The legendary Nintendo Switch killer - the most anticipated hardware from Valve, the Steam Deck portable computer - has dropped onto our review table. It hits consumers in 2022 and has already sold 5 million copies. While Valve has tried several times to conquer the hardware market, it has so far achieved mixed results. In the case of the Steam Deck, on the other hand, it has been quite successful - but is the hardware actually worth buying and does it perform well with hundreds of hours of gaming? That's what we tested and are showing you today.
Configuration
Once the hardware is switched on, the console will ask us to select a language, enter a WiFi password and connect a Steam account. After this brief introduction, we can immediately download the game and immerse ourselves in the virtual world, taking full advantage of the device.
Performance
In terms of compatibility, the console works well with the gaming ecosystem on Steam and allows you to play many top titles, the likes of Dark Souls, Dying Light, Battlefield, The Witcher, Doom and so on. The Steam Deck also does not disappoint us with the sound quality from the built-in speakers. Games run superbly, often at the highest possible settings and with the feeling of playing on a fully-fledged PC - no cuts and with fps oscillating between 50 and 60 frames, this is a phenomenal result for portable hardware. Of course, the image quality is not as good as on a high-performance monitor, but we cannot see this as a disadvantage, but only as a statement that this is still a portable device. Let's remember that there will also be games still not supported by Steam Deck, but these are often niche titles, and all the bestsellers we know should run smoothly, and sometimes we'll just use the touchscreen to click through menus in a game. With demanding titles, the battery will let you know and can quickly reduce the run time from 8 hours to 2 - 3, but this is only a small drop in the overall sea of advantages. Nevertheless, the Steam Deck brilliantly fills the niche of gamers in need of a powerful little monster - for gaming on the move, in the air or at home. Its price, which starts at around £2,000, is not exorbitant. In the hardware settings, we have the possibility to manipulate the brightness of the screen, so that it can be used in any conditions. The function buttons do an excellent job, with the trackpad doing a good job of navigating the screen and navigating through the games library. On top of this, the screen offers touch, allowing it to be used like a tablet. Bumpers - they give a lot of fun and the feel of holding a traditional pad, and their placement allows for a lot of possibilities. Should 512 GB be too small for us, the manufacturer offers us a slot for expanding the memory with further gigabytes of external memory.
Summary
The interface, as well as the gaming environment itself, builds a player-friendly atmosphere that allows every minute of the game to be absorbed with pleasant immersion. Valve continues to develop the software and add more verified titles to the list of applications, which will allow for long use of the Steam deck and frequent new downloads. On the downside, the short battery life, which can simply die, and the rather low screen resolution - well, one would like more. However, among other things, the large number of buttons and the hold of the device are fabulous, and the large screen along with good speakers work well together. This powerful console is sure to appeal well to more demanding gamers, or those needing something smaller than a laptop but just as powerful. The Steam Deck is selling like hotcakes, with Valve promising to beat last year's sales figures. This is not surprising, as the hardware is certainly second to none.