My criticism of the Steam Deck

[Kamiyama]

A 1tb m.2 drive costs about $100

But there is a $250 difference between the 64gb and 512gb steam deck?

IMO this is clear price gouging. Valve even went so far as to make a video explaining why you shouldn't take your Steam Deck apart because they made it easy to break by doing so.

https://youtu.be/Dxnr2FAADAs

I would love to have this, but tthey would need to make a gen 2 version with an easy to access m.2 card slot. Not being able to change the SSD or clean the buttons and thumbstick is a major design flaw.

Anyone who has owned a Game Boy knows you eventually have to clean the buttons. Even if you treat it with kid gloves after 5 or 10 years it needs a cleaning.

[PopinFRESH]

Kamiyama eredeti hozzászólása:

https://youtu.be/pWdd6_ZxX8c

Kamiyama eredeti hozzászólása:

IMO this is clear price gouging.

IMO = In My Opinion

so yeah, well, that's just, like, your opinion, man.

[Andrius227]

Kamiyama eredeti hozzászólása:

PopinFRESH eredeti hozzászólása:

Again, just because you don't value those things doesn't negate that they are factors in the cost difference between the devices. If you don't value it, get the base model. If you think its price gouging, you are free to spend twice as much for a closest comparable device in a similar form factor.

You're OP complaints with the Steam Deck are out of touch with reality.

https://youtu.be/pWdd6_ZxX8c

I think if they took my criticism to heart it would result in a more cost effective and more popular console.

So I'll agree to disagree. =)

Steam deck is not a console. That's really important. Steam deck is a pc, which is also why it should not be compared to things like nintendo switch, which is actually a console.

[Kamiyama]

Andrius227 eredeti hozzászólása:

Kamiyama eredeti hozzászólása:

https://youtu.be/pWdd6_ZxX8c

I think if they took my criticism to heart it would result in a more cost effective and more popular console.

So I'll agree to disagree. =)

Steam deck is not a console. That's really important. Steam deck is a pc, which is also why it should not be compared to things like nintendo switch, which is actually a console.

Which further validates my criticism of the m.2 card.

Bigger shell = full sized m.2 2280 card.

[nullable]

Sounds like you should develop your own handheld and implement all your design ideas that the fools at Valve left out. You can price it the way you want. And deal with all the challenges and ignore all the compromises you'll discover are necessary. You'll fail miserably and learn a lesson that being an armchair expert didn't really prepare you or make you peers of the team who worked on the Steam Deck.

Oh and don't forget you're on the hook for every randos demands and criticisms, make sure you address them all and satisfy everyone.

[PopinFRESH]

Snakub Plissken eredeti hozzászólása:

Sounds like you should develop your own handheld and implement all your design ideas that the fools at Valve left out. You can price it the way you want. And deal with all the challenges and ignore all the compromises you'll discover are necessary. You'll fail miserably and learn a lesson that being an armchair expert didn't really prepare you or make you peers of the team who worked on the Steam Deck.

Oh and don't forget you're on the hook for every randos demands and criticisms, make sure you address them all and satisfy everyone.

^ this guy knows lol

I wonder where Kamiyama got their mechanical and industrial engineering credentials. They have such deep insights that clearly the idiots at Valve didn't think about.

[{ИЯm} Keith]

PopinFRESH eredeti hozzászólása:

{ИЯm} Keith eredeti hozzászólása:

I reserved the base model. I do want to pull it apart and insert an SSD. I'm hoping people make SSDs in the form factor due the demand that steam will generate. My biggest fear is issues with Installing the OS on the SSD because the EMAC is still there.

Are you meaning the 64GB eMMC when you say "EMAC"? If so you would be replacing the 64GB eMMC when you install an NVMe M.2 2230 form factor SSD. There won't be any issue in regards to re-installing SteamOS. Valve does have the controller and NAND under an EMI shield which is suspected to be due to the proximity to the WiFi/Bluetooth module/antenna connections.

I thought the emmc wasn't in the M2 slot. And I thought the emmc was soldered in.

[PopinFRESH]

{ИЯm} Keith eredeti hozzászólása:

PopinFRESH eredeti hozzászólása:

Are you meaning the 64GB eMMC when you say "EMAC"? If so you would be replacing the 64GB eMMC when you install an NVMe M.2 2230 form factor SSD. There won't be any issue in regards to re-installing SteamOS. Valve does have the controller and NAND under an EMI shield which is suspected to be due to the proximity to the WiFi/Bluetooth module/antenna connections.

I thought the emmc wasn't in the M2 slot. And I thought the emmc was soldered in.

Nope, all three storage options use the M.2 2230 slot. If you intend to upgrade the 64GB eMMC storage you'd be replacing that with whatever PCIe NVMe M.2 2230 SSD you choose. Again the ones Valve use have some EMI shielding on them over the controller & NAND which is likely due to the proximity to the wireless module. Using an unshielded SSD may impact WiFi and Bluetooth performance / connectivity.

[BloodShed]

Kamiyama eredeti hozzászólása:

Andrius227 eredeti hozzászólása:

Steam deck is not a console. That's really important. Steam deck is a pc, which is also why it should not be compared to things like nintendo switch, which is actually a console.

Which further validates my criticism of the m.2 card.

Bigger shell = full sized m.2 2280 card.

Then design and build your own!

The CAD files for the external shell are available.

[HALO_run]

Jackie Daytona eredeti hozzászólása:

Your criticism is warranted, but may be due to being uninformed.

Kamiyama eredeti hozzászólása:

A 1tb m.2 drive costs about $100

But there is a $250 difference between the 64gb and 512gb steam deck?

As another user pointed out, it's not just the storage capacity. It's the physical size.

Also, the SSD is placed next to the wireless antenna. So, it's important that it has an EMI shield.

It should also be noted that Steam Deck can run games directly off a micro SD card. (You just have to be sure to get a fast one.) Theoretically, this makes storage limited only by the number of SD cards you own.

Kamiyama eredeti hozzászólása:

IMO this is clear price gouging.

I disagree.

Steam Deck is (probably) the most advanced and feature-rich portable gaming PC that has ever been made. And it costs about half as much as it's competitors.

The graphics are said to be equivalent to that of a Rx 6600. The processing power is slightly less than that of a Ryzen 3 3100. (The APU is basically a Ryzen 3 4300GE underclocked to run at a lower wattage.)

Building a desktop, with that amount of power, at today's prices, would be well over $1000.

Kamiyama eredeti hozzászólása:

Valve even went so far as to make a video explaining why you shouldn't take your Steam Deck apart because they made it easy to break by doing so.

https://youtu.be/Dxnr2FAADAs

There's been about 100 preview devices sent out to media and YouTubers. There's been tear-downs done. None have reported any trouble in reassembling the device.

Further, Valve partnered with "iFixit" a DIY repair site that has instructions and parts. So, they clearly expect people to be working on these things themselves.

Also, it's mentioned in the video that he's using a "development version" or something like that. The retail version might not have self-tapping screws. However, that last bit is merely speculation, on my part.

Kamiyama eredeti hozzászólása:

I would love to have this, but tthey would need to make a gen 2 version with an easy to access m.2 card slot.

I'm sure they will. In like... two to seven years. Be prepared to wait.

Valve is going to be shipping these things out for the rest of the year. Then well into next year. (If estimated sales and demand is any indication.) Sales aren't even open to South America or Asia, yet.

Kamiyama eredeti hozzászólása:

Not being able to change the SSD or clean the buttons and thumbstick is a major design flaw.

Anyone who has owned a Game Boy knows you eventually have to clean the buttons. Even if you treat it with kid gloves after 5 or 10 years it needs a cleaning.

I own an original gray GameBoy, a GameBoy Pocket, a GameBoy Color, two GBAs, two DS Lites, and a 3DS XL.

I have never needed to take any of them apart to clean the buttons. Not once. Ever.

when it comes to mini pc's gpd win 2 or win 2 2020\21 will take the lead, as they are smaller,

steam is a bigger comp so it'll have something better, as they have the money to do so,
also gpd win 3 and gpd win max 2021

i own even saga hand held 32bit and 64bit, now if you're wondering what makes gpd 3 or max better in terms of power, a it can use a gpu dock, as the steam deck amd it can't use one, last time i looked up when all the fuss was going on about it.

it was the most powerful handheld, but keep in mind it's fully windows 10 unlike the steam deck yeah you can put windows on the steem deck, but that's not the point.

the idea is this isn't a pc a true hand yes, but with cut backs, even gpd handheld tho costly can compete.

i kind of hope it opens the doors to more handhelds.

[Haruspex]

HALO_run eredeti hozzászólása:

i kind of hope it opens the doors to more handhelds.

I think it will, but I don't think any other company will be able to price theirs like Valve has priced the Steam Deck. More handhelds made by other companies, possibly running Steam OS by default don't have the same kind of incentive to sell hardware.

The more Steam Decks Valve sells, the more people are on Steam buying games. They can sell at a loss, or at least break even, and they'll still profit from those users buying games on Steam to play.

Other companies don't have that same luxury. Every alternative handheld they sell will have to sell for profit, which is why all current competing devices are $1,100+.

Maybe Microsoft is in a position to compete with a similar device at a similarly aggressive price point. They have the Windows Store, so they could have the incentive to create a Windows oriented handheld gaming PC. I don't really feel like that's a move they would make right now, but stranger things have happened.

[Der tüddelige Fußgänger]

Even without, they are still cheap. Especially the mid tier Steamdeck for ~400 bucks, is pretty much priced as a desktop/laptop for the same price.
It wouldn't actually surprise me, if Valve would loose money on the cheapest SteamDeck. But Valve makes so much money from TF2, Dota2 CS:GO and Steam, that it doesn't really matter.
I'm sure they just want to spread the SteamDeck.

[PopinFRESH]

8bitbeard eredeti hozzászólása:

HALO_run eredeti hozzászólása:

i kind of hope it opens the doors to more handhelds.

I think it will, but I don't think any other company will be able to price theirs like Valve has priced the Steam Deck. More handhelds made by other companies, possibly running Steam OS by default don't have the same kind of incentive to sell hardware.

The more Steam Decks Valve sells, the more people are on Steam buying games. They can sell at a loss, or at least break even, and they'll still profit from those users buying games on Steam to play.

Other companies don't have that same luxury. Every alternative handheld they sell will have to sell for profit, which is why all current competing devices are $1,100+.
...

This is one of the primary reasons the "Steam Machines" initiative failed. Most people cite game compatibility which certainly was a contributing factor, however, Valve's reliance on 3rd parties to make compelling and price competitive offerings was a larger driver of that failure in my opinion. Dell/Alienware, Falcon Northwest, Origin PC, Zotac, etc. had no incentive, nor any revenue tie-in, to offer comparable hardware to a console at a subsidized console price. There was even a similar concept to the Steam Deck back at the launch of Steam Machines, the SMACH Z which ended up bankrupting the company. The brand was sold off and now has another (failed) offering which is similar in price to the Aya Neo ($700-$1100), however, they were supposed to ship in 2020 but never did.

8bitbeard eredeti hozzászólása:

Maybe Microsoft is in a position to compete with a similar device at a similarly aggressive price point. They have the Windows Store, so they could have the incentive to create a Windows oriented handheld gaming PC. I don't really feel like that's a move they would make right now, but stranger things have happened.

I'd agree Microsoft could but I don't think they really have any interest in offering something similar to the Steam Deck. If they did decide to make a handheld gaming device I think it would be like an Xbox with no intention of being able to be "PC Like". I also think if they were to do this it would be built as a lower power system with built-in WiFi+5G Cellular designed to leverage X-Cloud streaming as part of their GamePass streaming services.

[HALO_run]

8bitbeard eredeti hozzászólása:

HALO_run eredeti hozzászólása:

i kind of hope it opens the doors to more handhelds.

I think it will, but I don't think any other company will be able to price theirs like Valve has priced the Steam Deck. More handhelds made by other companies, possibly running Steam OS by default don't have the same kind of incentive to sell hardware.

The more Steam Decks Valve sells, the more people are on Steam buying games. They can sell at a loss, or at least break even, and they'll still profit from those users buying games on Steam to play.

Other companies don't have that same luxury. Every alternative handheld they sell will have to sell for profit, which is why all current competing devices are $1,100+.

Maybe Microsoft is in a position to compete with a similar device at a similarly aggressive price point. They have the Windows Store, so they could have the incentive to create a Windows oriented handheld gaming PC. I don't really feel like that's a move they would make right now, but stranger things have happened.

or maybe Sony. im really hopping they push sony and ms to make one or two... i miss the ps vita :{

[BloodShed]

HALO_run eredeti hozzászólása:

or maybe Sony. im really hopping they push sony and ms to make one or two... i miss the ps vita :{

As long as Sony doesn't push out more of their proprietary memory stick crap

[HALO_run]

BloodShed eredeti hozzászólása:

HALO_run eredeti hozzászólása:

or maybe Sony. im really hopping they push sony and ms to make one or two... i miss the ps vita :{

As long as Sony doesn't push out more of their proprietary memory stick crap

agreed that was ♥♥♥♥