Steam Deck 1-Month Review: SteamOS Difficulties, Software, & User Experience
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 14 พ.ค. 2024
- This review tests the SteamOS, Steam Deck user experience, and Deck software on Linux, following our earlier piece benchmarking the Steam Deck hardware, thermals, noise, and FPS.
Sponsor: Lian Li O11D Evo on Amazon geni.us/Nl9W
Watch our IN-DEPTH Steam Deck hardware review: • Valve Steam Deck Hardw...
Watch our IN-DEPTH Steam Deck tear-down & VRM analysis: • Steam Deck Tear-Down: ...
Buy a GN Coaster Pack, Modmat for PC building & tear-downs, toolkit for GPU disassembly, and more over here: store.gamersnexus.net/ (it supports us at the same time and funds our testing!)
We even took the Steam Deck on a plane for this review, fitting one of the key use cases in for analysis! The Steam Deck is now officially launched, although the roll-out will be over the next several months. This testing looks more at the subjective side of the controls, comfort, and button layout, plus the mixed subjective & objective software review. SteamOS and the Arch Linux base form a different foundation than Windows users are used to, so it's an interesting mix of the freedom of a PC on a device that looks like (but really isn't) a console.
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TIMESTAMPS
00:00 - Steam Deck Software Review
01:53 - Key Points & Troubleshooting
04:21 - Managing Expectations
06:30 - Comfort & Controls
08:47 - Size & Other Physical Features
13:06 - SteamOS UI is Clumsy
18:16 - Desktop Mode
20:04 - Performance Options & Misleading Headlines
25:20 - Display & Controller Support
30:27 - Conclusion
& Big Problems
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Host, Testing, Writing: Steve Burke
Testing, Writing: Patrick Lathan
Additional Testing: Patrick Stone, Mike Gaglione
Video: Keegan Gallick, Andrew Coleman - เกม
![🔴 [TRỰC TIẾP] Tứ Xuyên (Trung Quốc) VS BCTT Trường Tươi Bình Phước | Cúp VTV9-Bình Điền | JET STUDIO](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/5nF-PCh_Ojw/mqdefault.jpg)
Watch our IN-DEPTH Steam Deck hardware review: th-cam.com/video/NeQH__XVa64/w-d-xo.html
Watch our IN-DEPTH Steam Deck tear-down & VRM analysis: th-cam.com/video/dlsJB3narnk/w-d-xo.html
Buy a GN Coaster Pack, Modmat for PC building & tear-downs, toolkit for GPU disassembly, and more over here: store.gamersnexus.net/ (it supports us at the same time and funds our testing!)
I will, Mr. GamersNexus. Thank you for all your dedication and efforts.
Can you please test if you can use some sort of a stylus with the Steam Deck? Because if so, it would be a sick gaming/university tablet
That was a great video! I've been excited for steam deck since it was announced. But I would like to say this: my nuts hang
BTW, ..i believe by default, the "B" button, (although I'm certain it can be reassigned) on the Steam Controller & ..."I think" any other control a User connects that has a similar button scheme goes back to the previous screen in Big Picture Mod by default. (i think)
...🤔So i think it fits previous setting b4 the DECK, So, that may be why Valve has the DECK set to function that way.
&..Thank You so much for the Video(s) & research.. I really appreciate these in-depth reviews.
It's DEB(bie) and IAN, debian. But I don't hang on details (too soon?)
could you show us the bios? i would like to know if it works without external mouse or keyboard.🙂
Honestly it's not just Proton, Valve has worked with the Linux community to iron out a TON of details about the overall experience - and trust me, it shows. Let's just hope out the UI feedback is heard and everything is ironed out!
Linus said in his video, that UI issues should for the most part, be fixed by the time anyone actually receives the steamdeck.
@@ianb.1603 Oh ye, I just come from watching that one and Valve's list does give a lot of confidence
@@ianb.1603 Yes true but don't listen to linus lmao he had a lot of problems with linux
There's still a lot more ground to cover, but the Deck will only promote the effort.
@@IAm-zo1bo - I think Linus has given an honest and reasonable opinion of Linux and his experiences using it. You likely aren't part of any of the projects that could make a significant difference in Linus' experience, but I really hope the people who listen to Linus.
As someone who recently switched to Linux as a daily driver, I can already see the improvements in the Steam library availability on Linux and it's great.
Sick, how was switching to Linux?
Always wanted to do it but felt intimidated by my IT inexperience
@@triplea5882 I have a heavy IT background, and I used Debian for a bunch of servers anyway, so I installed Ubuntu on dual boot and it sat idle for like 3 years. Until just a month ago when Windows screwed me one too many times.
Everything that works natively on it, works without a hitch. It's faster, smoother, the games that run natively run without a problem, I haven't had a single driver issue including any cases of missing drivers, everything just works.
@@MeowThingy I've always had Ubuntu in mind when I Linux is mentioned, seemed like the most computer-stupid friendly Linux distro
Same. Switched to Linux for the last year and most of my steam games are working fine with proton. Windows has become a bloatware and telemetry tool.
@@triplea5882 in my experience, there are very few things you'll have to adapt to if you're moving to Ubuntu from Windows. One of them is desktop shortcuts. You have to learn how to create them yourself. But it's a fairly straightforward task, and unlike Windows to Linux search actually works. So you can press the Windows key and reliably search for an application you want to open by typing the first couple letters of its name.
It's going to feel tedious because it's different. But it's not difficult. People often make the point that when something goes awry oh, you're going to be searching for a half an hour to try and figure out what it is and how to fix it. When something goes awry on Windows, you're searching for hours to try to fix it and often time you never even figure out what it was because you ended up reinstalling or refreshing Windows out of frustration. I can't tell you how many times Windows files have Mayfair gutted themselves for absolutely no reason. Or how many times it's taken a literal hour to install a printer on a gaming machine. On Linux you literally just connect it and print
For every technical thing you'll need to learn something new for, there's another thing that's infinitely simpler than it is on Windows. I haven't even booted Into Windows for an entire month now. I copied my Firefox profile folder from the Windows directory to the Linux one, and because Firefox is Firefox regardless of what it's running on, it picked that up and all of my data was there as if I was still on Windows. Layout, bookmarks, history, settings, themes, add-ons and their data, everything. I'm sure the same could be done for Chrome and other browsers. My migration was very simple.
Since this is reviewed as a PC ... it really should have gotten at least one "Better than Dell" award.
Honestly when it's this much better than Dell, I think the award is implied well enough... but yeah it would have been a funny mention
14:12 "The desktop Steam UI has been changing for an awareness-of-mortality-inducing 18 years now." I'm not even considering buying a Steam Deck, but I watch all of Steve's videos just for these gems.
Yep, first you laugh, then you cry
The OS is old enough to vote, but not yet old enough to drink in any country.
Lol i live ina hole with my mother too Xd
@@Aereto 18 years is the drinking age almost everywhere outside the US. 16 for some alcohols in France.
@@Olivia-W Also 16 in the UK if you're with an "adult" and eating a meal in licensed premises
You underestimated disingenuous mainstream outlets desperate for clicks. All the more a reason the honest, grounded and in depth work you guys do is invaluable.
GN was very clear about that number being a torture test. Clickbaters gonna bate.
Yes, Tech Radar is indeed cringe. Maybe vet your writers and hire some good editors. To pay devil's advocate though, there just isn't money in that space anymore, the biggest mistake is taking them at face value.
@@subterficial People are reporting an hour and thirty minutes running GOW
If everyone blocked click bait channels those left in your feed wont dare.
"Anyone with a differing opinion is a shill!!!!!" They even said in real use they got 2.5 hours on their flight and people doing GoW are getting just under 2 hours.
They aren't really exaggerating.
Gyro is highly subjective and needs to click with the user. When it clicked for me it was fantastic and made it much easier to play shooters
This, exactly. I like gyro controls when using a gamepad for shooters. Once your brain can interpret it intuitively, it really is a great input method for precision aiming without a mouse, but there's absolutely a learning cliff involved.
Yeah i havent used gyro controls, but im interested in trying it with fps games like csgo. It looked like in the video they just had the gyro sensitivity way too high, so movement wasnt useful for fine tuning aim after making large movements with the sticks.
I'm betting the sensitivity is too low by default as well, giving it a poor first impression for those not familiar with using it
The gyro settings in the video look a bit weird and laggy. But more importantly, it takes some time to learn how to use both the stick and the gyro simultaneously.
Same with the touchpads really. The joysticks are more natural at first, but once the gyro+touchpad clicks in it's really good. I use KDE Plasma on my TV with a Steam Controller and it's became quite shockingly natural for me to use. The Steam Controller's learning curve is well known to be very steep. So far every reviewer I've seen have used the touch screen for desktop mode, but the experience is most likely much better with the touchpads. I don't have any trouble hitting the small X buttons in window title bars or anything with my controller, it becomes kind of like a laptop touchpad where you just know what movement to do to get the cursor exactly where you intend.
It's really nice that the deck just have all the options, so you can pick what you want because Valve knows no size fits all. I personally use the dual touchpads a lot, especially in desktop mode.
Gyro controls can actually be a huge upgrade over stick controls if you get them tuned right. To me it looked like your sensitivity was up too high, you only want to be doing fine adjustments with them rather than big swings. Using them both on my PC and Switch, they do work better on the PC though, because you can move your controller without having to move your screen.
i would like to note that the switch issue is only in handheld mode, its fine in docked and even better if you decide to pick up the pro controller.
Oh yeah, I definitely even imagine playing CSGO with a gyro if configured right.
Yeah I was really confused by the footage when he talked about gyro controls. Why not show what you'd actually use it for, which is as you said fine adjustments?
Yeah, after I turned on motion control aiming in BOTW there was no going back lmao, once you get used to it and tune it right it really is quite nice. In fact, aiming with weapons like the bow in BOTW feels more natural with this combo to me than with KB+M, which says a lot since I use KB+M for any game that requires even a bit of aiming.
@@fotnite_ Very true. Once I swithed to a wii u pro controller while my switch pro controller was charging and aiming felt like I was learning how to walk again. Awful... and it is hard to make BOTW feel awful lol.
16:53 On both the Xbox and Playstation, the B/⭕ buttons respectively are utilized as back buttons in each of their own menu environments, so it actually does line up with what we expect the Steam OS to execute from a menu action standpoint.
Yup. And even switch is the same because it's b button placement is in the bottom of the diamond like the x and a on Xbox. So it's a button goes back which is in the same place as the b button on xbox. I was befuddled by his point there.
He says it doesn't go up a level, but rather it goes back to a main screen.
So rather than going Back, it goes to Home. At least that's how I understood it
it's not what was meant, the B action exits the menu completely.
Standard B button presses goes back a menu layer
He's just a neentendo boy, there these 2 buttons are swapped.
Kudos on the coverage. U guys are on of the only remaining reviewers who give impartial reviews. Thank u for that.
Thanks for noticing!
Eh, mostly.
They can't differentiate between say, a gaming chair and an office chair while thinking all the issues that both have, only effects gaming chairs.
Someone at Nexus had to be paid to review the way they did in the office chair vs gaming chair video. I mean the "cheap" office chair they suggested was a "200 dollar" chair that they found incredibly used but cost $1,200.00 new. They proceeded to paint this "200 dollar" chair as superior price wise, to gaming chairs that were over $200.00 dollars. Well no shit lol.
@@InitialFailure gaming chairs are crap what's your point. An office chair has to be comfortable whereas a gaming chair has to be loaded with features to check every box. Also office chairs can take real abuse unlike gaming chairs.
i think LTT does a pretty good job of it as well tho their are less critical overall
@@spinkick9270 I've used office chairs that suck too alot of gaming chairs suck but most cheap office chairs also suck
While being expensive doesn't automatically equal quality in the case of a chair it's usually the good ones are expensive just because it's an office chair and not a gaming chair doesn't automatically mean it's comfortable as no they don't have to be they just have to work that's the bare minimum and trust you don't want to sit in the bare minimum for long
Do your research and be prepared to spend a bit more instead of just ordering a dx racer or whatever is the cheapest office chair amazon has in stock your back will thank you
The left touchpad is far from useless, it can be used to put up various types of menus (radial, touch, hotbars, etc) where you can add numerous key inputs or specific screen regions inputs, eh, really the possibilities are really vast. Once you get its use, you see others controllers as terribly limited. And the same goes of course for the right one. You just need to put them to use.
For such an in-depth review, they certainly didn't give Steam Input a look at all.
Yeah, but most if not all software isn't designed to use two "mice" just yet. Maybe someday, this will be more of a thing...
@@Klffsj But it doesn't need to be developed specifically and is not about mice. Sure, the game developer can add if he wants a gamepad profile that makes use of the both pads (and some did), but is more about the user customization possibilities, you don't have to wait for someone to design it for you. You can add for example all weapons keys to be mapped to a radial menu displayed on top of the screen to easily select the one you want, or map inputs to specific points on the screen...I mean, really if I'd start to list all the things you can do I'd write a book :) the options are almost unlimited. And the point is, is up to you how you customize it. And yes, you can do it for every game out there, regardless if the developer ever thought of that or not.
@@Klffsj That doesn't matter considering how extensive Valve have gone with controller customization, there are a lot of useful ways the controls can be used on a per game basis and considering PC gaming has a wide range of controls and how gamers want to play games, I think Valve have done a really good job on the controls considering the limits of the size.
@@Klffsj search "steam deck track pad" and watch nerd nest's video on it playing New World. Or High tech low Life covering it in his steam input series.
In short, the left track pad is not supposed to be a mouse, its for more input.
Gyro controls are actually the only way you can precise aim with a gamepad and it removes the need of auto-aiming. Valve learned that from the Steam Controller launch since it became it's main selling point, and you can also ask Splatoon players since that's an incredibly popular way of playing Splatoon on the Switch. It is distracting at first because moving the device while using the controls at the same time feels like splitting your brain in two, but once you get used to it it becomes second nature.
Also, the left touchpad in desktop mod isn't useless. You can use it as a mouse-wheel.
The first thing I thought of when I heard gyro control was how awesome it was on splatoon. I would dominate kids who clearly weren't using it. Its actually an awesome feature.
@@skyler12snype Great, you best out a bunch of children, that's great, really great. Yah, totally dude...great..
@@joejones6968 do you need a hug or something?
@@SlyNine he was one of the kids getting destroyed.
With Steam Input, you can set a input registration threshold on minimum gyro movement. With this on low threshold, I find it less jittery and works great in my play style.
I appreciate the arrow to the GN logo at 25:39, small thing but it’s covering the offline symbol you’re trying to point out
I hoped there's a GN logo whenever I'm offline :(
Very fair review Steve. And you pretty much nailed who this device is for. This is basically a PC running Linux in gamepad format aimed at PC enthusiasts. This isn't a Nintendo Switch replacement or even a true direct competitor.
Thanks! You summed it up well!
I'll be honest. There isn't a feeling in the world like being an Arch nerd and Valve suddenly announcing a mobile hackstation with overpowered hardware running Arch and you already knowing exactly what the thing is capable of.
Haven't had a console since the PS1 and GBC, insta-preordered it without hesitation.
I disagree and agree.
It would directly compete over interest for handheld gaming, if that is all you were interested in. It won't compete if you're quite casual into gaming and like Nintendo's games. Like I know a couple of people who bought Switch's JUST for the fact that it's a small device to game on, out of either preference or lack of space, NOT because of its ease of use or exclusives. They're the type who could definitely buy a Deck just for the expanded library. There's also some guys I know who don't have PC's, want them, but because of their current price pre-ordered it for a cheap and easy access to the Steam library.
At the end of the day it's cheap, it's pretty powerful, and it runs games portably. I don't think you have to be a PC enthusiast, just someone who's big into gaming. But yes, Nintendo probably won't be sweating about it.
@@pagatryx5451 it's not exactly cheap though when you consider a Switch or base Xbox. And I do think you need to be an enthusiasts to deal with all the inevitable bugs/install issues various games will have. This isn't going to give people the plug and play console experience.
@@shadow7037932 I can agree the plug and play experience is not 100% console like. But that's why Valve has the Steam verified program in place. A new Steam Deck user will only see verified games (which gives the best console like experience)
Over time the list will increase greatly if the momentum continues.
So Yes is not there yet but give them time (this PC format is very new) and most users will be happy with it.
Also the Steam Deck is becoming a successor to the PlayStation portable (without Sony having to invest a dime in subsidizing the hardware...which is risky)
They can now focus on making good ports!
You won't be able to play God of War, Horizon zero dawn, emulators or the brand new Elden Ring on a SWITCH. But here you have this console / pc hybrid that can finally do just that!
Regarding the "no real learning curve" thing with the controls, or mentioning the dual touchpads as "standard", or worse yet stating they don't have any purpose besides splitting the haptics is, I feel, a bit... unaware, perhaps?
This is meant to continue the interface/legacy of the Steam Controller with it's dual touchpads. I can personally attest to it having BY FAR the steepest learning curve I've ever faced in gaming, but at the same time I don't ever want to go back to the imprecise, slow joystick mode, now that I've been playing dual-pad for a few years. It allows mouse-like precision and keyboard-style ability to shift directions effortlessly, placing it between controllers and keyboard/mouse, but at about the 80% level towards KB/M precision control. Look at videos people have done on the Steam Controller for more info/demonstration of what I'm talking about, and may your touchpads be shiny! (It's inevitable when you use them for gaming, heh.)
Thank you Steve for doing that battery life testing. It was a fantastic way of removing click bait companies from my news feed. Every time I saw someone reporting on your stats, as I watched that video prior and knew what you said, I blocked them from my news feed when I saw the 90 minute headlines. Fastest way to clear out the clickbaiters.
This is the best review of the deck on TH-cam so far. Thanks guys! I'm honestly looking forward to playing around with this machine. I'll mostly be using it for lunchtime at work and long trips but I see so much potential with this thing.
Assuming the gyro is similar to the steam controller’s, there are 2 versions/profiles to pick from:
- A mouse based one (far superior) that has uncapped movement speed
- A joystick emulator (very bad) that is limited to the max speed set on a joystick.
The latter is for games that don’t have mouse compatibility, but is not worth it because of the uncentering that happens when you exceed the max movement speed. (I think this is the one the devs selected for that game you showed)
The mouse based one on the steam controller has incredible tracking and very low drift/uncentering when in use. I really hope the steam deck has that as a gyro option. Up to the devs configure it properly as default when available.
Edit: I posted more and listed an alternative to gyro in a reply.
(Also thanks for the coverage, you guys rock)
Yep - this is my *only* criticism of GN and Steve.
When it comes to the steam controller - and now to the gyro and pads on the steam deck, Steve didn't take the time to get used to it or configure it properly... And has let that experience color his opinions moving forward.
If you're willing to put in just a little effort (and isn't that what this review is all about?) then they aren't a hindrance or useless feature, they're an *incredibly* useful and accurate way of input, that is tweakable and customizable to fit exactly what works for *you.*
@@thespiritofyoink to be fair the amount of detail they cover is already bonkers, and gyro is its own entire field (it goes deep).
They also had no idea what to do with the left touchpad. Which really showed to me how much they've been ignoring Steam Input, and they really should not be. At the very least the left touchpad works great as a scroll wheel when navigating web pages, but in games there's huge potential. Valve really needs to start marketing Steam Input to the public.
This comment is amazing. It needs to be pinned. I am a Steam Controller owner (and lover) and the Gyro is absolutely amazing. It's by far the controllers best feature.
Gyro aiming is the biggest thing that makes mouse games playable using a track pad or joystick. Not only for aiming, but for menu navigation (like in 4x games) or cursor movement (like in terraria, factorio, etc)
Joystick/trackpad + gyro is the way to go
Ps: if you don’t like/aren’t able to use gyro, the trackpad’s “mouse ball” like movement still works great if you can tweak momentum/friction to your liking
Why are you swinging the gyro around like it's meant to replace the analog stick? This is like watching Hank Hill trying to use a computer.
No doubt. Small subtle movements are all it takes. Used when aiming down sights, not replacing the analog for camera control
They swung it around so hard they engaged gimbal lock
Cranked up to high sens, gyro controls can be faster and more precise to aim with than with a thumbstick. Playing Borderlands 2 and Quake on the Switch, I only use the stick to turn when moving. When I’m trying to shoot something, I would just tilt my Switch quickly instead of using the sticks.
he's practicing trimping
Steve giving a positive review overall and talking about possible negatives and talking about how they might not be a negative for everyone, that is a very positive review from GN. Not to say you guys are always negative but you are def not afraid to say you don’t like something and this makes me even more excited for my steam deck
My friend got one and he says it struggles to play games ans its awkward to pull out in public and battery to short to play long games on ur bed so he just stopped using it and it collects dust cause he says if i wanna game at home pc if i wanna game outside phone . There really is no place for this steam deck tbh unless u like carry around a 2000mhz portable battry charger with u in public and being looked at as a man child for lugging around a huge awkward viddo game.unit and acccesroys lol
@@CHICKENmcNUGGIESMydude Should’ve just gotten a switch then, honestly if you aren’t gonna tweak this then I can’t really recommend it just yet. I’d rather wait for V2 to iron out the problems.
@@nzed2138i got it to play final fantasy 14 when i’m outside or on the train and it works out perfectly for me
I've watched dozens of steam deck videos by this point and you guys still ended up showing and explaining so much more that nobody else has. This is why you guys are awesome and so good at what you do
Once the install base rolls out there will be more structured releases for those that don't care to be using bleeding edge builds. Thanks Valve for supporting gaming on Linux.
Been waiting for this one! Thank you GamersNexus for introducing me to important computer building concepts and not being afraid of technical detail
nice to see how far you've taken off. I remember reading your articles of the 1080 ti review and similar, thinking you made some stellar reviews, and when your channel had very few subs for years. Good stuff bro
Proton 7 really did something beautiful, I was able to play Dark Souls Remastered on my laptop with a ryzen apu.
I got something like 40% more performance. For sure the 5.16 kernel also helped.
Really looking forward to what steam deck does for Linux in general :)
40% more performace over what? Previous Proton version?
@@MindBlowerWTF Well of course.
Why won't you just install windows to unlock the 100% full performance of your laptop? Why don't you respect your time?
And no. Linux won't be able to run games faster than Windows.
Still disappointed it's not called the "Gabe Gear".
Also great video, thanks for all your hard work 🙂
Lol!! When I first saw the steam deck I thought the Sega game gear was making a comeback.
I think Luke at LTT called it the Gabe Boy
II'm sure left-handed people would be a bit miffed about you saying the main purpose of having touchpads on both sides is to distribute haptic feedback rather than it's real purpose of having it designed specifically for the purpose of being ambidexterous.
I'm left handed. I don't give a shit. Both purposes are good. I'm happy they're there regardless.
His criticism can still be valid if the left-handed people found the right-side trackpad useless as well. Doubt the southpaws of the world need you to go to bat for them over a hardware review...
@@mrq1 I'm lefthanded... and I think you need to look up what "miffed" means as the comment apparently went totally over your head...
@@SaturnusDK I'm well aware of what "miffed" means. And I replied to your attitude in regard to the criticism and your lack of seeing further than "GN's comment will frustrate the left handed community because obviously it's there for ambidextrous use" rather than seeing that the criticism is two edged rather than slighted against southpaws.
@@mrq1 Woosh. You have no idea what miffed means then. None at all.
LOVE that you call out the coverage shenanigans. 👏
The gyro critisism is so funny to me. Having it suddenly made shooters playable for me on a controller (Steam controller), it's interesting to see how subjective that can be.
The settings clearly weren't tuned and they were trying to "gimmick" their way into trying it instead of giving it an honest shot how it's supposed to be used - fine adjustments.
It’s the worst when people claim things don’t work when they just don’t know how to use them.
@@xMRxLAMAx "30 MINUTE IN DEPTH 1 MONTH REVIEW. We spent 15 seconds on gyro and it sucks. WEEGLE WAGGLE LOL." is how I saw their take on gyro. Meanwhile I'm over here racking up kills in Halo Infinite with a DualSense at a rate I've never seen in my life before.
Shooters? Gyro? What
@@LycoLoco It's going to be horrible to move the Deck around with gyro since it's not just a controller, it also contains the *screen*. Too annoying, too fast. I speak from experience.
The two trackpads seem great for left-handed people.
Left handed gamers should be liquidated
@@MozTS left handed here, yet still use my mouse with my right hand ... 🤣
Righties are just like able-bodied people, taking everything for granted
There are a lot of people in the fighting game community that have wanted offline competitions to switch to pc (usually for the sake of latency) but it was at the very least, too expensive to do, so everything usually stayed on console. When the steam deck came out a lot of people have been considering how it could work in place of a console, with a monitor and secondary controllers attached, with latency and frametime consistency as the main concern since you are capped at 60 fps. I've seen some independent testing but Idk if I'd trust anybody over GN. Would love to see you guys test something like this if possible, or even adding some fighting game testing in any capacity in the future, whatever is new/popular - kof/tekken/sfv. FG's seem pretty hard to benchmark and to test for optimization (nothing built in, at least for what I play most, Tekken 7)
Just posting this comment as someone who has been a TO organizer before. Would love if this can be a medium that we can get PC in the FGC finally.
Great point.
Being capped at 60 is irrelevant. Most of, if not all the fighting games you're gonna want to play lock at 60 despite having headroom to display at higher frame rates, even on middling hardware. The real question is the input delay going to be near PC level because you have to display out *and* take in inputs over the same USB 3.0 connection. It should be able to play any modern fighting game at 60 on near max settings if not max based on its specs alone. I'm also wondering about if there is any if you are using it stock
PC will NEVER be allowed... someone made thousands of dollars cheating in Smash bros by sneaking a modded memory card into the tournament. Imagine the cheating that could occur if they used a PC?
@@Burger_pants and? Basically any hardware provided for tournaments could be tampered with. There could be hotkeys to enable dipswitches for arcade boards.
Dreamcast, PS2, PS3, Gamecube, Wii, Switch, Xbox 360, Xbox series and now PS4s all have ways to run unsigned code, and each console has been used in tournament play. That argument is totally irrelevant at best, fear mongering at worst. Fighting games are probably the easiest to spot if someone is hacking or not, as everyone there is well enough trained to see if the things on screen are happening the way it should.
60fps cap is the real problem here.
This thing is perfect for me. Thank you for the in-depth review! :)
Thanks Steve, you gave me a lot of good information and so far nothing I’ve heard is going to sway me from getting one.
As a person who uses Linux everyday, honestly the Steam Deck release is super exciting. So many games I'd have to dual boot for are working fantastic on Linux. Even if I don't end up getting a Steam Deck, I'm stoked for its launch and the effects it's had on the Linux gaming scene.
Absolutely
Love that it uses Arch. Going to develop so much for it. Many of my personal scripts and programs will work out of the box most likely.
SteamOS 3.0 is also coming on PC, so it will be interestimg to use it for gaming👍
@@stitrek3855 yeah, but its mostly for steam deck anyway. Any arch based distro will likely provide the same experience but with more flexibility.
@@krozareq this i develop for a specific distribution talk reminds me of make files with "apt-get" inside
I really hope the next batch of Steam Decks (or maybe Steam Deck 2) will be available globally, or at least here in Asia where I'm from. A lot of people are actually more interested in this than the switch because they'd use it both as a work-station and a play-station. We can always wait to receive Valve's best though!
I have a pre order I am looking to sell. its Q1 I already have the 48 hour email. I could have device in hand in two weeks. looking to sell for $1500 send me a message if you are interested.
@@therealsechs you need to go off, you lousy scalper.
Knowing Asian markets, where there is a demand there will be someone selling it or has a means of getting it.
At this point it's a waiting game for some influencer to bring it to the general public's attention and the market hungers for this.
@@therealsechs lol 1500 for a 400$ device
@@labibsaud8064 Valve releasing the OS for anyone to download will probably create a Deck-compatible market of handhelds, I can imagine asian companies making low-end handhelds with Pentiums and Athlons to compete
Wow, I don't typically pay attention to these kinds of devices (they don't interest me much), and I had no idea that Valve has been putting so much energy into Linux compatibility. Despite the shortcomings, the software architecture they've gone with here is commendable. I really want this to work out for Valve. This is the first hand-held "console" that has ever interested me.
Arch Linux was a good choice for Valve to use. Since Arch is like... I dunno, a Lego base plate you can put more Legos on?
I really want to stress this because I think it matters, everyone's patting Valve on the back for putting all this work into Linux gaming compatibility, and they really deserve it, but if you find it amazing that Valve was able to do all this so quickly, it's because they didn't do it alone.
Proton is the culmination of over 25 years of long, hard work to make both Linux gaming and Windows compatibility as a whole viable. And a lot of that work did not happen at Valve.
This is the reason I'm buying one, I generally don't use anything portable other than my phone. I have an old 3DS that I used for maybe 50 hours and a 5 year old laptop that has been used for maybe 20 hours. I know Valve isn't even doing half of the actual work on the Linux compatibility and Proton but just the fact that they support it and have supported it for such a long time makes a big difference. In my opinion the Steam Deck is just what the market needs right now, pushing Linux ever closer to a more layman-friendly gaming option on top of a physical device that doesn't have to be thrown away and replaced when a joystick starts to give up.
Now I am vehemently against playing fps with a joystick so it will be perfect for me catching up on some games on my "to play" list like Darkest Dungeon, This War of Mine and other more "indie" games. With that in mind and the fact that I have well over 100 games on Steam I haven't played, the hardware will remain relevant for me for probably a decade.
@@dall3n88 the steam deck has gyro so you don't have to play fps with a joystick
I think it's impressive how quickly the thing can actually get updates and AB testing done on it. Their ability to iterate on different parts so quickly is interesting in and of itself. I feel like they are really using the package system and modularity in the software to be able to deliver changes. While I get that the software product isn't ready, I feel like the pipeline driving it is really well thought out.
Maybe there is something I'm missing, and it's actually a huge pain? I understand the desire to have software that works right off the bat, but at least you're not risking bricking the machine with updates like you do with other consoles.
This guy is definitely my most trusted source I feel like everybody else panders to their audience to get more of these products for free I appreciate you guys thank you
Back when I was using a Steam Controller, I found a good way to use Gryo for aim was to enable it via holding one of the back buttons. It's horribly distracting to have on all the time, but when you can choose it can feel really nice. In this case, the left touchpad may be a good toggle for those wanting to use it.
amazing piece of content.
This channel indeed passes as enthusiast focused and not so many tech ppl stumble upon it I guess. Which is a shame, as you both present loads of specific data, but make sure to convey it in easiest to digest form.
This vid should make it's way to reach as many viewers as possible. It is very good that you note on multiple ocassions what buyers expectations are/should be when purchasing this device. Outlining possible tech challenges and troubleshooting ahead is very important, as this is not something that would cross a mind of for example a kid or a out of a mill parent that will target to buy this as a console.
I am quite pleased I came across your channel when I did few years back. You guys had an impact on how I see and navigate tech world.
I love how many options they give you. Glad that they have so much open to the user.
You HAVE to tune the gyro.
This isn't specific to the Steam Deck, this is something that has to be done on ANY controller with a gyro in it.
It's like complaining that the mouse sensitivity is at max, and refusing to turn it down to your liking.
You guys should have spent more time with the gyro controls.
You also have to actually have it set to mouse in the first place. Look at the footage and you can clearly see the joystick deadzone when he moves it slowly and the joystick turning limit when he moves it quickly. It looks floaty and doesn't match how he's moving the device at all which should be a clear sign it's not working correctly.
Thank you Gordon Freeman, I was planning on trying the gyro out on my new controller and probably would have just assumed it's shit. The more you know.
I didn't expect it to be perfect. But the good thing about being a Q2 pre order is hopefully the hardware and software issues will be smoothed out before I get mine. (Provided industrial society doesn't collapse first.)
It's worrisome that major world powers are engaging in energy scarcity wars.
I’m also in Q2 :D
@LabRat Knatz people will blindly consume right up until the soldiers start banging on their doors. I bet there will be a tik tok posted as the bombs fall while some moron does a dance or drinks cleaning fluid for a "challenge"
No doubt you'll get a much more refined product!
So glad their are people like the folks at GN that put out excellent, detailed, and informative content/information.
Thanks for giving your honesty and thank your team to... Keep on keeping on what you do best.
Gyro aiming is a must for Switch users. I didn't like it at first but the more I used it the more it grew in me.
Yep I love it, you use the sticks for large movements and then small gyro movements to fine tune your aim. It's a complimentary addition to normal controls, not a replacement.
Yeah but tbh if I use gyro aim on my switch I usually detach the joy cons
I love my Switch but I can't bear gyro controls. Each to their own.
His dismissal of gyro so easily without any kind of tuning or tweaking is just sad.
To be fair, it's nice Valve included the feature, but parachuting it into decades-old games that were never designed with controller support in mind, have no assist functions and can't contextually alter how that function works will simply never feel as good as an implementation by the number 1 portable gaming specialist with complete vertical control over hardware and development in order to certify every single product released on the platform.
I mean.... no shit, Sherlock
Just one thing I wanted to comment on: to be fair, that second track pad is also useful for left handed mouse users so I wouldn't just dismiss it totally
Anyway a great detailed review, I can't wait to see the drivers and software progress with this and hope that it all blows up and starts to be mainstream!
Not sure if I commented on the original coverage video, but want to congratulate your whole team on the genuinely phenomenal work done so far. This is an exciting launch, and the degree of specificity and lack of bias is on another level, which for Gamers Nexus is a crazy statement to make.
Everyone at GN should feel very proud of what’s been released so far, and I look forward to seeing more as the software improves!
As a request though, I would love to see some more thermals, performance, and battery testing after 6~ months/2~ years to see how well the hardware holds up. Those plastic springs on some of the buttons specifically concern me.
Great coverage!
19:46 left-handed people may use the trackpad with their left hand/thumb
The left pad frequently gets set to Macros. 25 different Macros, often switchable with the back buttons to different sets. It can also be used for smaller movements by having the sensitivity set higher/lower for sniping.
As for gyro. When set up, it's really useful. I use it a lot on my steam controller. From sensitive aim that you don't even notice, to full steering wheel in racing games.
Looks great. Put a pre order in today now I’ve seen some actual usage of the device. Will be a good addition to my pc.
Your are the only tech guy I have seen on TH-cam that wares an anti static strap , Good on you!
Great review, one of the best I've watched about the Steam Deck!
One thing about the left touchpad, as you guys mention in the video you didn't find it very useful: I bet nobody in the team is left-handed!! But I am, and I'd be very frustrated if Valve had shipped the Steam Deck with only one of the right hand side :)
Gyro aim has a big learning curve. But once you get used to it it's so much more precise for aiming. It's especially useful in multiplayer games like apex, halo, and battlefield. A lot of them don't have controller aim assist on pc, or have reduced aim assist in comparison to console. So it helps level the playing field against mouse players. Essentially use the stick or touchpads for big movements, then the gyro for more precision. I've found its really good for tracking quick miving opponents in apex. I do think it's weird that the default is gyro on only while touching the sticks as one other benifit of gyro is being able to aim and use abxy at the same time. I feel making gyro active when your not touching the stick makes way more sense.
If you get major drift like I do, turn off Gyro Autocalibration in the big picture mode menu.
Very comprehensive review rather balanced and helpful ^^ thanks a lot folks!
Awesome work. Thank you for doing this all for us
I'd love to see some data concerning battery life for emulation.
It would be in the same range.
it depends on what you are emulating? emulating the NES is not as demanding as emulating xbox 360 or ps3
Most people are unaware how hard software development like this can be. I thought at the time valve was being overly ambitious with a less than 1 year lead from letting the world know this exists to actually getting units in peoples' hands. I'm surprises it works as well as it does! Lol. Getting one anyway, I don't mind being a beta tester
That may be implicitly why they released it only to reviewers & testers for the first 3 months with a "launch date" for review videos; it doesn't hit the market for consumers *with reservations* until "April" per Valve's latest update, albeit that could get pushed out, too (again).
Glad to hear the updates are coming out.
May be the only one in the TH-cam game which make real and objective reviewes.
Thank so much for that !
It should be mentioned that not all games require Proton - some games do in fact have native Linux ports.
True, but I can’t help but wonder if this will ultimately hurt Linux gaming in the long run. Valve is pushing Proton hard, which could reduce the number of native games. Like Steve, I am a bit of a pessimist by nature. :)
@@nathanking6242 Your concern is understandable, but ultimately unwarranted. If we had to wait till we get a linux port of every game that proton supports then a lot of people simply wouldn't switch over to linux for gaming which would further discourage native linux ports. While in the short term we will see a few less native linux games, in the long term should linux develop a significant gaming audience due to proton then more linux native versions of games are likely to be made.
@@nathanking6242 As steam deck gets popular and proton/steam OS gets bigger, there will be a point where devs will start building natively for Linux. Proton/Steam OS is just the train to get to that station, may take a decade or two but it'll happen as long as Valve keeps pushing this.
@@Alpha-kt4yl You bring up a good point. This could bring the market that makes additional support possible.
@@scarletspidernz there's nothing as permanent as a temporary solution
Mr. GamersNexus. Thank you for all your dedication and efforts.
Can you please test if you can use some sort of a stylus with the Steam Deck? Because if so, it would be a sick gaming/university tablet
It's a pc with a touch screen. A simple stylus that needs no drivers and just looks like a finger touch the screen should be no problem. Multi pressure level styluses and the like would likely need a Linux compatible driver, preferably one that specifically includes arch as compatible.
@@kaseyboles30 Drivers are usually bundled into the kernel, so it probably wouldn't need to be specifically Arch-compatible.
I'm so stoked to receive mine! Should be a week or so! I want it now 😆 but I have a lot of videos to watch in the mean time.
25:43 yes i very much see your logo, no need to point at it...
anyway, keep up the great hardware journalism! I really enjoy your testing methodologies, cant wait for the fan test videos!
The steam controller has linear motors for haptics as well, the touchpads feel great
The gyro control is interesting, if it can be activated only when say the aim-down-sight button is held down it would 100% be helpful for someone like me who grew up in the pc era where controllers were an oddity
I think Steam Input lets you toggle gyro with a button press.
@@Eshyyyyy In that case it's perfect, you just can't get that amount of precision with a thumbstick
@@ragetist You could opt to only activate it while a trigger is held, or have a button to turn it off while held
@@SolarLight yeah my thoughts exactly, left trigger for aim with gyro, right to shoot
@@SolarLight demoknight on the deck? ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Loved the battery instant discharge effects
Awesome review! Hope you keep testing things like SD card speeds!!!
Having started gaming pre C64 era and started PC gaming on a 80286, all I can say is that running PC games has never been as simple as that. Even if it requires some 'protontrickery' or other small hacks to solve some issues, it will remain more efficient to fix than waiting several months for a MS or Nvidia to patch their crap drivers (when they care to do it at all). If only big studio were more interested in supporting their fans/customers by making a few small fixes to make their game compatible (like updating a library...) instead of spending their time trying to secure an exclusivity deal or posting bullshit excuses about 'anticheat' blabla. But SteamOS is now a credible platform with customer number raising fast, so maybe money will speak.
I agree, even the GFX card that we buy now days dictate what games run good or bad (even if the card it self is high end as many AMD GPUs show to have poor performance in 1080p DX11 games).
Idk the Switch work as it's a close environment by Nintendo. PC gaming by design just isn't good for such a device as a mobile console.
Valve should actually invest in make a Valve console/handheld that don't use the Steam Library.
I can't remember which game it was for, but I remember struggling to get to ~610Kb of free conventional memory. I'm assuming that was with mouse driver and MSCDEX running.
(old man voice: kids these days have it easy )
Gyro control is definetely a thing you need to spend more time with to get used to. Also would like to see how fps games work with touchpad.
another impeccable video as expected with GN!
I really appreciate the detailed review. I am on the waiting list and have been monitoring how first-adopters are enjoying the Deck.
I can see that Valve is putting in more effort than ever to continue improving this device. They've had their fumbles in the past, not just with hardware but with dropping projects in general, but I think they're already showing that they're willing to listen to their customers, implement fixes and changes recommended by them, and even admit fault when called out on issues with the deck. I already game on Linux, so the issues that arise from that are issues I already accept and know how to deal with (in fact, the deck's AMD GPU will have less compatibility issues than my Nvidia GPU), and I think I can trust Valve to implement the changes to the other things. Besides, my order isn't arriving until at least Q3, so I have time to pull out if they don't make changes in the next couple months. A lot of people are mad that Valve is releasing this thing in an "unfinished state", but seeing as Valve acknowledges publicly how unfinished this thing is, I think if anything I like the transparency that this approach can afford with development going forward.
In short, I know Valve has had issues delivering on promises in the past, but I'm willing to trust them on this one, and even though it's rough around the edges this is exactly the kind of handheld I'm looking for.
I think we're seeing the revival of a completely new Valve.
Since the L4D2/Portal releases they simply didn't know what company they want to be or what kinds of games they want to develop. People would start projects left and right but abandon them when facing any real difficulties. All that changed with HL:Alyx where everyone had this one vision to work towards and I think this renewed enthusiasm will be seen in the coming years.
We're in for a treat with Valve. I'm sure of it.
@@gamingmarcus It's always been about the threat of microsoft taking 30% of their gross revenue. Every time MS ramps up the locking-down of windows they put more money into the SteamOS/Linux development. I guess we see whether MS is going to double down this time or make yet another half-finished malware store.
I was cautious when the steam deck was announced, but now I'm genuinely excited for it and I wish I had the money to get one.
I've really not seen anything that puts me off the device, a steam deck 2 has the potential to be an amazing device if they learn from the launch of this one.
I really enjoy using Linux and I can't thank the community and Valve enough for the incredible work they've put into dxvk, proton and wine and all the supporting software that goes with them, it's an amazing change in just a very short period of time.
I appreciate your time reviewing the Steam Deck. It hasn't diminished my hopes and wants for the device. But i appreciated the in depth review of the OS.
2:34 thank you! unlike another channel who reviewed it as a console for some reason, you did it as a computer.
Gyro isn't meant to be a right stick replacement. Watching them basically spin the deck around is not a use case lol.
I am not sure how good gyro is when the screen isn't stationary, but gyro in any first person console game is a delight.
Using it to fine tune your bow aim in BotW is probably the ideal use case that I've experienced
Thanks for your initial point. While I am a technical user and mainly play on a PC, there is a joy in the simplicity of consoles, not having to fix stuff and ideally things just working.
would love a 6 months later follow up!! excellent video
As an Arch Linux user running KDE, I'm interested in how this product performs. I'm not even interested in purchasing the hardware (haven't played portable games since 10yo) but I'd like to see how the benefits of the tweaks will trickle down to Linux daily users. I might be interested in firing up SteamOS3 when it is released. I'm glad Valve has been putting so much effort into open source.
I think the benefits already trickled down. Proton was publicly released in 2018, we've been receiving benefits for a number of years, way before the Steam Deck was even a concept. The Deck isn't a starting point, it's a small milestone along the way.
Agree with shizumi.
Can't mention it enough. Proton needs a medal. Can play so many games on linux now don't have to switch systems. And even more. I can't play detroit becomes human on windows while i can on linux with proton.
@Prince Cooper lol u missed the point
@Prince Cooper tell us you're a Valve hater without telling us you're a Valve hater.
@Prince Cooper Proton is an independent open source project and doesn't require Steam in any way. A lot of people use it for non-Steam apps without running Steam at all.
Technically, you could buy the Deck and run a Steam-less Arch with absolutely no drawbacks. Why you'd want to do that is a different matter.
I love the fact that Valve is doing this. It may not be everything for everyone, and quite frankly, I not going to buy a steam deck as it's not something I need or can really justify the purchase of but if it makes a dent in microsoft's monopoly -- that's great. I love how I can play my games, old and new on Linux. Sure, it takes some tinkering (especially the old stuff) but it's nice to have options.
Same, I would love to need the Deck, but I really have zero need for it. I am mentioning it to anyone who I think would benefit from it, though.
An interesting theory I read as to *why* Valve is going to bat for Linux: they're setting up an escape hatch for when/if Microsoft decides to go full walled garden with Windows and lock out third parties like Steam.
@@_colonial_ Never gonna happen, MS is not Nvidia. Why would they bother with WSL? Get real.
A dent in microsofts monopoly will only arrive when the Linux community gets their shit together, starts acting human, stops flaming new users and stops flaming each other over distro preference.
Thanks so much for your coverage on this. My birthday is coming up in the summer, and now my wife has an idea of what to get me. I imagine it's going to be more realized by then.
Happy early birthday, but if you haven't pre ordered one yet you'll be lucky to get it by Christmas. Cheers mate
I've had mine a couple days now. I normally game on my 9900k/2080 ti rig but it's really nice to play this on the couch or in bed.
I've been playing Mass Effect Legendary Edition and 14 year old me would be in heaven
“GN says you can kill the Steamdeck’s battery in 2 seconds or less”
The gyro has a learning curve if you've never used it before. Think trying to use a controller if you've never used one before.
I would highly recommend giving it another shot, you will not be able to go back to a controller without gyro afterwards.
The sleep/suspend working well and the fluidity of multitasking are great news and very important, even if just for the premise of hanging out with friends on discord while gaming. I myself am buying this to enjoy games while away from the desktop, but also as an on-the-go game development workstation - think game jams, when the in-person ones start happening again.
Excellent review as always.
I think you need to re-look at the gyro. I haven't seen it on the Deck, but I use it constantly on my Steam Controller as a way to dial in aim. So if the Deck's implementation is anything like the SC, I'd chalk up your dislike of the gryro to inexperience.
It definitely takes some time to get used. I'd recommend using Horizon Zero Dawn to see the benefit. By using the gyro for fine-grained movement, you can set your trackpad/joystick movement to be much more coarse-grained than you otherwise would. This gives you the best of both worlds: coarse-grained movement to cover a lot of area quickly, and then fine-grained to zero in on the target.
The dualsense doesn't use linear actuators for it's rumble, but uses audio exciters. An entirely different kind of haptics and a much cooler version. You can pipe surround sound audio into it and it turns your dualsense into a sub woofer for your music, because it's an exciter you can put it on a piece of glass or a table and turn that glass or table into a speaker.
I mean, technically it is a kind of linear actuator. Regardless, both the deck and steam controller use an exciter for haptics as well.
Great video! Seems like y'all haven't used the Steam Controller much. Coming from that, I'm so excited to get both trackpads going
Thanks for using SI units!! I really appreciate that from US-based tech creators.
Some bad experiences often make for the fondest memories. It seems to me the perfect level of jank at the moment considering how early in its life it is.
I hope to see the Steam Deck bloom into the best device that it can be and be there along the way.
Don't forget the disaster that was early nintendo switch models, the steam deck's got nothing on them lol
Proton may not be perfect, but it is still amazing. I am blown away by it. The only Windows games that do not work in Linux for me are those with Windows specific DRM malware. More than 90% of my windows library works in Linux... and I will assume, steam deck. I consider Proton among the most impressive bits of software engineering I have seen in some time (after davinci resolve).
Nice quality content as always
For anyone wondering what the big red arrow's target (blocked by the Gamers Nexus logo) is at the 25:39 mark (while Steve is mentioning offline play), it is the Wi-Fi connection icon.
You have to tune the gyro for the usage. Just because it's enabled doesn't mean it's set up how you want it (the same is true with most in-game sensitivity settings - this isn't a Steam Deck issue).
Give gyro a real chance and you'll find its game changing.
Gyro is usually set up worse than other controls though.
Finally someone who gives realistic expectations and someone who understands the difference between a handheld console and a handheld PC
FYI: Debian is actually just two peoples first names smashed together. Those names are "Debora" AKA Deb, and Ian. Knowing that it's easier to remember how to pronounce the name Debian. RIP Ian. Thanks for the review!
I unfortunately wasn't in the first batch of emails so here hoping for a March 7th email!
I am so beyond excited so get my hands on it!