Recently, I ran two different polls to find out how people with a Steam Deck used their device (or if they didn't much) and the results are out now.
The key thing about the Steam Deck, is that while it is a handheld it's also a full Linux PC with a desktop mode. Many docks are available for it from different brands now and even the official Docking Station from Valve is out and has been for about a month now.
So I was keen to find out how what percentage of people actually used it mainly docked, partly also because I use now the vast majority of my time with it docked. Turns out, not a whole lot of other people do.
From over 4,000 votes on our YouTube Channel:
While on our Twitter from over 1,000 votes paints a very similar picture.
What a shock, over 70% of people using a handheld use it as a handheld. I know, it's not breaking news but I found it interesting, because of how much I use it docked myself and how I've seen a lot of comments of others doing the same. Turns out though, it's a really small amount of people overall.
I suppose it didn't help that the docked experience wasn't great at release, and it still has plenty of issues now, like I noted in my article on the official Docking Station not always displaying on my TV.
Another bit I wanted to highlight, was a really interesting comment on the GOL YouTube Channel about this from user "MechanicalMonk", which I can't link to as the original poll was removed to add an extra missed option. Anyway, they mentioned that people buying the Switch would have done so anyway because it's Nintendo and many people use it exclusively docked as it just happens to be a handheld (although, there is the newer handheld-only Lite). On the other hand, people would have been far less likely to buy the Steam Deck if it wasn't a handheld and so it favours that. Just an interesting thought.
What do you think? How do you use it?
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
Quoting: Arale-senpaiI use it in handheld all the time, but am planning on buying a dock to make desktop mode easier to use. Also desktop mode is absolute garbage for being a Linux distro, but at least it's not Manjaro.
Hopefully the KDE update in the next major SteamOS update will fix some things.
Dualboot, VMs and DistroBox also help a lot. No one can keep you from booting into your favorite distro when docked :)
Quoting: HohlraumOne metric I'd be curious about is how many people aren't using the SD controls themselves and instead opt for an external controller. I have hundreds of hours on my SD now and I'll bet I've spent less than 3 hrs total actually holding the thing. I would be perfectly happy if a tablet FF SD was released that relied entirely on external (or detachable) controls.
Detachable like the Switch. I'm mostly into that because it's a lot easier to be the ultimate of lazy by lying on your side in bed whitg a controller split in two parts to free your hands from being tethered together. I can have one arm propping up my pillow while the other arm is tucked at my side. Maximum laziness.
Quoting: HohlraumOne metric I'd be curious about is how many people aren't using the SD controls themselves and instead opt for an external controller. I have hundreds of hours on my SD now and I'll bet I've spent less than 3 hrs total actually holding the thing. I would be perfectly happy if a tablet FF SD was released that relied entirely on external (or detachable) controls.
I own a Steam Controller, but didn't even try to connect it as I'm fully happy with the built-in controls.
Quoting: constSame for me. I'm playing 100% in handheld mode because I love the controls, especially the gyro...Quoting: HohlraumOne metric I'd be curious about is how many people aren't using the SD controls themselves and instead opt for an external controller. I have hundreds of hours on my SD now and I'll bet I've spent less than 3 hrs total actually holding the thing. I would be perfectly happy if a tablet FF SD was released that relied entirely on external (or detachable) controls.
SteamController2 would certainly help me use it docked more often.
Controls are what makes me use it as a handheld most of the time.
Of course I can create a similar controller setup with a PS4 controller (which also has a gyro) on my Desktop PC, but for some reason that does not feel nearly as good as on the Steam Deck. Maybe it's because of of the weight or the width of the Steam Deck, I don't know.
So, Valve, if you ever do a Steam Controller 2, please put some weight and width (and rumble) to it!
hardpenguin 8 Nov, 2022
Quoting: EikeQuoting: HohlraumOne metric I'd be curious about is how many people aren't using the SD controls themselves and instead opt for an external controller. I have hundreds of hours on my SD now and I'll bet I've spent less than 3 hrs total actually holding the thing. I would be perfectly happy if a tablet FF SD was released that relied entirely on external (or detachable) controls.
I own a Steam Controller, but didn't even try to connect it as I'm fully happy with the built-in controls.
While most people who have both prefer the touchpads of the first SteamController, Deck has just the better overall control package. I sometimes played with my SteamControllers and a docked Deck. Almost everytime I wished for a SteamController 2 :D
Quoting: hardpenguinI am using it as the hidden means of furthering Linux gaming so I can play more games on my desktop PC 😂Seems like your plan is working.
Might be because my once super fancy desktop is very outdated by now, but the Deck has become my goto gaming device. I simply enjoy gaming with it.
*See Rabbit phones ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabbit_(telecommunications) ) versus GSM mobile-phones for a good example of that - driving around to find the few locations where one could make outgoing calls (and only outgoing calls) was not nearly as convenient as having a device which worked anywhere, and could send and receive both calls and text-messages.
Last edited by Pengling on 8 November 2022 at 10:54 am UTC
Arale-senpai 10 Nov, 2022
Quoting: constLate reply, sorry. I've been using a (technically patched) method for installing packages to a local folder, but it's a pain to manage since you have to manually uninstall them, and can't build most things from AUR automatically (even though I'm literally using yay). Distrobox may be more convenient, but I'm guessing that wouldn't mesh well with the native packages (have to run apps through the box if a packages is needed?). It also wouldn't be as space efficient, since I'm always at low space due to having a 64 GB model.Quoting: Arale-senpaiI use it in handheld all the time, but am planning on buying a dock to make desktop mode easier to use. Also desktop mode is absolute garbage for being a Linux distro, but at least it's not Manjaro.
Hopefully the KDE update in the next major SteamOS update will fix some things.
Dualboot, VMs and DistroBox also help a lot. No one can keep you from booting into your favorite distro when docked :)
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