Hey all, long time lurker in this sub and big fan (from afar) of the Steam Deck. I’ve finally saved the funds to potentially purchase a Steam Deck and I’m looking for some guidance here so I’ll describe my situation and potential use cases and see what you guys would recommend.
I’m a long time console gamer in the PlayStation and Nintendo ecosystems. I have a PS5 and a Nintendo Switch that I use when I have time. I’m a Mac user for my personal and work computer needs so not really any gaming on my computer. I haven’t purchased much through Steam in the past. I’m also a dad so I have limited time to sit and play a lot of games due to family obligations.
I play online (PlayStation) with a group of friends once or twice a week. A couple of my friends recently purchased OLED Steam Decks and have been really enjoying them.
I feel like the Steam ecosystem and community is much better all around. Better customer support, game prices, and a platform that doesn’t lock you in the way Sony and Nintendo do with their anti-consumer policies and paid online subscriptions.
What are the benefits of the Steam Deck vs. PlayStation and Nintendo? Does it complement my current set up in any way? What games or types of games will I be able to access that I can’t access today with my current set up? I’m feeling kind of weird dropping a bunch of money on hardware that isn’t more powerful than my PlayStation or more portable than my Switch but it could be worth it if there are unique games and experiences I can’t access today. I think having a handheld device will increase my ability to play games when I’m not able to be at my desk/monitor. I also worry maybe I’m spreading myself too thin in terms of how much time I have to actually play games and how many gaming platforms I own. I do know that if I do buy a Deck I’ll definitely spring for the OLED.
Sorry for the long, rambling post. Interested to hear everyone’s thoughts. Cheers!
Does it complement my current set up in any way?
Yes. You can stream from your PS5 to your Deck just as if you bought a PS Portal through Chiaki4Deck.
You can also emulate your switch games on your Deck, though performance doing this is game dependent. A lot of folks just straight up stop using their Switch at all because the Deck has a much wider variety of games (ie most of the big name switch games like TOTK as well as the vast wide open world of PC gaming.)
do your research only you know if you want it. of course we say to get it. one comment here isnt going to explain it all and win you over.
i already use steam and have a library and huge backlog. so it was a no brainer to get a deck. how else would i play my games if not on a pc?
If you think you’ll be traveling I guess you could get a Steam Deck on top of your nintendo. It’s also got it’s benefits some of which in my opinion topples the PS5. But honestly you’d be spreading out your gaming setup too thinly. What I suggest is that you invest on one console, that means upgrading everything you have from making yourself more comfortable on a chair to having reliable mics and audio but only if you think it will still be stuff that you keep in the future. Ofcourse you could do this with the Steam Deck though and seeing as it operates just as a Desktop I think you’d find more uses out of it. Like others have mentioned in the comment section it all depends on what you want or what your planning to do with it afterwards, obviously you’ll play games but how long and where. What you should absolutely do though is keep a plan in mind with what you want to do with your money and see it through. Oh and my best advice is don’t let strangers make you have a run for your money.