With a week remaining until the release of the latest handheld computer to hit the market, and a major tech player that has already seen great sales in other spaces like the VR platforms with Valve’s own option there too. Whilst the device won’t be used for more casual favorites like these uk slots sites that have become popular on mobile, or more dedicated titles that have managed to hit big on the Switch but will be bringing a portable home for the large steam libraries that many players have cultivated over a period of years.
With the base model coming in at $400, its price is similar to that of other major console releases seen lately which may give some potential purchasers some pause – those who are uncertain of the tech that inside of the steam deck may feel that performance is being compromised for the portability but from early reviews that certainly doesn’t seem to be the case as the device is able to hold its own and play even some of the latest AAA titles without so much as a hiccup, with more reviews still to come in time too this will only be reinforced by other content creators.
The hardware for usability has also been praised too, the buttons on the rear of the device have been positioned well and provide plenty of tactility, the trackpads that feature on the front for a different style of control also work great too from the reviews put out – something of a surprise to some had been how great the speakers are on the device too, receiving a lot of praise from those who have been lucky enough to test. Whilst many players will prefer the use of headphones whilst gaming, having some great hardware as a base shows the quality of the device as a whole.
Finally, and perhaps one of the biggest features to draw users to giving the Steam Deck a shot will be within the library of games available – by directly linking to a user’s Steam account, the library of games available is very large for both the newest launches and favorite classics too – at a time where re-released titles are running a premium and newly released titles are so expensive, not having to purchase new copies or worry about progress not transferring from PC to console is something that will be drastically changed here.
With other announcements like its partnership with iFixIt for cheap replaceable parts too, Valve have already made waves with the device, and could spur other big tech names to lean into the right to repair and keep a user focus at the forefront of the device too.