Recently a bunch of people from other sites went to Valve's offices for some hands-on time with the Steam Deck and it seems the overall impression was pretty positive.
Like a lot of others, we're in the waiting line for whenever our unit ships early next year so we're currently going by whatever info Valve give out and by what other lucky people think after testing. Obviously Valve are going with the top few PC gaming sites / video content creators to make as big a splash as possible, they're certainly doing massively better on pushing it this time compared with the Steam Machines. With that in mind, we do have a few videos to show from others.
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From what's been shown, I'm pretty glad our unit has been reserved at the top-end for the anti-glare etched glass which very clearly makes quite a noticeable difference.
Plenty of comparisons between the Steam Deck and the Nintendo Switch for obvious reasons, with the Deck being a good bit bigger. From the comments it seems it doesn't actually feel as heavy as expected and is pretty comfortable, so at least on the design Valve has done well. Multiple people noted how much nicer the thumbsticks are compared with the Nintendo Switch too, which is a good sign because those are pretty bad.
Nice to see the KDE Plasma desktop mode working well too , with Linus Tech Tips showing how smoothly it popped up when plugging it into a monitor. That is, I think, going to be very fun to see more users and developers interact with a proper Linux desktop and since it seems to "just work" that's another mark in its favour.
Good to see so much positivity around it! Although, each person only got a somewhat limited amount of time, the real test will be regular gamers spending days with it. It's also worth noting that these are still early units in testing so considering none of the software is final yet - it's all a good sign on how much people enjoyed using them.
There's a few more you can find around and it seems when PC Gamer spoke to Valve, they confirmed that there will be some new API that developers will be able to hook into that will tell games if they're being run on the Steam Deck. That sounds really good, as at least then developers can ensure their game will look good on the smaller screen, and gives developers a chance to set some automatic graphics settings for the best experience.
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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Quoting: LoftyQuoting: CatKillerI expect those videos to end with "Windows on this device kinda sucks."
why ? i mean watching this bit of the steamdeck hands on they state that the new UI is coming to windows shortly after. All things being equal the performance and compatibility should be higher on windows. I don't expect a mountain of people to do this honestly. But maybe when the novelty of using steamOS wears out perhaps.
https://youtu.be/jb6OWxORfY0?t=502
Quoting: CatKillerBut if people install Windows on it and genuinely prefer it, good for them. That's exactly what I'd want for installing Linux on all my computers. If it turns out that Valve haven't made Linux gaming compelling enough for the masses, so their customers are going to go through the hassle of installing fresh Windows on a device that comes with a different OS, then they aren't safe from Microsoft and they need to Linux harder.
Sure. At that point im not sure what more valve could do anyway for those kinds of people. Some people are just never going to compromise on absolute performance and compatibility by running Linux.
I remember a thread on a windows centered forum a year or so back when proton was really taking off, some news articles were dropping and the conversation got onto how far Linux had come, people were impressed for sure but even then the consensus was that if there was even a less than 5% drop in performance no matter how much freer, secure and private Linux was they would not switch. Not to mention the lack of other game stores (although im sure that's something that can be improved if this thing takes off)
I do like the idea that the deck(linux) gets the UI first at least but there has to be some reason to use the deck other than technical inability or laziness over installing windows+steam.
For performance side, can help that Valve know specific hardware? So Everything (kernel, wine,...) can be built for ZEN2? It's not great benefit to performance, but in some games is wine equal and rerly better then Windows even now.
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Quoting: CatKillerQuoting: Loftywhy ?
People have been trying to replicate the rough performance of the Steam Deck on existing hardware. When they've done so, they've found that using Linux gives better performance than using Windows.
I think it will be close between the two systems. No normal user has the hardware available just yet to test side by side. I think in some cases Linux will definitely be faster, but time will tell. Perhaps Valves work with AMD to improve efficiency will help but wouldn't they just release those driver improvements on windows too.
Quoting: CatKillerThe review of the Onexplayer suggested that the Windows interface just wasn't that great without a keyboard and mouse.
As just linked direct from Valve HQ, the exact same UI experience is coming to Windows 11 on the Steamdeck™. And im sure a scaled version of this is to arrive on Desktop/laptop and for BPM to be discontinued. Within 6 or so months of it's release there will be little to nothing to visually differentiate between a Steamdeck™ on Windows and Linux. you have said that's a good thing. But that's a matter of opinion depending on the idea of generating Linux exclusivity as a treat to keep people on the system.
Quoting: CatKillerWindows updates are apparently brutal.
Slow internet user here. So are frequent Arch Linux updates. So are continually refreshing, hundreds of MB Vulkan shaders updates for every game.
Quoting: CatKillerUntil they do whatever it is, they're essentially a Microsoft subsidiary.
Pre-installed Linux gaming is the product here, and the hardware is just the delivery vehicle. If Microsoft pulled the plug on them, for whatever reason, Valve need to find a way to keep their customers; that's their driving motivation.
Yes of course and that can be done without Linux ultimately. They would have to buddy upto MS, pay a toll or try for native linux ports again (wait that's already been tried.) Or maybe move to a cloud streaming model.
Who knows how aggressive MS will be about proton and Windows 'emulation' in future, they have the power to make a new APi (DX13) that everyone uses and takes months to be compatible with proton. Im okay with playing a vast library of Native,DX11.DX12 games but those people who might be from a Windows or even console background might be scratching their heads a bit.
I don't expect Microsoft to be as petty as this though.
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Quoting: Alm888Quoting: ArtenI don't think that windows game runing under proton can access linux filesystem.It can (by default root directory is mounted as Z: drive). So a Linux-aware Windows virus can access ones "host" filesystem and, let's say, encrypt all the files it can grab.
WINE developers warn everybody: WINE is NOT a sandbox!
Thanks for info, i missed it.
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Quoting: Alm888Quoting: whizseWrong!Quoting: F.UltraWell to be honest in order to fulfil "that will tell games if they're being run on the Steam Deck" that API could be just /etc/os-release :-)Z:\\etc\os-release
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Wine\Version
Quoting: ArtenI don't think that windows game runing under proton can access linux filesystem.It can (by default root directory is mounted as Z: drive). So a Linux-aware Windows virus can access ones "host" filesystem and, let's say, encrypt all the files it can grab.
WINE developers warn everybody: WINE is NOT a sandbox!
Does running Steam via Flatpak improve the situation ? What about Steam Linux Runtime, they are containerized games are they not ?
I think one of the great things about the steamdeck and SteamOS3.0 in general is the ability to run this as a separate OS where you don't also have all your personal files stored, perhaps either as a dual boot, isolated login or on a completely separate device.
The Steam client isn't exactly a model of privacy in itself by nature. There has been an increasing feature creep for for a while now. It's basically a glorified Discord with full system remote control access, audio & video desktop broadcast output. depending on what features you turn off. Im happy to use a steamOS device separately from my main PC be that a Steamdeck , SteamOS-3.0 console build.
Last edited by Lofty on 8 August 2021 at 12:19 am UTC
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Quoting: LoftyFor one, because if you install Windows, and then install Steam's "new big picture == same interface as the Deck" on it, every time you start the device you'll still be booting into Windows and only then using your controller stuff (which Windows is not intended for) to start Steam. It'd be a pain.Quoting: CatKillerI expect those videos to end with "Windows on this device kinda sucks."
why ?
Keeping SteamOS on, you boot and your games are right there.
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TheRiddick Aug 8, 2021
My might get a steam deck, and turn it into a stream deck with OBS and soundux or something... hehe
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Quoting: LoftyWho knows how aggressive MS will be about proton and Windows 'emulation' in future, they have the power to make a new APi (DX13) that everyone uses and takes months to be compatible with proton. Im okay with playing a vast library of Native,DX11.DX12 games but those people who might be from a Windows or even console background might be scratching their heads a bit.Microsoft has certainly always in the past been as petty as this. But that wouldn't IMO be a huge issue. It would take some time to get people to start using their fancy new DX13. It took years before there were noticeable amounts of games running DX12, and everyone agreed that DX12 was a thing that had a good reason to exist, for similar reasons to why Vulkan needed to exist. With the momentum Proton, DXVK etc. have currently (and the strength of Valve's motivation), they could probably get a DX13-->Vulkan thingie going before there was even any appreciable uptake. Particularly because developers would probably not be all that receptive to a DX13 basically just created to nobble the competition, and because if it was a rush job done for that reason it would probably suck.
I don't expect Microsoft to be as petty as this though.
They might get quicker uptake if it was really just DX12 version 1.2 with a few little jingle bells stuck to it . . . but then it would be really easy for Proton to adjust to it.
In general, I think it's at least as difficult for Microsoft to move the target, as it is for Valve to adjust their aim.
Last edited by Purple Library Guy on 8 August 2021 at 1:12 am UTC
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Quoting: Purple Library GuyQuoting: LoftyFor one, because if you install Windows, and then install Steam's "new big picture == same interface as the Deck" on it, every time you start the device you'll still be booting into Windows and only then using your controller stuff (which Windows is not intended for) to start Steam. It'd be a pain.Quoting: CatKillerI expect those videos to end with "Windows on this device kinda sucks."
why ?
Keeping SteamOS on, you boot and your games are right there.
There is already an option to start up Steam when you log in and also to start Steam in big picture mode (obviously will be changed to whatever the new mode is called). So all the user has to do is set those two settings the first time and then they are good to go after that.
Also, it has a touch screen and two touchpads so navigating a UI shouldn't be difficult.
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Quoting: KohlyKohlReally? I had no idea. Well, scratch that point then.Quoting: Purple Library GuyQuoting: LoftyFor one, because if you install Windows, and then install Steam's "new big picture == same interface as the Deck" on it, every time you start the device you'll still be booting into Windows and only then using your controller stuff (which Windows is not intended for) to start Steam. It'd be a pain.Quoting: CatKillerI expect those videos to end with "Windows on this device kinda sucks."
why ?
Keeping SteamOS on, you boot and your games are right there.
There is already an option to start up Steam when you log in and also to start Steam in big picture mode (obviously will be changed to whatever the new mode is called).
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Quoting: Purple Library GuyQuoting: LoftyFor one, because if you install Windows, and then install Steam's "new big picture == same interface as the Deck" on it, every time you start the device you'll still be booting into Windows and only then using your controller stuff (which Windows is not intended for) to start Steam. It'd be a pain.Quoting: CatKillerI expect those videos to end with "Windows on this device kinda sucks."
why ?
Keeping SteamOS on, you boot and your games are right there.
A truly minor inconvenience for those few committed to running Windows. If they have installed windows on the steam deck, they can probably manage to click using the built in mouse on a large steam icon on the desktop that boots directly into big picture mode. Heck, why am i even saying click ? they can touchscreen the icon and automatically boot into big picture mode (or whatever it is to be called) it could not be easier. (im assuming you know that booting into BP mode is an option in Steam).
It's actually possible to boot directly into steam on boot in windows too just like the Linux steamos/compmgr session login option on Linux. That doesn't require much tinkering but if someone is running windows on the Steamdeck then they probably want to be able to tap to launch all the other stores too so will probably just resort to pressing their finger on the icon. It might be better on Linux if Valve have found a nice way of using the EA/Origin client without needing to goto desktop to run the respective 3rd Party clients and all the trouble was removed from this process just like on console. That would be slicker than windows without a doubt.
I didn't say it would be better but that's a price those dedicated to windows will happily do in order to run a wider catalogue of games and software at potentially better performance. I don't expect too many people to do this initially at least.
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