vcoleiro1
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Last edited:
Valve launching Steam Deck - SteamOS Handheld Console
- Thread starter vcoleiro1
- Start date
fusion_power
Advanced Member
Nice, the more, the better. With Valve behind it is at least likely that the Steamdeck will have proper long term support, unlike many other of these (China)Handhelds. But is "SteamOS" a thing? I have no infos about that OS, what can we expect?
rohezal
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SteamOS is out of date, based on Debian Jessie, which was released in 2015.[8] It is at least temporarily abandoned, there is no expected release.[9]
SteamOS - Wikipedia
fusion_power
Advanced Member
Well, at least they release it on the Steam Deck. 
The CPU/GPU is described as:
AMD APU
CPU: Zen 2 4c/8t, 2.4-3.5GHz (up to 448 GFlops FP32)
GPU: 8 RDNA 2 CUs, 1.0-1.6GHz (up to 1.6 TFlops FP32)
APU power: 4-15W
Maybe a custom solution. I'm curious about the gaming power. And what's a "RDNA" GPU? I'm not that familiar with AMD hardware, I know Vega though.
The CPU/GPU is described as:
AMD APU
CPU: Zen 2 4c/8t, 2.4-3.5GHz (up to 448 GFlops FP32)
GPU: 8 RDNA 2 CUs, 1.0-1.6GHz (up to 1.6 TFlops FP32)
APU power: 4-15W
Maybe a custom solution. I'm curious about the gaming power. And what's a "RDNA" GPU? I'm not that familiar with AMD hardware, I know Vega though.
Nintendo
Nintendo Switch
OMG
TeDaDeS
Forum Addict!
It's almost a Smach-Z
fusion_power
Advanced Member
But with the difference that you can actualy buy a Steam Deck.It's almost a Smach-Z
So much drama and promises and endless delays around the Smach-Z...and then Valve comes around the corner and shake the Steam Deck out of their wrists, like it's an easy peasy thingy to do.
elvissteinjr
Very Active Member
SteamOS is out of date, based on Debian Jessie, which was released in 2015.[8] It is at least temporarily abandoned, there is no expected release.[9]
SteamOS - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
Good thing that the Steam Deck is running the new SteamOS 3.0 (yes, three), which is now Arch based and presumably not out of date.
On the software end it seems to be a pretty open handheld PC. The Steam components of course aren't open source, but you'll be able to use it like a portable PC, including support for installing other OS (dev FAQ mentions Windows too) and such.
Not having it needlessly locked down is nice.
PowerGod
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Excluding the fact that Valve understood why the Steam Controller was failing and improved it, instead of blindly using their old design.It's almost a Smach-Z
The price seems very low ?!
TeDaDeS
Forum Addict!
It sounds cheap for a mobile gaming pc. It's a bit big, so I don't know if it will be mainstream. But I thought the same with the Switch but that was a hit.Excluding the fact that Valve understood why the Steam Controller was failing and improved it, instead of blindly using their old design.
The price seems very low ?!
Nintendo
Nintendo Switch
Can Linux easily be installed on the SteamDeck?
Also, The Phawx was right!
pyra-handheld.com
Also, The Phawx was right!
Steam Deck (using SteamOS) handheld by Valve
Thanks to @JDTAY, we now know some info on Valve possibly releasing a handheld that would absolutely destroy anything GPD or One-Netbook has released/will be releasing. EDIT: Topic title and op body edited. It's official
levi
Still fresh, damnit!
SteamOS is Linux based, and according to this thread is now based on archlinux. It should therefore be possible to get almost any other linux installed if you prefer those.
TeDaDeS
Forum Addict!
Gabe also addressed the 'low' price:
While I do wonder how much performance difference there is between the eMMC in the cheapest model compared to the nvme in the other models.
Also 64GB isn't that much after you installed the OS on it I would guess. Gaming on an SD-card, I wonder if you kill the card quickly that way.
While I do wonder how much performance difference there is between the eMMC in the cheapest model compared to the nvme in the other models.
Also 64GB isn't that much after you installed the OS on it I would guess. Gaming on an SD-card, I wonder if you kill the card quickly that way.
quadcricket
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Another Linux handheld is great news! This price-point is crazy-nice too. I could see making a leather case for it and a small mechanical keyboard. Like the Pandora, it will be nice to have another option for portable work + gaming on the go.
kuru
Laptop und Trachtenjanker
I'd sorely miss a keyboard. But it looks really cool. Didn' twatch the vid, but I assume those are touchpads - I'd love to rub them with my thumbs.
zdwg
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He says "serviceable" D-Pad, don't really like that take (it sounds politically correct for terrible), though wonder if it can be modified at all (same for other buttons). Shipping in December sounds like they're basically done the design though so that might be what is given after all... we shall see?
My roommate has Index controllers and they're breaking slowly, less than a year in his VR setup, so I'm hoping their QC is better than those - considering it's an all in one body design.
I'll probably preorder/buy one, but with cautious optimism. I don't trust GPD devices (people have been finding malware pre-installed in the factory installed OS image). It is less expensive than a Win for me as well even for the 512GiB model.
My roommate has Index controllers and they're breaking slowly, less than a year in his VR setup, so I'm hoping their QC is better than those - considering it's an all in one body design.
I'll probably preorder/buy one, but with cautious optimism. I don't trust GPD devices (people have been finding malware pre-installed in the factory installed OS image). It is less expensive than a Win for me as well even for the 512GiB model.
What I hope that Steam Deck will achieve is to make better controllers a thing.
Those 2 grip buttons is something I want to see as a standard for controllers for such a long time now.
If I had the choice to get both right now, I'd probably go with the Steam Deck.
I like my Win 3 so far and how small it is.
I'm very disappointed of how lacking their Controller customization software is especially in mouse mode.
Mobile gaming is something I like a lot and I'm very happy to see more devices coming out.
I only hope that Valve won't kill the smaller companies like GPD but rather forces them to finally increase quality and especially communication.
EDIT:
What I do not like about the Steam Deck is the storage.
512gb is a bad joke.
I put a 2tb SSD into my Win 3.
100gb for each OS and the rest for games.
My 1tb micro SD will be for emulation and roms (Switch and WiiU emulation legally is a thing. I have a first gen Switch).
Why is there not 2 micro SD-slots. That would be acceptable for me.
CoD has 400GB (i don't play that game) and others are also huge.
How can they limit storage?
This will fire back on them in a few years.
I know very well GPD WIN devices were crap in the past and I'm surprised my Win 3 is that good and did not fail until now.
If it'll fail soon, I'll go with Valve.
Else I'll be happy with my Win 3 and probably buy a new PC handheld after 1-2 generations.
Win 3 and Steam Deck is a waste in my opinion.
It's not only the money, but I don't want to care about so many devices, sync my game library and data all the time.
Also I don't want to be forced even more into Steam's ecosystem.
That is a huge point for me.
Sure, Steam can import any game from any store.
However that waiting time it takes to check for updates and login simply drives me crazy each time I start Steam.
All in all I'm positive with what I have and with how the PC handheld future looks at the moment.
Those 2 grip buttons is something I want to see as a standard for controllers for such a long time now.
If I had the choice to get both right now, I'd probably go with the Steam Deck.
I like my Win 3 so far and how small it is.
I'm very disappointed of how lacking their Controller customization software is especially in mouse mode.
Mobile gaming is something I like a lot and I'm very happy to see more devices coming out.
I only hope that Valve won't kill the smaller companies like GPD but rather forces them to finally increase quality and especially communication.
EDIT:
What I do not like about the Steam Deck is the storage.
512gb is a bad joke.
I put a 2tb SSD into my Win 3.
100gb for each OS and the rest for games.
My 1tb micro SD will be for emulation and roms (Switch and WiiU emulation legally is a thing. I have a first gen Switch).
Why is there not 2 micro SD-slots. That would be acceptable for me.
CoD has 400GB (i don't play that game) and others are also huge.
How can they limit storage?
This will fire back on them in a few years.
I know very well GPD WIN devices were crap in the past and I'm surprised my Win 3 is that good and did not fail until now.
If it'll fail soon, I'll go with Valve.
Else I'll be happy with my Win 3 and probably buy a new PC handheld after 1-2 generations.
Win 3 and Steam Deck is a waste in my opinion.
It's not only the money, but I don't want to care about so many devices, sync my game library and data all the time.
Also I don't want to be forced even more into Steam's ecosystem.
That is a huge point for me.
Sure, Steam can import any game from any store.
However that waiting time it takes to check for updates and login simply drives me crazy each time I start Steam.
All in all I'm positive with what I have and with how the PC handheld future looks at the moment.
Last edited:
Phlyra
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This seems like a fairly good article on it: https://liliputing.com/2021/07/valv...ming-in-december-pre-orders-open-july-16.html
Things I wonder are:
Could you purchase the mid-level version and then just upgrade the SSD yourself? (Probably whilst voiding the warranty...) Or for that matter swap it for an NVMe 4G modem?!
Will it operate the next gen of μSD cards that should rival SSDs?
How good will it be at running other, non-Steam ecosystem emulators on non-SteamOSes?
Will there be a hardware keyboard accessory?
Will a future version fold back the side controllers, or make them detachable like the Switch? EDIT: And, of course, have a user replaceable battery?
Also, with the capacitive touch-integrated joy/thumbsticks, how does that work? Are the axis movements for larger movements and the touch sensor for more fine-grained movement? Does the touch function not work when you’re moving the sticks about their axes? Otherwise, how do you avoid the two conflicting? Wouldn’t resistive touch have made more sense so that there would be “depth”/pressure sensitivity, enabling a really precise trigger-like function? (Like gently squeezing a gun trigger)
Things I wonder are:
Could you purchase the mid-level version and then just upgrade the SSD yourself? (Probably whilst voiding the warranty...) Or for that matter swap it for an NVMe 4G modem?!
Will it operate the next gen of μSD cards that should rival SSDs?
How good will it be at running other, non-Steam ecosystem emulators on non-SteamOSes?
Will there be a hardware keyboard accessory?
Will a future version fold back the side controllers, or make them detachable like the Switch? EDIT: And, of course, have a user replaceable battery?
Also, with the capacitive touch-integrated joy/thumbsticks, how does that work? Are the axis movements for larger movements and the touch sensor for more fine-grained movement? Does the touch function not work when you’re moving the sticks about their axes? Otherwise, how do you avoid the two conflicting? Wouldn’t resistive touch have made more sense so that there would be “depth”/pressure sensitivity, enabling a really precise trigger-like function? (Like gently squeezing a gun trigger)
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TeDaDeS
Forum Addict!
I think they already said the internal storage is not replaceable. You can put a large SD card in there, but it will not match nvme speeds. Question is: do you actually need those speeds?
The Pyra has SD-cards also, so I would imagine it should be fine.
You can install Windows on the handheld, but the SteamOS obviously is developed for the handheld so who knows how well the controllers etc will work in regular Windows. The problem will be for all users, so I can imagine it will work correctly eventually.
There will be a docking station, you can connect USB devices to that like a keyboard/mouse. The handheld could use a bluetooth keyboard/mouse/controller I think.
