With the popularity of handheld gaming on the rise, gamers have historically seen very few options with portable gaming, with only the Nintendo Switch availa...
Do you use it hand held? I ask because I’ve had a Switch for years and I’ve used it hand held like three times. I’m interested in how the Steam Deck performs ‘docked’.
Works exactly like you’d expect. Plug it in and keep playing. I use a ps5 controller, no issues. No performance changes as nothing is throttled when you play it in handheld mode
First, all games will default to the Deck’s output resolution. You need to go to the game’s settings before launching to set the resolution to match the TV’s.
Since running a game at a higher resolution hurts performance, you’ll usually get worse performance docked than handheld unless you’re ok with using a lower resolution intentionally.
There are various issues with external controllers. Here are a few that I’ve had personally:
PS5 controller developing input lag over the course of an hour. Need to disconnect and reconnect.
Double inputs caused by Steam Input happening on top of a game’s built-in input
Some games not correctly interpreting multiple controllers because the Deck’s controls still register as a controller while docked
Some games like Stardew Valley not accepting controller input without going into settings and reordering
Not reconnecting to Bluetooth controllers automatically, needing to go to settings and manually connect (for some reason this doesn’t happen with Xbox controllers for me)
Unrelated to controllers, there are some other dock issues:
Constant audio buzzing and disconnect while docked. Need to enable Developer mode and change a setting to fix.
Severe UI slowdown while docked.
These are all with the official Steam dock. So yeah, it’s not the seamless Switch-like experience a lot of Deck users pretend it is.
I don’t doubt you. I haven’t personally had any of those problems except fixing the resolution. I use Xbox clone controllers.
I don’t use the official dock, just one of the dozen random USB-C docks running around my house. My Deck is mostly stock, except for an SSD upgrade. I used to dock it about a third of the time I played it but now I’ve got a mini PC running HoloISO connected to the TV to play games remotely from my rig if I want to play on the big screen (I’m too lazy to walk over and dock it and someone who will remain nameless borrows the deck from time to time). HoloISO hasn’t shown any of the problems either.
Luck of the draw, I guess.
Edit: removed the line about it being dead stock because I wasn’t thinking about my SSD upgrade when I wrote it. I addressed it elsewhere anyway.
Interested in this exact setup. Would you mind telling more about your setup? Which model mini pc do you use? And I assume you stream via steam link? Any issues with the resolution or lag? Any issues with HoloISO? Thanks in advance!
Ah, I did hear of them, thanks for reminding me. Good to see that there are options, though it would be nice if Steam would release SteamOS as an official flavor.
I wouldn’t call the second half of August “a long time”. However, I can say Chimera is pretty good and prior to August the last big release of HoloISO was last year so I do get your point and agree with you steering others to distros that may better meet their needs.
Sure! It’s the Beelink with the 5500u. I am using steam link and everything is wired. No resolution problems, but I do have about one stuttering issue a week for a second or two. At 4k I had alignment problems that didn’t make sense (everything was shifted 3 inches to the left) but my eyes aren’t great so 1080p fine for me. Moonlight would probably fix it but I’m lazy.
HoloISO has been great. I had a Bluetooth issue where it wouldn’t come back from sleep, but there was a setting I added in desktop mode that took about 3 minutes that fixed it right up. I use Xbox clone controllers or my old stadia controllers that I’ve set up for Bluetooth depending on what’s closest (did I mention I’m lazy?).
Ask questions and I’ll answer. I like talking about my setup.
Ask questions and I’ll answer. I like talking about my setup.
Don’t mind if I do :) This might be a dumb question, but if you’re going to be streaming anyway, why not just use the latest gen Apple TV with ethernet and the Steam Link app? I’m assuming the interface / experience is just better, but are there other considerations? Thanks!
It’s great docked, except for an audio bug in Linux that causes some occasional minor (but annoying and concentration-breaking) static sounds while outputting over HDMI. It comes and goes on its own.
The bug is acknowledged by Valve, and it’s (to the best of my understanding) not something specific to the Steam Deck. Supposedly it’s being worked on, but no fix yet.
Once fixed, the Deck will be nearly perfect in my eyes.
I also experience audio dropouts. Not very common, but they do happen.
There is inherently more “fiddling” with the Deck overall compared to the Switch, which I believe is unavoidable. You aren’t playing games designed only to run on one locked down device. You are running games designed to run on PCs of just about any era. Upside, you could be running emulators, games or programs from sources other than Steam, even a Word Processor. Downside, it differs require a little more knowledge and fiddling.
Having said that, if you stick to game mode and games rated as great on the Steam Deck through Steam, your experience will come very close to the Switch for ease of use, with an arguably larger library.
Yeah, more horsepower can’t beat being able to play from an airplane!
It’s the perfect balance, I used to love my switch but this is a lot better while retaining 90% of the portability. And the key thing - it’s not better only in terms of performance (graphics), but in terms of compatibility: it will take most of the games available on switch, either natively as pc versions or through emulation. But also a truly vast array that goes from Sega’s sonic adventure to cyberpunk2077 or Starfield. It’s awesome.
The SteamDeck is my favorite purchase of last year.
Literally the best PC I’ve ever owned.
Yep, at the end of the day it’s so much nicer to lay in bed to play vs. sit at my PC desk. I play so much more of my backlog now.
Do you use it hand held? I ask because I’ve had a Switch for years and I’ve used it hand held like three times. I’m interested in how the Steam Deck performs ‘docked’.
Works exactly like you’d expect. Plug it in and keep playing. I use a ps5 controller, no issues. No performance changes as nothing is throttled when you play it in handheld mode
Nice. Thanks
That dude left out a couple negatives.
First, all games will default to the Deck’s output resolution. You need to go to the game’s settings before launching to set the resolution to match the TV’s.
Since running a game at a higher resolution hurts performance, you’ll usually get worse performance docked than handheld unless you’re ok with using a lower resolution intentionally.
There are various issues with external controllers. Here are a few that I’ve had personally:
PS5 controller developing input lag over the course of an hour. Need to disconnect and reconnect.
Double inputs caused by Steam Input happening on top of a game’s built-in input
Some games not correctly interpreting multiple controllers because the Deck’s controls still register as a controller while docked
Some games like Stardew Valley not accepting controller input without going into settings and reordering
Not reconnecting to Bluetooth controllers automatically, needing to go to settings and manually connect (for some reason this doesn’t happen with Xbox controllers for me)
Unrelated to controllers, there are some other dock issues:
Constant audio buzzing and disconnect while docked. Need to enable Developer mode and change a setting to fix.
Severe UI slowdown while docked.
These are all with the official Steam dock. So yeah, it’s not the seamless Switch-like experience a lot of Deck users pretend it is.
I don’t doubt you. I haven’t personally had any of those problems except fixing the resolution. I use Xbox clone controllers.
I don’t use the official dock, just one of the dozen random USB-C docks running around my house. My Deck is mostly stock, except for an SSD upgrade. I used to dock it about a third of the time I played it but now I’ve got a mini PC running HoloISO connected to the TV to play games remotely from my rig if I want to play on the big screen (I’m too lazy to walk over and dock it and someone who will remain nameless borrows the deck from time to time). HoloISO hasn’t shown any of the problems either.
Luck of the draw, I guess.
Edit: removed the line about it being dead stock because I wasn’t thinking about my SSD upgrade when I wrote it. I addressed it elsewhere anyway.
Does the dock need to have power pass through or is there a dedicated charging port?
And can it be used like a steam link to stream from a desktop on the same network at higher resolutions?
The dock/hub should have power pass through. Both my inexpensive Amazon hub and my Jsaux hub have this though. There is only the one USB C port.
You can use Steam Link, but I’ve never done so. My desktops are old and/or low spec, so I’ve never bothered.
The other comment answered your power question so I’ll skip it.
Steam link works. It wasn’t great over wireless for me but others have had success. I’ve got my house wired in every room.
Interested in this exact setup. Would you mind telling more about your setup? Which model mini pc do you use? And I assume you stream via steam link? Any issues with the resolution or lag? Any issues with HoloISO? Thanks in advance!
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Ah, I did hear of them, thanks for reminding me. Good to see that there are options, though it would be nice if Steam would release SteamOS as an official flavor.
I wouldn’t call the second half of August “a long time”. However, I can say Chimera is pretty good and prior to August the last big release of HoloISO was last year so I do get your point and agree with you steering others to distros that may better meet their needs.
Sure! It’s the Beelink with the 5500u. I am using steam link and everything is wired. No resolution problems, but I do have about one stuttering issue a week for a second or two. At 4k I had alignment problems that didn’t make sense (everything was shifted 3 inches to the left) but my eyes aren’t great so 1080p fine for me. Moonlight would probably fix it but I’m lazy.
HoloISO has been great. I had a Bluetooth issue where it wouldn’t come back from sleep, but there was a setting I added in desktop mode that took about 3 minutes that fixed it right up. I use Xbox clone controllers or my old stadia controllers that I’ve set up for Bluetooth depending on what’s closest (did I mention I’m lazy?).
Ask questions and I’ll answer. I like talking about my setup.
Don’t mind if I do :) This might be a dumb question, but if you’re going to be streaming anyway, why not just use the latest gen Apple TV with ethernet and the Steam Link app? I’m assuming the interface / experience is just better, but are there other considerations? Thanks!
What’s the setting? I have this issue and the only thing I found online is that it was a known problem to be fixed in a future update.
maybe enabme the beta channel, idk just guessing
What’s the general resolution that seems to work well?
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It’s great docked, except for an audio bug in Linux that causes some occasional minor (but annoying and concentration-breaking) static sounds while outputting over HDMI. It comes and goes on its own.
The bug is acknowledged by Valve, and it’s (to the best of my understanding) not something specific to the Steam Deck. Supposedly it’s being worked on, but no fix yet.
Once fixed, the Deck will be nearly perfect in my eyes.
I also experience audio dropouts. Not very common, but they do happen.
There is inherently more “fiddling” with the Deck overall compared to the Switch, which I believe is unavoidable. You aren’t playing games designed only to run on one locked down device. You are running games designed to run on PCs of just about any era. Upside, you could be running emulators, games or programs from sources other than Steam, even a Word Processor. Downside, it differs require a little more knowledge and fiddling.
Having said that, if you stick to game mode and games rated as great on the Steam Deck through Steam, your experience will come very close to the Switch for ease of use, with an arguably larger library.
I don’t have a switch but I only use my deck handheld. It works great IMO.
Ok?
Thanks for such an elaborate, thoughtful comment.
They did the opposite of answer the question. There was no point in thier reply.
I think it might be one of the best purchases I’ve ever made. It definitely doesn’t fit everyone’s use-case, but it fits mine very well!
Yeah, more horsepower can’t beat being able to play from an airplane!
It’s the perfect balance, I used to love my switch but this is a lot better while retaining 90% of the portability. And the key thing - it’s not better only in terms of performance (graphics), but in terms of compatibility: it will take most of the games available on switch, either natively as pc versions or through emulation. But also a truly vast array that goes from Sega’s sonic adventure to cyberpunk2077 or Starfield. It’s awesome.