I think it’s totally worth it as long as you don’t expect heavy duty games to run unreasonably smoothly:

• the performance is great for its form factor.
• the device is not locked down at all. SteamOS itself it a full featured desktop distribution. The default interface (called game mode) is designed to be accessible to controller users. But you can boot into desktop mode if you want which is a complete KDE plasma interface.
• sleep mode is very convenient. Since developers are too cool to implement pausing, being able to put the device in sleep mode is very comvenient. When the device resumes the game resumes as well.
• since it is not locked down prospects of piracy are great. It just takes some time to get used to lutris and understand the process. Knowing how wine and wine prefixes work is helpful.

Yes.

Gamers and journalists have been crazy about it since launch for good reason. It is relatively cheaper than other handheld gaming computers and games on it will be much cheaper than the Switch. The updated Deck is a huge improvement for the same price. It doesn’t have the fastest performance or longest battery life, but the whole package is easily the best gaming experience out there (mostly made possible by their excellent software). It can even be used as a full desktop PC if you want.

You’ve still got to consider your own use case. But if you’re on the market for a handheld gaming console, then the Deck is the best choice.

I have a hand-me-down from a friend, it’s pretty nice but I hardly ever use it in handheld mode which is where it really shines. I use it docked with a kbm+monitor setup. I am using a 4k monitor that I found for free in a Walmart, but I don’t know if it was the optimal choice. The Steam Deck was really only ever intended to play games at 720p or 1080p so I ended up lowering my resolution a pretty large amount just to maintain 30fps in more modern games.

I like it overall though. It runs everything I need to run at a fine enough level and using it has taught me a lot about Linux, it’s a very fun computer. I don’t know if I would pay for it personally because I’m broke as fuck but I appreciate owning it.

A steam deck can replace a huge number of devices, works very well, and I recommend it to people who don’t need the latest console or superior gaming rig. I think that if you also usually have a laptop, it makes more financial sense to get a steam deck and thin, dedicated GPU-less laptop rather than a laptop with a dedicated gpu.

It is also just a good deal in general, hardware-wise and performance-wise. It has a very performant GPU, outperforming more expensive similar devices. It also benefits from being a consistent platform, like a console, so there are games that work very well specifically on a deck. You can also find user guidrs for making games run well specifically on a deck.

Also it is great for emulation.

So while it depends on personal finances and what you expect to get out of it, I think I it has a great balance between cost and what you get.

I think it depends on what you’re looking to do with it. I don’t think it is going to replace a full gaming PC for most people, for instance.

I like mine, but it is mostly the “hang out on the sofa” device while my partner is watching TV. I only bring it out of my flat on long trips, with the expectation I will use it in my hotel room. It is too big (and drains battery too fast) to be used on my regular commute. I don’t really play games on commutes though.

For that use case, it is fantastic. It does make using anything like a Switch afterwards feel like a child’s toy.

It also is fun to tinker with, it is basically just a PC running Linux so there are plenty of other things you can get working on it outside of Steam.

I absolutely love mine. Aside from what others have been saying, one of my favorite uses for the Steam Deck has been as a portable media PC. I just carry a USB-C dock along with a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse (you could also just use a controller). It’s my new favorite way to play Minecraft - plug the Steam Deck into the TV, connect the wireless keyboard+mouse, and play from the couch. Then, when it’s time to go, I can keep playing in the car. It’s completely changed the way I game.

Idk, I just love how your title doesn’t specify how you’re going to actually get one, lmao.

If you mean is it worth stealing, absolutely, small, easy to pluck out of the hands of someone on public transport, and theres a big aftermarket to resell to.

If you want to buy one, sure, if you’ve got 300 bucks to spare and don’t have any other immediate needs.

Yes, but make sure you have large storage if you plan on playing a lot of games.

I use mine all the time, I love this thing even with its quirks

One of my favorite things about it is that it brings the full power of Steam Input (the input remapping system made for the Steam Controller and available for other controllers) to a handheld, I’m already a Steam Input diehard who plays as many games as possible with a controller so this is the best handheld for me, I’ve played a lot of games on here that normally use keyboard and mouse controls