Steam Deck

Steam Deck Review: A Amazing Portable Console I Never Use

About a year ago, I finally got myself the Steam Deck. I’ve always wanted one, so I ended up purchasing the 256GB version for $399.99.

Before we go over why I never use it, we should go over the specifications. The model I bought has a 1280 x 800 LCD display with a 60Hz refresh rate. It also uses Wi-Fi 5, and has a 40Whr battery which lasts between 2-8 hours. Of course, battery life also depends on what your playing. You can also pair a controller with it, our choice is the Steelseries Stratus Duo.

In terms of processing power, the Steam deck uses a custom APU, which uses a Zen 2 CPU. The GPU is a 8 RDNA 2 CU’s, clocking in at 1.5Ghz. I’ve thrown everything from Stardew Vallley and Diablo IV into this, and performance has never been an issue.

The buttons feel great. While the deck might seem a bit big, you will get used to it. Gameplay controls include your standard A B X Y buttons, in addition to a D-Pad, analog triggers, bumpers, menu buttons, and even 4 assignable grip buttons. You also get a touchscreen, which I don’t think I’ve ever used outside the menus.

So, why don’t I hardly touch this? It all comes down to being a PC Gamer. When I play my games, I just end up using my computer. Like every other gamer, we have thousands of dollars built into our setup. Heck, I can even hook up a HDMI cable and use it on the TV. For some reason, I just don’t use it.

However, that doesn’t mean the Steam deck is a bad portable console. It’s the best one I’ve ever owned. I can play my entire steam library, and even use other Steam features such as messaging friends and the store. If you are looking for a portable console, I would definitely recommend it. Mine just gathers dust, sadly.