SteamOS on my legion go for about a month now, it’s been great. The future is now
lol, ‘Rival’ I’m sure Valve cares much more about the 30% take of Steam games sold on other handhelds than they do about selling more Steam Decks
Steam Machines showed them they needed to enforce a quality floor that other manufacturers would need to exceed.
Yes, I’m still mad Steam Machines didn’t take off.
Yes, I’m still mad Steam Machines didn’t take off.
A Steam Deck is a Steam Machine by another name. This is that vision realized.
rock on, dog! same here, maybe Valve will take another swing at that ball
“Piracy is a service issue” taken to the extreme.
Valve has been moving slow and steady, but it seems like a master plan for Steam Machines could finally be coming into focus.
Honestly if Valve launched a new Steam Machine today, I’d buy it in an instant.
If they’d just release Steam OS for desktop with proper support, they wouldn’t even need to make a steam machine. Someone else is likely already selling hardware in that form factor that’s more than adequate.
Not to mention many would stop using windows for gaming, oh wait they are already doing that…
For me, it’s not the steam machine itself but the peripherals like the steam controller that would come with it. There still isn’t a proper replacement for the original SC that has: trackpads, gyro, back buttons, and full steam input support.
Everything else is missing trackpads and aimed at emulating a console controller, so you get weird situations where one mode supports gyro because it emulates a switch controller but doesn’t support the back buttons and analog triggers, and another supports the back buttons and analog triggers but not gyro.
Funnily enough, the steam deck itself is the best option as a controller if you want all of these features.
Of course, a new steam machine wouldn’t be required for a new SC to happen, but it makes sense to pair them, as they did originally.
I’m so glad I bought an additional 3 Steam Controllers when they went on sale before being discontinued. I loved mine too much to risk not having another if it broke
Inclined to agree on the controller.
But I think that just having that “locked in” PC specs where you’re less likely to have to deal with different driver and component issue is hard to dismiss.
I know they make money off the store but making a quality, repairable product and selling it at a reasonable price is a really good business model. Other companies should try it. When Steam Deck 2 comes out, I’ll be buying it. And probably repurposing my original Steam Deck as a media server or something.
There’s like six companies left on Earth that do that and they’ll probably be around forever. I know it costs 30% more for quality and Valve has the store to supplement it. But I have a 20 year-old leather jacket and an even older kitchen knife. I saved up for both because I was broke and in my early 20’s. They’re probably both better today after going through their paces. I know a guy who works at a shipyard who gets his boots re-soled because he likes his boots. Same boots for decades. Occasional maintenance required.
I think we’re going to need to see a generational shift in compute before we see steam deck two. I have the original deck, and the OLED. Kicked down the original to a friend. Both are great pieces of kit. I’ve basically survived without a gaming machine for almost 4 years because of these devices. I’ve experienced almost 0 desegregation on either. Just phenomenal devices.
I’ve finally bit the bullet on a more serious machine (for both work and pleasure). I’ve got a Asus ROG Flow Z13 on back order, the 128gb variant. I think this is the direction things are going to go. We just can’t make CPU’s/ Video cards faster/ more efficient if we keep them separated.
My speculation: the next steam deck is going to take on this design, so long as the stryx halo generation proves itself. It might not be a “full force” variant like I’ve bought into, but the rub is the temperatures and power to performance relationship. The stryx halo design is the only thing I’ve seen that would warrant a generation refresh.
Which other companies come to mind? I’ll support them too!
I said six as a joke but I thought I’d put together a list anyway.
- The knife is Global. I was a sous chef in New Orleans and everyone on the line had their preference. I like Japanese steel Santoku knives even if it cost more to resharpen. If I’m chopping a hundred onions, it matters. (I can sharpen a knife but when it’s your job, you get a professional to do it. Cheap knives, I just sharpen myself.)
- My jacket doesn’t seem to have a brand (or it’s faded away). I bought it off the shelf because I was wearing a white T-shirt and jeans while traveling with a stylish woman and she was like, “That looks amazing on you!” In retrospect, she was lying and just wanted me to look credible instead of a shiftless transient wearing a stupid t-shirt.
- Lodge or (better but overpriced) Le Creuset enameled cast iron pots will last you forever.
- Osprey bags, in my experience are solid. They’re probably overpriced now but not having your bag or zippers be a problem when traveling for work or pleasure is worth $50 every time.
- I worked construction for awhile and I stick with DeWalt tools. They did a battery volt switch thing that maybe wasn’t necessary — it was an advancement in battery tech — but the adapter was cheap. I don’t need my drill or sawzall often but when I do, it better fucking work.
- To give a modern example, I’ve had good experiences with Cotopaxi bags and pants. My boss bought a bag from them after seeing my bag last. And you can wash the pants in a sink if you’re into hiking.
- Thule has also served me well. But that’s a specialist thing so I didn’t include it in the top 6.
To be clear, every single one of these companies might have been bought by a private equity firm that intends to ruin it and milk the brand equity while making everything worse. I’m not endorsing any corporation. I just have found those companies to be worth paying a bit more for compared to generic.
Direct link to the release notes:
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1675200/view/820329049655084700?l=english
Thank you
Steam Deck keeps getting better.
