I have the ASUS ROG Ally and I have to admit, I use that as my main pc and even did my application for a Canadian work Visa. I was granted the visa and I find it hilarious that I managed to do something so official on a small gaming device with all the lights flashing!
How is it hilarious? People are filing official applications via $99 smartphones, and you are telling me that something costs 8X more would be able to do the same? Get outta here.
My Steam Deck is actually my only computer. I use it every day for basic PC tasks. The desktop experience reminds me of using windows as a kid in the 90's. I haven't tried video editing but it seems to handle pretty much whatever I want to do with it. I don't know much about computers, but I am learning. The steam deck is my teacher.
I use the steam deck as my main computer with Linux still on it since a year ago. I do intensive stuff with programs like Blender on it and it works great. It was more powerful than my old pc and cheaper than any other upgrades.
@@swirl44 I use it like that and I've never had a 32gb pc before. 16gb has always been plenty enough and I don't see a good reason to get any more than that.
This sounds like a fun idea, especially for a home media PC, but the deck and dock not being able to do 4k 120hz/HDR video for movies means I can't do that and needed to buy a mini pc.
@@swirl44 Not really. I modded a second screen to my deck and sometimes if I am trying to game and watch a video at the same time, then yes. other than that I don't really have issues with ram. I typically don't have more than 2 tabs open at the same time.
This shows their capabilities way more than I could ever explain it to someone. I don't wanna call gaming handhelds desktop replacements, even tho it can work, but rather laptop replacements. I love the portability. Gaming laptops may have a lot of horsepower, but they require way more power than something like the Legion Go, which I carry around a 10 foot USB C cable for, and a 30 dollar 65W brick. A dedicated charger for laptops, the laptop itself, peripherals for the device, etc. The Legion can technically be an all in one experience. And for 650 bucks it's a huge performance bang for your buck. I have a Desktop and the Legion Go, that to me is the best of both worlds. The Legion gets stuff done on the go with basically no fuss, and when I want to sit down and seriously game, I have my desktop. The fact that I can even get a roughly 50 maybe even 60% average gaming desktop experience for a portable 650 dollar juiced up tablet is remarkable
Why are you using such an expensive keyboard? You could have gone to a thrift store and gotten a keyboard for much cheaper probably less than $20. Also same with a mouse.
Hey Bob, the irony is you seemed happy with it as a gaming device when that was the primary use case - the average user isn’t a professional video editor. There are many people who just want a gaming device that has a desktop mode for basic tasks.
That's the tech youtuber "real world work" issue. Almost every time they want to show someone working they show video editing... Most ppl working with a pc use a variation of a text editor. But at the same time as you said he wanted to show his use case.
Give it time and APU specs in handheld PCs will become powerful enough GPUs to rival those found in laptops. It use to be a time people could only rely on big honking desktop PCs with big expensive discreete graphics cards for video editing - Nvdia Quadros. Then more people started using Laptops I work in the corporate environment and we are now using AMD 7000 series + 780M Gpus for all laptops. It will not be long people would rather just do it all on a handheld PC on the go instead of laptops.
Have to agree with some of the people above. Tech and gaming TH-camrs are professional video editors and product reviewers. So their daily needs include a device that they can use to write scripts, produce and manage video content, and run their online business. But if you want to hear what professional programmers, engineers, graphic designers, etc. have to say about how these devices could fit into their lifestyle, maybe a channel like Linus Tech Tips can be more helpful to you. But even their view is screwed towards their own specific needs and preferences.
@@KuroZero it's in the instruction manual for the legion go but yeah works whether the controllers are connected or even if they're detached before powering the legion go on.
TBH most of your criticisms were of Windows in general since you are clearly a MAC user lol I think most people who use Windows-based laptops/Desktop PC's on the regular for their work machines would do just fine switching to a handheld like the Legion GO as long as they wouldn't mind the performance loss.
I was thinking about that... I know my way around windows. Since 2015 I was learning for real before I was a mac user. So... I was like ah I see... his going way tooo hard on this handheld, and almost never use windows, just for games. yeah this won't end up well XD. my pick it's the ally as my next main pc. I don't do 4k video editing.. I should be fine lol
@@netrodexyep you should be fine, maybe wait for the new ally x since they fixed previous issue, or maybe look for that legion go, as you seen, removing the controllers makes it a good tablet too
I have a Gpd Win max which has the same processor. Works perfectly fine as a desktop / laptop replacement, I have never had a single issue other than running AAA games above 1080p.
I've done this with my SteamDeck for about 2 weeks because my main PC (also using Linux) died. I used a USB-C dock and hooked it up to my two monitors. Other than games being slower, it was barely even noticeably different than my main PC. I was super impressed. I did run into a lot of issues with running out of RAM, but that was the only major negative. I didn't have to do any video editing during that time (I have a separate PC for that anyway), so I didn't have the same requirements that Wulff Den did, but I was able to manage pretty well. I think the major pain point for this experiment was down to completely switching his workflows. Mac OS vs Win 11, Laptop with multiple external screens vs 1-3 screens depending on the Lenovo's mood, etc. With my experience I was using the same OS, with the same keyboard, mouse, monitor, etc.., that I always used. My settings and files were already mostly synced between the two, so it only took like 20 minutes to change everything over. It almost made me question why I even bothered building my main PC when 95% of what I do works perfectly well on a device like 1/5th the price.
cause building a PC gives you more leeway for upgradability in the future, for all sorts of things. If something breaks in the steamdeck, you're SOL. If something breaks in a PC, you can pinpoint a specific hardware piece
@@JeskidoYT To a degree the Deck can be repaired. It's not as granular as a desktop, but it's superior reparability and to a degree upgradability to most modern laptops.
@@ClintTheriault this is precisely why I just got a steam deck instead of buying a new pc. My old one was on its last legs, and any upgrade in power would've costed way more than a steam deck, which was actually an upgrade anyway. If not, it was definitely matching my previous pc power.
Just a few points on how to fix some of the issues you were facing: In my experience, the performance gain on custom 30W compared to "Performance mode" (25W) is absolutely minimal, and the fan speeds are way more reasonable in that setting, resulting in way less noise. When doing less demanding tasks, like video calls, writing or media playback, switching to quiet or balanced mode also works great, again, reducing noise and saving battery if you aren't plugged in. The speakers are also tuned horribly by default, but aren't nearly as bad after turning off "Audio Enhancements" in the sound settings for the speakers specifically in Windows. Tuning them yourself with an EQ also helps a lot. In no way good still, but at least usable.
Nothing will ever be as bad as the speakers in (or connected to for some strange reason) my monitor. The Steam Deck has pretty decent speakers. I wonder if the legion go's are worse or what?
I use my Legion Go as my main when I travel for work, since I also carry my drawing tablet, which works as a second monitor. I pack my full Keyboard in my checked luggage either way, so it really is better for me than a larger device. (Especially in the Japanese hotels).
@@wakjagner I use an art tablet that has an lcd that receives I/o via HDMI and digitizer I/o through usb-C. Its a relatively inexpensive xp-pen artist 12 I got from amazon. To extend further, the new ipad pro's can act as monitors via Usb-c natively iirc, so thats another option.
I've been using my Lenovo Legion Go as my main PC for around 1-2 months now and it's really interesting hearing the experience other people have had. Never messed around with an eGPU or anything, but that's mainly because I'm perfectly happy with 60 FPS (and pretty high rank in FPS games running 60 FPS). This thing is an editing BEAST compared to my old laptop which had a 3060 in it though, it's like 4-5x faster which has been an absolute godsend. I've been able to use this device perfectly fine for normal activity and while traveling with a $30 bluetooth keyboard with trackpad, a $30 USB-C dock that has like 2 USB slots for my headset and mouse, a wireless mouse (I have an expensive one but a cheaper one probably works fine), and the charger cable. I do also have a second monitor that's portable with its own power source, but it's technically not needed, I just love having 2 displays on the go. I throw it all in a $10 laptop bag and have been able to use it like a charm and overall still is cheaper than a laptop in the price range while being a portable 2-display setup with controllers attached. The multi-PC setup for streaming/recording you mentioned using might be worth looking into though, I've had so many issues with slightly corrupted video files from OBS (although still complete files that I've used in videos, they have a moment where they flash green or something) which all seem to be tied to how much processing power I'm using on the PC. It's really the only issue I've had using this device other than storage, but upgrading the storage to a 2TB 2230 SSD (if you're reading this, get a 2230 SSD w/ one of those $5 extenders, not the 2242 ones as they're very faulty hardware, was extremely easy.
yeah I'm happy with 60hz too! also it helps that I basically play non online fps games. Even tho the ally (my pick) can do 120hz, I'm go on 60hz. I've learned that most games breaks with 120hz... even on my powerful laptop
same. I use usb c docking station to get rid of unessary cables and Logi mx mouse and keyboard. i work from home and dont travel much with laptop anyway.
@@AeyGeetrue, but it’s also worse for actual gaming. Paradoxically, one’s better for doing computer stuff on the go, and the other is better for gaming on the go, but they can each do both in a pinch.
You absolutely CAN use a handheld as a main computer. That is, if you go into it with at least a tiiiny bit of common sense and the understanding that an iGPU is in no way, shape or form a match for a dedicated GPU from this decade. This could come as a shock, but most people do not stream, make podcasts or edit videos.... " I wanted to see if it would be practical for anyone to do it".....SOOOOO out of touch, it is not even funny.
For the past 7 months I have used the lenovo legion go as the only gear, no laptops, no pc. When I'm in "desktop" mode, I plug it to a monitor and it works perfectly fine. In productivity mode or just youtube watching mode the lenovo handles it fine. For gaming with a monitor 3440x1440 at 100 fps is another story... which is why I have the nvidea geforce now. With that, the lenovo totally outpaces my RTX2070 PC. The only reason why I choose a gaming handheld to a laptop is because sometimes I just wanna chill on the bed, the sofa or in the train and play some simpler games like borderlands 2 and other OG titles that were the bomb back 7-10 years ago. For me it is the perfect choice suiting my needs. Comparing a macbook pro that cost 1500$ and has 0 repairability and you still need all the peripherals..yeah. And you totally lost me with the video editing. That's an activity that requires a ton of RAM... That is your youtuber specific need friend. And I get that it sucks but it only sucks for you.
I used my Go for 3 months while living overseas, I did all my resolve editing, a little ableton music creation, overwatch gaming, web browsing, movie watching, discord calls etc and felt fine. I got myself a dock and a portable 13" oled monitor on amazon and a keyboard and mouse and loved it all.
nice. I have a USB-C capture card on the way and really curious what the experience will be like to use my iPadPro as an external display so I get the 13" experience you have.
Windows has a lot of random processes that will cause the fans to ramp up. Example: On my Max 2, which has a pretty quiet fan overall will just ramp up because Windows start pushing an update in the background.
Recommendation: reinstall windows, and then off the fresh install load ReviOS up. Been running it on my Deck and it's not had any "windows issues". ReviOS does a fantastic job trimming all that extra crap out, so the hardware can be focused into actually doing the stuff you want lol
Which is crazy cause the max 2 is pretty amazing with thermals and sounds. I have a fleet of dell latitude and they sound like they're blasting off to space.
I used my Legion Go as my primary computer when my main rig was down for an RMA. It worked fine driving two displays over a $100 CAD ($65 USD) TB dock. I even edited some 4K drone footage on it without any issues. For travel I use a folding bluetooth keyboard w/trackpad because the built in trackpad on the Go isn't good, as Bob noticed. Some tips: 1) When docked, just set the device to performance mode since you're plugged in anyway (Steam downloads are compressed and heavily use the CPU for decompression). 2) set a custom fan curve so the fan doesn't go crazy when it's not needed and you won't have to manually manage it either. It's really not a bad experience if you're docked and using an external monitor. The only real limitation is the size of the built in screen. Honestly, it seems like a lot of Bob's complaints were Windows issues with his workflow, not that he was using a handheld device.
This has convinced me to use PC handheld as main pc. It can't be slower or more painful than my current pc which is running on windows 7 and was made early 90s
I did this with my steam deck still with Linux on it since over a year ago and haven't looked back. Pc wasn't as bad as yours but this was an upgrade for me and was cheaper than other options. I do intensive stuff like Blender on it and it works great. It's a good idea.
@@idoblenderstuffs Exact same situation as me. I think this video misses the point that not everybody can afford the set up he already had. On top of his biggest issue being video editing, which the majority of people will rarely, if ever, need. Especially at 4k quality.
next up. bob uses a gameboy color running windows 11 and reaches radiant in valorant - i havent really played since after chamber came out and I got diamond.
Think of it less as a laptop and more like a desktop and a tablet and it works fine. I have a windows install on an SD in my steam deck that I mostly use for office work, data analysis, and just plain web surfing.
I'm a university student and I've been using the seam deck with the default steam os as my main pc since september, and it's been perfect. Easier than building a desktop pc of the same power, and it was cheaper for me. If you're someone who wants to do work on the go I could see it being an issue, but I only ever need to do work at my desk. I've never had any issues with doing things while there's a download going, and I just watch TH-cam on my phone when I'm eating in the kitchen. Having it docked, I'm at a good enough distance where the fan hasn't ever bothered me, but the most intensive thing I play is modded minecraft-which can get pretty intensive, just not as much as AAA games. I think the main issue throughout the video is that you're trying to use it as a laptop instead of a desktop computer. Video editing is the only thing that I can't really refute, but most people don't need to edit video, especially at 4k quality
@@AeyGee I'm entering year 3 now, I think I'll be fine. This isn't a bandaid solution it was my intent going in. The steam deck works as a fully functioning pc and I don't need a laptop for my school.
@@AeyGee I don't need to bring it to the university, and if I ever did all I need to bring is the deck, a stand, and a portable keyboard and mouse which all fit fine in my bag. But for my schooling I don't need to. Did you even read my comment? It is saying that it is a viable replacement for a desktop computer, and I could see issues if you want to do things other than gaming on the go, but even that it's not impossible as he had showed in the first few days. It just didn't work for his specific every single day. And why would I need a bigger screen? Yeah it's small but you can increase the text size. I do that normally so i can have it at a bit of a distance on the side as a second monitor.
@@dryden_drawing My point is: why need to go through such hoops and loops to use your Steam Deck as a laptop, when you can just get a proper gaming laptop? Yes, you may save some dime here and there, but at what cost. Also, your Steam Deck will get outdated at a faster rate than a proper laptop, which is also a valid point that Bob raised.
Great video, Bob. I've been using my ROG Ally Z1E + 3080 XG Mobile as my main Windows PC at home for the past 10 months or so, it's great but expensive! It saves me a lot of space in my little cramped desk setup.
@@WulffDen well that's the thing, I do all my editing on a MacBook Pro! I use the ROG Ally for gaming and Windows tasks, like running apps and scripts, and screen captures for my tutorials. So when I say it's my "main Windows PC" that's because I'm a Mac guy.
The problem with using both screens with the eGPU probably was the bandwidth needed to send the screen contents back to the iGPU over the limited USB4 interface. PCIe bottlenecks can ruin frame-pacing, as I have experienced by pairing an RX570 with my 3200G processor. Which I solved by upgrading to a Vega 64 and power-limiting it to as low as it goes, giving my brother said RX570.
He's an okay fellow. He's very opinionated, but thats why you check out his stuff. He does good research, and I enjoy his frank attitude on stuff. He's making his living being a Power user and doing more than most of us even would touch. Hats off to you Wulff Den
I actually use my Steam Deck as my main PC and I love it! I will say tho, that I don't play PvP games, only solo and co-ops, and I only surf the web, watch videos, write/type, and draw. So, doing all of that, is totally workable with a handheld PC. 😊 I also want to add that I've never had the budget for a high end desktop or laptop computer, even tho I've wanted one. I've always had to play on consoles, which was fine (but having to subscribe to be able to game online sucked a$$-), so when Valve came out with a VERY cheap yet very powerful gaming haldheld that doubled as a PC, I was overjoyed! So, for regular folks who literally CAN'T pay for anything more expensive and don't need to edit videos, I'd say that using a handheld PC as a main computer is totally doable and very efficient.
The Legion Go is my favorite handheld chugger. I found less heat when charging through the bottom port for some reason when using other usb c chargers.
2:36 The Steam Deck IS capable of Windows. The OG version fully so, the OLED Version just has some hickups with audio and bluetooth - but we're already dealing wiht peripherals anyway, and these would make even that work.
Hiccups with audio? I tried playing a game called "Farming Simulator 22" with my sister but she could not hear me through the ingame voicechat while discord could pick up my mic just fine. Any ideas?
@@Snow-wv2sf Depends on a lot of factors. Who of you was using the Steam Deck? What Audio Devices were used? Were the correct Input Devices (Microphone) and Output Devices (Speaker\Headphones) selected both in Windows' and Discord's settings?
@@awakenedcrowl I was on the steam deck and whether i was in game mode or desktop mode with my headphones on or off, they couldnt hear me while they were on ps4. I could hear them but not the other way around. And i never touched the settings for audio on desktop mode so i believe they were correct. Tried my sister's headphones and no luck there either. Hope that's a good amount of info
@@Snow-wv2sf Oh, so you mean you were on SteamOS still. Well, in that case, all I can recommend you: DO look around in those settings. In the Audio Settings, both in Desktop and Game Mode, you should find an option to swap around the Input Devices. If the names of the devices don't tell you which one you're looking for, then I'm afraid you gotta just switch them around until one hopefully works. If NONE of them work... then the issue is probably something deeper that can't be solve easily. But I haven't run into SUCH deep audio issues yet, so I'd just suggest to play around with the Input Devices a little.
My Legion Go running Bazzite (Linux) is my daily driver now. I packed up my pc ages back and never looked back and I use it for everyday tasks, work (analytics), media consumption, literally everything I used my pc for. -Legion Go -USB Hub with HDMIs/USB Ports -Wireless Mouse + Keyboard -Dual Monitors It's not impractical at all - if anything being able to hit & run my games by unplugging a usb-c is amazing.
your adverts with your doggo are criminally satisfying,i feel like i got a hit of crack blown in my face. ty for the insight without the life destroying addiction.
The simplest way to disable the LeGo’s controller is to switch it to fps mode. Windows will no longer detect it as a controller and you can then use any other controller very easily.
From what I've gathered of information I noticed that the handheld X86 device could be used as a desktop replacement because who freaking cares what your desktop is shaped like. You have your own keyboard mouse your monitor is hooked up You don't really look at the tower unless you're plugging something into it. As a laptop (or tablet with keybord case) replacement however it actually doesn't work as well. The handhelds are usually thicker than a laptop would be and they don't have a keyboard so you'd have to carry one separately. What I did before these existed was have a desktop computer with lots of power and then a cheaper less powerful super portable device just so I could have windows on the go If I needed the power I just go home. If you're able to use one of these handhelds to replace your desktop then same rules apply.
My fiancée's Razer laptop died almost 2 years ago. The battery expanded putting pressure on the motherboard snapping it. Looking around, the Steam Deck was IMO the cheapest new "computer" you could buy (price to performance). They had just released the official dock and she already had a set up were she would dock her laptop. Ever since she has been operating her small business and gaming all with her Steam Deck mostly docked, using it similar to a desktop. I would borrow it every now and then to do some handheld gaming until I finally bought my own. Zero regrets.
hahahahaha this is soo funny coz... all my razer laptops blaoted with the battery as well... :/ from 3 different gens... it's not a good idea to run a heavy gpu on a small chassis. one was 60hz, the other small but with intel god awful burns, and finally the newest blade 2021 240hz. I was done with razer and went with asus. let your wife knows I know her pain really well, and I'm glad handheld pcs saved her :)
@@netrodex A friend mentioned that she could have sped up the battery problem by always leaving it plugged into the charger... I try to remind her to unplug her Steam Deck when not in use now.
@@Resident_Elmo not likely, the deck stops receiving power the moment it hits 100%.it's the same as modern gaming laptops no adays. but yeah if you are not using it, alway cool saving power ;) but overnight charge it's no problem
A USB C right angle adapter (left/right) would've made it easier to use the bottom port with stuff, that way you wouldn't have had to put it vertical like that, just lean it back a little. Lenovo should've included one of those in the box, IMO.
There's another fix for lenovo wanting to use its controllers as the main controller when you have it paired with a different controller: Put the lenovo right controller into the mouse mode. Then it won't recognize it as a controller anymore and your paired controller becomes your main. Been using my legion go connected to the TV in the living room to emulate some ps2. And it's awesome for that. Disconnecting the controller and using it as a mouse on the couch is a really nice feature to have if you need to mess with the settings.
So what I'm learning from this video is: If I not bother to make driver adjustments, compromise few docking plug reconnections daily, and I don't need video editing or live streaming, this could be really nice set up. Also pretty portable since you could have a simple monitor laying your office desk, with keyboard and mice on standby and just arrive with your handheld. And then plug it your nicier set-up at home. Also have fun with on the go at lunch time without a need of a full size backpack. 🤔 Why am I still sold for this rig?
Is the issue that it's a handheld, or is the issue that it runs windows? Hypothetically, would a handheld with a Mac OS eliminate many of the complaints?
yeah - as a diehard Apple fanboy, I can speak to this - last Windows computer I got was a Thinkpad that died a sorry death in 2004. Jumped onto Web 2.0 using a $500 mac mini & then got a MacBook in 2007 that finally got retired in 2020 for an iPadPro as my daily driver. I was able to hobble along on a 2015 MBP with a broken screen docked when I wanted to play around with macOS and found out Batocera Linux was a godsend for retro gaming. I got an Ally Extreme last week just to see what higher end (ps3/wiiu/switch) emulation would be like and quite impressed. I'm so happy I skipped the abomination Win7 and Win10 were - while Win11 is not perfect, it's a lot more stable (but still fiddly) - got a bunch of Steam games and now I have the best of all worlds desktop & mobile! I do agree than once you get used to Apple bindings, it's really difficult to go back (I still fumble in Linux as the bindings are closer to Windows). I really wanted my iPadPro to be my "handheld" and Apple just makes it near impossible to get software reliably on it (tried AltStore and have effectively given up) - there are just so many things that this Ally Extreme does that I'd always wanted my iPadPro to do that I can currently forgive its shortcomings (esp at open box prices) That said, at least I know my iPadPro is locked down like fort knox and I can tinker away at Windows and Linux on my Ally. The fingerprint reader does make me feel like its serious about security so I have been evaluating just using Windows nearly full time over the last week just to see how it goes. if Apple ever came out with a handheld, they would have to let ppl tinker with it (i was one of the first to jailbreak the original iPhone) or it's not really in the realm of what a lot of gamers do to get things working they way they want IMHO!
I’ve been using a Steam Deck as my sole home PC for a year and a half now and love it. Gaming, TH-cam videos, and occasionally working from home on days I can’t come into the office. Easy to pop on the dock to my dual monitor setup and just as easy to take off the dock and play in bed.
i did this with my deck over the past summer because i was in dcs custody and couldn't bring my desktop. Actually worked super well, got to take over 15 pages of dense notes on it and it never felt too small once I got used to it. I'm facing homelessness now and intend to use my deck as my sole pc again if i have to sell my desktop because of how well it worked.
2:30 With a little effort, you can boot windows on the Steamdeck; weaker specs though, so worse experience for video editing 9:20 & 12:20 Use an unsplit bluetooth keyboard with a mousepad 14:15 Yeah you forgot to turn off you LLGo screen; driver conflicts
It is proper to press B with either your left or right hand. Many split keyboards actually have 2 B keys for this reason, like alice keyboards from Keychron.
From someone who uses a steam deck as there only computer, I've been able to do everything I did on my laptop, it's obviously not as fast but the performance didn't have a huge impact on what I use it for. Legion go is gonna be a big improvement for me honestly.(edit) So after having the legion go for about 2 weeks it definitely has replaced my need for a standalone pc. Pop the controllers off and it's a decent tablet for media, it's a great handheld and with a dock it serves as a desktop too. I don't travel much so it's more about the versatility of how I'm able to use it around my house which it was been excellent for me.
if you use proper typing form you're supposed to press the B key with your left hand, however, on a staggered board the B key is actually centered, meaning you can press it with either hand and it's the same distance. since the split board in the video is staggered (unlike most boards, which are ortholinear), having a difficult time pressing the B key with just your left hand makes sense, as the logical (though technically incorrect) way of pressing a B key on a staggered layout is to switch back and forth, which many do unconsciously, and staggered muscle memory is probably taking over.
I payed 500 pound for my legion go new with a discount. I love the fact i can just play on the couch with a handheld with pretty good controllers. I play more pc games than i ever did before. You can stream from xbox. Play steam. Emulate all older consoles. If anything its made my xbox obselete. Had all my old games from steam. Done a bench mark from a game i remembered my old pc had and the legion go run it better whats insane for such a small device. Plus it was in the best resolution compared to 1080p on My old pc was quite old mind. It plays games like gt5 really well. Took it on the plane with my powerbank and played for the whole 4 plus hours. For me its great.
I sold my high end gaming rig to get a ayaneo2 + a thunderbolt dock. I reused my RYX2080 from my rig for the eGPU. But a big difference between you and I is. I didn't have a laptop. Going this route has made my whole experience a lot more mobile. I can edit in the living room with a Portbale monitor, or play a game in the car now. Where before. It was only in the office. I think maybe if you didn't have a laptop your experience may have been slightly different. But over all for me. I'll never go back to just a desktop experience
This was the main reason I got one, I went Rog Ally. That it's pretty close in performance to my stationary doesn't hurt either. Don't feel like going back, but it's still month one. Main thing for me is that I find computer chair and desk uncomfortable, I have the Rog Ally by the TV.
I used my Steam Deck for a couple weeks when my laptop was being repaired, and honestly it was fine. Keeping in mind the fact that I only used it like I would a desktop PC, the only issue I had was bluetooth dropping in and out, which is an issue I always have with these headphones in desktop mode. If you don't have a PC _at all_ , and just want to do light computing tasks, it's honestly perfectly fine. Keeping in mind the fact that your more demanding games are not really gonna run with good performance at 1080p on an external monitor with current gen handhelds. I would really only game on the handheld itself. The form factor is just annoying tho if you intend on using it as a laptop tbh. If you need a laptop but don't want a gaming laptop due to the noise, battery life, thermals, etc, I'd pair a cheaper thin and light laptop with a handheld. A handheld + keyboard is not enough screen real estate. Add a portable monitor on to that, and it's taking up far more space and setup time than a laptop.
i think "good performance" at 1080p must be relative - what games and at what FPS? this is my first gaming "PC" and im pretty satisified w Witcher 3 on my external monitor over 30fps (and know if i tweak options completely it goes over 70 fps) I guess the only basis of comparison I have is how choppy ps3/wiiu/switch emulation was like on a 2015MBP for AAA games - this is what I'm upgrading from and it's like night and day!
@@udance4ever Witcher 3 is a bit of an older game (2015), so it's a given that it would run well. I'm talking more recent AAA games, like BG3 for instance. The goal is generally medium-high settings at 30-40 fps which you can reach at native res, but likely not at 1080p
The retro game corps 6 month update for the Go addressed some of the issues like with audio. I suggest anyone on the fence about getting the Go to watch that as well.
@@ProjectFraz well to be fair - it is amazing how far the vision of multipurpose computing has come in the last 50 or so years! I do find it a wild ride indeed!
It seems like, while handhelds are great and can TECHNICALLY be a replacement PC, they really just aren't quite there yet. I think with a couple gens to work out some of the kinks it's going to get much better
As someone who hasn't driven anything other than linux for over half a decade, I actually felt right at home in the steam decks desktop mode. Linux being so much more lightweight and customizable is especially important in non standard form factors like this, and if you know what you're doing, it lets you fix any problem you run into with a few simple commands. Now, I only do lightweight-ish gaming, and I am not a pc poweruser, so performance was never an issue. For coding, PDF editing, music editing and most of my other daily tasks using my steam deck with the usb hub connected to my desktop is so convenient that my Laptop is honestly just collecting dust. The reason I love the deck so much is because it is such incredibly reliable hardware, and linux is such incredibly reliable software. When something works, it just keeps working, and if something doesn't work, it's very easy to figure out why and how to fix it.
its nice to hear a shout for Linux optimized hardware. Ive been making the transition myself for quite awhile now (2010 mac mini is finally on Ubuntu Server thanks to CasaOS!) Batocera Linux is helping but it technically is more of an appliance model (which I can tinker with) than a desktop model. Right now my iPadPro has been filling these shoes the last 4 years and found myself here cuz Im definitely in the inquiry as to whether a gaming handheld can replace what I use my iPadPro for (answer is definitely not quite yet!)
90% of your issues are just windows problems, i use it as a main pc unplugged and without an external monitor and love it so please just keep that in mind
Yeah, windows has only been getting worse since xp, and it''s kinda crazy that nobody really talks about that. I've been happy using the default steam os, let alone other linux distrobutions
@@dryden_drawing i use the legion go with windows (because of compatibility) but wulf is like "hey i made a video hating on a pc handheld, hey i made a video about saying good stuff about that pc handheld because i got sponsored, hey im back to hating on this pc handheld" i dont hate wulf i just hate how much he throws trash on the go and has issues with windows and blames it on the go
@@Bulbmin64 I agree that the majority of his complaints are against windows. I think his point about video editing is fair, although most people don't need to edit video, let alone at 4k. It seems that and his last windows issue pissed him off on the last day when he had to finalize his thoughts at the end. I was just saying I think windows sucks nowadays lol
@@dryden_drawing i think id probably switch to linux when most compatibility is fixed, but if i ever get friends and one of them has a steam deck or downloaded linux ill try it out
@@Bulbmin64 Yeah, that's very reasonable. A lot of that can be difficult, even if you are somewhat tech savvy. I just think it's funny how little discourse there seems to be about how bad windows has gotten. Actually, it's probably because people assume that there is no real alternative (besides mac), or they just use the alternative
Video editing and multi-monitor high pixel density experiences are out of the question (and probably any other intense use of GPU)..., and also treating this as a laptop, a laptop is certainly a lot more convenient as a portable productivity device. This is a different kind of device, when I bought my Rog Ally I didn't consider to use it as my primary device, I use it only as a convenience to consume content the most of the time, I like Windows GUIs.
Great video man! I think having these "Desktop replacements" are practical for certain situations. If you don't have much space where you live to have a dedicated gaming space "Desk, monitor, chair and a big power-hungry desktop" and just want a small device that you can dock to an Egpu or just a usb-c hub next to your tv for a console like experience. These handhelds are a lot better then laptops for playing while laying down in bed, sitting on the couch, if you like to play on the bus, train or commute to work. Also for people who travel a lot but it does come with a lot of compromises and require a lot of tinkering. For people such as yourself who have a decent gaming pc already with a dedicated work station/gaming space, plus a good laptop it's not practical to use it as a desktop or laptop replacement, it's better to use it as intended as a handheld pc.
Oh man, great video. I am going on a trip with a long layover, want to play Fifa & NBA 2k as I sit around doing nothing for hours, and trying to justify buying one of these trying to convince myself it can double as a work computer I can use in the kitchen sometimes, not a complete waste of money, cause honestly, I rarely have time to game as it is, and I own two desktops with 4090 and 4080 already. Thanks for suffering through this experiment. Moral of the story, these handheld systems need to come down in price to justify buying for gaming only.
@@I7VCEPTION not quite following you - while you can certainly use the device for other tasks - i feel like the state of handhelds begs peeps to have another device (mobile or desktop, mine happens to be an iPadPro) for actual work which basically earmarks the handheld for gaming (i dual boot my Ally Extreme into Windows and Batocera Linux so my gaming needs are pretty well covered!) - that said, I am evaluating what I can get done in Windoze these 2 weeks :)
@@udance4ever I don’t feel I need another anything honestly. I got me a nice little keyboard and my legion is now my laptop. It already comes with a mouse .
@@I7VCEPTION I just switched to a LeGo & now that I how BIG the screen is - it makes sense now. unfortunately I already have an iPadPro so it doesn't benefit me as much. glad it's working out for you :)
Having a laptop for work and a gaming handheld for games works great, especially if you need that portability. If you can't take advantage of that portability there is no point to it. Being able to connect the handheld to the TV or desk setup when I am home is great, but the main use is still for playing games away from home.
As others have said, a lot of your issues are that you are used to a Mac workflow and that your job as a youtuber requires that you have a more powerful computer. I would argue that anyone who can do their job on say, a mini PC or a refurbished, old desktop computer and is used to either windows or linux as their main computer would likely feel pretty at home using a handheld as their main computer. Basically a steamdeck and other handhelds likely can replace mini PCs and cheap desktop computer and they have some very limited laptop capabilities (technically you can witelessly connect your phone to a steamdeck via KDE connect, if you have android, to use your phone as a keyboard and mouse eliminating the necessity of additional peripherals, but you likely wont have a fun time with that ... but it is still a good option to have if you mainly need a cheap desktop, linux PC and very rarely need a portable computer and you dont want to bring around extra peripherals)
I'm with you, PC handhelds are just for gaming. Props to whoever can use them as their main PC, but it's not for me. Although I have to admit, I've been known for not using stuff how It was intended lol. My main laptop, I consider it my portable desktop It's a 17 " Gygabyte with an I7 and RTX 3080, full keyboard (that includes full num pad). And what I finally considered a "laptop" it's a surface pro 6 I got a few months ago for dirt cheap, I love that thing, it does feel like a laptop and just fits anywhere
I have a Steam Deck and I did try to make it work with 4 monitors. Was a painful experience so I abandoned that idea and simply used two monitors setup instead, which worked well. Steam Deck works fine as a basic computer and as a gaming machine so now I'm definitely keeping my work PC separate from gaming/media machine, which is the Steam Deck. Been much happier with this setup and use my work PC to experiment with different Linux distro by booting off from an external drive (eg SATA SSD or NVMe). My goal is to transition away from Windows to Linux and using the Steam Deck was an introductory Linux for me. Linux is awesome once you get the handle of things and able to do 90% of what you can on Windows. Mac is certainly better for media creation work if that's what you do.
I use my steamdeck as my windows + linux computer. I triple-booted it with windows 11 pro and ubuntu. I use it for physics research simulations and any other pc tasks.
I'm a video editor and graphic artist. I use my LeGo for all my PC needs, sold my PC last year (which I kinda regret tbh), but LeGo has been so convenient. Upgrade that SSD to 2TB and bring your work/games with you wherever you go. I also have a small dock at home for peripherals which makes productivity really easy. My main games on LeGo are CS2, Valorant, HD2, Fallout 4, and now Ghost of Tsushima. Been a decent 5 months tbh.
I use my ROG Ally as my computer now. It's so portable and powerful. I ended up selling my gaming laptop with an rtx 3070 because I stopped using it after getting the Ally. It's so easy to just pick it up and do whatever I need it to
I got a Dell G15 (7830HS/4060 8GB/16GB Ram/512GB/165HZ ips screen) gaming laptop for around $777 for a 2nd machine so me and my gf can game next to each other and travel. I'm happy with it and I can pass it down to my toddler niece one day.
Ive been using a steam deck as my main work PC and gaming handheld for around a year now, im running dual boot steamOS and windows, win11 for work and steamos for gaming, Ive had minor headaches sure, but for the £350 I paid for the 64gb model, £30 for a dock, £30 for an SSD upgrade, £30 for peripherals (cheap BT Keyboard and mouse) its been fantastic, Im using it right now to write this comment, I already own a decent gaming PC at home so the deck compliments that, for work Im using a lot of photoshop and image editing software and it runs it all like a champ, at least in my situation its worked out brilliantly.
If you are more comfortable and familiar with editing videos on the mac, that's not the Legion Go's fault. I feel like if you were more used to editing videos in a Windows environment, that would be a better comparison. Also, having to deal with docks or external peripherals would certainly add a layer of complexity when trying to do something like this, so I'd say that's fair game. If someone were going to use this for their main rig though IDK how practical using an EGPU would be. Like, to me the point of buying a gaming device is to be able to game with it out of the box, and if I'm going to use it as my daily driver I'm probably not going to drop a ton of extra cash on it. Also, i think it would have been interesting to see you try streaming solely using the Legion Go since that is what you had been doing with your gaming PC. It would be good to compare that to see how practical it would be for someone using this as their only PC if they wanted to do streaming.
It's a weird use case for sure, lots of TH-camrs do their editing on mac which is hard for me to wrap my head around considering windows pcs have way more graphics power than mac.
I use a GPD Win Max 2 plus a GPD G1 eGPU as my only computer and am super happy. Both being from GPD makes it work flawless. At least for me. And the win Max 2 also works as a laptop while feeling a lot smaller than Deck and Co, controller on the sides devices.
As an owner of a Legion Go myself, I've had the system since mid-April and I have had a few minor-major gripes with it Wulff didn't mention: 1- The travel case it comes with has NO space to fit the power cord/brick, or any other peripherals for that matter; if you want that, you're going to have to shell out for an aftermarket option. 2a- As of this post: It doesn't come pre-installed with AMD Software (comparable to NVIDIA Control Panel) to configure display settings. 2b- As of this post: The Legion Space software updates install a display driver that is incompatible with AMD Software, meaning I had to go manually install the latest AMD display driver outside of Legion Space. 2c- As of this post: Running any updates in Legion Space with the intention of updating drivers for literally anything else automatically overrides the correct manually installed display driver compatible with AMD Software. 2d- Without AMD Software installed, even if you have the correct hardware peripherals to support the same resolution and refresh rate of the built-in display, you can't set up custom display settings for monitors/TVs that could potentially support those parameters, but don't have an off-the-shelf setting for them. 3a- There is no official docking station on the market (yet...one has been teased as of a couple weeks ago). 3b- Due to the opposite placement of the Thunderbolt 4 ports, most 3rd party switch-esc docks that list support for it alongside the Steam Deck/ROG Ally/MSI Claw/Ayaneo use a cable attaching to the top port that'll only just barely reach, to the point where it almost looks unstable and prone to damaging the plug/cable. 3c- Using any sort of docking station, even the dongle-style ones, is cumbersome since you only get access to one of the two ports unless you lay it down flat on its back; you'd need to get angled Thunderbolt 4 adapters to retain full-functionality of the ports and still be able to use both of them. 3d- If you don't have the angled adapters, this means that your docking station needs to support 60w power delivery, otherwise you are subject to on-battery performance and usage constraints. 4- There is a known (but not yet officially acknowledged) issue I've been researching regarding the placement of the stock internal SSD, which appears to make it (the SSD) prone to overheating; this causes anything from simple annoying game crashes to full-on system-freezing/blue-screen crashes if you push it too hard graphics-wise. 5- Attempting to use the touchscreen for accessing taskbar system-tray icons (volume/wifi specifically in my experience) is hit or miss; you can get the menus to pop up, but keeping them open doesn't always happen. I'll sometimes be halfway through typing in a password or searching for an access point and it'll just randomly close on me. This is a first-gen piece of hardware; there will almost always be bugs/design-flaws and things to work with when you adopt early, and you have to be okay with that if you're going to make the investment on something like this. In my opinion, it's not for the average consumer, not yet at least. They need to fix the SSD bit asap if what I'm reading about it is accurate, the rest is expensive to accommodate, but manageable if you can stomach getting the peripherals you need over time.
wow thanks for the critical input! refreshing after reading so much slack about the Ally (which I'm currently evaluating) - I notice the AMD Software does seem to make a difference when I'm docked into my USB-C 4k monitor - the driver conflicts you speak of on the Legion Go sounds concerning - i would just think these would have been ironed out before launch!
I’ve spent a good amount of time using both an Ally and a gaming laptop as a desktop replacement with peripherals, and I mostly prefer the Ally. The laptop smoked the handheld when it came to high-end gaming performance, but the Ally is smaller, quieter and half the price, and I’d rather play AAA games on my PS5 anyway.
This is a great video idea. I often consider how practical it would be to use one of these full time. Hard to understand just how effortless the M1+ Apples make things.
I got my current PC as a gift and I felt terrible for the person that bought it for me because it was $1200 and it was basically a scam. It's an all in one HP computer (laptop internals put inside a monitor) limited to a TDP of 15 watts total. I have been using it for over a year for editing and design work, but it is very lackluster in terms of performance. I believe I have gotten my use out of it, enough so that I won't feel bad replacing it with something new. The funny bit about this story is that these PC handhelds absolutely dust my machine, as my machine has an i7 1255U with intel iris XE graphics so it chugs along in applications like Photoshop and Davinci. The big plus for me though is that it runs off of 15 watts of power (the entire PC, including the monitor and all the USB ports which is ridiculous and means the performance side of things might as well be limited to 10 or even 5 watts). I think these handhelds would be a very viable replacement for me as someone who is used to a lower powered device, and it would also be a significant upgrade at the same time
I have the ASUS ROG Ally and I have to admit, I use that as my main pc and even did my application for a Canadian work Visa. I was granted the visa and I find it hilarious that I managed to do something so official on a small gaming device with all the lights flashing!
I do lot's of official work on my steam deck and had a bit of the same feeling, haha
How is it hilarious? People are filing official applications via $99 smartphones, and you are telling me that something costs 8X more would be able to do the same? Get outta here.
lol I feel you, I did government research work (intern) and simulations (ssh into supercomputer) via my steam deck and I found that hilarious.
@@AeyGee I think there's a bit of humour in the idea, as most people wouldn't see these devices as a viable replacement for that sort of work
@@AeyGeedamn bro it’s just ironic lol chill out
My Steam Deck is actually my only computer. I use it every day for basic PC tasks. The desktop experience reminds me of using windows as a kid in the 90's. I haven't tried video editing but it seems to handle pretty much whatever I want to do with it. I don't know much about computers, but I am learning. The steam deck is my teacher.
I put windows on my deck and used it for a year as my home office computer.
I use the steam deck as my main computer with Linux still on it since a year ago. I do intensive stuff with programs like Blender on it and it works great. It was more powerful than my old pc and cheaper than any other upgrades.
@@swirl44 I use it like that and I've never had a 32gb pc before. 16gb has always been plenty enough and I don't see a good reason to get any more than that.
This sounds like a fun idea, especially for a home media PC, but the deck and dock not being able to do 4k 120hz/HDR video for movies means I can't do that and needed to buy a mini pc.
@@swirl44 Not really. I modded a second screen to my deck and sometimes if I am trying to game and watch a video at the same time, then yes. other than that I don't really have issues with ram. I typically don't have more than 2 tabs open at the same time.
This shows their capabilities way more than I could ever explain it to someone. I don't wanna call gaming handhelds desktop replacements, even tho it can work, but rather laptop replacements. I love the portability. Gaming laptops may have a lot of horsepower, but they require way more power than something like the Legion Go, which I carry around a 10 foot USB C cable for, and a 30 dollar 65W brick. A dedicated charger for laptops, the laptop itself, peripherals for the device, etc. The Legion can technically be an all in one experience. And for 650 bucks it's a huge performance bang for your buck. I have a Desktop and the Legion Go, that to me is the best of both worlds. The Legion gets stuff done on the go with basically no fuss, and when I want to sit down and seriously game, I have my desktop. The fact that I can even get a roughly 50 maybe even 60% average gaming desktop experience for a portable 650 dollar juiced up tablet is remarkable
Lenovo Legion Go + 8BitDo Retro Keyboard + Logitech Lift Mouse as my only PC setup in work and in home. Absolutely no regrets.
Is this a PC for ants?
@@AeyGeehey watch it you young whippersnapper you
Perfect for the minimalist look I'm going for 👌🏾
Nice post that's the type of keyboard I was looking for my Steam Deck
Why are you using such an expensive keyboard? You could have gone to a thrift store and gotten a keyboard for much cheaper probably less than $20. Also same with a mouse.
Hey Bob, the irony is you seemed happy with it as a gaming device when that was the primary use case - the average user isn’t a professional video editor. There are many people who just want a gaming device that has a desktop mode for basic tasks.
a Legion GO is a gaming device that happens to become a PC, much like a phone is a PC that happens to play games. Is that correct?
That's the tech youtuber "real world work" issue. Almost every time they want to show someone working they show video editing... Most ppl working with a pc use a variation of a text editor. But at the same time as you said he wanted to show his use case.
Give it time and APU specs in handheld PCs will become powerful enough GPUs to rival those found in laptops.
It use to be a time people could only rely on big honking desktop PCs with big expensive discreete graphics cards for video editing - Nvdia Quadros.
Then more people started using Laptops
I work in the corporate environment and we are now using AMD 7000 series + 780M Gpus for all laptops.
It will not be long people would rather just do it all on a handheld PC on the go instead of laptops.
Have to agree with some of the people above. Tech and gaming TH-camrs are professional video editors and product reviewers. So their daily needs include a device that they can use to write scripts, produce and manage video content, and run their online business.
But if you want to hear what professional programmers, engineers, graphic designers, etc. have to say about how these devices could fit into their lifestyle, maybe a channel like Linus Tech Tips can be more helpful to you. But even their view is screwed towards their own specific needs and preferences.
Been using the ally as my only computer since Black Friday. 100% works great and it’s not really noticed as a handheld when it’s docked
nice dude! I will get mine soon :)
Yeah I love mine too:pc games, loads of emulators, internet browser, TH-cam, movies 😁😁
@@therunawaykid6523 sounds exactly what I'm expecting :) thanks for sharing
@@netrodex no problem 😉😁
yup the device is great for casual web browsing when docked like I'm doing right now!
Honestly, have been using my Lenovo Legion Go as my main laptop for about 4 months, and I have no regrets.
Likewise
Same here for about a month. Just needs a little tuning and tweaking and 90% of the complaints in the video are a non issue
This or the PS5 tbh?
@@Exodia_Misogynist very different devices. PS5 if you want high quality gaming vs the legion go if you want flexibility
@@Exodia_Misogynist legion go plus epgu. Ps5 if you don't plan to upgrade anything
5:43 You can also turn on the FPS mode switch while the controllers are connected to disable the built in controllers.
Thanks for the tip!
idk how I never thought of that lmao, would've saved me some time
Or just hold both of the legion buttons for 5 seconds and the controllers will turn off
@@kdubspencer3390 this does work while the controllers are disconnected from the device.
@@KuroZero it's in the instruction manual for the legion go but yeah works whether the controllers are connected or even if they're detached before powering the legion go on.
TBH most of your criticisms were of Windows in general since you are clearly a MAC user lol I think most people who use Windows-based laptops/Desktop PC's on the regular for their work machines would do just fine switching to a handheld like the Legion GO as long as they wouldn't mind the performance loss.
I was thinking about that... I know my way around windows. Since 2015 I was learning for real before I was a mac user. So... I was like ah I see... his going way tooo hard on this handheld, and almost never use windows, just for games. yeah this won't end up well XD. my pick it's the ally as my next main pc. I don't do 4k video editing.. I should be fine lol
@@netrodexyep you should be fine, maybe wait for the new ally x since they fixed previous issue, or maybe look for that legion go, as you seen, removing the controllers makes it a good tablet too
@@Natsukashii1111 just beware of warranty claims with asus
I have a Gpd Win max which has the same processor. Works perfectly fine as a desktop / laptop replacement, I have never had a single issue other than running AAA games above 1080p.
Performance loss????
I've done this with my SteamDeck for about 2 weeks because my main PC (also using Linux) died. I used a USB-C dock and hooked it up to my two monitors.
Other than games being slower, it was barely even noticeably different than my main PC. I was super impressed. I did run into a lot of issues with running out of RAM, but that was the only major negative.
I didn't have to do any video editing during that time (I have a separate PC for that anyway), so I didn't have the same requirements that Wulff Den did, but I was able to manage pretty well. I think the major pain point for this experiment was down to completely switching his workflows. Mac OS vs Win 11, Laptop with multiple external screens vs 1-3 screens depending on the Lenovo's mood, etc.
With my experience I was using the same OS, with the same keyboard, mouse, monitor, etc.., that I always used. My settings and files were already mostly synced between the two, so it only took like 20 minutes to change everything over. It almost made me question why I even bothered building my main PC when 95% of what I do works perfectly well on a device like 1/5th the price.
cause building a PC gives you more leeway for upgradability in the future, for all sorts of things.
If something breaks in the steamdeck, you're SOL. If something breaks in a PC, you can pinpoint a specific hardware piece
@@JeskidoYT You know you can also repair and replace SteamDeck parts, right?
@@JeskidoYT To a degree the Deck can be repaired. It's not as granular as a desktop, but it's superior reparability and to a degree upgradability to most modern laptops.
@@ClintTheriault this is precisely why I just got a steam deck instead of buying a new pc. My old one was on its last legs, and any upgrade in power would've costed way more than a steam deck, which was actually an upgrade anyway. If not, it was definitely matching my previous pc power.
Just a few points on how to fix some of the issues you were facing:
In my experience, the performance gain on custom 30W compared to "Performance mode" (25W) is absolutely minimal, and the fan speeds are way more reasonable in that setting, resulting in way less noise. When doing less demanding tasks, like video calls, writing or media playback, switching to quiet or balanced mode also works great, again, reducing noise and saving battery if you aren't plugged in.
The speakers are also tuned horribly by default, but aren't nearly as bad after turning off "Audio Enhancements" in the sound settings for the speakers specifically in Windows. Tuning them yourself with an EQ also helps a lot. In no way good still, but at least usable.
Nothing will ever be as bad as the speakers in (or connected to for some strange reason) my monitor.
The Steam Deck has pretty decent speakers. I wonder if the legion go's are worse or what?
I use my Legion Go as my main when I travel for work, since I also carry my drawing tablet, which works as a second monitor. I pack my full Keyboard in my checked luggage either way, so it really is better for me than a larger device. (Especially in the Japanese hotels).
May I inquire what tablet and how you're able to use it as a monitor? That sounds like a slick solution.
@@wakjagner I use an art tablet that has an lcd that receives I/o via HDMI and digitizer I/o through usb-C. Its a relatively inexpensive xp-pen artist 12 I got from amazon. To extend further, the new ipad pro's can act as monitors via Usb-c natively iirc, so thats another option.
I've been using my Lenovo Legion Go as my main PC for around 1-2 months now and it's really interesting hearing the experience other people have had. Never messed around with an eGPU or anything, but that's mainly because I'm perfectly happy with 60 FPS (and pretty high rank in FPS games running 60 FPS). This thing is an editing BEAST compared to my old laptop which had a 3060 in it though, it's like 4-5x faster which has been an absolute godsend.
I've been able to use this device perfectly fine for normal activity and while traveling with a $30 bluetooth keyboard with trackpad, a $30 USB-C dock that has like 2 USB slots for my headset and mouse, a wireless mouse (I have an expensive one but a cheaper one probably works fine), and the charger cable. I do also have a second monitor that's portable with its own power source, but it's technically not needed, I just love having 2 displays on the go. I throw it all in a $10 laptop bag and have been able to use it like a charm and overall still is cheaper than a laptop in the price range while being a portable 2-display setup with controllers attached.
The multi-PC setup for streaming/recording you mentioned using might be worth looking into though, I've had so many issues with slightly corrupted video files from OBS (although still complete files that I've used in videos, they have a moment where they flash green or something) which all seem to be tied to how much processing power I'm using on the PC. It's really the only issue I've had using this device other than storage, but upgrading the storage to a 2TB 2230 SSD (if you're reading this, get a 2230 SSD w/ one of those $5 extenders, not the 2242 ones as they're very faulty hardware, was extremely easy.
yeah I'm happy with 60hz too! also it helps that I basically play non online fps games. Even tho the ally (my pick) can do 120hz, I'm go on 60hz. I've learned that most games breaks with 120hz... even on my powerful laptop
oh thx for the heads up re: 2242 - i assumed it used a 2230 as well. I hope the Legion 2 follows suit of the Ally X and uses the standard 2280!
@@udance4ever i mean it uses a 2243, but like i mentioned there's a $5 extension thingy u can get online to use a 2230 with it just fine
Well have to credit aim assist as well in there
@@oreos922 I'm on MnK in those games (such as overwatch)
I have been using my Asus ROG Ally as my desktop, been 100% fine, USB C dock 1080p monitor.
Ally gang 💯
same. I use usb c docking station to get rid of unessary cables and Logi mx mouse and keyboard. i work from home and dont travel much with laptop anyway.
With that total cost you could get a beefy $800 gaming laptop that will do a much better job than this band aid.
@@AeyGee I already had the monitor and dock, Ally was only £550 on offer, you can’t get much of a laptop for that. Is fantastic for retro gaming.
@@AeyGeetrue, but it’s also worse for actual gaming. Paradoxically, one’s better for doing computer stuff on the go, and the other is better for gaming on the go, but they can each do both in a pinch.
You absolutely CAN use a handheld as a main computer. That is, if you go into it with at least a tiiiny bit of common sense and the understanding that an iGPU is in no way, shape or form a match for a dedicated GPU from this decade. This could come as a shock, but most people do not stream, make podcasts or edit videos....
" I wanted to see if it would be practical for anyone to do it".....SOOOOO out of touch, it is not even funny.
For the past 7 months I have used the lenovo legion go as the only gear, no laptops, no pc. When I'm in "desktop" mode, I plug it to a monitor and it works perfectly fine. In productivity mode or just youtube watching mode the lenovo handles it fine. For gaming with a monitor 3440x1440 at 100 fps is another story... which is why I have the nvidea geforce now. With that, the lenovo totally outpaces my RTX2070 PC. The only reason why I choose a gaming handheld to a laptop is because sometimes I just wanna chill on the bed, the sofa or in the train and play some simpler games like borderlands 2 and other OG titles that were the bomb back 7-10 years ago. For me it is the perfect choice suiting my needs.
Comparing a macbook pro that cost 1500$ and has 0 repairability and you still need all the peripherals..yeah. And you totally lost me with the video editing. That's an activity that requires a ton of RAM... That is your youtuber specific need friend. And I get that it sucks but it only sucks for you.
I used my Go for 3 months while living overseas, I did all my resolve editing, a little ableton music creation, overwatch gaming, web browsing, movie watching, discord calls etc and felt fine. I got myself a dock and a portable 13" oled monitor on amazon and a keyboard and mouse and loved it all.
nice. I have a USB-C capture card on the way and really curious what the experience will be like to use my iPadPro as an external display so I get the 13" experience you have.
Windows has a lot of random processes that will cause the fans to ramp up. Example: On my Max 2, which has a pretty quiet fan overall will just ramp up because Windows start pushing an update in the background.
I bet this device is still quieter than my main computer at full blast.
You bought a gp-dud.
Recommendation: reinstall windows, and then off the fresh install load ReviOS up. Been running it on my Deck and it's not had any "windows issues". ReviOS does a fantastic job trimming all that extra crap out, so the hardware can be focused into actually doing the stuff you want lol
Which is crazy cause the max 2 is pretty amazing with thermals and sounds. I have a fleet of dell latitude and they sound like they're blasting off to space.
I used my Legion Go as my primary computer when my main rig was down for an RMA. It worked fine driving two displays over a $100 CAD ($65 USD) TB dock. I even edited some 4K drone footage on it without any issues. For travel I use a folding bluetooth keyboard w/trackpad because the built in trackpad on the Go isn't good, as Bob noticed. Some tips: 1) When docked, just set the device to performance mode since you're plugged in anyway (Steam downloads are compressed and heavily use the CPU for decompression). 2) set a custom fan curve so the fan doesn't go crazy when it's not needed and you won't have to manually manage it either.
It's really not a bad experience if you're docked and using an external monitor. The only real limitation is the size of the built in screen. Honestly, it seems like a lot of Bob's complaints were Windows issues with his workflow, not that he was using a handheld device.
Issue is that his split keyboard was bad, you can get foldable usb keyboard that keep a normal layout with no seam in the middle...
Replaced my macbook pro and pc with legion go as my main work device for 2 months now with the help of OWC thunderbolt 14 dock. Works great!
This has convinced me to use PC handheld as main pc. It can't be slower or more painful than my current pc which is running on windows 7 and was made early 90s
I did this with my steam deck still with Linux on it since over a year ago and haven't looked back. Pc wasn't as bad as yours but this was an upgrade for me and was cheaper than other options. I do intensive stuff like Blender on it and it works great. It's a good idea.
No computer made in the early 90s can run Windows 7.
@@idoblenderstuffs Exact same situation as me. I think this video misses the point that not everybody can afford the set up he already had. On top of his biggest issue being video editing, which the majority of people will rarely, if ever, need. Especially at 4k quality.
@@dryden_drawingexactly. It’s been years since I’ve edited a video. I’m sure I could do it in a pinch with my rog ally. It works well as my main pc
@@mbvglidernot even a PC made in 2000 can run windows 7
next up. bob uses a gameboy color running windows 11 and reaches radiant in valorant - i havent really played since after chamber came out and I got diamond.
Think of it less as a laptop and more like a desktop and a tablet and it works fine. I have a windows install on an SD in my steam deck that I mostly use for office work, data analysis, and just plain web surfing.
I'm a university student and I've been using the seam deck with the default steam os as my main pc since september, and it's been perfect. Easier than building a desktop pc of the same power, and it was cheaper for me. If you're someone who wants to do work on the go I could see it being an issue, but I only ever need to do work at my desk.
I've never had any issues with doing things while there's a download going, and I just watch TH-cam on my phone when I'm eating in the kitchen. Having it docked, I'm at a good enough distance where the fan hasn't ever bothered me, but the most intensive thing I play is modded minecraft-which can get pretty intensive, just not as much as AAA games. I think the main issue throughout the video is that you're trying to use it as a laptop instead of a desktop computer. Video editing is the only thing that I can't really refute, but most people don't need to edit video, especially at 4k quality
Man, just get a proper laptop or a Macbook if you do not want to drop out of your university course with this bandaid solution.
@@AeyGee I'm entering year 3 now, I think I'll be fine. This isn't a bandaid solution it was my intent going in. The steam deck works as a fully functioning pc and I don't need a laptop for my school.
@@dryden_drawing But, how are you going to carry that setup to your university? Yes, it is portable, but you'll need a bigger screen.
@@AeyGee I don't need to bring it to the university, and if I ever did all I need to bring is the deck, a stand, and a portable keyboard and mouse which all fit fine in my bag. But for my schooling I don't need to.
Did you even read my comment? It is saying that it is a viable replacement for a desktop computer, and I could see issues if you want to do things other than gaming on the go, but even that it's not impossible as he had showed in the first few days. It just didn't work for his specific every single day.
And why would I need a bigger screen? Yeah it's small but you can increase the text size. I do that normally so i can have it at a bit of a distance on the side as a second monitor.
@@dryden_drawing My point is: why need to go through such hoops and loops to use your Steam Deck as a laptop, when you can just get a proper gaming laptop?
Yes, you may save some dime here and there, but at what cost. Also, your Steam Deck will get outdated at a faster rate than a proper laptop, which is also a valid point that Bob raised.
Great video, Bob. I've been using my ROG Ally Z1E + 3080 XG Mobile as my main Windows PC at home for the past 10 months or so, it's great but expensive! It saves me a lot of space in my little cramped desk setup.
You were for sure one of the inspirations for this video. I would love to see how you edit on that thing
@@WulffDen well that's the thing, I do all my editing on a MacBook Pro! I use the ROG Ally for gaming and Windows tasks, like running apps and scripts, and screen captures for my tutorials. So when I say it's my "main Windows PC" that's because I'm a Mac guy.
The problem with using both screens with the eGPU probably was the bandwidth needed to send the screen contents back to the iGPU over the limited USB4 interface.
PCIe bottlenecks can ruin frame-pacing, as I have experienced by pairing an RX570 with my 3200G processor.
Which I solved by upgrading to a Vega 64 and power-limiting it to as low as it goes, giving my brother said RX570.
I'm not sure who this long haired tech jesus is, but i like him
His name is Wood
He's an okay fellow. He's very opinionated, but thats why you check out his stuff. He does good research, and I enjoy his frank attitude on stuff. He's making his living being a Power user and doing more than most of us even would touch. Hats off to you Wulff Den
There's only one tech Jesus in this isn't him. Check out gamers Nexus
One of the many variations of Gaming/Tech Jesus's in the tube
I actually use my Steam Deck as my main PC and I love it! I will say tho, that I don't play PvP games, only solo and co-ops, and I only surf the web, watch videos, write/type, and draw. So, doing all of that, is totally workable with a handheld PC. 😊
I also want to add that I've never had the budget for a high end desktop or laptop computer, even tho I've wanted one. I've always had to play on consoles, which was fine (but having to subscribe to be able to game online sucked a$$-), so when Valve came out with a VERY cheap yet very powerful gaming haldheld that doubled as a PC, I was overjoyed! So, for regular folks who literally CAN'T pay for anything more expensive and don't need to edit videos, I'd say that using a handheld PC as a main computer is totally doable and very efficient.
The Legion Go is my favorite handheld chugger. I found less heat when charging through the bottom port for some reason when using other usb c chargers.
2:36 The Steam Deck IS capable of Windows. The OG version fully so, the OLED Version just has some hickups with audio and bluetooth - but we're already dealing wiht peripherals anyway, and these would make even that work.
Hiccups with audio? I tried playing a game called "Farming Simulator 22" with my sister but she could not hear me through the ingame voicechat while discord could pick up my mic just fine. Any ideas?
@@Snow-wv2sf Depends on a lot of factors. Who of you was using the Steam Deck? What Audio Devices were used? Were the correct Input Devices (Microphone) and Output Devices (Speaker\Headphones) selected both in Windows' and Discord's settings?
@@awakenedcrowl I was on the steam deck and whether i was in game mode or desktop mode with my headphones on or off, they couldnt hear me while they were on ps4. I could hear them but not the other way around. And i never touched the settings for audio on desktop mode so i believe they were correct. Tried my sister's headphones and no luck there either. Hope that's a good amount of info
@@Snow-wv2sf Oh, so you mean you were on SteamOS still. Well, in that case, all I can recommend you: DO look around in those settings. In the Audio Settings, both in Desktop and Game Mode, you should find an option to swap around the Input Devices. If the names of the devices don't tell you which one you're looking for, then I'm afraid you gotta just switch them around until one hopefully works.
If NONE of them work... then the issue is probably something deeper that can't be solve easily. But I haven't run into SUCH deep audio issues yet, so I'd just suggest to play around with the Input Devices a little.
I have looked at the arcade cabinet more than Bob this video haha Tetris was satisfying to watch
My Legion Go running Bazzite (Linux) is my daily driver now. I packed up my pc ages back and never looked back and I use it for everyday tasks, work (analytics), media consumption, literally everything I used my pc for.
-Legion Go
-USB Hub with HDMIs/USB Ports
-Wireless Mouse + Keyboard
-Dual Monitors
It's not impractical at all - if anything being able to hit & run my games by unplugging a usb-c is amazing.
your adverts with your doggo are criminally satisfying,i feel like i got a hit of crack blown in my face. ty for the insight without the life destroying addiction.
Relax, geez.
The simplest way to disable the LeGo’s controller is to switch it to fps mode. Windows will no longer detect it as a controller and you can then use any other controller very easily.
From what I've gathered of information I noticed that the handheld X86 device could be used as a desktop replacement because who freaking cares what your desktop is shaped like. You have your own keyboard mouse your monitor is hooked up You don't really look at the tower unless you're plugging something into it.
As a laptop (or tablet with keybord case) replacement however it actually doesn't work as well. The handhelds are usually thicker than a laptop would be and they don't have a keyboard so you'd have to carry one separately.
What I did before these existed was have a desktop computer with lots of power and then a cheaper less powerful super portable device just so I could have windows on the go If I needed the power I just go home. If you're able to use one of these handhelds to replace your desktop then same rules apply.
I'd be interested in seeing you trying this experiment again with a Steam Deck.
My fiancée's Razer laptop died almost 2 years ago. The battery expanded putting pressure on the motherboard snapping it. Looking around, the Steam Deck was IMO the cheapest new "computer" you could buy (price to performance). They had just released the official dock and she already had a set up were she would dock her laptop. Ever since she has been operating her small business and gaming all with her Steam Deck mostly docked, using it similar to a desktop. I would borrow it every now and then to do some handheld gaming until I finally bought my own. Zero regrets.
hahahahaha this is soo funny coz... all my razer laptops blaoted with the battery as well... :/ from 3 different gens... it's not a good idea to run a heavy gpu on a small chassis. one was 60hz, the other small but with intel god awful burns, and finally the newest blade 2021 240hz. I was done with razer and went with asus. let your wife knows I know her pain really well, and I'm glad handheld pcs saved her :)
Does she use steamOS or has she loaded it up with windows?
@@JoeNokers She uses the default SteamOS, so far no need for Windows.
@@netrodex A friend mentioned that she could have sped up the battery problem by always leaving it plugged into the charger... I try to remind her to unplug her Steam Deck when not in use now.
@@Resident_Elmo not likely, the deck stops receiving power the moment it hits 100%.it's the same as modern gaming laptops no adays. but yeah if you are not using it, alway cool saving power ;) but overnight charge it's no problem
A USB C right angle adapter (left/right) would've made it easier to use the bottom port with stuff, that way you wouldn't have had to put it vertical like that, just lean it back a little. Lenovo should've included one of those in the box, IMO.
There's another fix for lenovo wanting to use its controllers as the main controller when you have it paired with a different controller: Put the lenovo right controller into the mouse mode. Then it won't recognize it as a controller anymore and your paired controller becomes your main.
Been using my legion go connected to the TV in the living room to emulate some ps2. And it's awesome for that. Disconnecting the controller and using it as a mouse on the couch is a really nice feature to have if you need to mess with the settings.
So what I'm learning from this video is: If I not bother to make driver adjustments, compromise few docking plug reconnections daily, and I don't need video editing or live streaming, this could be really nice set up. Also pretty portable since you could have a simple monitor laying your office desk, with keyboard and mice on standby and just arrive with your handheld. And then plug it your nicier set-up at home. Also have fun with on the go at lunch time without a need of a full size backpack. 🤔 Why am I still sold for this rig?
Is the issue that it's a handheld, or is the issue that it runs windows?
Hypothetically, would a handheld with a Mac OS eliminate many of the complaints?
I think the concept of using a handheld PC to do all the regular things Laptop PCs and Desktop PCs do is very new to many people.
I think so, I think most of the issues he had were a Mac users struggles with Windows
yeah - as a diehard Apple fanboy, I can speak to this - last Windows computer I got was a Thinkpad that died a sorry death in 2004. Jumped onto Web 2.0 using a $500 mac mini & then got a MacBook in 2007 that finally got retired in 2020 for an iPadPro as my daily driver. I was able to hobble along on a 2015 MBP with a broken screen docked when I wanted to play around with macOS and found out Batocera Linux was a godsend for retro gaming. I got an Ally Extreme last week just to see what higher end (ps3/wiiu/switch) emulation would be like and quite impressed. I'm so happy I skipped the abomination Win7 and Win10 were - while Win11 is not perfect, it's a lot more stable (but still fiddly) - got a bunch of Steam games and now I have the best of all worlds desktop & mobile! I do agree than once you get used to Apple bindings, it's really difficult to go back (I still fumble in Linux as the bindings are closer to Windows). I really wanted my iPadPro to be my "handheld" and Apple just makes it near impossible to get software reliably on it (tried AltStore and have effectively given up) - there are just so many things that this Ally Extreme does that I'd always wanted my iPadPro to do that I can currently forgive its shortcomings (esp at open box prices) That said, at least I know my iPadPro is locked down like fort knox and I can tinker away at Windows and Linux on my Ally. The fingerprint reader does make me feel like its serious about security so I have been evaluating just using Windows nearly full time over the last week just to see how it goes. if Apple ever came out with a handheld, they would have to let ppl tinker with it (i was one of the first to jailbreak the original iPhone) or it's not really in the realm of what a lot of gamers do to get things working they way they want IMHO!
I’ve been using a Steam Deck as my sole home PC for a year and a half now and love it. Gaming, TH-cam videos, and occasionally working from home on days I can’t come into the office. Easy to pop on the dock to my dual monitor setup and just as easy to take off the dock and play in bed.
0:33 I actually did my taxes on my steam deck
able to write off yr SD? :)
i did this with my deck over the past summer because i was in dcs custody and couldn't bring my desktop. Actually worked super well, got to take over 15 pages of dense notes on it and it never felt too small once I got used to it. I'm facing homelessness now and intend to use my deck as my sole pc again if i have to sell my desktop because of how well it worked.
0:11 i wonder what he originally said before the edit lol
2:30 With a little effort, you can boot windows on the Steamdeck; weaker specs though, so worse experience for video editing
9:20 & 12:20 Use an unsplit bluetooth keyboard with a mousepad
14:15 Yeah you forgot to turn off you LLGo screen; driver conflicts
Just got my legion go 2 days ago. Im in love with it. Havent hit play yet but i hope youve been loving it too 😊
Awesome! Enjoy! Just got mine the same day! Loving it ☻
Just having the screen off even when using a laptop as a desktop with extra monitors and such will give you more performance
I have a Legion Go, and my neighborhood & house are so loud I have almost never noticed ther fans LOL
17:40 create HD proxy and edit that, then relink to high-res on export. That’s how the pros do it.
It is proper to press B with either your left or right hand. Many split keyboards actually have 2 B keys for this reason, like alice keyboards from Keychron.
How do you like it? I had the Yunzii/Feker Alice 85 and the microcontroller board died within a month :/
From someone who uses a steam deck as there only computer, I've been able to do everything I did on my laptop, it's obviously not as fast but the performance didn't have a huge impact on what I use it for. Legion go is gonna be a big improvement for me honestly.(edit) So after having the legion go for about 2 weeks it definitely has replaced my need for a standalone pc. Pop the controllers off and it's a decent tablet for media, it's a great handheld and with a dock it serves as a desktop too. I don't travel much so it's more about the versatility of how I'm able to use it around my house which it was been excellent for me.
I love Bob so much his reactions are so relatable lol, I click whatever video he uploads, for that reason alone.
if you use proper typing form you're supposed to press the B key with your left hand, however, on a staggered board the B key is actually centered, meaning you can press it with either hand and it's the same distance. since the split board in the video is staggered (unlike most boards, which are ortholinear), having a difficult time pressing the B key with just your left hand makes sense, as the logical (though technically incorrect) way of pressing a B key on a staggered layout is to switch back and forth, which many do unconsciously, and staggered muscle memory is probably taking over.
Congrats on 900K subs, luv uuuuu 💖💖💖
May the handheld console content never end.
I love that Bob is using Kicad now 🤩
I payed 500 pound for my legion go new with a discount. I love the fact i can just play on the couch with a handheld with pretty good controllers. I play more pc games than i ever did before. You can stream from xbox. Play steam. Emulate all older consoles. If anything its made my xbox obselete. Had all my old games from steam. Done a bench mark from a game i remembered my old pc had and the legion go run it better whats insane for such a small device. Plus it was in the best resolution compared to 1080p on My old pc was quite old mind. It plays games like gt5 really well. Took it on the plane with my powerbank and played for the whole 4 plus hours. For me its great.
I was waiting for this video when you mentioned it on the podcast. I used my zfold as a computer, but sometimes you just need the real thing
I sold my high end gaming rig to get a ayaneo2 + a thunderbolt dock. I reused my RYX2080 from my rig for the eGPU. But a big difference between you and I is. I didn't have a laptop. Going this route has made my whole experience a lot more mobile. I can edit in the living room with a Portbale monitor, or play a game in the car now. Where before. It was only in the office. I think maybe if you didn't have a laptop your experience may have been slightly different. But over all for me. I'll never go back to just a desktop experience
This was the main reason I got one, I went Rog Ally. That it's pretty close in performance to my stationary doesn't hurt either. Don't feel like going back, but it's still month one. Main thing for me is that I find computer chair and desk uncomfortable, I have the Rog Ally by the TV.
I used my Steam Deck for a couple weeks when my laptop was being repaired, and honestly it was fine. Keeping in mind the fact that I only used it like I would a desktop PC, the only issue I had was bluetooth dropping in and out, which is an issue I always have with these headphones in desktop mode.
If you don't have a PC _at all_ , and just want to do light computing tasks, it's honestly perfectly fine. Keeping in mind the fact that your more demanding games are not really gonna run with good performance at 1080p on an external monitor with current gen handhelds. I would really only game on the handheld itself.
The form factor is just annoying tho if you intend on using it as a laptop tbh. If you need a laptop but don't want a gaming laptop due to the noise, battery life, thermals, etc, I'd pair a cheaper thin and light laptop with a handheld. A handheld + keyboard is not enough screen real estate. Add a portable monitor on to that, and it's taking up far more space and setup time than a laptop.
i think "good performance" at 1080p must be relative - what games and at what FPS? this is my first gaming "PC" and im pretty satisified w Witcher 3 on my external monitor over 30fps (and know if i tweak options completely it goes over 70 fps) I guess the only basis of comparison I have is how choppy ps3/wiiu/switch emulation was like on a 2015MBP for AAA games - this is what I'm upgrading from and it's like night and day!
@@udance4ever Witcher 3 is a bit of an older game (2015), so it's a given that it would run well. I'm talking more recent AAA games, like BG3 for instance. The goal is generally medium-high settings at 30-40 fps which you can reach at native res, but likely not at 1080p
lol I'm watching this on my deck connected to a monitor in desktop mode
same bro. gpu died on my main pc. been using the deck with a dock at my desk. im on steamos and about to dualboot windows
The retro game corps 6 month update for the Go addressed some of the issues like with audio. I suggest anyone on the fence about getting the Go to watch that as well.
This is wild to use a PC handheld as a main computer
It's not that "wild" to do that. It is a pc after all.
@@ProjectFraz well to be fair - it is amazing how far the vision of multipurpose computing has come in the last 50 or so years! I do find it a wild ride indeed!
It seems like, while handhelds are great and can TECHNICALLY be a replacement PC, they really just aren't quite there yet. I think with a couple gens to work out some of the kinks it's going to get much better
Me when the real slim shady shows up out of nowhere: 12:58
As someone who hasn't driven anything other than linux for over half a decade, I actually felt right at home in the steam decks desktop mode.
Linux being so much more lightweight and customizable is especially important in non standard form factors like this, and if you know what you're doing, it lets you fix any problem you run into with a few simple commands.
Now, I only do lightweight-ish gaming, and I am not a pc poweruser, so performance was never an issue.
For coding, PDF editing, music editing and most of my other daily tasks using my steam deck with the usb hub connected to my desktop is so convenient that my Laptop is honestly just collecting dust.
The reason I love the deck so much is because it is such incredibly reliable hardware, and linux is such incredibly reliable software.
When something works, it just keeps working, and if something doesn't work, it's very easy to figure out why and how to fix it.
its nice to hear a shout for Linux optimized hardware. Ive been making the transition myself for quite awhile now (2010 mac mini is finally on Ubuntu Server thanks to CasaOS!) Batocera Linux is helping but it technically is more of an appliance model (which I can tinker with) than a desktop model. Right now my iPadPro has been filling these shoes the last 4 years and found myself here cuz Im definitely in the inquiry as to whether a gaming handheld can replace what I use my iPadPro for (answer is definitely not quite yet!)
the Win Max 2 would've made this challenge easy ahh hell
Yes, haha. That's exactly what I use as a replacement to everything.
How do you and Benny send the premiere files between each other?
90% of your issues are just windows problems, i use it as a main pc unplugged and without an external monitor and love it so please just keep that in mind
Yeah, windows has only been getting worse since xp, and it''s kinda crazy that nobody really talks about that. I've been happy using the default steam os, let alone other linux distrobutions
@@dryden_drawing i use the legion go with windows (because of compatibility) but wulf is like "hey i made a video hating on a pc handheld, hey i made a video about saying good stuff about that pc handheld because i got sponsored, hey im back to hating on this pc handheld" i dont hate wulf i just hate how much he throws trash on the go and has issues with windows and blames it on the go
@@Bulbmin64 I agree that the majority of his complaints are against windows. I think his point about video editing is fair, although most people don't need to edit video, let alone at 4k. It seems that and his last windows issue pissed him off on the last day when he had to finalize his thoughts at the end.
I was just saying I think windows sucks nowadays lol
@@dryden_drawing i think id probably switch to linux when most compatibility is fixed, but if i ever get friends and one of them has a steam deck or downloaded linux ill try it out
@@Bulbmin64 Yeah, that's very reasonable. A lot of that can be difficult, even if you are somewhat tech savvy. I just think it's funny how little discourse there seems to be about how bad windows has gotten.
Actually, it's probably because people assume that there is no real alternative (besides mac), or they just use the alternative
i main the legion go - and you nailed it ! the part where you're tinkering and figuring stuff out - is the best part.
Puts the fan on full speed then complains it's loud 😂
Video editing and multi-monitor high pixel density experiences are out of the question (and probably any other intense use of GPU)..., and also treating this as a laptop, a laptop is certainly a lot more convenient as a portable productivity device.
This is a different kind of device, when I bought my Rog Ally I didn't consider to use it as my primary device, I use it only as a convenience to consume content the most of the time, I like Windows GUIs.
I spent one week using my main Computer as my PC Handheld...
(Laptop gang)
Tbf, getting a Legion Go for college does make sense. Not all college students would run multiple 4K video layers.
Been using my steam deck docked as my main computer for 6 months now and I absolutely love it, it does everything I need it to.
Great video man! I think having these "Desktop replacements" are practical for certain situations. If you don't have much space where you live to have a dedicated gaming space "Desk, monitor, chair and a big power-hungry desktop" and just want a small device that you can dock to an Egpu or just a usb-c hub next to your tv for a console like experience.
These handhelds are a lot better then laptops for playing while laying down in bed, sitting on the couch, if you like to play on the bus, train or commute to work. Also for people who travel a lot but it does come with a lot of compromises and require a lot of tinkering.
For people such as yourself who have a decent gaming pc already with a dedicated work station/gaming space, plus a good laptop it's not practical to use it as a desktop or laptop replacement, it's better to use it as intended as a handheld pc.
Oh man, great video. I am going on a trip with a long layover, want to play Fifa & NBA 2k as I sit around doing nothing for hours, and trying to justify buying one of these trying to convince myself it can double as a work computer I can use in the kitchen sometimes, not a complete waste of money, cause honestly, I rarely have time to game as it is, and I own two desktops with 4090 and 4080 already. Thanks for suffering through this experiment. Moral of the story, these handheld systems need to come down in price to justify buying for gaming only.
Its literally a windows pc just miniaturized, so it was never meant for gaming only
@@I7VCEPTION not quite following you - while you can certainly use the device for other tasks - i feel like the state of handhelds begs peeps to have another device (mobile or desktop, mine happens to be an iPadPro) for actual work which basically earmarks the handheld for gaming (i dual boot my Ally Extreme into Windows and Batocera Linux so my gaming needs are pretty well covered!) - that said, I am evaluating what I can get done in Windoze these 2 weeks :)
@@udance4ever I don’t feel I need another anything honestly. I got me a nice little keyboard and my legion is now my laptop. It already comes with a mouse .
@@I7VCEPTION I just switched to a LeGo & now that I how BIG the screen is - it makes sense now. unfortunately I already have an iPadPro so it doesn't benefit me as much. glad it's working out for you :)
Having a laptop for work and a gaming handheld for games works great, especially if you need that portability. If you can't take advantage of that portability there is no point to it. Being able to connect the handheld to the TV or desk setup when I am home is great, but the main use is still for playing games away from home.
As others have said, a lot of your issues are that you are used to a Mac workflow and that your job as a youtuber requires that you have a more powerful computer.
I would argue that anyone who can do their job on say, a mini PC or a refurbished, old desktop computer and is used to either windows or linux as their main computer would likely feel pretty at home using a handheld as their main computer. Basically a steamdeck and other handhelds likely can replace mini PCs and cheap desktop computer and they have some very limited laptop capabilities (technically you can witelessly connect your phone to a steamdeck via KDE connect, if you have android, to use your phone as a keyboard and mouse eliminating the necessity of additional peripherals, but you likely wont have a fun time with that ... but it is still a good option to have if you mainly need a cheap desktop, linux PC and very rarely need a portable computer and you dont want to bring around extra peripherals)
I'm with you, PC handhelds are just for gaming. Props to whoever can use them as their main PC, but it's not for me.
Although I have to admit, I've been known for not using stuff how It was intended lol. My main laptop, I consider it my portable desktop It's a 17 " Gygabyte with an I7 and RTX 3080, full keyboard (that includes full num pad). And what I finally considered a "laptop" it's a surface pro 6 I got a few months ago for dirt cheap, I love that thing, it does feel like a laptop and just fits anywhere
yeay - nice to meet someone who loves making things do what they were never originally designed for 🙌
I have a Steam Deck and I did try to make it work with 4 monitors. Was a painful experience so I abandoned that idea and simply used two monitors setup instead, which worked well. Steam Deck works fine as a basic computer and as a gaming machine so now I'm definitely keeping my work PC separate from gaming/media machine, which is the Steam Deck. Been much happier with this setup and use my work PC to experiment with different Linux distro by booting off from an external drive (eg SATA SSD or NVMe). My goal is to transition away from Windows to Linux and using the Steam Deck was an introductory Linux for me. Linux is awesome once you get the handle of things and able to do 90% of what you can on Windows. Mac is certainly better for media creation work if that's what you do.
You make the podcast room look so big. I did not expect it to be that small.
I use my steamdeck as my windows + linux computer. I triple-booted it with windows 11 pro and ubuntu. I use it for physics research simulations and any other pc tasks.
I'm a video editor and graphic artist. I use my LeGo for all my PC needs, sold my PC last year (which I kinda regret tbh), but LeGo has been so convenient. Upgrade that SSD to 2TB and bring your work/games with you wherever you go. I also have a small dock at home for peripherals which makes productivity really easy. My main games on LeGo are CS2, Valorant, HD2, Fallout 4, and now Ghost of Tsushima. Been a decent 5 months tbh.
Noooo Wulff we didn't skip your ad at the start of the show we love you . hahah lol
I use my ROG Ally as my computer now. It's so portable and powerful. I ended up selling my gaming laptop with an rtx 3070 because I stopped using it after getting the Ally. It's so easy to just pick it up and do whatever I need it to
8:36 This is because Steam games have to be decompressed and often unencrypted. Steam downloads go hard on the CPU.
Dude how TH-cam never suggested me your channel?! What a great video
Gotta appreciate bob's dedication to the bois
I got a Dell G15 (7830HS/4060 8GB/16GB Ram/512GB/165HZ ips screen) gaming laptop for around $777 for a 2nd machine so me and my gf can game next to each other and travel. I'm happy with it and I can pass it down to my toddler niece one day.
Ive been using a steam deck as my main work PC and gaming handheld for around a year now, im running dual boot steamOS and windows, win11 for work and steamos for gaming, Ive had minor headaches sure, but for the £350 I paid for the 64gb model, £30 for a dock, £30 for an SSD upgrade, £30 for peripherals (cheap BT Keyboard and mouse) its been fantastic, Im using it right now to write this comment, I already own a decent gaming PC at home so the deck compliments that, for work Im using a lot of photoshop and image editing software and it runs it all like a champ, at least in my situation its worked out brilliantly.
If you are more comfortable and familiar with editing videos on the mac, that's not the Legion Go's fault. I feel like if you were more used to editing videos in a Windows environment, that would be a better comparison. Also, having to deal with docks or external peripherals would certainly add a layer of complexity when trying to do something like this, so I'd say that's fair game. If someone were going to use this for their main rig though IDK how practical using an EGPU would be. Like, to me the point of buying a gaming device is to be able to game with it out of the box, and if I'm going to use it as my daily driver I'm probably not going to drop a ton of extra cash on it. Also, i think it would have been interesting to see you try streaming solely using the Legion Go since that is what you had been doing with your gaming PC. It would be good to compare that to see how practical it would be for someone using this as their only PC if they wanted to do streaming.
It's a weird use case for sure, lots of TH-camrs do their editing on mac which is hard for me to wrap my head around considering windows pcs have way more graphics power than mac.
well gotta give him props up for having use cases that would demand an eGPU & demonstrate it - this is the first video Ive seen with it in action!
I use a GPD Win Max 2 plus a GPD G1 eGPU as my only computer and am super happy. Both being from GPD makes it work flawless. At least for me. And the win Max 2 also works as a laptop while feeling a lot smaller than Deck and Co, controller on the sides devices.
Your sponsor reads are absolutely my favourite
As an owner of a Legion Go myself, I've had the system since mid-April and I have had a few minor-major gripes with it Wulff didn't mention:
1- The travel case it comes with has NO space to fit the power cord/brick, or any other peripherals for that matter; if you want that, you're going to have to shell out for an aftermarket option.
2a- As of this post: It doesn't come pre-installed with AMD Software (comparable to NVIDIA Control Panel) to configure display settings.
2b- As of this post: The Legion Space software updates install a display driver that is incompatible with AMD Software, meaning I had to go manually install the latest AMD display driver outside of Legion Space.
2c- As of this post: Running any updates in Legion Space with the intention of updating drivers for literally anything else automatically overrides the correct manually installed display driver compatible with AMD Software.
2d- Without AMD Software installed, even if you have the correct hardware peripherals to support the same resolution and refresh rate of the built-in display, you can't set up custom display settings for monitors/TVs that could potentially support those parameters, but don't have an off-the-shelf setting for them.
3a- There is no official docking station on the market (yet...one has been teased as of a couple weeks ago).
3b- Due to the opposite placement of the Thunderbolt 4 ports, most 3rd party switch-esc docks that list support for it alongside the Steam Deck/ROG Ally/MSI Claw/Ayaneo use a cable attaching to the top port that'll only just barely reach, to the point where it almost looks unstable and prone to damaging the plug/cable.
3c- Using any sort of docking station, even the dongle-style ones, is cumbersome since you only get access to one of the two ports unless you lay it down flat on its back; you'd need to get angled Thunderbolt 4 adapters to retain full-functionality of the ports and still be able to use both of them.
3d- If you don't have the angled adapters, this means that your docking station needs to support 60w power delivery, otherwise you are subject to on-battery performance and usage constraints.
4- There is a known (but not yet officially acknowledged) issue I've been researching regarding the placement of the stock internal SSD, which appears to make it (the SSD) prone to overheating; this causes anything from simple annoying game crashes to full-on system-freezing/blue-screen crashes if you push it too hard graphics-wise.
5- Attempting to use the touchscreen for accessing taskbar system-tray icons (volume/wifi specifically in my experience) is hit or miss; you can get the menus to pop up, but keeping them open doesn't always happen. I'll sometimes be halfway through typing in a password or searching for an access point and it'll just randomly close on me.
This is a first-gen piece of hardware; there will almost always be bugs/design-flaws and things to work with when you adopt early, and you have to be okay with that if you're going to make the investment on something like this. In my opinion, it's not for the average consumer, not yet at least. They need to fix the SSD bit asap if what I'm reading about it is accurate, the rest is expensive to accommodate, but manageable if you can stomach getting the peripherals you need over time.
wow thanks for the critical input! refreshing after reading so much slack about the Ally (which I'm currently evaluating) - I notice the AMD Software does seem to make a difference when I'm docked into my USB-C 4k monitor - the driver conflicts you speak of on the Legion Go sounds concerning - i would just think these would have been ironed out before launch!
I’ve spent a good amount of time using both an Ally and a gaming laptop as a desktop replacement with peripherals, and I mostly prefer the Ally. The laptop smoked the handheld when it came to high-end gaming performance, but the Ally is smaller, quieter and half the price, and I’d rather play AAA games on my PS5 anyway.
This is a great video idea. I often consider how practical it would be to use one of these full time.
Hard to understand just how effortless the M1+ Apples make things.
I got my current PC as a gift and I felt terrible for the person that bought it for me because it was $1200 and it was basically a scam. It's an all in one HP computer (laptop internals put inside a monitor) limited to a TDP of 15 watts total. I have been using it for over a year for editing and design work, but it is very lackluster in terms of performance. I believe I have gotten my use out of it, enough so that I won't feel bad replacing it with something new. The funny bit about this story is that these PC handhelds absolutely dust my machine, as my machine has an i7 1255U with intel iris XE graphics so it chugs along in applications like Photoshop and Davinci. The big plus for me though is that it runs off of 15 watts of power (the entire PC, including the monitor and all the USB ports which is ridiculous and means the performance side of things might as well be limited to 10 or even 5 watts). I think these handhelds would be a very viable replacement for me as someone who is used to a lower powered device, and it would also be a significant upgrade at the same time
right on! I came from using an old broken screen MBP2015 w Iris Graphics (not limited to