Yes, they've been adding stuff specifically for those to SteamOS for a while now and at least one Lenovo device with SteamOS logo leaked already
Edit: only handhelds to my understanding, though
Steam Deck - SteamOS, Zen2 4C/8T, RDNA2 1.0-1.6 TF, 16 GB LPDDR5 88 GB/s, starting at $399 [2021-12]
- Thread starter BRiT
- Start date
Edit: only handhelds to my understanding, though
cheapchips
Veteran
It'll be interesting to see how the third part SteamOS devices are received. It's not as if Lenovo etc are going all in in it. You'll still be able to pick up Windows versions of devices.
I don't know how commonly known it is that games tend to run better on Steam OS. Will buyers just default to the 'official' Windows?
I don't know how commonly known it is that games tend to run better on Steam OS. Will buyers just default to the 'official' Windows?
Default windows has its advantages. Much easier to run games from epic store, battle net and gamepass. However setting up a windows handheld is cumbersome and annoying. Steam Deck is more like a console in that aspect
cheapchips
Veteran
I have a Deck and think it's great. If confronted with a Windows and SteamOS handheld on the store shelf I'm still not sure which I'd pick, mainly due to Gamepass games. Heroic makes light of everything except Battle.net and there was a easy tool for sorting that out for Diablo.
The good news is that it's easy enough to have the best of both worlds and dual boot Windows and SteamOS: https://github.com/ryanrudolfoba/SteamDeck-Clover-dualboot
You can buy specific Lenovo devices with Fedora or Ubuntu installed and supported. This is nothing new for them.
I think Valve will be fine. Sony will either need to wait until there is a mobile PS5 chip or release a handheld that needs its own games. And they have shown with Vita and PSVR that its not their strength
MS will either release a locked down Xbox handheld that i dont think many want. Or release a product that already exists (Ally, Go, Claw)
Switch will of course fly off the shelves but not a lot of cross over between user bases
Sure a handheld console will be locked down.
But they will be reliable. You won't need to install different drivers and try to tweak settings to get games to even run.
People have said in this thread that Steam Deck is reliable or more console like than the ROG Ally or PC rigs.
But is it reliable, you can start a game and it will always run?
But they will be reliable. You won't need to install different drivers and try to tweak settings to get games to even run.
People have said in this thread that Steam Deck is reliable or more console like than the ROG Ally or PC rigs.
But is it reliable, you can start a game and it will always run?
How many people do you think bought a Steam Deck because they wanted a handheld console and how many do you think bought it because they wanted to play their PC games in a handheld?
I would say the vast majority already own PCs with large libraries on Steam. Wich means installing drivers and tweaking settings was not new to them
Steam Deck is easier to set up than Rog Ally but its still not a console. You have to tweak settings, it runs games through a translation layer and not all games work
I buy third party on my PC. I can play on my desk and then play on my couch with my Deck. If its too demanding i can even stream it to my deck
That’s fine if they only want to sell to existing PC gamers or specifically Steam users.
A handheld console is probably aiming for an order of magnitude greater addressable market. Certainly the case with the Switch 2.
A lot of those target customers of the Switch 2 are not interested in tweaking and drivers. Same for those who’d buy a new Sony or MS handheld gaming device.
A handheld console is probably aiming for an order of magnitude greater addressable market. Certainly the case with the Switch 2.
A lot of those target customers of the Switch 2 are not interested in tweaking and drivers. Same for those who’d buy a new Sony or MS handheld gaming device.
Obviously Valve wants to sell to PC users since they are a PC storefront. They are unlikely to take marketshare from consoles anymore than consoles taking marketshare from PC gaming in general
I think you have misunderstood what a Steam Deck is. Its not a Switch
The nature of Steam Deck (or any Linux device) is tweaking settings since Proton doesn't just work out of the box most of the time. There's usually stuff to do.
That said, imo the Linux driver setup is way less cumbersome than Windows, even for non-fixed platforms like a DIY PC. Most distros will ask if you want to automatically download proprietary drivers (nvidia) and if you run AMD its just a default kernel module. The nature of an open source kernel with modules is you can mostly abstract away drivers from the user, you don't really need to manually install that kind of thing on Linux.