The steam deck is way too bulky and battery life is way too short to be a viable handheld for mass market rather than just enthusiasts. Also I will pass on having a console with DRM like Steam rather than physical media.
Um wat? I understand that many of the games on Steam have DRM, but the Steamdeck itself is a pretty open ecosystem. Hell, it’s running Arch Linux and you can drop to both the Linux Desktop and a terminal shell without a need to hack anything. You literally have full control over the device and can even replace the Operating System wholesale, again without some screwball hack.
By contrast the Nintendo Switch is a complete walled garden. You have zero control over the OS, No ability to replace the OS, interface or anything about the software. You want to “pass on having a console with DRM” and yet the Switch is literally the one of the two which is completely locked down. What the fuck are you smoking?
I’m not a fan of digital only or a fan of Steam in general. You could use a steam deck as a GOG deck and only play DRM free games. You also won’t get access to AAA games from big publishers without DRM but those games either don’t come to switch or are heavily nerfed anyway.
To me thats missing the point of the thing being a a handheld console with SteamOS rather a PC. If you use it as a PC instead of a console it IS a pretty open ecosystem. But then it loses its main advantage over a normal PC or the other handhelds in the market which is its tight integration with SteamOS and the ability to be a handheld PC gaming console. It does keep its secondary advantage of price though. The Steam Deck is a good piece of hardware but I don’t prefer its form factor for what I see as its niche as a Switch competitor.
On the contrast, the switch is made to play switch games and I’m able to play any physical cart on any switch with a working cartridge reader without ever connecting the system online. That’s the advantage the Switch has over the Steam Deck when it comes to games and DRM
This chart shows the Switch OLED getting 33% more battery life at worst. The steam deck is good but that doesn’t make it accessible especially when it weighs twice as much and is 3 times thicker
I have the original and V2 Switches and they do not ever get nine hours. The OLED Deck gets up to 12 according to your chart. Not sure why you’re bringing up weight and thickness, it is playable.
The steam deck is way too bulky and battery life is way too short to be a viable handheld for mass market rather than just enthusiasts. Also I will pass on having a console with DRM like Steam rather than physical media.
Um wat? I understand that many of the games on Steam have DRM, but the Steamdeck itself is a pretty open ecosystem. Hell, it’s running Arch Linux and you can drop to both the Linux Desktop and a terminal shell without a need to hack anything. You literally have full control over the device and can even replace the Operating System wholesale, again without some screwball hack.
By contrast the Nintendo Switch is a complete walled garden. You have zero control over the OS, No ability to replace the OS, interface or anything about the software. You want to “pass on having a console with DRM” and yet the Switch is literally the one of the two which is completely locked down. What the fuck are you smoking?
I’m not a fan of digital only or a fan of Steam in general. You could use a steam deck as a GOG deck and only play DRM free games. You also won’t get access to AAA games from big publishers without DRM but those games either don’t come to switch or are heavily nerfed anyway.
To me thats missing the point of the thing being a a handheld console with SteamOS rather a PC. If you use it as a PC instead of a console it IS a pretty open ecosystem. But then it loses its main advantage over a normal PC or the other handhelds in the market which is its tight integration with SteamOS and the ability to be a handheld PC gaming console. It does keep its secondary advantage of price though. The Steam Deck is a good piece of hardware but I don’t prefer its form factor for what I see as its niche as a Switch competitor.
On the contrast, the switch is made to play switch games and I’m able to play any physical cart on any switch with a working cartridge reader without ever connecting the system online. That’s the advantage the Switch has over the Steam Deck when it comes to games and DRM
The battery is about the same as the Switch.
This chart shows the Switch OLED getting 33% more battery life at worst. The steam deck is good but that doesn’t make it accessible especially when it weighs twice as much and is 3 times thicker
I have the original and V2 Switches and they do not ever get nine hours. The OLED Deck gets up to 12 according to your chart. Not sure why you’re bringing up weight and thickness, it is playable.