The Steam Deck: A Beautiful Mess, even for Emulation.
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- Äas pĆidĂĄn 20. 04. 2022
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The Steam Deck is a portable powerhouse for Steam games, but EMULATION on the Steam Deck is a whole different story...
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(ăàČ çàČ )ă - Hry
I was really surprised. I was at work and saw a guy playing a steam deck in real life literally the day after your stream. I didnât think I was ever gonna see one out in the wild. He said heâs had it for about a month.
I think I know how that person felt, back in 2016 when the switch first launched someone in macdonalds asked what I was holding. It was a pretty neat feeling
@@khaledm.1476 Switch released in 2017
@@connor9568 You're right I was like the switch released 5 years ago that's 2016 right.. No it's 2017. I can't believe it's been 5 years since 2017
@@khaledm.1476 it was revealed in late 2016 tho, so i don't blame you for the mistake either way lol
you shouldâve shoved him in a locker
Don't get the hate on the steam release/reserve system. It's 10,000% better than getting a regular console right now. Just racing against a few million other people every time some big box store randomly drops some amount of them. I'll take a pre-order and knowing I'll eventually get one every time.
Meh, one way actually let's you have a chance, the other forces you to wait.
@@rassular You'll wait but you'll get it at retail price like you're supposed to.
@@crzyruskie86 well lots of people are flipping their Decks for much more than PS5s or Xboxs ever were, and tons of countries can't even reserve one. Also who's to say another disruption in shipping doesn't happen and you have to wait till mid-late 2023? There's already been multiple.
Just saying that it's not perfect, though no method really is.
Theyâre all worth getting
@@rassular that is completely irrevant to their purchasing methods. All of those things would affect normal sales methods
I'd take Steam Deck's reservation rollout over the scalper-spoiled 'you'll get it when you can find it' roll out of the PS5/XSX. They made it pretty clear what you are getting into in advance of reservations even being opened, so I'm not sure where the complaints come from, especially from someone near the front of the line. I can get why it would be frustrating for someone who wants it now but has to put in a reservation for a nebulous 'After Q3' (probably 2023) date.
This, I'd rather wait few extra months than pay 200% or 300% to scalplers on eBay. Fuck that.
Definitely, I've got no problems waiting for mine. It gives me time to save up, and it should be a much smoother experience by the time I get around to it.
Take a look at eBay. it's the same thing sadly
@@avavavocado It isn't really, because you couldn't bulk buy them and Valve made it so that new steam accounts couldn't even book them at first. They announced them in a way so you couldn't prepare a bunch of steam accounts just to book up them.
Everyone had plenty of time to put in a 5 dollar booking before that. If you didn't, well it only makes sense you have to wait.
I had no issue getting my hands on consoles from retailers at msrp. I managed to snag an RTX 3080 founderâs edition, 2 PS5s (one for me, one for my brother), and a Nintendo switch oled. It was more about perseverance but once I started looking for those products it only took me like 2 weeks to be able to purchase them.
Great video, and I am thrilled by the shoutout! I agree that the SD is a tinkerer's machine right now. I hope we get to the point where there is a plug-and-play solution for emulation that doesn't require a teeter-totter balance of configurations and workarounds, like what you experienced.
Love your content btw surprised to see you get a shout-out on his channel tbh
@@Sean-wv4jd They have done a podcast together before, it's a really enjoyable listen, you should check it out!
@@ParanoidThalyyMVS oh I didn't know that . I'll have to check it out. Thanks!
I don't plan on getting a SD, but I do hope that it pushes Linux to be a mainstream gaming platform. I hate the forced data collection and commercialization direction of Windows 10/11. I've got only one Windows 10 box and it's my gaming rig. The rest of my PC's are Windows 7 and Linux.
God can we get some plug and play solutions....I have a Onexplayer and q3 SD......I wanted to get the deck bc it seemed easy thx to this vid I'll keep my OXP and keep tinkering !!
I think the reason people weren't/aren't upset with the rollout is because it's the best we've seen from any console released in recent memory. It's being scalped sure, but you know (about) when you're gonna get your steam deck, so why bother turning to a scalper?
Personally I wish every lauch used a queue system like this. It's way less stressful.
Could they have tried to have more ready for launch? Sure! But I'm sure they're working their best to get as many made as possible. At least with this system I know I'll be getting mine sometime in the summer.
100% i still cant get a ps5 at retail from any store every PS5 drop i hear about is almost immediately sold out.
people are not mad becouse hardware shortages have been a thing for a wile now.
i'll take the pre order queue any day over having to constantly check for availability from multiple retailers.
Still better than whatever the hell Sony has going on. I got into 3 Playstation Directs and they all sold out in minutes after opening, and now theyâre doing some insane ARG bullshit, looking for codes in commercials and whatnot. Itâs a wonder I ever managed to get a PS5 without buying from a scalper.
I agree. It is nice they gave us a chance against scalpers. I donât wanna pay above MSRP.
They were pretty clear what the ordering process would look like. Nothing was really unexpected based on what they said before opening reservations.
Not to mention everyone saw how the PS5/Series X launches went without any queue system.
This is a bootlicker comment
@@FoxbatStargazer It sucks that I don't get my product sooner. But not having to fight a bunch of scalpers for it and knowing mine is secure gives me peace of mind
@@cocozimme ??????
I was adding to cart exactly at launch, but the site claimed my account was too new despite it being 16 years old so I didnât get my reservation in until 31 minutes later which cost me at least 3 months of waiting.
With Gamecube, the performance seems to be a strange Dolphin issue - under the Quick Access menu, set your GPU clock manually to 1500/1600Mhz - this fixed it for me, and I can now run, for example, Mario Sunshine at 60fps, widescreen, 720p, and with an HD texture pack. :)
ah, it has a fix already, good to know. hopefully all this will already have been implemented once i get mine
Just tried this, F-Zero GX still stutters and drops to 40-30 fps from time to time. I think the drops were worse without the underclocking on, but still.
@@johnnymcgregor I heard that game is the hardest to game to emulate on the console. Hopefully they get it working a bit better, but I'm sure they already focused on that game already.
I have dolphin on my aya neo currently have : crash wrath of cortex, Donald Duck goin quackers, simpsons hit and run, simpsons road rage, prince of Persia sands of time, spyro a heroâs tale, ty, tak, wave race blue storm, Harry Porter and the philosophers stone
Mario Sunshine at 60 fps can cause the music to break sometimes, therefore I've stopped using that hack.
Bob making Hello Fresh look chaotic and not fool proof is potentially the best ad Iâve seen for the service
Hi
The food looked terrible on the plate, and that made the ad so much better đ€Ł
Thatâs how hello fresh goes, lol. It was fun during COVID, tho. Sort of replaced dates eating out. Just cook together instead. Then the cost kinda makes sense.
Right? Candid, real, believable, achievable. Not some magic, mess-free fantasy ad.
It's an ad you can see yourself in, and an ad that shows you what to really expect.
Iâm in q3 but this video kinda made me not want to pull the trigger
Even if only part of your library is playable, the fact you can play it in portable form is great. Also, supporting valve in this endeavor will help Linux development as a whole and that's a win for everyone. We need to get away from proprietary stuff where we can because they don't care about our privacy or experiences anymore.
Privacy is a convenient, short-term trade-off for convenience and price to the general public, unfortunately.
@@KarosElite ^ both valid arguments tbh
Valve really wants to get away from Microsoft's control of the platform for pc gaming. DirectX is the default for the majority of games especially if also developing for the xbox, if they are able to deliver on it, it will benefit everyone potentially. But the anti cheating and other things cause headaches too.
@@bionicgeekgrrl No they just dont want to pay the fees to use the Windows OS theres a difference either way, My SteamDeck is running windows now and im much happier with it.
@@bionicgeekgrrl eac is lazy devs not having good anti cheating backed into there code. its nothing more then a 3rd paty rootkit. its why the wine devs outright refused to support it. valve came along and finnly added the support but then all the game devs started refusing to flip the switch to support linux. a good example is destany 2. they outright hate linux and will ban anyone who gets it working. they also activly work to brake proton from running the game. the steam deck might acully be the thing to push these stubbern devs.
Compared the ps5 and xbox series x the preorder was perfect. Everyone who wanted one has a spot in line. Unlike the bots and scalpers who still grab every console on the shelf. I got my steam deck a week ago and while I was ready at the moment the pre orders went up i missed the first hour and a half due to their servers dropping.
The rollout was much better than the alternative with scalpers gobbling up all of the stock on day 1 like every other console. they can only make them so fast and I can't think of a more fair system.
100% !
I was curious about that. So do you know whether there has been much scalping of the Steam Deck? I havenât seen many articles on it or anything⊠but I also havenât gone looking. With the PS5, it was pretty much unavoidable to not hear people bitching about scalpers.
@@leeartlee915 there are resellers on ebay but you can only buy 1 steam deck per account and with how pre-orders are first come first serve scalpers couldn't really abuse bots
@@minarchisttrucker2775 Ohhh, that totally makes sense. Yeah, I like the idea of making things hard on scalpers⊠on the other hand, I was able to pick up a PS5 and Series X with a little elbow grease (i.e. fighting bots) but I donât even have a shot at a Steam Deck until Fall 2022. So, personally, itâs made it harder to get the device. But hey, if thatâs the cost of cutting out scalpers, guess thatâs okay. I do think Steam could find a slightly better way of doing pre-orders.
@@leeartlee915 I don't think it really made it any harder because I think they're putting them out as fast as they can get them out. So the alternative would be you're unsure when you could get one and a bunch of bots would be hoarding yhem
I think the good thing about Steam Deck compared to Nintendo Switch, is that the game prices are generally cheaper, multiplayer is free (and decent), digital store probably won't ever close, more selection of games at Steam Deck launch including lots of JRPGs, graphics are really good, price for buck is decent. I'd imagine future iterations of Steam Deck would iron out any kinks.
plays nearly everything all the way back to the very first games to the latest stuff. no worrys about stores closing even after its long unsupported,
@@gogereaver349 I wouldnât say Steam wonât ever be closing down anytime soon though. Itâs a matter of when, not a matter of will it be or not.
Yea but the console is 550. That's a nope from me.
@@anthonysoto2923 399 for the base model. the only diffrence is how mutch on bord storage you get. its easly upgraded or expanded.
@@gogereaver349 but the base model use emmc.... Might as well get better models imo. And steam deck storage fills up real fast since it plays pc games, whereas Switch games tend to have smaller data size. Therefore with steam deck you are looking to have at least 512 GB SD card, whereas Switch you just need 128-256gb SD card.
Not sure what you're on about with the queue system.. The reservation system was great.
-It prevented scalpers and bots from reserving a ton by requiring a steam account older than 2 weeks for the first week or so of pre orders.
-Giving a specific date for your order to be ready and then not delivering it would be suicide. The past couple years the fervor around delays for anything games or tech has been vitriolic at best. A vague window gives the wiggle room necessary until the supply chain can catch up.
-Of course it was gonna be a server traffic jam... Every other GPU or console in the past few years has been but worse (thanks to bots in particular). I managed to get through within five minutes. It took a while to load each page but it went through.
being better than trash isn't a reason not to complain, sheeple
Valve did the pre-orders this way to stop scalpers
The only really frustrating part of the pre-order process to me was how their servers got overloaded and you couldn't actually place an order reliably. It kept replying with "try again" and after trying again enough, it locked my account from making any purchases for a couple of hours. And now considering they're going in order of reservations made (in different queues based on region and model), it sucks to have to keep waiting because Valve's servers weren't up to the task.
Yup, same. There millisecond 1 and couldn't place an order for hours...
No server is up to the task one millions of people attack your website at the same time. They donât normally see that kind of traffic like that. Also some bots did attack their website so it did get over loaded. I barely managed to get my preorder in.
I ordered two days after the launch and had no problem. I have to wait until Q3 but that doesn't really bother me.
@@nawab256 yeah most people don't know how this stuff works. It's no easy task to prepare for a situation like that, and most likely not worth it
@@nawab256 Well you shouldn't order like in first minute. I ordered later in the day and my Steam Deck is already on the way. Hopefully I will get it next week with all the holidays we have this and next week in Slovenia.
Hard disagree on the pre-order process. I think the queueing is a great idea, and this is coming from someone who's still waiting for their Q3 window. It's so much better than any other alternative
Yeah, I don't know why Bob would rather have a completely random lottery than a slow but sure queue.
Meh if itâs so important to you but one at over msrp.
@@recreant359 "if you want it, just overpay for it"
????
That's how that comment read like
As someone who daily drives Linux, I see a lot of these quirks as just the normal way of doing things, but I will have to see after I get my deck (probably somewhere next week)
Using terminal is just the normal way of doing things, as most users are familiar with it, and it's just plain faster most of the time.
I personally also don't think windows support will ever be good, it simply is not a priority for valve. Pushing Linux use is one of the core drives behind the deck in the first place.
Again it is not for everyone.
Tbf Valve did say themselves that windows support will have some priority but the thing is that it'll never be as good as the linux one on the deck as that's what the deck was made to run.
-(Probably somewhere next week)
Iâve been telling myself that since the start of Q2 bro, hang in there, our time will come.
@@mlrnagoraplaystop4555 I hope you get yours soon, in my case I was just talking about the shipping part, I already paid for mine on Thursday, and it already shipped. I should get it tomorrow (unless the postal service messes up)
Starting to realize itâs all about perspective when it comes to the SD. I am currently playing Tunic, FFIX & emulating Wind Waker. Zero issues, zero complaints. Absolutely love this this thing and grateful I have one.
Ff9 is amazing
VSD
It's not about perspective, but having the wrong expectations. Considering this even remotely close to being a console is a big no. People expect this to be everything, when officially it's a device that plays compatible Steam games. The rest falls into the tinkering category.
@@lucascarracedo7421 agreed. I knew what I was getting my myself into for the most part.
@@alexi111 yeah as long as that's the case it's a great device. It's just that this media push to call it a console won't really help it find success. It will always fail at being a console.
I don't get the gripe over the reservation system. You put your $5 for your place in the Queue. Valve specifically tells you what Quarter you are in. And once that Quarter has started, you check your email/Steam every week on 1 or 2 VERY specific days.
I literally check my email everyday involuntary
Yes, much better than constantly checking stores for next-gen consoles stock. At least you know for sure you're getting it and when you're getting it and not having to rely on luck.
@@adelin081 that was the one thing I hated doing when it came to graphic cards. I rather pay a portion now and you tell me when it's available to pay for. Helps with rapid scalping as well.
@@brandon_nope Oh, me as well. It's a healthy habit to have in general.
It's actually really good for emulation too, and if you know what you're doing, it now takes like 10 min to set up and that's without being a LinuxBro. As for regular games, same thing, most that don't actually work do work fine with 2-3 minutes of extra work to get proton GE installed, which solves so MANY incompatability problems but Valve can't legally include by default.
However, you're definitely correct in that this isn't for everyone. I'd argue that is true for emulation in general though, and even for anything past basic gaming i.e. beyond clicking the game's logo and it just running.
So, in short, if you're looking for a console-like "it just works" experience, the Deck isn't and will probably never be that. PC gaming in its simplest form isn't even always that. However, if you're more into the more nuanced aspects of PC gaming, such as modding, or are more tech-savvy, or are experienced with the maze that setting up emulation sometimes is, then the Deck is probably the best and most cost effective emulation device on the market unelss you have VERY specific needs (like just wanting gameboy era games).
Otherwise, the Deck's an emulation beast and can ALSO play a huge slew of regular games to boot, all very comfortably. I definitely won't be going back to anbernic or anything, likely ever. Right now, I'm more excited about the Steam Deck 2 years down the line.
Still really excited to get hold of one. For emulation, Iâm going to try Retroarch first. Iâm most familiar with its GUI and settings, plus they seem to be actively working on improving the experience on steam deck.
Get EmuDeck, really nice and useful system.
Steam has Retroarch, try using that version of Retroarch
Emudeck actually uses RetroArch for a lot of the emulators (all the ones I've tried anyway) and by the time folks get a Deck I'd assume Emudeck will be even more streamlined.
@@someryebread thanks for the heads up on that. Iâll give EmuDeck a try when I finally get my system. Unfortunately Iâm in the after Q3 queue so Iâve got a long wait đ
Good take. It might not be for everyone but this device is everything I've ever wanted. I think it's going to continue to improve as months and years go by. Both valve and the community will be developing for it.
The open nature of the device will only help the community as well. If not being locked down like most consoles is refreshing.
I'm a noob when it comes to the SD. Would it become a brick in 10 years or so or would it be like older consoles where you can still use them. Just as when iv used steam games that work fine they have ended up not working 5 years on when it keeps updating itself to work with better and better pcs.
@@FaithPixel steam has been the same for years now and the games follow suit. Basically, they only way the Steam Deck would become a brick is if the hardware is not strong enough to support the new games you're trying to run. Up until that point, it'll be a good device for playing supported Steam games
I missed the email and contacted support. They straightened it out and I was able to order my deck. Support is really good in my experience.
I have had a Steam Deck since Day 1 and it has been great, I would not recommend it to everyone, but for the people that like to tweak and tinker with their PC they will love this thing. :)
Honest question, what sort of percentage of desktop PC a owners do we think do not tinker and tweak on their systems?
@@stuartleckie 90-95%. Windows is mostly business OS.
@@stray2614 yeah. I suppose thatâs accurate.
I bet a good amount of that 5% though know and enjoy tinkering with our PCs.
đ
@@stuartleckie I'm a solid part of that 5%
@@stray2614 Even to do business you need to tweak your PC more than you'd tweak a console.
The thing is that "tweaking" Steam OS is not rocket science. If installing software on Steam OS outside of Steam is tweaking, then installing software on Windows outside of the Windows store should be considered tweaking as well.
got mine in the post today, literally installing my games right now, so excited to play!
lucky, am after q3 :(
@@callsai oh no! my friend is the same, he's been super jealous since he found out mine was coming. all i can say is, the time ive spent messing around with it and playing resident evil village for a good hour, im insanely impressed with it. its way better than i expected!
I'm Q2, checking every day for that email. I want it so bad. Once I get it my switch is gonna be put into storage after the new zelda comes out. That console has no games lol.
I can't wait to get mine Q2 not for emulation only but I have a huge backlog of games I'd rather play on the go or breaks from work than sit on my pc to finish em. Great review on your views and concerns đđŒ
Iâve got a pretty big Steam library that I hardly use because itâs a bit of a pain (and time consuming) to get my pc up and gaming.
And I enjoy the portability of handheld gaming. So Iâm still pretty confident this is for me.
Exactly the main reason why I want to get one
1:20 guilty strive should work flawlessly, except a missing transparent background in the characterselct (which doesnât matter)
I would buy this if I hadnât already invested like 800 dollars into the Nintendo Switch Ecosystem
Might as well wait 6 months and see how you feel, this fucking thing plays elden ring
@@steamedyam I can assure you that eldin ring isn't going to be the game that makes me sad what my switch can't do *spelling error*
@@zacholiver9212 what about literally every other game that the switch can't handle/run well or just will never go to it?
It depends whether it's mostly games or accessories too, if it's games you could probably get all those games for like 5 dollars in the next summer sale
Damn 800$ into switch. Do you need a friend?! lol ill come over every weekend with a bottle some weed and my one switch game smash bros lol
I think we can safely say 'we NEED you' to give the average consumer/gamer realistic expectations of what the steam deck is and isn't. You always give a fair and well researched review, plus just fun to watch. Still waiting on my email for my 512 Q2 :/
Could the reservation system be improved? Sure. It can be improved. I get it, I somewhat agree. That said - honestly, the reservation system is light years better than everybody else's system, which is "throw all stock on the store and let the scalpers grab all of it." I'm not racing bots with reaction times of milliseconds. I'm not visiting a dozen physical stores hoping it's in stock. I did that for the OLED Switch, it was terrible. With the Steam Deck, I have a place in line. When my turn comes, I'm guaranteed to get the system as long as I don't miss the window. No scalpers can take it away from me. No need to visit every shop in town. I just go on with life with no worries until I get the email. It's so much better.
How was the preorder system unbeknownst to us at the time? They made it very well known that the $5 was to reserve your spot in line, youâd get an email, and then have 3 days to order it.
Calling it a project is probably the most apt description of the Deck. I understand that it won't be perfect and never expected it to be. I am happy to be a beta tester for this product because of the possibilities it offers in the hopes that it will become the best mobile PC/console that Valve can make it. A device that can do almost anything a PC can do but on the go. It only makes me further excited for a Ver. 2.
It has the potential to make gaming laptops redundant for all but the hardcore gaming needs. This thing can also do most general office tasks when docked too, so it potentially has some appeal there when it is a bit more polished.
Tbh PC has never been a perfect platform, there's always something to configure or fix. At least with Linux things don't regress since they're containerised, Windows runs things natively and breaks compatibility each time there's a new version.
The SD's first few weeks have been rocky but it's shown itself to be a capable device, Valve just needs to learn from their previous launches and keep pushing it forward. Just like with the Steam Controller, it won't go anywhere if the community has to maintain it themselves.
So crazy how many excuses yall make for this thing but shit talk the switch and Nintendo constantly. Least their fucking console works right out the box.
@@jordankelly4684 way to come off like a Super Nintendo Fanboy. Nobody is making excuses for the Deck. We all knew what to expect in that it was going to be a constantly improving device. The hardware is solid, compatibility is improving at an impressive rate and the software is following suit. The Switch is a toy compared to the Deck. You can use it as a PC or a mobile gaming console. Linux may be less forgiving on the desktop but SteamOS is so far fantastic though slightly buggy. Name me one product that didn't have some bugs at launch. The Switch on the other hand didn't even have Bluetooth support or allow for chat or messaging on the device locally. Let's also not forget that Nintendo charges for game saves and other crap that Valve provides for free. I don't blame Nintendo for making the specs what they are but they really like milking their consoles for all they are worth. Oh and let's not forget that the Deck can play just about anything you ask of it as long as it has been supported and/or optimized for the Deck/Linux. Plus, it can emulate older consoles including the Switch without breaking a sweat. You say we are making excuses but please tell me how you can act like the Switch and Nintendo are somehow without flaw. Hmmmm?
8:58 The desktop mode controls are made a lot better if you customize them under Steam settings > Controller > Desktop Configuration. Personally I set mine up so that the right touchpad controls mouse, left touchpad does scrolling, then the R4 and L4 back paddles do left and right click respectively. This improved the desktop navigation experience by quite a bit for me.
Now, I would totally agree that this isn't ideal, and it should definitely work better out of the box (also probably shouldn't be buried in settings like that). I think this is a great example of the point made in the video that you'll need to tinker with settings all over the place to get the best experience with the Steam Deck. If you're not afraid to get your hands dirty and do some troubleshooting like I am, then totally get this device. Otherwise, it might not be the best choice if you prefer things to "just work".
Also 16:52 is something I completely overlooked. No doubt that moving files over a USB drive is a pain in the ass. In my case, I just put all the files I wanted to move onto my NAS and then connected to it through the file explorer on the Deck.
Console commands, are you a hacker!!!
Lol, it's interesting to listen to someone's perspective that's not a techie. For me, I use Linux on a near daily basis so all this is second nature, but it's important to recognize that I'm the exception. Great video!
Keep in mind, developers will probably optimize their emulators FOR the steam deck which means it's probably going to run everything flawlessly eventually
Most i know of are just focusing on Linux on the whole not steamdeck specifically, Just install a better Linux Distro or Windows OS anything is better than SteamOS is a failure and the only reason they continue to use it is its branded by them and its free cuz its based off linux.
ste@@marcusmorris5562 I was hoping that Steam Deck's OS is the similar bleeding edge Arch has. But nah, it's actually an outdated version of Arch... what a shame.
ps3 relly needs alot of threds to emulate well. the deck only has 8. many games run fine but some whont.
@@jamirvillarosa7924 its updated almost every day. you can install normal arch on it if you whanted to.
@@marcusmorris5562 windows drivers for the deck are epic fail and even the controles work half ass. you can still they mean it when they say they dont support windows.
Hasn't changed my mind as it's pretty much what I expected. I am a linux tinkerer so most of the stuff you mentioned is stuff I'm used to fixing, and optimizing emulator settings is also something I find great joy in. I got it for emulation, and I'm sure I won't regret it... but I'm glad you put this out, because I would rather someone hold off and wait until it works better than to have a bad experience and give up.
Metal Gear Solid 4 is at a near fully playable state and this is without optimization from the community so far. Can you fucking believe that?
From what I can gather this essentially has the gaming compatibility of a mid to high specLinux desktop, with the limitation of not having access to keyboard and mouse. In my experience, maybe somewhere around 80% of my Steam library functions under the Proton compatibility layer, though needing the occasional tweaking. From the perspective of a PC user wanting to make his PC gaming a tad more mobile, this device is very appealing, for someone wanting a seamless out-of-the-box experience to replace their nintendo switch... well they'll probably have to wait for Nintendo's next handheld, I can't imagine the Steam Deck will ever quite become that.
One hint for transferring files: You can use Warpinator to transfer files to and from your Steam Deck and computer. If you want to syncrhonize folders between your computer and Deck in the background (say, an emulator's save file folder), you can use Syncthing
As an avid linux user I would like to point out, the SD card not mounting automatically is a problem with whatever distro/configuration Valve is using, not Linux itself. With distros like Ubuntu, automounting is built into the file manager.
Some distros do,some don't.
in KDE distros usually card mounts-on-use (in GUI) or when inserted, there's notification popup offering to mount+open it. So from POV regular user, you insert card, open Dolphin (file manager), click on the (unmounted) card in left panel, and it mounts+open automagically... when done with the card, you use properties menu of the card in left panel to "eject" to make sure all writes sync correctly (although I think for last ~10 years the linux distros use instant sync on removable devices, as so many users were losing data when the buffered way was used as default)? (I'm not sure about it, I always "eject" my removable drives, so I can't tell difference).
Iâve only installed one verified game and one unknown title. And so far they both work great. Iâm genuinely surprised. Itâs a pretty solid device. I do want to get emulators running on this device. So hopefully thanks to your warning Iâll have a more straight forward experience. đ
Thought about getting one... but at $500, I think it's going to go into the "It's an expensive toy that I don't really need" box. I have a desktop that plays any steam game I want. I have a Switch for portable gaming. I don't really need the Deck. Still looks cool though.
Exactly this, I purchased a Deck (had it for about a month) due to FOMO. I've maybe played about 10 hours on it since getting it set up, but I'm never too far from my desktop and if I'm going on a quick run I sure as hell don't want to bring the bulky Steam Deck with me. It's the niche of the niche, and it's the most unnecessary purchase I think I've ever made.
here in south america buy steam deck is nearly impossible . Even the switch lite cost 1 month of work. For you guys its same switch lite cost $2000 dollars and steam deck is about 4 months of work . Yes thinking about pay $8000 dollars for steam deck. Same things with other consoles like ps5 . Series X . But dont tell mothing guys. I give one other price for you . Iphone 13 pro max cost same as 1 year of working yes 1 year . Thinking you guys give About 20.000 dollars for one new iphone 13 pro max. I never touch in one iphone . Its my dream buy one but its impossible. Here androids phones sells much more.... triplo A games cost about 30% your month gains. Its same you guys paid 600 dollars for one Big launch game. HOW one gamer live with this prices ?????? đđđ
@@ryanbrother2617 were you drunk when making this
@@Im_Bad_at_Games no sorry my english
@@someryebread I mean... if you don't want it I'll buy it from you for what you paid for it ;)
I would 100% recommend doing another video on the deck right now, its alot different than it was 4 months ago
honestly the preorder situation is something I saw coming a mile away, waiting 7 months for an index taught me this
Fedex is shipping my Steam Deck to me right now, and I should receive it tomorrow. I ordered it on July 16, 2021.
I can't wait to get it!
here in south america buy steam deck is nearly impossible . Even the switch lite cost 1 month of work. For you guys its same switch lite cost $2000 dollars and steam deck is about 4 months of work . Yes thinking about pay $8000 dollars for steam deck. Same things with other consoles like ps5 . Series X . But dont tell mothing guys. I give one other price for you . Iphone 13 pro max cost same as 1 year of working yes 1 year . Thinking you guys give About 20.000 dollars for one new iphone 13 pro max. I never touch in one iphone . Its my dream buy one but its impossible. Here androids phones sells much more.... triplo A games cost about 30% your month gains. Its same you guys paid 600 dollars for one Big launch game. HOW one gamer live with this prices ?????? đđđ
I think this is a good review from the perspective of someone who mostly plays nintendo or someone who doesn't really enjoy messing with computers. though honestly, if you're not a user of steam, im not sure why you'd buy this in the first place.
I love the fact that since this video is about the steam deck, the Nintendo Switch CLICK was replaced with half life sfx.
Dude I'm loving the HL sound effects used as your bleeps!
I am really excited for what the future of the steam deck and the handheld pc market holds. I think if we look back to the switch's first year it was also extremely rough, like botw basically carried the switch for a few months the library was barren as hell. I think it's only after the 2nd year that publishers saw that the switch was a proven success that they really started to support it.
We can already see emblems of what that could like with elden ring running the best on steam deck, I can't wait to see what happens when devs making steam deck optimized titles
3rd party and nintendo bascily havent been a thing sense the snes. it took the swicth massive sales to bring them back.
@@gogereaver349 WII did have good 3rd party though, but I guess my point is things change based on your perspective.
You could look at it and say oh it plays less than 50% of ALL steam games or say it has over 2000 games verified at its launch window the largest of any new console release and has AAA games ported to it day 1.
This is steam deck's first year of course it was going be kinda rough but I am hopeful for the future of this segment
@@khaledm.1476 wii had alot of 3rd party shovel ware not alot of aaa 3rd party. i would call it about the same as gamecube.
I don't understand how the Ayn Odin can do gamecube emulation better than the steam deck. Is the gamecube build of dolphin better on android than on linux? Or is it just that dolphin isn't utilizing the CPU or GPU of the steam deck properly?
It most likely is using the dolphin core from retro arch. The issue is that dolphin core is not the same as dolphin emulator, the core is a fork of the dolphin project, removing the interface and enabling it to be used on retro arch, witch in turn, enables it to be used by any application.
TL;DR: dolphin core is shit, and that might be the reason. Dolphin emulator might work better.
He doesn't do any tweaking on the SD, this entire review is an insult tbh, there are so much better reviews out there on CZcams
Ayn Odin is much more power efficient and compact too
@@stealthysaucepan2016 lmao with 50$ you will get a much versatile and much more powerful device like Steam Deck
Nice video and Love that you are honest with the goofs!
Thanks for your super candid, honest video. I really appreciated the second half of your video with the sit-down aesthetic. I enjoy your long form as a break from the short videos
A lot of people who have only used Windows are gonna have a mildly hard time doing stuff outside of playing verified games. The fact that it's using Linux actually makes it much more exciting to me as an enthusiast with lots of GNU/Linux experience. I look forward to messing around with stuff under the hood. If people are willing to take the time to learn they will likely find that software compatibility is the ONLY thing Windows has over GNU/Linux. I understand that is precisely why it's not for everyone however.
I'm a windows stan but it's fine for me messing around.
I guess because I've watched a lot of people mess around with Linux that I have enough surface level knowledge.
@@BGRecon Windows power users won't struggle at all imo. It's not gonna be a problem for anyone who is "tech savvy". Anybody can do it. I hate when Linux enthusiasts are elitist and brag about doing something difficult. It's as difficult as reading and following directions, so they just look like clowns to anyone in the know. I'm glad to hear that even self proclaimed Windows stans are willing to work with SteamOS lol
The pre order process makes it so a bot doesn't buy all the deck and have you buy a deck for 1200$ from a scalper. And I've nothing bad to say about it except that i cannot wait to get my hands on my deck.
exactly!
Feels like a beta and fully fleshed out at the same time? That's how I felt about the Steam Controller back when that was the new hot.
It's funny, before I got a Switch, I put in some effort -- and a bit of cash -- to try and set up an older laptop as a controller-only, Steam-based (e.g. with Big Picture), family gaming station. I had great initial success... but had annoyances that just never went away. And those annoyances are exactly the kind that you mention here with the Steam Deck. A lot of stuff worked great, but then some of the games my kids really liked to play just didn't work right. Or lost controller sync. Or locked up at weird times. At some point I realized that everything I wanted out of this setup, Switch had done it in an incredibly polished way.
Obviously it's not Steam's fault that the games don't work exactly right. But they are the ones promoting and selling the Steam Deck, so I think it's still fair to point the issues out. As Bob mentioned, whether then or now, there always seems like there's a "better option". Depending on your needs, maybe it's a Switch, or a portable emulator deck, or even a PC. Unless you're a hobbyist, in which case the Steam Deck is right up your alley... but that is niche for sure.
I'm way late to say this but... thanks for the overview!
My preorder came up today for the 64GB EMMC version. I have a 1TB 2230 SSD in a drawer waiting for this system as an upgrade after my initial "Tinkering" is complete. I may rough it on an SD card until Steam OS 3.0 and "Dual boot" functionality arrives.
I think people downplay the microSD speeds. You can probably play most games just fine off the microSD card
slight misinformation about the order process:
it was communicated to the public, on the website, how the reservation system would work well before orders went live. i can understand why you dont like it, but with how scalping is these days, i really like it
aside from the delay that pushed EVERYONE back the same amount, no order windows have been changed, just clarified. the people complaining dont know what "some time after Q3" means
its not "at any time" during your order window, it was explicitly on mondays, with thursdays added starting Q2
and you cant really blame them for the website crashing when orders went live, they didnt expect this much hype
You are one of the few CZcamsrs who's ads I won't skip you do such a great job. Sponsors must love you
Great video! I got mine a week ago and love it. Youâre spot on, it definitely requires a bit of tinkering to get things working but Iâve found itâs not very difficult. The biggest gripe I have is the battery. I feel as if you can never really push the deck to its maximum capability without being near a charger. Thatâs pretty much the only complaint I have at the moment. Most games marked unplayable actually run extremely well. Far cry 5, red dead redemption 2, GTA 5âŠjust to name a few
Pretty cool to see you make a review on this and be honest, i remember the backlash when you first saw and talked about it especially with the controls but looks like you gave it a fair shot. Btw use winpinator on pc and warpinator on steam deck to transfer stuff its alot easier and pretty damn fast
The Steam Deck reviews are remarkably consistent in their summations. Glad you guys are being honest, since this was a device I was considering. Now I know better to at least wait until it's improved.
and wait you said.
here we are july 2023 and wii emulation is finally capable on steamdeck
Lmao, Wuff is not a PC gamer and in the review you can clearly see that he doesn't know half a things he is talking about
"wait until it's improved" it's already pretty great as it is, your loss
@@BogusLettuce Not for what I'll be using it for. I've been waiting for a decent enough handheld that can fully emulate console games up to the 6th generation, and I think the Ayn Odin may just be the one I've been waiting for. The Steam Deck will get better as time goes on, but the Odin is probably the better option for me, especially when you consider the price difference. Maybe if I were more into PC games, the Deck would be better.
Hey, I wouldn't say you're completely out of luck when missing the 3 days purchase window, support was kind enough to give me a second chance when I first missed it, and other people received similar treatment!
Got mine about 2 weeks ago, it's amazing. I mainly curse at it but knowing most issues will be solved in the coming months i am suprised at how much gaming i do on it. I went from an average 4-5 hours per 2 weeks (desktop pc) to 60-70 hours per 2 weeks (steamdeck)
if you run Linux on your desktop PC like a normal person you won't have any problems with putting roms on the SD card. also i don't know why it wants you to mount your SD card as Linux does have the ability to automount and at least for me that's what happens on my desktop so this is something you can probably fix
The SD DOES automount the SDCard by default. There shouldn't be anything to fix. I didn't run into ANY of those issues described (except for finding the setting to change which bios for ps2 is used as the emulator only boots games for the specific bios/region combo). Aside from that... most of these issues sit in front of the Deck...
okay i haven't watched the video yet and im sure he mentions it; it is wonderful the firmware updates they are doing to make the incomplete steam deck more complete as time goes on, so even with its buggyness its still a worthwhile investment if you got one imo
The hardware is definitely solid. Software still has a way to go, but I love mine though.
I recommend waiting for the second version (at least for those who can wait). Until then, most, if not all flaws will be fixed and it's also improved on hardware specs and probably design and ergonomics as well.
@@AdioAurel You could copy and paste this statement for nearly any piece of tech.
As it is now, it's an excellent device that works just fine. Proton will continue to mature, yes, just like most software, and future iterations will, uh, iterate.
Obviously the PS5 is better than the PSX in every way. But that would never be an escuse to miss out on the PSX back then.
@@AdioAurel God I hate people like you who say to wait for the second version.
Great video, Bob. Thanks for keeping it real and telling those folks that arenât as into the tech side of things to think hard before slapping out the greenbacks. I got my deck a week ago. Iâve definitely experienced all the things you brought up, but I still love the device. Iâm into tinkering and this hits all the right chords for me.
Also . . . love that the editor used a bunch of Half-Life sound effects when you swore. đ
I suppose it's fitting, a piece of Valve history when talking about a Valve product.
14:39 đ what is this urge to gravitate towards some "appstore"
It's a full blown pc, it doesn't need an appstore... Damn you Steve Jobs
he's a console gamer
@@brandon_nope I was hoping these last few years of tinkering with emulators and mechanical keyboard would have had some effect, but I forget the macbook which is basically a console environment
Thank you for being critical of the SD.
This is my emulation machine bc of the PS3 that runs great as long as you want to tinker with it. I had to manually drop eboot files into Rcps3 for games to be recognized and I got emudeck to recognize them by accident. Ironically the only emulator that worked right out of the box was yuzu. Everything else was off.
The fan boys need to chill and see this as an ongoing project by Valve and not a gift of God for Linux.
Your videos are always entertaining and thorough, we appreciate that. Thank you!
Hey I hope you make a video of the Steam Deck vs the AYN Odin. I would love a video on it plus it'll help me out so much on which I should get because I'm having a hard time deciding.
16:27 this entire section is basically false. Yes some things don't "just work" because a PC doesn't have training wheels and won't do automatic actions without consent of the user. And blame Microsoft and apple for using snowflake proprietary filesystems, not the other way around.
You could just format the microsd to exFAT and have it be read by all the OSes of you're only gonna transfer and store ROMs.
Connect the hardware, mount the filesystem, use it, unmount it, disconnect it.
This has been the case for all computers since the beginning of time. Even smartphones don't automount the microsd
The issue with using exFAT is that steam wont be able to run steam games from there, even the ones using proton. Steam seems to rely on read/write permissions to run games, and exFAT does not hold file permission options. So in this case you'll need to have one partition for roms and another for steam games.
This thing is an upgrade from my 2015 budget build pc in every way. I'm cool with a few hiccups. Thanks for the vid, bahb!
Have you tried this with your very cool KVM monitor? Do the USB ports work? How does it react to it switching inputs?Llooking to buy the monitor to use with my Macbook pro and my soon to come steam deck (and type c hub). I want to use the same G502 mouse with it and the KVM monitor seems like a good solution.
I think in comparison to recent Gen 9 console and product releases, the reservation system is a breath of fresh air. Scalpers have decimated the Series and PS5 rollouts, miners have stolen the 6000 and 30 series cards, and the supply chain has squeezed them all from both ends. It's only after nearly 2 years that the situation seems to be slowly getting better.
Meanwhile Valve says that I'm definitely guaranteed to get it sometime in 6 months, for MSRP and not a penny more. I think I can live with that.
LOL, i still wait for my pre-order so I went to the scalper jungle to get myself one.
And yeah ... i realised waiting for it is not a bad idea in the end đ
Agreed with him it feel like a unfinished product for gaming or emulation.
Awesome video đ Love your perspective on the Steam Deck đ
Yo whatsup fellow dutch/english youtuber ;) how's your day
Biggest thing about the Deck to me is the fact it will probably popularize handheld console PCs, I'm excited to see what the future holds but personally, I'd go with a GPD Win 3 just because of how much better (and less bulky) it looks.
Handheld PC's are niche, they're never gonna be mainstream. You either get a laptop for portable PC or a Switch for portable gaming. There's no place in the market for the Steam Deck
Isnât it twice as much?
@@MorrisseyMuse Never say never
@@steamedyam In price? Yes, unfortunately :(
@@MorrisseyMuse Funny, considering how multiple chinese companies have been so successful with only emulation, enough so that they can afford to release multiple cosmetic iterations per year. Aya Neo is doing well too. There is definitely a market for this, especially at this price point. There's no laptop you can get that matches the Deck's price per performance atm, and the form factor is a big deal for many as it changes how you engage with it away from the desk.
It's sold out for the rest of the year basically, and every single reviewer--most of them who actually have experience with similar tech or PC gaming, unlike Wulff--have been very positive about the Deck.
This isn't Valve trying to see if the market catches on, it's Valve jumping on and adding mainstream support to a market that already has a solid foundation. If there was no place for the Steam Deck, then no one would be buying it, and that's definitely not the case. People are scalping it already for tidy sums. There's defintiely a demand. The Switch is also a piece of garbage and is saved only by Nintendo's mainstream offering.
However, the Switch itself proves that people care about portable gaming, and Nintendo's console is hardly going to be the only one going forward. Pretty much every game the Switch shares with the Deck runs way better on the Deck (like Hades, which runs horribly on the Switch, lmao) and doesn't force you to buy it again if you already own it on your desktop, and many that aren't share emulate just fine. 13 Sentinels on my Deck has been fantastic.
Always look forward to your videos! Great cinematography and content as always! Also like the new profile picture!
Living in japan, I am jonesing for the SD! It looks like I need to wait until at least the end of 2022 for the orders to open up here and I am eagerly consuming any new video about it explaining what is changing. As my favorite channel, alongside RetroGameCorps, I am excited to hear about your progression with it all the way up until I get mine.
Feels like this is the most honest Steam Deck review I've run into on CZcams, so far. Thanks for the info and great job.
You must be joking, Wuff is not the best people to review this product at all. He is not a PC gamer.
I'd say this take is confusing and inconsistent. Correct me if this is wrong, but what I'm getting from this is that you want the Deck to be more like a console and less like a tinkerer's device. But then you go out of your way to tinker with it and get emulators working on it, instead of going the console route of buying Deck Verified games for your system. So... what? Already, very mixed signals.
This would be like if I purchased an Xbox Series and went "So, guys, I don't actually play Xbox games. The only games I really play are older Xbox games that aren't backwards compatible with this thing. Oh well! Let's try to get emulation running on this!" And then your final verdict is based on how the tinkering job for emulation wasn't really what you wanted and that means the device is messy. When you completely avoided purchasing verified games on it. I'm sure you had no issue buying games to play on your Switch?
It is certainly valid criticism that not every verified game works flawlessly, although it's worth noting that officially licensed console games can also have issues, sometimes huge ones when looking at games like Cyberpunk or Anthem, and verified games having issues seems go be the vast exception and not a rule on the Deck, thankfully.
The Deck is a bit of a have-cake-and-eat-it-too device. You can stick to their strict verification system ensuring a most of the time smooth gaming experience, and you can also try to get other PC games with issues to run flawlessly or set up emulators and what have you if you really want. They don't have to support such endeavors, it's enough to not actively block you from them like consoles do.
But yeah. To summarize: You can't criticize it for having tinkered with it, when you went out of your way to ignore their directions for verified games entirely. They gave you what you say you wanted, and then you went and did the opposite, and complain that you had to do said opposite thing.
the thing is, a lot of people overhyped the Steam Deck as the "ULTIMATE EMULATOR MACHINE".
@@koruoshouji9960 It is. But no one said that wouldn't require tinkering, and Valve didn't advertise playing emulators on it. You don't have a point here.
Im glad Vavle is at least fairly transparent about the preorders and while the launch day was frustrating at least we all got to get in line, and not have to pay up front, like the analogue pocketâŠ.plus if you cancel the preorder you get your bucks back into your steam wallet. No harm no foul.
"this is probably for the people who want to play AAA games"
Me who's largely going to play indie sidescrollers: đ
The old channel icon looks better
Gonna have to respectfully disagree with this one!
I like em bof
True
@@EDHTavern idk the old one just looked more profesional
This video aged like fine milk xD
Is it because Emudeck came by and streamlined things?
Apologies if I'm asking a dumb question (I feel like I am).
@@cadethumann8605 Couldn't tell you. I think I took a single phrase he said out of context to make a dumb joke.
I think I love your office and desk set ups and I want to see more. My Gawd! The class!
Thanks for ironing out what the SteamDeck is. I didnât know that at the base level, itâs kinda wonky. Iâll stick to my iPadPro and Switch OLED, no pressure!
Great Stuff, as always!
I agree the controller layout is awesome.
It feels more natural and easier to move between the sticks and d-pad/buttons.
21:39 Thank you for saying that. So many other people just endlessly praise it. It's much more useful to know what the real experience is like instead of seeing someone who's already worked all the bugs out act like there aren't many.
It's way better than the switch in every way though, so instant buy for me lol. Garbage console the switch is.
I don't know I kind of liked the way Valve handled preorders for Steam Deck. It does I think cut down on the ability for people to scalp them. If you have $5 you at least have a spot in line and are likely able to get one even if it means you have to wait a few months. I can't do that for PS5. Hell you can't find PS5's in store. You could only reserve one. You couldn't buy them in bulk.
I am still pretty excited for this thing.
well the big difference is ps5 dropped during the prime of the whole pandemic and japan was flooding which reduced production of hardware by ALOT, now there getting there shit together and we can tell by more stock in stores but steam had no problems??? whats there excuse
@@kreamkid275 Valve did push back due to chip shortages. But they also did a $5 reservation and one per customer. I have yet to see a PS5 or Xbox Series X in store for that matter. Still. You can't find it online either. Well you can if your willing to pay $700-$1000. And the thing launched Nov. 2020. It will have been 2 years since the PS5 released this Nov. my dude. We don't know how the Steam Deck will shape up over time. But People couldn't even get a preorder in for PS5, etc. because of bots run by scalpers.
Sony had planned to end production of the PS4. But then they realized...oops. We can't actually sell PS5 games if people can't buy a PS5. And we are still seeing PS games hitting the PS4 which in turn kind of negates a need to upgrade to PS5. Currently I see no real reason to try and deal with the headaches when I have a PS4 that can play horizon, that can play Ragnarok, etc. I'll wait and see if they are more available by the time Spider-Man 2 or Wolverine come out.
@@Linkman247 bro ps5 has been having in store only drops since april 10 more people than ever are getting the console more than bots scalper are still online and you donât think the deck is getting scalped too?
Warpinator is a program thats great for moving files over wifi between systems.
Emudeck, was rough the first time for installing for me. Retroarch was super broken. Pressing b took the mouse and shoved it all the way to the right, running it again after a fresh download/updated fixed it.
Thanks for all the live streams and the new videos
you can install most non steam games on here
Except most of them won't work lol
@@rassular yeah if you're technically inept
@@McVerdict yea, let me just write up a script that let's me play games with anticheat freely. Also a huge amount of steam games even don't work, not much you can do about that other than to wait for Valve to do something maybe.
@@rassular yes they will. You add them to your library as a non steam game and launch it through steam using proton.
@@Droogie128 yes, adding a game adds it, I know lol. read what I said above, not everything works, not even close to it.
Lemme guess, this another 20 minute video of bob not know how to tweak the settings
Just accept that this bohemoth of a PSP is in dire state when it comes to software development no need to defend steam
@Troopzaftv nah Iâm not trying to defend steam, itâs just that itâs so annoying how in his reviews for emulators and stuff he doesnât try to tweak the settings a little like with the odin pro and the aya neo reviews. He couldâve easily got them running with a quick Google search or something
@@troopzaftv8214 this guy is salty lmao
@@LS-td4yf this review is a joke
@@LS-td4yf to be fair he does represent the experience most people will get with the console. But to some of us, the steam deck is a godsend. I really hope I can get one this year :'(
So can you play ROMs and have Steam games at the same time? Or do you have to pick one or the other?
I was so confused why all of a sudden my touch pad for a left click stopped working and R2 replaced it, didnât realize it was bc steam was/wasnât open
16:45 "it won't work on a Mac or PC"
But it works on the steam deck which is a PC ? Hello ?
Of course it will work on any PC. And no, there's no "special Linux formatting". It's macos/windows who are stupid and refuse to adopt industry open standards
I think youâre really downplaying what this device can do and how powerful it is for a handheld⊠whatâs with the weird negative slant for the first third of the video đ
Great video. Was debating this or the ayan odin pro or whatever it was called. Def going with the ayan since i jus want a portable emulator i can pay some fun old retro games.
@WULFF DEN Question for steam deck dose your steam deck have backlight bleeding like in the corner itâs noticed when the screen is black.