Personal Opinion, I regret buying a steam deck and think it sucks

[Warlander]

Anyone else actually not like this thing ? If i could get a refund i would. So I Guess i didnt do a lot of research when i ordered it, I imagined something i could play the games i was already playing but on the go or at work etc. But most of the games i play are MMO type games which almost none work or work very poorly.

So then i thought I will use it to play some older games or games i just wouldnt play on my $4k PC Once again most of the options are ♥♥♥♥ , most of the games that are actually good on the steam deck ive already played, and why would i want to play them again but on a smaller screen with worse graphics ?

That brings me to the next thing, the screens too damn small., give me a PC monitor with controlers strapped to the sides cause ive yet to find anything thats actually enjoyable on it EXCEPT the valve made free game where you are a product tester. whatever that was called.

And then there is battery life, not only is it very short in most situations but it takes FOREVER to charge.

Controls also kinda suck, I dont know why, I have a Razer wolverine game controller i use on my PC some times , and i was comparing it in Path of exile ( actually probably the only game i had fun playing on the steam deck) and its like the steam deck just doesnt have proper response on the sticks, i find the movement is hard to keep fluid in comparison.

Then there is heat, no wonder battery life sucks, its a portable heater, thinking my wife might like it cause her hands are cold playing her switch all the time.

So to sum up,A gaming laptop would %100 been a better option, and i will likely sell or trade miy steam deck to do that cause i do like the idea of not being stuck to my PC all the time.

And to any devs out there, particularly valve, make games specifically for the steam deck, it "could" be a good platform for certain types of games but man it just sucks for most of them except maybe side scroller garbage which i didnt even like back in the day when thats all there was.

Peace

[D. Flame]

Originally posted by morrisseyshair:

I've looked at the Steam Deck since it was announced, and I feel the OP's impressions would be mine if I bought one. For someone who doesn't have a gaming PC, sure, the Steam Deck is a cheap way to get into PC gaming. But if you do have a gaming PC the Steam Deck is a worse experience on all levels.

I have a PC with a 4070 Ti, and I enjoy my Steam Deck quite a bit. You see a lot of people with 4080s and 4090s saying the same thing. Being able to play without being rooted to you desk is a game changer.

[[?]legit]

Originally posted by Creepio:

Originally posted by ?legit:

Well done. If you can't handle other people sharing their honest opinions about your holy device, it doesn't make much sense to be in a discussion forum.

Yes I'm quivering at the mere thought of others having opinions.

I'm sorry to hear that. You're not the only one though, if that helps. Some other people literally get mad when the steam deck is getting criticized.

[Rusty-Shack]

Mixed feelings on it myself. It's great for emulation but my main gripe is it's huge and the steam games available on it are battery hogs or just a bit lackluster. I did plenty of research, and I don't regret buying it but I do regret selling my switch, I put a lot more time into the switch than I have on this. I left the switch due to game pricing but honestly I don't really care anymore about that. Give me a couple good games to focus on and I'm happy. My problem is I have like 300 games and have lost interest in a lot of them. I did thoroughly enjoy the first final fantasy 7 remake on it. Personally I appreciate that it's so customizable but also that's a curse in disguise I miss just picking up a handheld and having everything work right off the bat and smoothly. Sure lots of games do that but eh idk. It's all good.

[zarat.us]

At least your steam deck *runs*. mine refuses to show anything on its own screen and it's a 10% chance on whether it will turn on even with a connected monitor. I'm absolutely tired of inputting Mortal Kombat fatalities in hopes i will get the magical command that will revive this dead horse.

[D. Flame]

Originally posted by zarat.us:

At least your steam deck *runs*. mine refuses to show anything on its own screen and it's a 10% chance on whether it will turn on even with a connected monitor. I'm absolutely tired of inputting Mortal Kombat fatalities in hopes i will get the magical command that will revive this dead horse.

Just hold down the power button for like 10 or 15 seconds. It is a little annoying when the screen gets stuck, but holding down the power button for like 10 to 15 seconds fixes it 100% of the time in my experience.

[Drak3]

Originally posted by ?legit:

no hassle to search for unofficial, wonky workarounds.

A recent security update for both Win 10 and 11 broke compatability with the Etrian Odyssey series of games. The only work around was to delete that update manually.

Workarounds are a reality of Windows.

[EpicSamurai]

Originally posted by Creepio:

Originally posted by ?legit:

Well done. If you can't handle other people sharing their honest opinions about your holy device, it doesn't make much sense to be in a discussion forum.

Yes I'm quivering at the mere thought of others having opinions.

Are you?

[Rylan]

I would have to say that I too regret my Steamdeck purchase. I think my major issue is that the specifications aren't good enough and the criteria for Steamdeck validation is too low. The marketing was misleading.

Steamdeck validation is basically;

Does it load?
Does it load without crashing frequently?
Can the game be played with the inbuilt controls?
Can the game be played with an external controller?
If the game needs a keyboard, does the on-screen keyboard work?
If the game contains on-screen text, can it be displayed in a size that is visible?

Performance and stability are just not a concern it seems. There are far too many games where I've said "Yes. Technically you could say that the game is playable" but, when you consider the actual performance, would append that statement with "but you would never want to".

Most modern games will play on it but you just have to accept that you need to turn the settings to low and you may also need to accept that it will only run at 20fps with spikes into the teens.

On a dock, it's just a nightmare. The fact they even advertised that when it's so problematic is just asking for trouble.

I had a great time when Diablo IV came out. I've played some games where it's been really good but the majority of time I end up thinking....nope, I like this game and it deserves a better experience than the Steamdeck can provide, and end up going back to my gaming PC.

[[?]legit]

Originally posted by Rylan:

I would have to say that I too regret my Steamdeck purchase. I think my major issue is that the specifications aren't good enough and the criteria for Steamdeck validation is too low. The marketing was misleading.

Steamdeck validation is basically;

Does it load?
Does it load without crashing frequently?
Can the game be played with the inbuilt controls?
Can the game be played with an external controller?
If the game needs a keyboard, does the on-screen keyboard work?
If the game contains on-screen text, can it be displayed in a size that is visible?

Performance and stability are just not a concern it seems. There are far too many games where I've said "Yes. Technically you could say that the game is playable" but, when you consider the actual performance, would append that statement with "but you would never want to".

Most modern games will play on it but you just have to accept that you need to turn the settings to low and you may also need to accept that it will only run at 20fps with spikes into the teens.

On a dock, it's just a nightmare. The fact they even advertised that when it's so problematic is just asking for trouble.

I had a great time when Diablo IV came out. I've played some games where it's been really good but the majority of time I end up thinking....nope, I like this game and it deserves a better experience than the Steamdeck can provide, and end up going back to my gaming PC.

great points.

[Drak3]

Originally posted by Rylan:

Performance and stability are just not a concern it seems. There are far too many games where I've said "Yes. Technically you could say that the game is playable" but, when you consider the actual performance, would append that statement with "but you would never want to".

Most modern games will play on it but you just have to accept that you need to turn the settings to low and you may also need to accept that it will only run at 20fps with spikes into the teens.

Being able to hit a stable 30 FPS and not unexpectedly crashing are parts of the verification process. Dropping settings down doesn't have the massive impact on a 7" handheld that it does on the average gamer's monitor. Also, not many games fall on the "You'd never want to play" specifically on the Steam Deck, they generally suck on all handhelds. Makes sense, since most of them are horribly optimized AAA shovelware targeting people that are prioritizing graphic fidelity over gameplay or story.

[🙈🧬👨‍💻🥽Jerry ✡️ VRcia⛐🏁✈️🏓]

deck is great but it doesn't replace a gaming PC. i play stuff on my deck it can easily handle, the rest goes to the desktop.

[Revvann]

Maybe you were expecting too much but may not have tried enough...?
I mean, most of the time I've been playing MMO (World of Warcraft, New World, Final Fantasy XIV, and Diablo IV) and they work just fine. Sure I can't play on the highest graphics settings, but medium settings with 30~40 fps for me is enough to enjoy the game and most of those MMOs can both resize and reorganize the UI (most came from an age where monitors sucked hard). Battery wise is a killer point in those cases where you're pushing the hardware, but when I play an MMO, I'm sure to be committed to playing a long time at the same place, so I can keep charging and by the end of the gaming session the Deck will be fully charged still.
I'm not saying you can't or shouldn't be disappointed, I'm just saying that in a field of gaming that we may be related to, I haven't felt the same issues and maybe you can give it one more time before selling it, knowing that it's limited but it can work.

Edit: Game Pass helps a lot too, I had it previously because there were a lot of games that I wanted to play but wasn't able to afford, I play many high-end games on the cloud and it's fantastic, you can turn the Deck settings to the bare minimum and have a battery that lasts for hours.

[꧁꒰ঌʢ.ˬ.ʡ໒꒱꧂]

Originally posted by morrisseyshair:

I've looked at the Steam Deck since it was announced, and I feel the OP's impressions would be mine if I bought one. For someone who doesn't have a gaming PC, sure, the Steam Deck is a cheap way to get into PC gaming. But if you do have a gaming PC the Steam Deck is a worse experience on all levels.

（I use translation software to reply.）I just bought a steam deck (oled-512g) and in the case of already having a PC (i7-13700k &4070ti). I don't think it's for people who don't have a computer. Because the performance of the steam deck is limited, it can't play large-scale games like Baldur's Gate 3 and Cyberpunk 2077 well, and there will be frame drops. But some of the older games and mini-games like The Witcher 3, Monster Hunter:World, Stardew Valley, etc., it runs very well. I think the advantage of it is portability, if you're a person who goes out a lot at work or in life, you can use it, and then you can use offline mode to play outside, and you'll have a nice experience. On the other hand, I think it's better to play a game on a PC for a large game and a game like CS2 that requires a keyboard and mouse.

[꧁꒰ঌʢ.ˬ.ʡ໒꒱꧂]

Originally posted by 🦅 TRUMP ✊🏻 PUMP 🗽 #GASAPPLIANCES:

deck is great but it doesn't replace a gaming PC. i play stuff on my deck it can easily handle, the rest goes to the desktop.

I also think so, I think consoles can play small games and other games that don't have a smooth experience still have to be played on PC. But I bought the steam deck mainly for its portability and not for the overall performance, I was able to use it on the plane and on the high-speed rail while I was on vacation and my PC couldn't do that, it had to be kept at home.

[꧁꒰ঌʢ.ˬ.ʡ໒꒱꧂]

Originally posted by D. Flame:

Originally posted by zarat.us:

At least your steam deck *runs*. mine refuses to show anything on its own screen and it's a 10% chance on whether it will turn on even with a connected monitor. I'm absolutely tired of inputting Mortal Kombat fatalities in hopes i will get the magical command that will revive this dead horse.

Just hold down the power button for like 10 or 15 seconds. It is a little annoying when the screen gets stuck, but holding down the power button for like 10 to 15 seconds fixes it 100% of the time in my experience.

I agree with you, I bought the steam deck for its portability so that I can play better outside, and I still play some games on PC that it doesn't support.