Valve Officially Launches Steam Deck

[Uskompuf]

Valve is excited to announce the official launch of Steam Deck, the powerful all-in-one portable gaming PC first revealed by the makers of Steam over the summer. Emails with order details start going out today to the first customers in the queue, with devices shipping immediately after. Steam Deck is the first handheld device designed to play Steam games, with a custom processor developed in cooperation with AMD that makes it comparable to a gaming laptop. You can play games from your Steam library wherever you go; and as an open PC, you can also install any software or connect with any hardware you want. Steam Deck starts at $399, with increased storage options available for $529 and $649.

PC gamers and developers have always wanted a handheld option that plays all the great titles, Steam Deck gives them that."

View at TechPowerUp Main Site | Source

 

[sam_86314]

Q2 can't come soon enough...

Y'all need to cancel your reservations so I can get mine.

 

[mechtech]

Gabe, can Valve develop a Linux distro into a true windows competitor?

please/thanks

 

[GoldenX]

Spice & Wolf announces a new anime.
The Steam Deck is officially released, with an OS named after a certain Wise Wolf.
Coincidence? I THINK NOT!

 

[theGryphon]

The device is already thick due to the grips, so they're missing an opportunity by not adding a modular extra battery to fit in the space between the grips.

It wouldn't cover the whole area, but even accounting for the finger grips, there is volume there for a significant battery boost, which is critical for a device like this. It would have been a great value-added feature...

 

[LabRat 891]

The device is already thick due to the grips, so they're missing an opportunity by not adding a modular extra battery to fit in the space between the grips.

It wouldn't cover the whole area, but even accounting for the finger grips, there is volume there for a significant battery boost, which is critical for a device like this. It would have been a great value-added feature...

The external diagrams and dimensions have been released by Valve. Nothing stopping a 3rd party from making exactly what you propose. Dbrand already has a form-fit protective case for it.
I'm looking forward to the 3D printed shenanigans from the community as these get into Makers' hands.

 

[theGryphon]

The external diagrams and dimensions have been released by Valve. Nothing stopping a 3rd party from making exactly what you propose. Dbrand already has a form-fit protective case for it.
I'm looking forward to the 3D printed shenanigans from the community as these get into Makers' hands.

Nothing stopping?? How about the design of the product? You can't just slap a battery on it!!?

 

[Mysteoa]

Nothing stopping?? How about the design of the product? You can't just slap a battery on it!!?

But you can just slap a powerbank with a 3D printed case to hold it.

 

[theGryphon]

But you can just slap a powerbank with a 3D printed case to hold it.

That would work for this product as a bandaid, but it doesn't change the fact that Valve missed an opportunity for a much neater, effective and preferable solution.

 

[elghinnarisa]

Spice & Wolf announces a new anime.
The Steam Deck is officially released, with an OS named after a certain Wise Wolf.
Coincidence? I THINK NOT!

"SteamOS", the wisest of the wolves.

 

[Bomby569]

Gabe, can Valve develop a Linux distro into a true windows competitor?

please/thanks

maybe steam deck will make some companies release linux versions but i doubt it, that would certainly do it

 

[Durvelle27]

The device is already thick due to the grips, so they're missing an opportunity by not adding a modular extra battery to fit in the space between the grips.

It wouldn't cover the whole area, but even accounting for the finger grips, there is volume there for a significant battery boost, which is critical for a device like this. It would have been a great value-added feature...

It’s not just the size that matters. You have to consider weight as well. To much weight and the device becomes difficult to hold for extended periods of time. They made the smart call.

 

[TheoneandonlyMrK]

Gabe, can Valve develop a Linux distro into a true windows competitor?

please/thanks

Steam OS 3.0 is on its way.

Now get cancelling those reservations people, I needs mine pre q2 too.

 

[TheinsanegamerN]

Gabe, can Valve develop a Linux distro into a true windows competitor?

please/thanks

They've already doen a shit ton of work on linux over the last decade. They are partially responsible for the improvements to AMD's drivers, optimizations to x.org, and a few other systems I'm forgetting.

Free linux will never be a windows competitor, as that would require it becoming the antithesis of what linux is. A paid consumer distribution would be very interesting, sadly canonical is the closest weve come.

 

[mechtech]

They've already doen a shit ton of work on linux over the last decade. They are partially responsible for the improvements to AMD's drivers, optimizations to x.org, and a few other systems I'm forgetting.

Free linux will never be a windows competitor, as that would require it becoming the antithesis of what linux is. A paid consumer distribution would be very interesting, sadly canonical is the closest weve come.

I’m fine with paid Linux if it’s on the same level as windows without all the bloat and sign in and other crap.

 

[TechLurker]

Gabe, can Valve develop a Linux distro into a true windows competitor?

please/thanks

While not directly making Linux a viable Windows competitor, there are plans to have Steam OS eventually come to desktops as a possible full OS replacement for a game-centric rig. According to an interview with the Steam Deck's devs that Tom'sHardware attended, the devs are looking at potentially making their OS fully desktop compatible, but the priority is making sure it thoroughly works for their handheld. Quoting the relevant section:

SteamOS Coming to Desktop, Could be Licensed​

A lot of work has gone into making a version of SteamOS fit on a controller-first system with a 7-inch screen. But SteamOS will come to the desktop, too.

"The work that we've been doing right now has been focused on the Deck," Griffais said. "But I expect that you know, the first the first Deck that hits users' hands will see people tinkering with the software image trying to get it running and other devices, their PCs."

He said that Valve is working on SteamOS 3.0 as a full desktop operating system, including an installer, but there isn't a timeframe to announce for that. "But just like all the SteamOS bits will be available, you know, free of charge for people that want to make comparable devices,'' he said. "They will also be available for . . . people that want to take it for a spin as their daily driver for desktop PC."

And if another company wants to make its own handheld like the Steam Deck, Griffais said it will be "available free of charge."

"All the…underlying technologies that power the experience there, be it SteamOS itself, the system compositor, the graphics driver we've been working on, Proton, all these things are open source and available, you know. for people to use and the OS itself as a whole package with the Steam client will be available under a free license for OEMs working on similar products as well."

That would, of course, limit those companies to games available on Steam.

I do sort of wonder if this means that Valve will eventually let the Steam Deck die if friendly rivals produce better hardware while they continue to refine the software, like many other past hardware projects, or if they'll continue to produce a "baseline" series that they expect competitors to at least match or rival (Competitor A produces a cheaper Deck rivaling the basic S.Deck, while Competitor B produces 2 Decks that compete against the mid-level and high-end S.Deck, but with better cost, or better performance). After all, Steam would still win with everything being effectively locked down to the Steam version of games. At least, until GOG or Epic figure out how to piggyback their launchers to the Linux layer that Steam OS is built on.

As well, SOS coming to the traditional desktop/laptop market may make for a true gaming PC alternative from boutique vendors (Origin PC, Cyberpower, etc) and specialized gaming lines (a ROG SOS gaming laptop line for example), and focused almost purely on the gaming side of things. Then it'd just be up to the user to install Linux packages for other functions they may want to add beyond gaming and basic web browsing.

 

[defaultluser]

Is anybody really surprised they whiffed this one so badly? This us the same company that swore that IPS would be the next thing for VR (in an era of low-light HDR games, the oled wins hard here!), or the Steam Controller, the most broke-brained dual-touchpad layout one could possibly imagine?

The only people who will still be clogging up the preorder lines now are the same sort of "Instant Forgiveness" people who keep pre-ordering broken games like Cyberpunk and Eldenring that remain broken for the rest of the year they launched)

Of course, the real, question you should have is how many years will it be before we see the world's first Steam Hardware update...EVER (will it be the three-year-old Index, or the new Link?)

 

[TheoneandonlyMrK]

Is anybody really surprised they whiffed this one so badly? This us thw same company that swore that IPS would be the next thing for VR (in an era of low-light HDR games, the oled wins hard here), or the Steam Controller, the most broke-brained dual-touchpad layout one could possibly imagine?

The only people who will still be clogging up the preorder lines now are the same sort of "Instant Forgiveness" people who keep pre-ordering broken games that remain broken for the rest of the year they launched)

Of course, the real, question you should have is how many years will it be before we see the world's first Steam Hardware update...EVER (will it be the three-year-old Index, or the new Link?)

Three updates a day ATM has your scorn countered.

 

[defaultluser]

Three updates a day ATM has your scorn countered.

What are you talking about? Software patches do jack to fix broken hardware

There is no software fix for that broken screen, that broken touch pad layout, or the broken back-side buttons!

My statement earlier was correct because Valve still has yet to revise any piece of hardware they've released

 

[TheoneandonlyMrK]

What are you talking about? Software patrches do jack to fixx broken hardware

What's broken?!

 

[defaultluser]

What's broken?!

your brain, apparently!

Are you also a Platinum Member for Chris Roberts "Turn your Credit Card into this Ship JPG" Club?

 

[TheoneandonlyMrK]

your brain, apparently!

Are you also a Platinum Member for Chris Roberts "Turn your Credit Card into this Ship JPG" Club?

Too complex an answer was it, back in the troll cupboard you go, welcome to ignore you tool.

No facts brought by you equals f all points and not worth the conversation, bye now.

Oh so you edited your prior post, smart, though the fact I quoted your original, shorter arsegurgitation, none of that stuff is broken, it just doesn't suit your epean you tit.

 

[persondb]

I do sort of wonder if this means that Valve will eventually let the Steam Deck die if friendly rivals produce better hardware while they continue to refine the software, like many other past hardware projects, or if they'll continue to produce a "baseline" series that they expect competitors to at least match or rival (Competitor A produces a cheaper Deck rivaling the basic S.Deck, while Competitor B produces 2 Decks that compete against the mid-level and high-end S.Deck, but with better cost, or better performance). After all, Steam would still win with everything being effectively locked down to the Steam version of games. At least, until GOG or Epic figure out how to piggyback their launchers to the Linux layer that Steam OS is built on.

One issue with that is that those competitors need to have margin on their hardware product while Valve can afford to have less since they get money from any game sold on Steam.
With that said it's probable that only the 64GB model is probably at cost or slightly loss, the other models likely will have some margin on them but probably not enough for other manufacturers to compete meaningfully at that price point. Possibly if they go higher like in the $800s.

Is anybody really surprised they whiffed this one so badly? This us the same company that swore that IPS would be the next thing for VR (in an era of low-light HDR games, the oled wins hard here!), or the Steam Controller, the most broke-brained dual-touchpad layout one could possibly imagine?

The only people who will still be clogging up the preorder lines now are the same sort of "Instant Forgiveness" people who keep pre-ordering broken games like Cyberpunk and Eldenring that remain broken for the rest of the year they launched)

Of course, the real, question you should have is how many years will it be before we see the world's first Steam Hardware update...EVER (will it be the three-year-old Index, or the new Link?)

And what they whiffed about the Steam Deck? The launch seems to have gone really really well.
There's really no major issues or anything.

 

[defaultluser]

And what they whiffed about the Steam Deck? The launch seems to have gone really really well.
There's really no major issues or anything.

Steam Deck: The comprehensive Ars Technica review

Power, battery, software compatibility, and too many random crashes: Let’s dig in.

arstechnica.com

The bad​

• ...but that price point is low in part because Valve skips an install of the gaming-friendly OS Windows, and Deck too often struggles to parse games through its Wine compatibility layer.
• Want to get your favorite game running on Deck? Prepare to tap around a mix of in-game menus and Deck's system-level toggles to either maximize power or battery life on a game-by-game basis.
• When a game doesn't work, you might have to flip through menus—again, on a game-by-game basis—to troubleshoot possible problems like Steam Deck's buttons being incorrectly mapped or a Steam Deck element randomly freezing.
• Valve cheaped out on Deck's 7-inch LCD panel.
• Grip buttons, rumbling motors feel like an afterthought.
• Deck owners may find themselves juggling microSD cards just to maintain a solid portable game library.
• Despite Deck's power efficiency, it can only last so long when demanding games rev to 100 percent power.

The ugly​

• When your favorite game glitches, crashes, or fails to boot.

Verdict: You have to be a specific kind of patient PC gamer to enjoy Deck in its current state. If you're not, wait for its software side to match the value of its price-to-performance ratio.

The only people universally praising this box are the paid review sites that only care about securing their next review sample; not a game reviewer who actually tried using it at a local bar!

And that screen looks worse than my $35 PocketGo 1 screen made in China (so you can imagine how many cents Valve must have spent on this thing!) If people didn't care about nice screens on portable devices, then why the hell is any high-end smartphone selling? The broken back buttons, plus clunky rumble and the location of some of those touch pads will make using the thing clunky!

 

[Mysteoa]

That would work for this product as a bandaid, but it doesn't change the fact that Valve missed an opportunity for a much neater, effective and preferable solution.

It's probably down to cost. They have very aggressive pricing when compared to other handhelds or similar products.