The Steam Deck is an incredible machine capable of playing countless games without much issue, at least it did when it first came out. Now that the system has been out for a few years, its power suddenly doesn’t seem that impressive, especially compared to the ROG Ally X or Lenovo Legion Go.
While the system will continue to be a strong one, potentially matching Nintendo’s Switch 2, it’s clear that Valve’s Steam Deck is showing its age. It’s still an incredible machine that can play a ton of video games, but as modern titles increase in power, this PC handheld continues to look weaker.
Fans started feeling this way when games like Final Fantasy 16 couldn’t run properly on the handheld. Granted, this was a PS5 port, and the game is still pretty demanding for powerful computers, but fans were still disappointed. Some of that disappointment continued when Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 was also ported to PC and ran really poorly on Deck.
It was only a matter of time before the Deck’s power was tested, but this is still pretty disappointing. Granted, this is still really impressive for a handheld gaming system, but it’s easy to see why some PC players are going for stronger systems now.
Even games that can run properly on Steam Deck need a few compromises. Some devs already have them in mind, making “Steam Deck” graphics settings that most fans will appreciate. Usually, fans will have to set the game to medium or low, which can lead to mixed results.
One aspect that’s not as controversial is having to make the game run at 30 FPS. While this was a major talking point before, some fans have accepted that 30 FPS is very playable and won’t ruin gameplay for anyone. There are PC snobs here and there who insist that games have to be 60 FPS, but this is far from the worst setting.
Although fans are probably thinking of ditching the Steam Deck, there are plenty of reasons to keep this acclaimed system. For one thing, it can still play a ton of great PC games, even at low graphics settings. The battery life is also pretty good, and Steam OS is incredibly gamer-friendly, especially when compared to ROG and Lenovo’s efforts.
This system is also an emulation monster, playing PS2, GameCube, Wii, PSP, Nintendo Switch, and so much more. Fans thinking of upgrading to a stronger PC handheld can always keep this as an emulation machine.
Yes, the Steam Deck is showing its age, and we might need a follow-up system very soon. Still, fans shouldn’t be ashamed of the system, and it’s still really great to use.