Will they make a steam deck that's more pocketable?

[ThetaX55]

Will they make a steam deck that's more pocketable?
Like a psp \ gameboy sized one.
Something I can fit in the pocket.
The steam deck looks kinda big. Id rather get a laptop if I can't fit it in the pocket.
I bet it's a good unit.
Fit in the pocket, plays the games, runs windows. Powerfull to run games at max settings.
One day. Maybe in another decade i hope. Sooner the better.

[Man's Best Friend]

A PSP or Gameboy sized system would be utterly unusable for modern games. The screen alone is just too small for the required resolutions. Not to mention the controls are already a bit on the small side. I don't have problems with them, but I've tried playing the Switch, and in my opinion the joycons are utterly unusable. Then you're suggesting that they have to make the cooling system smaller, which will undoubtedly require that games be set to lower settings. Plus you'll have to shrink the battery, and people already complain that it doesn't last long enough. That's assuming they can even make the board all that much smaller.

Still, the advantage of a Steam Deck over a laptop for portable gaming is that the Deck is far more comfortable to hold. Despite their name, laptops really aren't meant to be used on your lap. But the Deck? No issues resting my hands on my legs. Plus a lot of games don't play well with keyboard and trackpad, so you'd want a mouse or controller to add to your laptop. Deck has the controller built right in. No mouse, but again, no good mouse input on a laptop without adding a mouse there either.

[Haruspex]

Would be neat, for a smaller selection of Steam games anyway. I would probably buy one.

I wouldn't expect Valve to make one though. One of these other companies like GPD or Aya Neo... Maybe. I would play a lot of very low powered indie platformers and Metroidvanias on it.

[WarnerCK]

Originally posted by Man's Best Friend:

A PSP or Gameboy sized system would be utterly unusable for modern games. The screen alone is just too small for the required resolutions. Not to mention the controls are already a bit on the small side. I don't have problems with them, but I've tried playing the Switch, and in my opinion the joycons are utterly unusable. Then you're suggesting that they have to make the cooling system smaller, which will undoubtedly require that games be set to lower settings. Plus you'll have to shrink the battery, and people already complain that it doesn't last long enough. That's assuming they can even make the board all that much smaller.

Still, the advantage of a Steam Deck over a laptop for portable gaming is that the Deck is far more comfortable to hold. Despite their name, laptops really aren't meant to be used on your lap. But the Deck? No issues resting my hands on my legs. Plus a lot of games don't play well with keyboard and trackpad, so you'd want a mouse or controller to add to your laptop. Deck has the controller built right in. No mouse, but again, no good mouse input on a laptop without adding a mouse there either.

In addition to these excellent points, the other aspects of the Deck's design that make it very good for its actual purpose - playing games - are exactly the things that make it not pocketable: the deep comfortable grips and the long-throw sticks.

Making the Deck pocketable is entirely making it a worse device.

For the title question: no, they aren't going to do that. The specifics that Valve have alluded to in a successor device are: a big enough step up in raw performance to be worth sacrificing the single development target for; better battery life; a better display. Those design goals are going to lean towards a bigger device rather than a smaller device.

However, there are smaller, less comfortable, devices available from other manufacturers such as Aya Neo if that is particularly important to you: the PC space is big enough for everyone.

[🌎Earth]

Not that I'm super hardware savy, but I just can't imagine fitting worthwhile power into a PSP or Gameboy sized device. You'd probably be limited to old, very basic PC games and some emulators. I do crave a small device like that for emulation, but I think it would be a waste of Valve's time to do it themselves.

[iblameføīðß]

I too cant wait for the day where i play pc games on a psp screen!

[ingramli]

Originally posted by VE:

I too cant wait for the day where i play pc games on a psp screen!

The PSP features a 4.3" 16:9 screen with a resolution of 480*272, have fun playing modern PC games on it :ROFL:

[ThetaX55]

Originally posted by ingramli:

Originally posted by VE:

I too cant wait for the day where i play pc games on a psp screen!

The PSP features a 4.3" 16:9 screen with a resolution of 480*272, have fun playing modern PC games on it :ROFL:

I said the size.
Everything else better. Resolution better, CPU gpu ram better. COnnect to the internet.
IDK make it able to connect to a monitor somehow. A dock with the input's like USB's when connected to the monitor.
I got a gaming phone. It plays pub G, cod and all that to pretty much max setting and be able to connect a controller to it somehow. But that's android. Glad i got something on the go. It's all in one.

[ingramli]

Originally posted by ThetaX55:

Originally posted by ingramli:

The PSP features a 4.3" 16:9 screen with a resolution of 480*272, have fun playing modern PC games on it :ROFL:

I said the size.
Everything else better. Resolution better, CPU gpu ram better. COnnect to the internet.
IDK make it able to connect to a monitor somehow. A dock with the input's like USB's when connected to the monitor.
I got a gaming phone. It plays pub G, cod and all that to pretty much max setting and be able to connect a controller to it somehow. But that's android. Glad i got something on the go. It's all in one.

Even you managed to put a 1080P screen on the size of the PSP' screen, that make little sense as the pixel density is beyond the capabilities of the majority to distinguish the difference between the 720P and a 1080P, and reading those in-game text will be difficult....

For other specs, you want better components in a smaller package, then the problem comes, holding the technology constant, you want faster SoC, it will be more power hungry, you need more bulk for the heat dissipation, and eat up battery faster, if you don't want it to get bigger, you will end up with a device overheat easily, and the battery wont last an hour, portable devices are all about trade-offs, every design decision comes with CONSEQUENCES. For example, some mentioned the superiority of efficiency of the ARM architecture (Yes I am talking about those SD 8 Gen 2 fanboys who might look forward for the AYN Odin 2), they just don't accept the fact that the mass majority of modern PC titles won't be ported to Android in foreseeable future, and you end up with a power efficient device with no games to play with.

[ThetaX55]

Originally posted by ingramli:

Originally posted by ThetaX55:

I said the size.
Everything else better. Resolution better, CPU gpu ram better. COnnect to the internet.
IDK make it able to connect to a monitor somehow. A dock with the input's like USB's when connected to the monitor.
I got a gaming phone. It plays pub G, cod and all that to pretty much max setting and be able to connect a controller to it somehow. But that's android. Glad i got something on the go. It's all in one.

Even you managed to put a 1080P screen on the size of the PSP' screen, that make little sense as the pixel density is beyond the capabilities of the majority to distinguish the difference between the 720P and a 1080P, and reading those in-game text will be difficult....

For other specs, you want better components in a smaller package, then the problem comes, holding the technology constant, you want faster SoC, it will be more power hungry, you need more bulk for the heat dissipation, and eat up battery faster, if you don't want it to get bigger, you will end up with a device overheat easily, and the battery wont last an hour, portable devices are all about trade-offs, every design decision comes with CONSEQUENCES. For example, some mentioned the superiority of efficiency of the ARM architecture (Yes I am talking about those SD 8 Gen 2 fanboys who might look forward for the AYN Odin 2), they just don't accept the fact that the mass majority of modern PC titles won't be ported to Android in foreseeable future, and you end up with a power efficient device with no games to play with.

The phone has pretty high resolution. and that size. plays cod, pub g pretty max settings. Well the new one's. galaxy s 22 or whatever. I just got a Chinese gaming phone.
Want something that can have windows 11 installed without issue. For steam and other PC related stuff. and the buttons.

[ThetaX55]

If i can't fit it in the pocket.
I think i am better off with a elite laptop.
Steam deck looks like a good unit. You can hold it in front of you. maybe sit with it on the bus.

[🌎Earth]

Originally posted by ThetaX55:

Originally posted by ingramli:

Even you managed to put a 1080P screen on the size of the PSP' screen, that make little sense as the pixel density is beyond the capabilities of the majority to distinguish the difference between the 720P and a 1080P, and reading those in-game text will be difficult....

For other specs, you want better components in a smaller package, then the problem comes, holding the technology constant, you want faster SoC, it will be more power hungry, you need more bulk for the heat dissipation, and eat up battery faster, if you don't want it to get bigger, you will end up with a device overheat easily, and the battery wont last an hour, portable devices are all about trade-offs, every design decision comes with CONSEQUENCES. For example, some mentioned the superiority of efficiency of the ARM architecture (Yes I am talking about those SD 8 Gen 2 fanboys who might look forward for the AYN Odin 2), they just don't accept the fact that the mass majority of modern PC titles won't be ported to Android in foreseeable future, and you end up with a power efficient device with no games to play with.

The phone has pretty high resolution. and that size. plays cod, pub g pretty max settings. Well the new one's. galaxy s 22 or whatever. I just got a Chinese gaming phone.
Want something that can have windows 11 installed without issue. For steam and other PC related stuff. and the buttons.

You're not actually playing cod or pubg, though. You're actually playing entirely different games specifically tailored for the lower powered device that is your phone and it's lower screen size, so that kinda goes against your argument. High resolution PC text would hurt your eyes on such a small device since text usually gets smaller as resolution goes up.

But, yeah, if you plan to never play it while traveling and prefer to be stationed at a table or such at all times, a laptop may be a better fit for you.

[Schorsch Wadschinken]

Aya Neo and GPD Win have already been doing this for a while

[shadowboy813]

Not likely as the primary size-limiting factor is the battery.

[invision2212]

https://imgbb.com/xHPsqXP

[𝕯𝖊𝖑𝖔𝖗𝖘]

I already have a tiny anbernic device