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Steam Deck |OT| Nintendo Switch 2

Dream-Knife

Banned
Performance in Windows is actually pretty great now that the system has proper drivers and whatnot. In some cases, better than the default Linux.

The only problem is that it's miles behind in terms of usability and features - stuff like changing TDP on the fly or setting framerate limits is soooo easy in SteamOS, and such a pain in Windows still. It's getting better, but I agree that anyone who purchases this should have realistic expectations of what you're getting yourself into.
I'm not really a windows hater, but with how great linux is on deck, I can't understand why you would want to install windows on it in the first place. Unless you don't own a desktop I guess.

How long did it take you guys to get used to the Steam Deck controller? Did anyone here not really like the controller at first but then got used to it over time and ended up liking it in the end?
I really like it except for L1 and R1. They are awkward to hit, and I have to basically screw up my grip to use them. I'm trying to just remap them to L5 and R5, but using 4 back buttons is taking some time getting used to. It feels wrong for souls games.
 

jshackles

Gentlemen, we can rebuild it. We have the capability to make the world's first enhanced store. Steam will be that store. Better than it was before.
I'm not really a windows hater, but with how great linux is on deck, I can't understand why you would want to install windows on it in the first place. Unless you don't own a desktop I guess.
Just like lmimmfn lmimmfn I got frustrated with launching games from my GOG, Epic, and Battle.net library using hacky workarounds. I'm a Linux sysadmin when I'm not gaming, so my level of familiarity with setting things up and using it is incredibly high - there just aren't good, consistent ways to launch non-Steam games from the Deck. Heroic Launcher works for some games, others can be set up with bottles and very specific configurations. Some games work right out of the box, others take a huge amount of tinkering (that can fall apart when the SteamOS software updates or sometimes even if the system reboots). Methods that work for certain games are completely broken for others. It's honestly all a bit of a mess.

I have almost 5,000 games on Steam, but I also have 800 games on GOG and another 400 on Epic. Tons of games on Ubisoft Connect as well. With my Windows install on the Deck, they just work like they're supposed to. Every game I've tried just launches straight away without any issues (the issues come when trying to set up controller or power profiles). There are definitely trade offs, but for me personally it's the best solution I've come across for picking out a game at random, pushing install, and playing it.

Currently I'm playing through Kingdom Hearts 1 (not on Steam, somehow still an Epic exclusive) and it's been really great.
 
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bender

What time is it?
(the issues come when trying to set up controller or power profiles).

To be fair, controller issues are the majority of my issues with games on SteamOS. Profiles help a bunch but a lot of the time yo are shoehorning in a controller solution for a game that wasn't built with that in mind and that kills a lot of the excitement of using the deck for older titles in your Steam library. As bad a the Heroic launcher is (why is the performance so abysmal?), I haven't tried Windows as I'd just run into the same issues with older titles anyhow.
 

Dream-Knife

Banned
Just like lmimmfn lmimmfn I got frustrated with launching games from my GOG, Epic, and Battle.net library using hacky workarounds. I'm a Linux sysadmin when I'm not gaming, so my level of familiarity with setting things up and using it is incredibly high - there just aren't good, consistent ways to launch non-Steam games from the Deck. Heroic Launcher works for some games, others can be set up with bottles and very specific configurations. Some games work right out of the box, others take a huge amount of tinkering (that can fall apart when the SteamOS software updates or sometimes even if the system reboots). Methods that work for certain games are completely broken for others. It's honestly all a bit of a mess.

I have almost 5,000 games on Steam, but I also have 800 games on GOG and another 400 on Epic. Tons of games on Ubisoft Connect as well. With my Windows install on the Deck, they just work like they're supposed to. Every game I've tried just launches straight away without any issues (the issues come when trying to set up controller or power profiles). There are definitely trade offs, but for me personally it's the best solution I've come across for picking out a game at random, pushing install, and playing it.

Currently I'm playing through Kingdom Hearts 1 (not on Steam, somehow still an Epic exclusive) and it's been really great.
KH1 is on Steam via retroarch. ;)
Dual-boot is the way to go. It's worth it for access to Game Pass alone. Then there's EGS and GoG.
I guess that makes sense. I'm no steam no buy, so I never thought of that.

People actually subscribe to PC gamepass?
 

Filben

Member
I made my peace with that I don't need to run every game I own on my Deck. I often found myself more tinkering than actual playing.

I have like 800 games in my Steam library alone and the good half of it seems to run. At least, I have +100 installed and I don't know when I'm gonna play all that on the Deck.

If you own a desktop PC, it's still more convenient to play just on that, no matter how much you can tinker with the Deck. For example, I'll never play Pillars of Eternity or Tyranny or similar games on it because it is so tiny and they often don't have proper gamepad support. I could play them with customized controls and the track pads, or I simply play them on my PC and big monitor and leave the Deck for other, more suitable games (having a blast with Chained Echoes and other Indie games).

Just the other day I tried installing the restoration mod for Tom Raider Angel of Darkness on the Deck, said fuck it and gave up on the Deck and decided to play it on my PC instead. I don't need every game under the sun running on the Deck. Tomb Raider 1 to 5 is running well, I can go without that one Tomb Raider game out of these 6 on the Deck.

When it is not your only device, install some of your favourites you like to play on the go and the leave the rest for your desktop PC (or console). I'm sure there's still plenty to play on it.
 

CrustyBritches

Gold Member
I guess that makes sense. I'm no steam no buy, so I never thought of that.

People actually subscribe to PC gamepass?
Most likely people are subbed to GP Ultimate that includes PC and xCloud. A thread in here said 70-80% of GP subscribers are Ultimate.

I’ve been dual-booting for a year and I wouldn’t go back. Once you get the partitions and OS installs done, the community created Deck automated setup script makes it a breeze to play on Windows.
 

JCK75

Member
If people are playing Baldurs Gate 3 on the Steam Deck and you want to not be playing a blurry Mess.. these are the curated settings that look good..
you can dip to 25 fps but turn off your frame counter and you will never notice in a game like this.]
Steam Performance Setting
Frame Limit 30
Refesh Rate 60

In Game Video Settings

Aspect Ratio 16:10
Resolution 1280x800
Ref Rate 60hz
Display Mode : Borderless Window
Vsync Disabled
Frame Rate Cap Off
Max Frame Rate 30
Overall Preset Custom

Model Quality Medium
Detail Distance Medium
Instance Distance Medium

Instance Distance Med
Tex Quality Ultra
Textue filtering Anisotropic x16
Animation LOD Med
Slow HDD Off
Dynamic Crowds Off

Shadow Quality Low
Cloud Quality Low
Fog Quality Low

AMD FSR 1.0 Ultra
FidFX Sharpening Off
Sharpness 90% to the right (slider)
Anti-Aliasing TAA
Amb Occ On
DOF None
Bloom Off
Subsurf Scattering Off
 

Maiden Voyage

Gold™ Member

Don't miss out on this limited-time opportunity to enjoy superpowered savings on thrilling Steam Deck Verified games!

Build your own Play on the Go Bundle - Summer Edition is your gateway to exceptional gaming adventures whether you're wielding a Steam Deck or playing on your regular gaming PC. Get ready to make some superpowered savings as we present a selection of incredible titles, all rated Steam Deck Verified.

Let's dive into the highlights of this scorching collection!

Metro: Last Light Redux and Metro 2033 Redux take you on an atmospheric journey through the dark and haunting tunnels of post-apocalyptic Moscow. Engage in intense battles against mutated creatures and human foes. With immersive environments and heart-pounding gameplay, the Metro Redux games are an absolute must-play.

Eldest Souls offers a pixel-art, souls-like experience that's perfect for handheld gaming. Embark on a challenging and epic battle against the Old Gods, wielding a variety of weapons and abilities to conquer formidable foes.

Looking for a spine-chilling horror experience? Lamentum plunges you into a world of cosmic horrors! This action-packed, pixel art survival horror will send shivers down your spine as you unravel dark secrets, intricate storytelling, and Lovecraftian nightmares.

Redout: Enhanced Edition revs up the excitement another notch, with high-speed anti-gravity racing that's perfect for on-the-go play. Boasting breathtaking visuals, a pulse-pounding soundtrack, and challenging gameplay, Redout offers an electrifying racing experience that's sure to keep you hooked. Includes the base game plus FIVE DLC!

Plus much, much more…why not check out the fantastic full line-up above?

mOf0BK9.jpg
 

12Goblins

Lil’ Gobbie
welp, got a steam deck and I might as well put my pc in a dumpster tbh

Games i'm playing so far

Rogue legacy 2
animated_gameplay_banner_lossless_with_border_resized.gif


The Takeover
TheTakeOverCombo.gif


Fight n Rage
D42A465AABFB881B5322FFA517121D482F8D3C8E


Halls of Torment

ss_d4bd53b68d6391e6555082754967592714835efa.1920x1080.jpg



all these games are absolutely incredible. any other gems I should look into ?

(I've already played Hades and VS--both incredible)
 
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Sleepwalker

Member
Upgrading my storage once more, I am dual booting right now but I think I'm wiping it out and only keeping steamOS. Really dont use windows on the deck as much and my libraries outside of steam aren't big.

My only worry is what will happen to my emudeck installation on the SD card if I reinstall steamos fresh, will it ask me to reformat the SD?
 

Dream-Knife

Banned
If people are playing Baldurs Gate 3 on the Steam Deck and you want to not be playing a blurry Mess.. these are the curated settings that look good..
you can dip to 25 fps but turn off your frame counter and you will never notice in a game like this.]
Steam Performance Setting
Frame Limit 30
Refesh Rate 60

In Game Video Settings

Aspect Ratio 16:10
Resolution 1280x800
Ref Rate 60hz
Display Mode : Borderless Window
Vsync Disabled
Frame Rate Cap Off
Max Frame Rate 30
Overall Preset Custom

Model Quality Medium
Detail Distance Medium
Instance Distance Medium

Instance Distance Med
Tex Quality Ultra
Textue filtering Anisotropic x16
Animation LOD Med
Slow HDD Off
Dynamic Crowds Off

Shadow Quality Low
Cloud Quality Low
Fog Quality Low

AMD FSR 1.0 Ultra
FidFX Sharpening Off
Sharpness 90% to the right (slider)
Anti-Aliasing TAA
Amb Occ On
DOF None
Bloom Off
Subsurf Scattering Off
Fan speed is still over 6000 rpm.
 

Dream-Knife

Banned
Don't expect too much...

Most of the disappointed faces were from Steam Deck users who bought the Deck with unrealistic expectations.
AC6 is on PS4, so it should be fine. Hopefully the fan isn't constantly at 6000 rpm.

Of course I could just remote play it too.
 
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Kupfer

Member
AC6 is on PS4, so it should be fine. Hopefully the fan isn't constantly at 6000 rpm.

Of course I could just remote play it too.
My apologies, I thought you were talking about the new, not yet released, AC Mirage.
The 6th entry of the series is Black Flag, this should run fine with 30/40 fps.
 

Codes 208

Member
My biggest regret is selling mine for a rog ally. Ended up returning that shortly after buying it (it was awkward to hold and the battery was shit)

I’ll probably be buying a new deck within a week, i already miss mine
 

Filben

Member
Dear Steam Deck followers!

Is there a way to stream from my Deck to my PC, which is connected to my TV, and use the Deck as controller?

Sometimes I want to play on my TV but since my PC uses Windows I don't have this console like experience as I have with the Deck. So ideally I mirror my Deck's image onto my PC/TV and use it as I would normally do only with the TV as a display.

I do have a docking station but my living room space is already kind of full and having the Deck docked also disables the ability to use it as controller.
 

Resenge

Member
Dear Steam Deck followers!

Is there a way to stream from my Deck to my PC, which is connected to my TV, and use the Deck as controller?

Sometimes I want to play on my TV but since my PC uses Windows I don't have this console like experience as I have with the Deck. So ideally I mirror my Deck's image onto my PC/TV and use it as I would normally do only with the TV as a display.

I do have a docking station but my living room space is already kind of full and having the Deck docked also disables the ability to use it as controller.
Use Steam link on your windows PC? I assume you can just stream the game from the Steam Deck to your Windows Steam client or maybe this site might help.
 
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Leonidas

Member
Gotta love the fact that you can add your own 2230 SSD. Just bought a 512 GB 2230 SSD for $25.

Upgrading from a 64 GB model ($360 during one of the Steam sales). Total cost for a 512 GB system will be under $400 after all is said and done, I did have to order $5 worth of tools though...

I never thought I'd upgrade my Steam deck storage but at only $25 to go to a 512 GB model I couldn't say no...
 

CrustyBritches

Gold Member
Gotta love the fact that you can add your own 2230 SSD. Just bought a 512 GB 2230 SSD for $25.

Upgrading from a 64 GB model ($360 during one of the Steam sales). Total cost for a 512 GB system will be under $400 after all is said and done, I did have to order $5 worth of tools though...

I never thought I'd upgrade my Steam deck storage but at only $25 to go to a 512 GB model I couldn't say no...
It's pretty crazy how much the 2230 drives have fallen in price, and how many different options there are. Last year when I upgrade to 1TB it was like $147 from China. Now you can get a 1TB drive for $70-80 from Amazon.
 

CrustyBritches

Gold Member
How is yuzu and Metroid prime run? I prefer local but if need be I can moonlight stream it from my pc
I played for about 45min on Yuzu via EmulationStation. Runs great the vast majority of the time. Slight hitches/frame drops when you shoot open doors. Not too distracting. However, there were 2 occasions when the frame rate came to a crawl when I entered a burning room during the escape sequence on the 1st level, and then when I entered a cave on the 2nd level. Lasted about 5sec each time. Probably had to do with shader compilation. Ryujinx had a lot more frame rate issues along with shader compilation lockups for 4-5sec that completely freeze gameplay until finished, unlike Yuzu where it would drop frame rate into the teens and 20s, but keep things moving.
 
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Kenpachii

Member
Using the deck for now as a desktop pc, for about 6 months and i must say shit is great. plays all my games perfectly fine. I even thinking about selling my higher end PC as i never touch it anymore.
 

12Goblins

Lil’ Gobbie
Gotta love the fact that you can add your own 2230 SSD. Just bought a 512 GB 2230 SSD for $25.

Upgrading from a 64 GB model ($360 during one of the Steam sales). Total cost for a 512 GB system will be under $400 after all is said and done, I did have to order $5 worth of tools though...

I never thought I'd upgrade my Steam deck storage but at only $25 to go to a 512 GB model I couldn't say no...
I too bought the 64 gb model knowing that you can open it to upgrade parts. Does upgrading the SSD improve the performance or just increase the storage space?

is the 2230 SSD the go to part for upgrading your deck?
 

CobraAB

Member
Just like lmimmfn lmimmfn I got frustrated with launching games from my GOG, Epic, and Battle.net library using hacky workarounds. I'm a Linux sysadmin when I'm not gaming, so my level of familiarity with setting things up and using it is incredibly high - there just aren't good, consistent ways to launch non-Steam games from the Deck. Heroic Launcher works for some games, others can be set up with bottles and very specific configurations. Some games work right out of the box, others take a huge amount of tinkering (that can fall apart when the SteamOS software updates or sometimes even if the system reboots). Methods that work for certain games are completely broken for others. It's honestly all a bit of a mess.

I have almost 5,000 games on Steam, but I also have 800 games on GOG and another 400 on Epic. Tons of games on Ubisoft Connect as well. With my Windows install on the Deck, they just work like they're supposed to. Every game I've tried just launches straight away without any issues (the issues come when trying to set up controller or power profiles). There are definitely trade offs, but for me personally it's the best solution I've come across for picking out a game at random, pushing install, and playing it.

Currently I'm playing through Kingdom Hearts 1 (not on Steam, somehow still an Epic exclusive) and it's been really great.
Geezus. I thought my Steam library of about 100 was nuts.
 

CrustyBritches

Gold Member
DeckHD preview via Reddit:


TakiMaki_YT
OP·7 hr. ago
Starry

"Not available in your country"
The purple device is using DeckHD.
I spent the last month testing the DeckHD mod and the various configurations that the team created for their display. If you were thinking of doing this mod yourself, I have some advice that might help you. I can also try to answer any questions that people have.
General Stuff
This mod is pretty involved, so you should plan on the entire thing taking about an hour to complete. The kit comes with a suction cup that is better than the ones that I’ve seen in some of the shell mod kits, but there are better suction cups that you can buy that would make the entire process way easier to do. They priced this at $99 (without discounts) and it comes with the same surface type as the 512GB Deck. This puts their kit in the same league as the official kit from Ifixit, but that kit comes with slightly better tools. It is a good idea to update to BIOS 116 before you think about doing this mod, especially if you have a Deck that uses an unsupported BIOS (114).
The Good
The upgraded screen does improve color accuracy within 1% of their advertised specification. In a random selection of games that I picked, there were many instances of colors that were completely absent from the stock Deck that are visible on DeckHD. These colors are usually purple or magenta since those are the least accurate colors on the Steam Deck screen. Other colors that improve are green & blue (to a smaller extent) and red. Overall, the color accuracy increased by about 16%. Their original marketing material had this value in the 25% region.
Every feature of the Steam Deck screen fully works on DeckHD, including changing the refresh rate down to 40Hz. I didn’t notice any screen flickering issues changing the refresh rate or the brightness. The minimum brightness level is also exactly the same as it is on stock.
The Deck does have the ability to play demanding games at 1200p, and you aren’t limited to very old games for this. As a general rule of thumb, most modern games that run near 40-50 FPS at 800p will be around 30FPS with this panel. If you don’t want to use the added resolution, you can just stick with 800p as the default setting for all titles.
The Not So Good
This mod requires the use of a custom BIOS to function. This BIOS is installed by the user in desktop mode. The team hopes that they will eventually get official support from Valve, but it’s better to view that as something that will never happen. BIOS updates don’t hit the Deck that often, but you’d need to hope that the company continues to push out modified BIOS updates going forward. I would hope they would open source the changes that they need to make to the BIOS so this could be done by the community if the company drops support for this screen in the future.
The color temperature of the new screen is not the same as the Deck. It’s significantly warmer. If you look at a white picture on the Deck and that color looks “normal” to you, then this screen will seem a little strange until you get used to it. If white colors look too cool for you on your Deck, then this screen will be an upgrade.
The maximum brightness of the current retail screen configuration is -100 nits from the stock Deck. This is about 75% brightness on stock, so you can use that setting on your own Deck to see how it would be.
The screen uses about .5W-1W of additional power and it also generates slightly more heat on the right side. This could be the result of many things, but it’s important to note that the back of the screen does not have a full sheet of thermal film like the stock screen.
There are occasional times when you’ll wake the screen up and the entire screen will be white. To fix this, you just have to sleep the device and wake it back up again. No idea if this can be fixed long-term, but it is very rare when it does happen (I’ve only seen it a few times in the last month).
Finally, they do have another configuration that is not as warm as the retail version. That one has almost the same color temperature as the stock screen, but it comes with much higher brightness and better contrast. Some things won’t look like they are a direct upgrade over the stock screen due to the RGB balance, but it is a more obvious direct upgrade over the stock screen without looking strange. They have that configuration, but I don’t know how others would get it.

I was thinking about doing this upgrade when along with a shell swap to emerald green. The comparison images aren't the best, but the difference isn't significant from what I can see. The part that worries me a bit is that the max brightness is lower than the default Deck screen. He says about 75%. The vast majority of the time that's where I play, but in a car, outside, or near large windows it's necessary to have the highest possible screen brightness to see correctly.

He said in another comment that it's releasing next week. I'll have to see some more reviews and think about it.
 
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CrustyBritches

Gold Member
Should I play switch games on the deck with Yuzu or stream them from my pc with Moonlight. I'm looking to play through Metriod Dread
Yuzu works well with a lot of games. You’ll want to make sure you have Decky Loader and Power Tools. I usually turn SMT ‘Off’, lock the CPU to 3.5GHz, and then lock the GPU to the lowest frequency it will take(for Odyssey it was 1200MHz). The CPU stuff is the important part. Mario Odyssey is the only game I have extensive experience with since most of the other games I’ve played are also on WiiU/Cemu.
 

CrustyBritches

Gold Member
I also think while the ally is more powerful the gap isn’t big enough for it to be a real replacement if you already got the deck
That's how I see it. There was an 'Excellent' condition used Ally at my local Best Buy for $615, and I almost pulled the trigger on it, but then I thought what the fuck am I really getting out of this over what I already have on Deck for that amount. I love my Deck too much to sell it, and then I'd be in a weird position where I'm playing on my Deck more than the Ally. I couldn't justify that.
 

Kenpachii

Member
Bought sea of thieves, runs great on it, run it on w11 tho. played with a buddy around the 40-60 fps at low settings, could push up to medium but will feel a bit sluggish then with a mouse as 30's are often happening then.

Fun game for sure.
 

64bitmodels

Reverse groomer.
I also think while the ally is more powerful the gap isn’t big enough for it to be a real replacement if you already got the deck
The ally's power is best used in emulation. that thing handles 360 and ps3 emulation like a champ where as the Deck struggles. However, many 360 and Ps3 games can be played on PC quite well so you'd really only be holding on for the few exclusives that never made it out of 7th gen, like Ratchet and Clank ACIT, Sonic Unleashed, or MGS4. Not worth the extra 300 dollars over the price of a 64gb imo
Especially with how cheap the Deck is, it's far easier to justify a 399/320 purchase than a 700 dollar one, IMO
 
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