4 ms·

Exactly. Its a 500$ gaming computer in the form factor of a chonky nintendo switch.

by weard_beard 4y ago

nicolaslem 4y ago
Gaming computer is a bit of a stretch, the Steam Deck packs as much punch as an ultralight laptop.
- noidesto 4y ago
  Why is this a stretch? A vast majority are using this ultralight laptop for gaming.
  - arbitrage 4y ago
    I think the implication of the post is that calling it 'just' a gaming laptop is under-selling it.
    - nicolaslem 4y ago
      The implication was that laptop-class hardware and "gaming computer" are at odds with each other. Sure ultrabooks can play games, but they are not referred to as "gaming computers".
      - weard_beard 4y ago
        Am I a bad dad if my son doesn't know the difference? Because he's not chained to a desk he uses it for the same purpose as his high end custom built PC. I meant it in the sense of, "it takes the place of and serves almost all the same purposes in usages as..."
        Firmwarrior 4y ago
        You aren't a bad dad, but if you're going around the internet telling everyone the Steam Deck is "a gaming computer" you're going to mislead less technical people into thinking it's on par with a huge RTX 3070 laptop for performance, since that's what "gaming computer" usually means
- willcipriano 4y ago
  I'm not aware of any ultralight laptops that can play Cyberpunk 2077, do you have a example of one?
  - ben-schaaf 4y ago
    Considering you can run it on a 2200g (https://youtu.be/qho3CtKqpjY https://youtu.be/qho3CtKqpjY), it'll run on any Ultrabook with a modern integrated GPU.
  - wnevets 4y ago
    At the resolution steam deck runs at I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of them can.
  - mastax 4y ago
    If you run it at steam deck resolution (1280 × 800), you can play it on a whole bunch of non-gaming computers.
- falcolas 4y ago
  It doesn't take a ton of compute or GPU power to play games from 5+ years ago, especially if they offered a good variety of settings. And when you include emulated games, that makes for a huge catalog.
- caconym_ 4y ago
  It literally is a gaming computer. Its design prioritizes gaming applications at every turn, from the form factor to the unusually low-resolution display to the gaming-oriented features of the (default) operating system. It's optimized to provide the best portable PC gaming experience at its price point, and due to the fundamental power/heat constraints of the "deck" form factor it's pretty close to the point of diminishing returns regardless of how much you want to spend. Ultralight laptops can match or exceed it in [burst] performance, but that's table stakes. They aren't designed for gaming, and if you try to play games on one you will understand that very quickly.
- nivenkos 4y ago
  It has a strong GPU but relatively weak CPU by comparison. So it really depends what you play. FWIW in my case, it is much better than my laptop from only a year prior.
wintermutestwin 4y ago
Are there any performance tests for a Steam Deck plugged into a hi res external monitor?
- goosedragons 4y ago
  What do you mean? For gaming it won't perform well at high resolutions in recent games. For just using as a desktop it's better than most laptops with Intel integrated graphics and can do multiple displays with MST.
- giobox 4y ago
  I only use it docked when I want to do some work in the desktop mode with a keyboard and mouse. I think of the dock more for using it in Desktop mode than something comparable to the Switch running connected to a TV. The one exception is Steam's game streaming functions - a docked Deck connected to a TV works great with controllers or keyboard/mouse connected streaming gameplay from your desktop in many games. Its a perfectly adequate little desktop PC in this configuration for a lot of tasks. The official dock even supports a dual monitor desktop config which is nice. Gaming wise, the onboard GPU is pretty adequate for 720p (or the 800p of the native display), resolutions beyond this like the 1080p or greater found in most monitors are going to make a lot more games struggle.
- neogodless 4y ago
  720p is 921,600 pixels 1080p is 2,073,600 pixels (2.25x 720p) 1440p is 3,686,400 pixels (4x 720p) If performance scaling was linear, and given that the Steam Deck targets 30fps (up to 60), any game running at 30fps is going to be dropping to roughly 13fps at 1080p at the same settings.
- trynewideas 4y ago
  Digital Foundry: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZKBSf3aLf4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZKBSf3aLf4 Generally, 7th-gen console era games and earlier can often play at 1080p60, 4k30, or 4k60 depending on the demands. Newer games make compromises. FSR and TSR (upscaling from lower internal resolutions) effectiveness depends on the game.
giobox 4y ago
> Its a 500$ gaming computer in the form factor of a chonky nintendo switch. Even better, its only $399! I think its a great deal at only 50 bucks more than the OLED switch model personally. https://store.steampowered.com/steamdeck https://store.steampowered.com/steamdeck By all accounts, the entry level model with a large microSD card performs just as well in games as installing on a more expensive model with a larger built in SSD. The only other feature you miss out on really is the most expensive config has an additional antiglare coating. The CPU/GPU configuration is exactly the same on all models. I actually ordered the most expensive config, but with what I know now and having tried a friend's entry model, if I ordered again tomorrow I would just buy the 399 one with a cheap microSD card. Some folks even prefer the extra contrast of the display without the anti-glare coating. The microSD cards are hot swappable too - you can carry a bunch with different games installed if you wanted, the Deck OS instantly repopulates your game library with the contents of whatever card you just inserted.
- mrpotato 4y ago
  > Even better, its only $399! I think its a great deal at only 50 bucks more than the OLED switch model personally. OP was probably talking about CAD. Base model is C$ 499.00 and the switch is C$ 299.99. *Edit: OLED switch is C$ 349.99
- anaganisk 4y ago
  I bought the 399 deck and upgraded the ssd to 1TB save couple 100. Dont even have to need an SD card.
  - distances 4y ago
    And I just bought the cheapest model and a 512G SD card just like GP recommended, as all testimonials said it's basically equally fast in games as an SSD is.

Exactly. Its a 500$ gaming computer in the form factor of a chonky nintendo switch.

nicolaslem 4y ago

Gaming computer is a bit of a stretch, the Steam Deck packs as much punch as an ultralight laptop.

noidesto 4y ago
Why is this a stretch? A vast majority are using this ultralight laptop for gaming.
- arbitrage 4y ago
  I think the implication of the post is that calling it 'just' a gaming laptop is under-selling it.
  - nicolaslem 4y ago
    The implication was that laptop-class hardware and "gaming computer" are at odds with each other. Sure ultrabooks can play games, but they are not referred to as "gaming computers".
    - weard_beard 4y ago
      Am I a bad dad if my son doesn't know the difference? Because he's not chained to a desk he uses it for the same purpose as his high end custom built PC. I meant it in the sense of, "it takes the place of and serves almost all the same purposes in usages as..."
      - Firmwarrior 4y ago
        You aren't a bad dad, but if you're going around the internet telling everyone the Steam Deck is "a gaming computer" you're going to mislead less technical people into thinking it's on par with a huge RTX 3070 laptop for performance, since that's what "gaming computer" usually means
willcipriano 4y ago
I'm not aware of any ultralight laptops that can play Cyberpunk 2077, do you have a example of one?
- ben-schaaf 4y ago
  Considering you can run it on a 2200g (https://youtu.be/qho3CtKqpjY https://youtu.be/qho3CtKqpjY), it'll run on any Ultrabook with a modern integrated GPU.
- wnevets 4y ago
  At the resolution steam deck runs at I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of them can.
- mastax 4y ago
  If you run it at steam deck resolution (1280 × 800), you can play it on a whole bunch of non-gaming computers.
falcolas 4y ago
It doesn't take a ton of compute or GPU power to play games from 5+ years ago, especially if they offered a good variety of settings. And when you include emulated games, that makes for a huge catalog.
caconym_ 4y ago
It literally is a gaming computer. Its design prioritizes gaming applications at every turn, from the form factor to the unusually low-resolution display to the gaming-oriented features of the (default) operating system. It's optimized to provide the best portable PC gaming experience at its price point, and due to the fundamental power/heat constraints of the "deck" form factor it's pretty close to the point of diminishing returns regardless of how much you want to spend. Ultralight laptops can match or exceed it in [burst] performance, but that's table stakes. They aren't designed for gaming, and if you try to play games on one you will understand that very quickly.
nivenkos 4y ago
It has a strong GPU but relatively weak CPU by comparison. So it really depends what you play. FWIW in my case, it is much better than my laptop from only a year prior.

wintermutestwin 4y ago

Are there any performance tests for a Steam Deck plugged into a hi res external monitor?

goosedragons 4y ago
What do you mean? For gaming it won't perform well at high resolutions in recent games. For just using as a desktop it's better than most laptops with Intel integrated graphics and can do multiple displays with MST.
giobox 4y ago
I only use it docked when I want to do some work in the desktop mode with a keyboard and mouse. I think of the dock more for using it in Desktop mode than something comparable to the Switch running connected to a TV. The one exception is Steam's game streaming functions - a docked Deck connected to a TV works great with controllers or keyboard/mouse connected streaming gameplay from your desktop in many games. Its a perfectly adequate little desktop PC in this configuration for a lot of tasks. The official dock even supports a dual monitor desktop config which is nice. Gaming wise, the onboard GPU is pretty adequate for 720p (or the 800p of the native display), resolutions beyond this like the 1080p or greater found in most monitors are going to make a lot more games struggle.
neogodless 4y ago
720p is 921,600 pixels 1080p is 2,073,600 pixels (2.25x 720p) 1440p is 3,686,400 pixels (4x 720p) If performance scaling was linear, and given that the Steam Deck targets 30fps (up to 60), any game running at 30fps is going to be dropping to roughly 13fps at 1080p at the same settings.
trynewideas 4y ago
Digital Foundry: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZKBSf3aLf4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZKBSf3aLf4 Generally, 7th-gen console era games and earlier can often play at 1080p60, 4k30, or 4k60 depending on the demands. Newer games make compromises. FSR and TSR (upscaling from lower internal resolutions) effectiveness depends on the game.

giobox 4y ago

> Its a 500$ gaming computer in the form factor of a chonky nintendo switch. Even better, its only $399! I think its a great deal at only 50 bucks more than the OLED switch model personally. https://store.steampowered.com/steamdeck https://store.steampowered.com/steamdeck By all accounts, the entry level model with a large microSD card performs just as well in games as installing on a more expensive model with a larger built in SSD. The only other feature you miss out on really is the most expensive config has an additional antiglare coating. The CPU/GPU configuration is exactly the same on all models. I actually ordered the most expensive config, but with what I know now and having tried a friend's entry model, if I ordered again tomorrow I would just buy the 399 one with a cheap microSD card. Some folks even prefer the extra contrast of the display without the anti-glare coating. The microSD cards are hot swappable too - you can carry a bunch with different games installed if you wanted, the Deck OS instantly repopulates your game library with the contents of whatever card you just inserted.

mrpotato 4y ago
> Even better, its only $399! I think its a great deal at only 50 bucks more than the OLED switch model personally. OP was probably talking about CAD. Base model is C$ 499.00 and the switch is C$ 299.99. *Edit: OLED switch is C$ 349.99
anaganisk 4y ago
I bought the 399 deck and upgraded the ssd to 1TB save couple 100. Dont even have to need an SD card.
- distances 4y ago
  And I just bought the cheapest model and a 512G SD card just like GP recommended, as all testimonials said it's basically equally fast in games as an SSD is.