Steam Machines return as the Steam Deck

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I see general excitement about the Steam Deck, but personally I can't see it as more than a gimmick. I got a switch and probably used it for a week or two, then I just haven't touched it in years.

It's kind of cool that you can theoretically use it as a laptop, but why not just use a proper laptop that's potentially way more powerful.

I guess it's not for me. I just don't game away from my pc/console. And if I really needed to game on the go, I'd just get a laptop.

Am I missing something? Is it just general hype that this is coming from Valve, and not some other random company?
 
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It's not the sort of thing that interests me in itself, and I think it's wait and see whether it catches on. My interest is in the fact that it's an open platform, not a locked-down walled-garden. I'd like to see that take off, and a lot of people could then get used to the freedom of an open source OS.
 
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I also like the fact it's an open platform, they don't do like Apple who closes everything.
Of course, we'll have to see if the drivers are open-source too.

Not the type of device I'd use personally, however.
 
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It looks to me like a some-what better version of a Switch. Heck, if you can do emails and browsing off it, I might even get one! If it can actually do the more complex games, people might latch onto this product as you'll not have to worry about graphic cards and other things, for the most part.
 
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I also like the fact it's an open platform, they don't do like Apple who closes everything.
Of course, we'll have to see if the drivers are open-source too.

Yeah, even if some of the drivers are binary blobs, it would still be a massive improvement on where we are today. People would be free to install whatever they want, other games stores, software for other purposes, and so on. Strip out anything they don't like. That's a big win, IMO.
 
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I think it would be great if a console-like platform like this caught on, based on an open system that isn't locked down, where you can install and modify whatever you like.

First - the Switch has sold about a billion units, so I think the basic concept is already well proven.

As for lock-down ... Steam isn't exactly open, is it? I think it is 'good enough' but the expectation of installing Epic Games Store on it seems somewhat hilarious to me. The primary goal of a Steam system HAS TO BE delivering a quality Steam gaming experience. Period. They can always say 'based on an open platform' because that sort of thing is an easy way to get the PC fanboys stirred up (someone already mentioned Apple, thereby proving my point).

Personally since I love the Switch, I went ahead and dropped my $5 'deposit' ... worth at least checking out.
 
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It sounds neat, but I can't game on a screen that small. $400 (cheapest version) for a 7" screen? Not for me.
 
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First - the Switch has sold about a billion units, so I think the basic concept is already well proven.

As for lock-down … Steam isn't exactly open, is it? I think it is 'good enough' but the expectation of installing Epic Games Store on it seems somewhat hilarious to me. The primary goal of a Steam system HAS TO BE delivering a quality Steam gaming experience. Period. They can always say 'based on an open platform' because that sort of thing is an easy way to get the PC fanboys stirred up (someone already mentioned Apple, thereby proving my point).

Personally since I love the Switch, I went ahead and dropped my $5 'deposit' … worth at least checking out.

I'm not quite sure why the expectation of installing other games stores on it is hilarious. They've already stated that you can, along with anything else. They've made it very clear that this is an AMD PC, just in a new form factor. It's not locked down in any way. It's running a Linux OS, that comes with a full desktop, and they've demonstrated it plugged into a keyboard mouse and monitor. The source code is on Github, if people want to modify and release modified community versions of the OS (which has already been done with a couple of custom versions of the current SteamOS.) You could install Windows on it if you really wanted to. They've also said that other companies can make their versions of the hardware. I'm not really sure how much more open it could be, and I think you've misunderstood their aims with this.

It's going to come setup around the Steam store, of course, but you could switch that off and use GOG only, if you so wished.
 
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Yeah I saw the advertisement on Steam and went..cough..switch clone.:biggrin:
 
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I'm not quite sure why the expectation of installing other games stores on it is hilarious. They've already stated that you can, along with anything else. They've made it very clear that this is an AMD PC, just in a new form factor. It's not locked down in any way. It's running a Linux OS, that comes with a full desktop, and they've demonstrated it plugged into a keyboard mouse and monitor. The source code is on Github, if people want to modify and release modified community versions of the OS (which has already been done with a couple of custom versions of the current SteamOS.) You could install Windows on it if you really wanted to. They've also said that other companies can make their versions of the hardware. I'm not really sure how much more open it could be, and I think you've misunderstood their aims with this.

It's going to come setup around the Steam store, of course, but you could switch that off and use GOG only, if you so wished.

I am hoping to be wrong, but I assume it is going to be more like Samsung's DeX - a Linux desktop option for their tablets and Note phones. Sure it works and I have loaded open source stuff into it ... but in order to ensure their device and user experience is protected, there are numerous limitations in what you can do and install.

I just find it hard to believe that they are going to put this out as a general purpose PC squeezed into a 7" screen with console controls. Again, I might be wrong ... but if I was Valve I wouldn't trust Epic, who continues to be a complete garbage company.
 
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I am hoping to be wrong, but I assume it is going to be more like Samsung's DeX - a Linux desktop option for their tablets and Note phones. Sure it works and I have loaded open source stuff into it … but in order to ensure their device and user experience is protected, there are numerous limitations in what you can do and install.

I just find it hard to believe that they are going to put this out as a general purpose PC squeezed into a 7" screen with console controls. Again, I might be wrong … but if I was Valve I wouldn't trust Epic, who continues to be a complete garbage company.

They've been absolutely crystal clear about it, so, assuming they're not lying (and I don't see much point), then a general purpose AMD PC squeezed in a 7" screen is exactly what it is. They've literally said that. We're not talking about some sort of mobile chipset with a Mickey Mouse desktop mode - it's a PC, and without those kinds of restrictions. The whole source code is available, so if the community didn't like any particular thing, they can release a modified version of the whole OS. Or a new one entirely.

Like Couch said, it's an obvious jump on the Switch bandwagon, but their whole pitch is pretty much, "Let's have the convenience of the consoles, but with the freedom and flexibility of a PC." I don't know if it will work out, but I like the idea.
 
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I just find it amazing a PC can actually get that small. This is something I dreamed about as a kid in the 90's and early 2000's but the technology just wasn't there yet.

Sure we had Game Boy, PSP, and then phones but they just weren't this powerful.
 
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Yeah, my first thought was that it reminded me of a Game Gear.

But, yep - according to them it's a full AMD Zen 2 quad-core, 8 thread board, with custom GPU and 16GB of RAM. Install what you like on it.
 
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Expensive, the NVMe looks like is build in, so it could be a special form factor just so we don't upgrade it and the battery seems weak (2 hours, yes I will not take serious the 8 hour claim since probable that is for iddle time)
 
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The tiny screen and trusting wi-fi is just something I don't think I'd tolerate. I don't know about others but I like a hard wire connection, I simply don't trust wi-fi, I tried it for almost a year while in Canada and it never seemed to function right. Once I went back to a solid connection, all my issues vanished so I've not tried wi-fi since then, and haven't missed it. And that tiny screen, even for simply checking emails I don't think it would suit me at all.
 
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The tiny screen and trusting wi-fi is just something I don't think I'd tolerate. I don't know about others but I like a hard wire connection, I simply don't trust wi-fi, I tried it for almost a year while in Canada and it never seemed to function right. Once I went back to a solid connection, all my issues vanished so I've not tried wi-fi since then, and haven't missed it. And that tiny screen, even for simply checking emails I don't think it would suit me at all.
I prefer a wire connection too, even with a laptop I'd usually fetch a cable instead of relying on wi-fi, even at home though I haven't had any issues with it there (my smartphone, however, always seems to be confused on which source to pick).

It's not so much an issue of trust, at least with recent protocols, but I don't feel it's necessary to produce more radiation than necessary, and the cable is just simpler and more reliable.
 
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I'd have thought a cable would be a bit annoying with this sort of device, but the advantage with it being a PC is that you could connect to a LAN cable through a USB-C adapter, if you wish.

If you have trouble with WiFi, I'd suggest looking at a mesh networking setup - a series of access points to cover all the zones in your home. You can buy them as a package quite reasonably. My parents house for some reason was horrible for wifi, but I put in a 4 point mesh setup, and it's rock solid everywhere now.
 
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I have the router imposed by the provider, and another router I reused to cover a part of the house which is "too far" (walls and ceiling) from the 1st. I admit networking is not my strong suit, but the main reason is I'm a bit lazy too ;) I'm sure I could configure the other router to act as a transparent wi-fi repeater but it usually works very well like it is now - just my smartphone which suddenly became stupid (it usually remains on the weaker of both signals, even if there's a huge difference).
 
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I just have my computer at a central point in my home, since that's the way I've functioned since the eighties, and it works well for me. Like, I don't have a telly, computer, or other devices save a clock in the bedroom, as to me that's a place to sleep, and likewise I've not any electronic gear on the porch, save for a portable stereo that I charge up to take out there. As long as my computer functions where I have it, all is copacetic.
 
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