so the title says it all. if you’re willing to read my situation, thank you.
Married, Father of two. Recently purchased a gaming laptop that’s around PS4 quality. But I play GTA V, Ace Combat 7, PS2 via PCSX(only my own ROM copies, really), nothing FPS, and sadly nothing new has really piqued my interest(maybe starfield?) PC game purchases are either Steam or GOG.
I usually play games away from the kids as I don’t particularly like them seeing Dad gunning down people(but they’re really bad people!) And while attached to the wall I can play to my heart’s content, battery power is pitiful with the dgpu activated. I need a desk and controller to play, so it’s as akward as ipad gaming and lap burningly hot when I try to play on the sofa.
As a Dad, I have very little time for personal entertainment. maybe an hour daily, up to 3 hours if I decide to cut into sleep.
As a Dad, purchases for my own use have to go through a pretty long vetting/authorization process. That gaming PC I mentioned above was telegraphed a year in advance(hey my current pc is having hardware issues, hey my current pc is ungodly slow and I can’t help w/ the kids online homework, hey my current pc is almost 10 years old…) It’s a gaming PC, but I also use it to edit premiere for my tiny YT channel
From what I can tell, the steamdeck can give me comprable or less gaming performance than my gaming PC, in a much more portable, single piece hardware that I can play on the couch, staying in the same room as my wife and kids while they do other stuff in the living room. the convenience is appealing, but I’m just thinking of the energy I’d need to put into it to get a clear OK as opposed to the side eye and comments such a purchase out of the blue would create, just for the ability to do something I can do already on my gaming pc(albeit a little less easier if I had a steamdeck)
I’m personally thinking I’d rather spend that kind of energy on a future, more capable steamdeck 2, on the off chance some new game I want to play comes out my pc can’t handle.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m happily married, and get along great with my wife, but I’ve noticed I get the stinkeye a lot more for any purchases for myself that are solely entertainment related
Not a parent and fairly young, but I would like to give my motivation for getting the steam deck as in some ways it may be similar to how you would use it. I have a very “interesting” family who is very out spoken and extroverted. I am the complete opposite with social anxiety, very quiet and keep to myself. My family likes to spend time with me but when they do they rarely really involve me in anything. Conversations are always about themselves, and they speak over eachother so often that it’s rare I get to give any input at all. My main reason for getting the steam deck was to allow me to be present but not absolutely bored out of my mind listening to people talk about themselves. Video games is something comforting to me, and for the few things they do want to involve me in I can pause and take part. It also offers the ability for them to watch me play which occasionally they are interested enough to want to do. I think similarly for you being able to pause and play at a moments notice might be useful. Further more, your list of games is pretty limited, and I think for me especially the deck has got me interested in smaller indie style games that you might grow an interest in. Another thing that motivated me is that it can emulate extremely well to the point its basically a ton of consoles in one which would allow me to play games I never had the opportunity to. Not trying to convince you as you asked, but apply the potential advantages of your situation and see whether you think it is worth it or not. Might get the side eye a bit but could turn that into an opportunity to play some indie games with your SO, and tbh it’s healthy for both of you to spend some money on yourselves for things you enjoy, assuming again that you guys are financially stable.