Because it combines the accessibility and mobility of mobile gaming with the versatility of PC gaming, Valve’s Steam Deck(Opens in a new window) is expected to become the must-have gaming accessory of 2022. Who wouldn’t want to play their favorite Steam games on the road, after all? You might be wondering how to purchase a Steam Deck given that the first shipment of pre-orders will arrive at the end of the month. Or perhaps you’ve never heard of Steam Deck and are interested in the hype. We’ll respond to your Steam Deck queries right here. We’ll start with the fundamentals then add more queries as we test and evaluate the Steam Deck.
Steam Valve Deck
What Stores Sell Steam Decks?
Not from the usual sources. When the Steam Deck becomes more widely accessible, Valve plans to collaborate with retailers, but for the time being, you can only buy the portable via Steam (Opens in a new window) when it becomes available for purchase on February 25. The system you pre-ordered should arrive on February 28 if you were given a Q1 ship date. Expect not to receive a Steam Deck in the near future if your ship date was Q2 or later. Sure, with resellers you might be lucky, but don’t hold your breath (and you may pay an arm and a leg).
The back paddles of the Steam Deck
What are the features (and costs) of the Steam Deck?
Three models of the Steam Deck handheld gaming pc are available, each with 16GB of RAM and the RDNA 2 and Zen 2 architectures. They vary, nonetheless, in terms of storage capabilities and storage types.
The $399 entry-level Steam Deck has inbuilt storage that is 64GB eMMC PCLe Gen 2. This device has fairly limited capacity when you consider the size of many contemporary games. It also includes a useful carrying case.
The mid-tier Steam deck, which costs $529, provides more and faster storage. A 256GB NVMe SSD (PCIe Gen 3 x4), a special Steam Community profile bundle, and the aforementioned carrying case are all included with the purchase.
With its 512GB, high-speed NVMe SSD, the most expensive Steam Deck option costs $649 USD, but it provides the fastest storage (PCIe Gen 3 x4). This version includes the Steam Community profile bundle, a premium, anti-glare, etched glass screen, a special carrying case, an exclusive virtual keyboard motif, and more.
3. How Can I Increase the Storage on My Steam Deck?
After reading those storage sizes, if you’re concerned about installing games, Valve has got you covered. The bottom of the Steam Deck has a UHS-1 bus slot that can accommodate SD, SDXC, and SDHC cards. On Amazon, 512GB cards cost less than $30.
With Steam Deck’s auto-formatting features, selecting and utilizing an SD is a breeze. Additionally, you can use the card to boot an operating system, such Windows.
4. How Does the Screen on the Steam Deck Look?
The 7-inch touch screen on the Steam Deck has a 1280 by 800 resolution and a 60Hz refresh rate. An optically bonded IPS LCD embedded in this glass produces brightness levels of up to 400 nits. The premium, 512GB variant sports an anti-glare, etched screen, as was already reported.
5. What Is the Control Layout for the Steam Deck?
The gamepad controls on Steam Deck are quite standard: A/B/X/Y buttons, a D-pad, L/R analog triggers, and L/R bumpers. Instead of the traditional Start and Select buttons, it has View and Menu buttons, as well as two analog thumb sticks with capacitive touch technology.
On the back of the Steam Deck, there are four assignable grip buttons. These will resemble the Steam Controller or the 8BitDo Pro 2 controller in appearance and texture. Excellent for mapping additional functions, these.
The controllers on the Steam Deck
The Steam Deck comes with two trackpads if you require additional controller inputs. Haptic feedback is used via the twin, 32.5mm square trackpads, which have two LRA motors under each pad. These trackpads, according to Valve, feature a 55% lower latency than the standard Steam Controller. Additionally, the pads feature pressure-sensitive controls and adjustable click intensities. Since they provide tactile, mouse-like capability, the Steam Controller’s trackpads are without a doubt its most inventive feature.
The Steam Deck also contains a 6-Axis IMU gyro sensor, which is the cherry on top. This might be useful for maneuvering automobiles in racing games or pointing firearms in shooters.
What Is the Battery Life of the Steam Deck?
According to Valve, the 40Whr battery in the Steam Deck provides 2–8 hours of gameplay. This estimate takes into account a 30 frames per second, 50% brightness, and 50% volume game. Naturally, results may vary.
An included 45W USB-C PD3.0 power supply comes with the Steam Deck. The system comes with a charging cord that is 1.5 meters (4.9 feet) long.
PCMag Logo Steam Deck Unveiled! : A Look at Valve’s Powerful Portable
7. Can I have many accounts on Steam Deck?
Yup! Multiple accounts can be supported by Steam Deck, allowing each user to have their own local save data and settings. Similar to the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series S/X, you can easily switch between these profiles without logging in each time.
8. Can I Use the Steam Deck Offline?
After downloading a game to your Steam Deck, you can play it offline with a few important caveats. The Steam Deck must be linked to the internet in order to play online multiplayer games, which by definition can only be played online. Sorry, but without an online connection, you can’t start Lost Ark.
Second, some publishers use DRM, which forces you to play your games online at all times. This restriction is present in a lot of Activision games, so do your homework before buying.
9. Can I Carry on a Play Session on Steam Deck on My PC?
A cloud-save function called Steam Cloud has been a mainstay of the Steam platform for a while. In the event that you swap PCs or have to reinstall a game, this option makes it simple to pick up where you left off. With the introduction of the Steam Deck, Valve increased this functionality. With the new Dynamic Cloud Sync, you may switch between your play sessions on the Steam Deck and other devices or PCs without having to quit the game. Dynamic Cloud Sync sounds like a great addition for portable players who prefer to put their handhelds to sleep rather than switch them off, however we’ll need to see how it performs in practice.
10. What is the operating system for the Steam Deck?
SteamOS, a customized version of Arch Linux, is used by Steam Deck. On Steam Deck, this operating system makes use of an API to enhance how games function on the platform. With order to showcase the games that work well in SteamOS, Valve is searching the Steam library of games. This process is known as Steam Deck Verification. Verified games are those that work well with the Deck and don’t require any additional modifications.
11. Can I Use the Steam Deck to Play Windows Games?
Proton is a special compatibility layer created by Valve that enables SteamOS and other Linux-based operating systems to run Windows games. This implies that despite not having a Windows foundation, Steam Deck still supports a large number of Steam games. In that regard, you want to look into ProtonDB(Opens in a new window), a sizable database that emphasizes PC games that are compatible with SteamOS.
Update: To determine whether your Windows games will function on Steam Deck, Valve has made an official compatibility checker available. A game is fully validated to function properly on Steam Deck when it has a green checkmark; a yellow checkmark means that the game is playable on Steam Deck, “but requires further steps or manual work from the user.” Keep in mind that a PC game may run smoothly on Steam Deck even if Valve hasn’t yet given it a review (the library is deep, after all).
In addition to supporting Proton, Steam Deck enables the installation of other operating systems. You can load Windows or another operating system by accessing the Steam Deck’s BIOS menu.
12. Can My Steam Deck Be Repaired?
The repair community and parts store iFixit has been recognized by Valve as a Steam Deck replacement part seller. You should book mark the iFixit website(Opens in a new window) immediately away even though the specifics are still being worked out. You can never be too sure when your Steam Deck will need to be serviced.
Can I Connect a TV or Monitor to the Steam Deck?
Absolutely, but not right out of the gate. Even though the Steam Deck is a powerful device, when it is delivered to your door, it is designed to be portable. You require the proper dock in order to connect the Deck to TVs or monitors (sold separately, price TBD). The accessory has a DisplayPort 1.4 port, an HDMI 2.0 port, two USB-A 2.0 connections, a USB-A 3.1 port, and an Ethernet jack.
Since the Steam Deck features a USB-C port, a typical USB-C hub should function with it. Thankfully, USB-C hubs are reasonably priced, usually costing between $20 and $60.
