built, I started to see the appeal. It was nice to play on a good monitor and be able to hang out online with my friends in places other than the Xbox buddy system … and there are soooooo many more games to choose from on Steam. Nearly all the AAA titles are there, but I had no idea just how many indie games there were until I really checked in on the Steam marketplace.
Indie games are having a moment. There was a time when the big developers and publishers ruled the roost with the Call of Duties, Tony Hawks and Fortnites of the gaming universe. But after years and years of AAA games getting more expensive, less well made and harder to play without an internet connection, the indie game scene has finally started to really compete. That means more and more games that don’t really show up on the major consoles are becoming “must play” titles. Games like GTFO, Lethal Company and Satisfactory are great fun and completely player-focused without all the microtransactions, seasonal content and other silly stuff that AAA games come with, and they all live only on PC.
Add to that the fact that almost every game available has a PC version to play, console gaming is making less and less sense and Steam, the biggest games marketplace around by far, has released a handheld gaming device that makes PC gaming even more hard to resist. If you like gaming on the go, then skip the Switch and ignore the ROG Ally. The Steamdeck is the best investment for the gamer with itchy feet.
A Handheld PC Console
I have to be honest here … I only have the Steamdeck because a friend gifted me one. I was standoffish since I didn’t really feel like I did a lot of mobile gaming and didn’t initially see the appeal. Once I got it set up and running though, I immediately realized what I’d been missing.
Let me paint a picture for you. You get home after a long day and you plop on the couch. Your roommate, partner, kid or anyone else you live with has the TV going and you can’t just force them off so you can play a game, so you pull out your phone. 2 hours of doom scrolling later you realize you’ve completely burned your evening and haven’t gotten any gaming done at all. Plus, you have no memory of anything you just watched, so really, it was a totally waste. Does that sound familiar? If that even rings half a bell for you, the Steamdeck is the answer. You can just turn on your handheld console, sit with your friend or family and catch up on some of your favorite games without killing your brain on TikTok.
The Steam Deck brings together two beloved worlds … the fun of PC games and the user-friendly interface of a portable handheld gaming system. You log into your Steam account, and your library conveniently pops up. You can download games directly to the device and you’re ready to take your game anywhere and play. Awesome!
It runs on a custom operating system built around Steam. Everything feels simple and console-like when you want it to. But it can act like a regular PC when you want it to. You can install other apps, tweak settings, even hook it up to a monitor. But I just want to play games on it while on the go or kicking back on my couch while my girl watches a TV show I’m not interested in.
The Basics Specs and Functions
The OLED screen is incredible and the games look great. It’s a 7.4-inch OLED panel, and it looks super crisp and clean. Blacks are black (not that washed-out gray). And the colors have depth. It runs at up to 90Hz, which makes scrolling through menus and playing lighter games feel super smooth.
They made a whole custom AMD chip for handheld gaming and built the device around it, which is crazy. You get 16GB of LPDDR5 memory and fast SSD storage in the base model I got, and you can go up to 1TB if you spring for the more expensive model. There’s also a microSD slot, which is great. If you’ve got a steam account, you know how fast a game library can build up. I’ve got a fast little 500 gig card in there and it plays games off of it pretty well.
One thing I think needs improvement is battery life. Play a big AAA game and the battery has lasted me between 1-1/2 and 3 hours. That needs improvement. Smaller (independent) games can are not so demanding on the Steamdeck OLED. Most of the time I get a few solid hours without needing to plug in. Not a major gripe, but just my 2 cents. The power cable it comes with is a decent length, so playing plugged in isn’t that bad.
I like the full controller setup. It’s loaded with everything you need. Whether I’m playing a shooter (like Left 4 Dead and Doom Eternal) or a role playing game (like Baldur’s Gate3 or The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt), Steamdecks’s analog sticks, triggers, and trackpads, provide just the right touch. I will say that the way it sits in my hands feels a little janky, like I think they should have angled the grips a little to make it feel just right. But you do eventually get used to it. It runs SteamOS (a custom operating system tailored for this device), which keeps things simple on the surface but still lets you dig in and treat it like a full PC if you want to mess around with settings or install other software.
Another really cool feature is the plug and play dual monitor capability. You can dock the console and use it li ke a controller to play on a bigger screen if you want to set up and be more grounded for a while. I wish it came with a dock like a Nintendo Switch but that’s a small gripe.
The speakers are ok, obviously this is a small handheld device so you’re going to have to sacrifice somewhere, but with headphones in you solve that problem right away.
The TL:TR Specs for You Skimmers Out There
Here are the actual specs for the OLED Steam Deck
- 7.4-inch OLED display
- Resolution: 1280 × 800 (16:10)
- Refresh rate: 90Hz
- HDR support
- Capacitive multi-touch screen
- Custom AMD APU
- CPU: Zen 2 architecture (4 cores / 8 threads)
- GPU: RDNA 2 architecture
- RAM: 16GB LPDDR5
- 512GB NVMe SSD
- 1TB NVMe SSD
- Expandable via microSD card
- 50Wh battery
- USB-C fast charging
- Wi-Fi 6E
- Bluetooth 5.3
- USB-C port (charging, data, display output)
To Buy or Not to Buy
So, do I think it’s worth it? Heck yes, I do! I mean I’m a gamer so I’m a little biased but if you’re reading this you are likely a gamer too, or you’re shopping for one. If you play PC games at all, the OLED Steamdeck is worth it, even at $549. That’s a lot of money, but it’s a really neat little machine. If you don’t play PC games, though, this is absolutely not the handheld for you.
About the Author:
George Berger
Ever since a young George was disappointed with a toy that did match up to the advertising, he became a tireless advocate for consumers. He’ll review anything that folks have to spend their hard-earned dollars on. George is grateful that he gets to use his skills as a writer and an artist to help connect with consumers and help them make the best decisions possible.
This article is for informational purposes only and reflects the author’s independent opinion. Readers should verify details directly with the manufacturer or retailer before making a purchase
