As much as nice it sounds, this is not entirely true. Because Steam Deck is not just a PC and cannot share the same enjoyment and benefits of a regular PC, because its a handheld. I believe the Steam Deck should be handled as its own class of hardware, like a console is and do a PC showcase on its own.
For a small game that runs easily on the Deck and is mainly played with a gamepad, this is probably fine. But for lot of other games this cannot be said. I love my Steam Deck and my local PC, but they need to be treated separately for effective marketing.
It plays PC games, runs a PC OS, has a PC DE (KDE Plasma), includes standard PC ports (with a dock that includes even more standard PC ports), has a standard PC uefi bios, uses a PC APU, and has a PC like trackpad along with a virtual keyboard. Also if a game works well with controllers itll work well with Steam Deck (even if it doesn’t it usually works well). Functionally speaking how is this different then a tablet PC with a controller? (In terms of if its a PC)
Its targeted by developers like a console is, its a specific hardware that developers can optimize for. And the operating system and user interface is optimized for gaming. That’s the Console portion of it. Steam Deck is a PC hardware in handheld form factor and a Console treatment, which developers can target specifically for, unlike other handheld PCs with Windows.
Steam Deck is not just a PC, and its not just a handheld. Its a console that can be targeted.
the operating system and user interface is optimized for gaming
Most of the “optimizations” are either generic Linux improvements that exist in many distros or are can be easily installed on any PC. Meanwhile the UI is literally just Steam gamepadui, any PC could access it, any PC can launch Steam on boot and set Steam to launch into Steam big picture mode. The only optimizations are just a set of good defaults and software that works well together.
Its a console that can be targeted
Yeah because its a popular piece of hardware running amazing software, thats something Windows handhelds dont have. What people dont understand about SteamOS is it isn’t that optimized, thats because Linux is so optimized as an OS that Valve doesn’t need to do much on top of it.
There is even an API in Steam that directly targets the Steam Deck. Steam Deck can be programmatically identified by its API, just like any other console. This is a key factor.
We are not speaking about any random hardware configuration or tablet, we are speaking about a device with software and hardware specifically designed, build, tested, targeted and marketed as a single unit. Exactly what a console is. However, I’m not disregarding its roots of PC. What I am saying is, that Steam Deck does not represent PC “very well”; its its own thing, even compared to other handheld PCs. If the Steam is marketed as a PC, then it won’t get the support from the developers.
Steam Deck is its own category, besides general PC. Games need to have different Spec Recommendations for PC and one specific optimized version for Steam Deck. Both are separated.
Games need to have different Spec Recommendations for PC and one specific optimized version for Steam Deck. Both are separated.
You’re just wrong here, they don’t need special versions at all, you’re normally just given windows .exe files and told to use proton to make the games work, even
This is good, actually, as it lets you change your settings in-game just like on normal PCs, so if you want more battery life you can turn them down, or if you’re plugged in you can turn them up
No, and I explained multiple times why. You just keep ignoring what I wrote and take things out of context without having an understanding of the statement. It’s not “my idea”, but I’m done with stupidity.
Add a keyboard, mouse and monitor, which are already required for every other pc, and you can do everything on the steam deck that you can on any other pc. The steamdeck just has the additional functionality of working without those if you so choose.
Wait, its installed by default?
I assumed I had to install it, which would not be possible, because its immutable and there is no rsync flatpak (I think).
You can install system wide apps by turning off immutabe mode and configurating something. I might be talking out my ass though cause I have done this but I don’t remember if it persisted across updates.
The steam deck arguably does a very good job at representing PC Gaming, hopefully more developers do this
You need WSL to run it on windows /s
What is WSL? I see it referenced all the time?
Windows Sub-System for Linux - a utility that allows you to run Linux Commands / Programs (limited in scope) on a Windows Machine, for e.g.
Since WSL 2, it is a full VM connected through RDP, or at least that is what I learned somewhere.
Oh right. Okay. Not sure why that acronym didn’t cross my mind.
Does the /s mean that you don’t need WSL to run it on Windows?
Well, I suppose it works on windows, but I’m not an expert 🤷🏻
As much as nice it sounds, this is not entirely true. Because Steam Deck is not just a PC and cannot share the same enjoyment and benefits of a regular PC, because its a handheld. I believe the Steam Deck should be handled as its own class of hardware, like a console is and do a PC showcase on its own.
For a small game that runs easily on the Deck and is mainly played with a gamepad, this is probably fine. But for lot of other games this cannot be said. I love my Steam Deck and my local PC, but they need to be treated separately for effective marketing.
It plays PC games, runs a PC OS, has a PC DE (KDE Plasma), includes standard PC ports (with a dock that includes even more standard PC ports), has a standard PC uefi bios, uses a PC APU, and has a PC like trackpad along with a virtual keyboard. Also if a game works well with controllers itll work well with Steam Deck (even if it doesn’t it usually works well). Functionally speaking how is this different then a tablet PC with a controller? (In terms of if its a PC)
Its targeted by developers like a console is, its a specific hardware that developers can optimize for. And the operating system and user interface is optimized for gaming. That’s the Console portion of it. Steam Deck is a PC hardware in handheld form factor and a Console treatment, which developers can target specifically for, unlike other handheld PCs with Windows.
Steam Deck is not just a PC, and its not just a handheld. Its a console that can be targeted.
Most of the “optimizations” are either generic Linux improvements that exist in many distros or are can be easily installed on any PC. Meanwhile the UI is literally just Steam gamepadui, any PC could access it, any PC can launch Steam on boot and set Steam to launch into Steam big picture mode. The only optimizations are just a set of good defaults and software that works well together.
Yeah because its a popular piece of hardware running amazing software, thats something Windows handhelds dont have. What people dont understand about SteamOS is it isn’t that optimized, thats because Linux is so optimized as an OS that Valve doesn’t need to do much on top of it.
There is even an API in Steam that directly targets the Steam Deck. Steam Deck can be programmatically identified by its API, just like any other console. This is a key factor.
We are not speaking about any random hardware configuration or tablet, we are speaking about a device with software and hardware specifically designed, build, tested, targeted and marketed as a single unit. Exactly what a console is. However, I’m not disregarding its roots of PC. What I am saying is, that Steam Deck does not represent PC “very well”; its its own thing, even compared to other handheld PCs. If the Steam is marketed as a PC, then it won’t get the support from the developers.
Steam Deck is its own category, besides general PC. Games need to have different Spec Recommendations for PC and one specific optimized version for Steam Deck. Both are separated.
You’re just wrong here, they don’t need special versions at all, you’re normally just given windows .exe files and told to use proton to make the games work, even
This is good, actually, as it lets you change your settings in-game just like on normal PCs, so if you want more battery life you can turn them down, or if you’re plugged in you can turn them up
Your idea there is just bad and wrong, sorry
No, and I explained multiple times why. You just keep ignoring what I wrote and take things out of context without having an understanding of the statement. It’s not “my idea”, but I’m done with stupidity.
Ok but you’re just factually wrong, a special version of games is not needed for the steam deck, it uses the PC version of the game
Add a keyboard, mouse and monitor, which are already required for every other pc, and you can do everything on the steam deck that you can on any other pc. The steamdeck just has the additional functionality of working without those if you so choose.
Ok, how do I use rsync on the deck then? (/s, but I’d still love to know)
rsync <source> <destination>
Wait, its installed by default? I assumed I had to install it, which would not be possible, because its immutable and there is no rsync flatpak (I think).
What do you mean immutable?
SteamOS is immutable, so you can’t install system-wide apps on there, only flatpaks, appimages etc.
You can install system wide apps by turning off immutabe mode and configurating something. I might be talking out my ass though cause I have done this but I don’t remember if it persisted across updates.