The Steam Deck OLED is certainly one of my favourite gaming gadgets of all time. And I don’t say that evenly — I’ve been taking part in handhelds for the reason that prehistoric occasions of 1991 when my granddad purchased me a Sega Recreation Gear. I additionally cherished the OG LCD model of Valve’s teeny PC even when I used to be utilizing my Steam Deck unsuitable till I made this one change.
Although the likes of the Lenovo Legion Go 2 and ROG Ally X have since far outstripped the Deck when it comes to pure horsepower, I nonetheless say Valve’s machine is the perfect handheld PC for most individuals. Because of its ultra-intuitive OS, canny design tweaks and a really sensational display, right here’s why I wouldn’t swap my Steam Deck OLED for any of its rivals.
Associated
I personal 3 PC gaming handhelds, and that is the one I barely use
Till Linux will get severe about multiplayer gaming, my Steam Deck will acquire mud whereas I play on my Home windows gaming handhelds as an alternative.
An unimaginable OLED display
I’ll all the time worth show high quality over pure energy
Although I bought on properly with the launch mannequin LCD Deck, I desire the OLED mannequin that launched in late 2023 a lot extra. I received’t lie: my disdain for LCD tech is unhinged. The Nintendo Swap 2’s LCD show is a large letdown — it’s a display I discover so subpar that I upgraded it with a conveyable OLED monitor. Fortunately, there’s no purpose to interchange the Steam Deck OLED’s impeccable panel.
Make no mistake, the upgraded mannequin sports activities a superb display. Its 720p panel (1200 x 800) will not be probably the most high-res, however video games nonetheless look pin-sharp on that 7.4-inch, 90Hz show. Dealing with of HDR content material can be very good, and video games like Elden Ring seem extremely vivid, with the Steam Deck OLED managing to hit 1000 nits of peak display brightness in HDR-supported video games.
Evaluate and distinction with the Lenovo Legion Go 2, and although its 8.8-inch, 1080p panel is technically larger decision, distinction ranges and colour replica are nowhere close to as spectacular as on the Deck OLED’s superior display. It additionally doesn’t assist that Lenovo’s machine tops out at a somewhat underwhelming 600 nits.
SteamOS stays a minimize above
No Home windows handheld can compete with the Deck’s working system
Credit score: Dave Meikleham MakeUseOf
SteamOS is maybe the following largest purpose the OLED Deck continues to be really easy to advocate. The working system to beat in terms of handheld PCs, it’s snappy, intuitive to make use of, and doesn’t hog a ton of {hardware} assets. The latter high quality ensures that the Steam Deck’s OS isn’t a drag on battery life, which is clearly a vital issue when evaluating any handheld gaming machine.
Greater than something, SteamOS simply works, and it does so seamlessly. I’ve owned my Steam Deck OLED for a few years, and I can depend the variety of points I’ve had with Valve’s working system, not simply on one hand, however a few fingers.
The Deck boots into Gaming Mode by default, and this Huge Image-esque interface is a delight to work together with. Its clear, uncluttered design permits you to browse your sport library with ease, viewing screenshots you’ve snapped is a doddle, whereas it’s additionally a breeze to hop into the Steam Retailer everytime you’re feeling flush and need to splurge on some new titles.
Proton is pleasingly open, making it straightforward to put in customized Homebrew plugins
SteamOS additionally excels due to Proton. This compatibility layer ensures the Steam Deck can boot up 1000’s of Home windows video games and run on the hand held’s Linux system with minimal points. Proton can be pleasingly open, making it straightforward to put in customized Homebrew plugins like Decky Loader — an superior launcher that permits you to tweak the Deck’s visuals and sounds in cool and intriguing methods.
Putting in customized software program onto Steam Deck is way simpler should you join the hand held to a dock paired with a keyboard and mouse in Desktop Mode. That’s a lesson I realized after I turned my Steck Deck into a conveyable PS5 with this one app.
The trackpads work a deal with
One of many Steam Deck’s canniest design selections
Credit score: Dave Meikleham / MakeUseOf
Although they may look a contact gimmicky on first inspection, the Steam Deck’s trackpads come into their very own when taking part in sure video games on the hand held.
Appearing as an especially succesful substitute for titles which can be usually greatest performed with a mouse and keyboard, these trackpads are genuinely pretty to make use of in first-person shooters, just like the 2016 Doom reboot. Additionally they really feel tremendous tactile due to their resonant actuators that present delicate haptic suggestions that may make scrolling by in-game menus or navigating a map in an RTS sport oh-so satisfying in your digits.
I not too long ago accomplished my first ever playthrough of the legendary Disco Elysium on my Deck, and the point-and-click detective sim was a pleasure to work together with, in giant due to these splendidly clicky trackpads. I respect stated pads a lot now that the shortage of those inputs on the ROG Ally X is likely one of the essential causes the extra highly effective handheld has but to tempt me.
Valve doesn’t sleep on Steam Deck compatibility
Steam Deck Verified video games are up to date on a regular basis
Credit score: Dave Meikleham / MakeUseOf
A giant a part of the enchantment of the Steam Deck is the ever-increasing variety of PC video games (each outdated and new) that work with out subject on Valve’s handheld. Because of its verification system, “Steam Deck Verified” video games are straightforward to seek for by library filters, which means it’s easy to curate a set of video games on the Deck that you already know will boot with out extra tweaks.
Because of Proton, verified Steam Deck titles are assured to show correctly on the Deck’s 720p display. With these video games, optimization has additionally targeted on making them as accessible as doable. Which means, within the overwhelming majority of circumstances, full management performance is supported, and exterior launcher points received’t lay down a barrier to booting into these titles.
Of the 338 video games I presently personal on Steam, 156 of these are classed as “Nice on Deck” after I scroll by my library. Whether or not it’s enduring the haunted home in house horrors of Alien Isolation, cruising across the seedy streets of Evening Metropolis in Cyberpunk 2077 or admiring the blustery great thing about The Witcher 3’s luxurious fantasy kingdom, I do know these video games will launch with zero fuss due to Valve’s handheld-friendly verification course of.
Conclusion
The Steam Deck OLED remains to be the hand held PC I’m most snug recommending. With its streamlined OS and rising library of Steam Deck Verified titles, it’s each bit as accessible because the Nintendo Swap 2. That attractive display additionally offers it the show edge over its opponents.
The one actual draw back to selecting up a Steam Deck? World RAM shortages have obliterated Valve’s inventory, and it’s presently laborious to discover a Steam Deck OLED (the LCD mannequin has been discontinued) for sums that aren’t approach above its official MSRP of $549.
