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PayPalWell today is the big day. Valve has now formally revealed the Steam Deck, a portable handheld gaming console powered by a new version of their Linux-based SteamOS operating system.
"We think Steam Deck gives people another way to play the games they love on a high-performance device at a great price," says Valve founder Gabe Newell. "As a gamer, this is a product I've always wanted. And as a game developer, it's the mobile device I've always wanted for our partners."
Since it's based on Linux, we now know a big reason why Valve has been investing in Linux gaming with the likes of Steam Play Proton. It will play your Linux native titles, with support boosted by Proton. Not only that, Valve said "we're vastly improving Proton's game compatibility and support for anti-cheat solutions by working directly with the vendors". This is pretty amazing, as anti-cheat was the big missing piece. In their FAQ, they make it clear that they are working directly with BattlEye and EAC to get support for Proton.
Anti-cheat support is coming too! That's huge!
The new SteamOS has been optimized for handheld and touchscreen gaming, while it will also have a desktop mode for those who want it. SteamOS 3.0 is also being based upon Arch Linux, with the desktop mode being powered by KDE Plasma.
We also know why Valve has been heavily investing in AMD GPU drivers for Linux too now then. It's a custom APU they partnered with AMD on for Zen 2 + RDNA 2.
Quick specs:
- Powerful, custom APU developed with AMD
- Optimized for hand-held gaming
- Full-sized controls
- 7" touchscreen
- WiFi and Bluetooth ready
- USB-C port for accessories
- microSD slot for storage expansion
- 3 different storage options available
The Steam Deck will also have a dock, much like you see with the Nintendo Switch with more ports to play with like USB, wired networking and enabling external displays. More tech info can be seen here.
It's an open system too, since it's basically a PC in your hands. Valve said "you can install third party software and operating systems".
Valve also did a session with IGN where they answered some questions. IGN also has hands-on video to give a better look at the device.
Steam Deck starts at $399, with increased storage options available for $529 and $649. The two higher models have bigger storage space, plus the two higher models actually use an NVMe drive for faster loading time and the top end has an anti-glare screen too.
Reservations open July 16th at 10 AM PDT; shipping is slated to start in December 2021. Currently it's limited to United States, Canada, European Union, and the United Kingdom with more regions becoming available in 2022.
For developers, Valve put up a video overview:
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Direct Link
Direct Link
See more on the Steam Deck website and the Steam Deck store page.
Is this the holy grail of Linux gaming? Could be.
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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The comments on this article are closed.
Quoting: ShmerlQuoting: damarrinTo rain a little on everyone's parade (mine included), people on another gaming website I go to have been saying en masse how it's an instant Windows install for it to be even remotely useful. That's what the "general public" thinks, unfortunately :-(
I think realistically only a very tiny percentage of people are interested in installing OSes at all. And many of those who do, would prefer Linux. Regular user simply isn't interested or not even sure how to install an OS, no matter Linux or Windows. So I wouldn't worry about the above at all.
So if you want to analyze the "general public" - it's a major plus that device is coming with Linux preinstalled, because that's what they'll be using.
Yep. You want figures on roughly how many people will install a new O/S? How does roughly 1% sound?
Looking forward to hearing stories of people bricking their £500 toy trying to install Windows on it. The Win10 kernel is a bit better with some stuff these days, but it still needs drivers for a pretty high number of components. Basically installing Windows is much, much harder than installing Linux, even putting aside the 100Gb+ you need for it to actually work.
No thanks.
6 Likes, Who?
slaapliedje Jul 19, 2021
Quoting: fleskI would have reserved the medium model day one, but unfortunately it's not available in the EEA countries.Ha, I don't know a co-worker who owns a Tesla, demanded I post it somewhere. He rattled off something about it does driving correction and you basically only have to have your hands sort of touching the wheel or something. I was too busy reading specs on the steam deck or something else. Did think it was funny.
Quoting: slaapliedjeIt has been pointed out that the person driving the car in the image with the kid in the back seat at https://www.steamdeck.com/en/hardware is driving it wrong. That isn't how you drive a Tesla!
How so? I've only been driving a Tesla for a couple of weeks, but I can't tell what's wrong with the image.
EDIT: Assuming it's this image we're talking about: https://cdn.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/steamdeck/images/factorio-cover.jpg
That looks perfectly normal to me.
1 Likes, Who?
slaapliedje Jul 19, 2021
Quoting: scaineWould be hilarious if they didn't release drivers for it, and it ends up being how most people still view Linux (the hardware is lacking drivers, hard to use because resolution isn't right, etc).Quoting: ShmerlQuoting: damarrinTo rain a little on everyone's parade (mine included), people on another gaming website I go to have been saying en masse how it's an instant Windows install for it to be even remotely useful. That's what the "general public" thinks, unfortunately :-(
I think realistically only a very tiny percentage of people are interested in installing OSes at all. And many of those who do, would prefer Linux. Regular user simply isn't interested or not even sure how to install an OS, no matter Linux or Windows. So I wouldn't worry about the above at all.
So if you want to analyze the "general public" - it's a major plus that device is coming with Linux preinstalled, because that's what they'll be using.
Yep. You want figures on roughly how many people will install a new O/S? How does roughly 1% sound?
Looking forward to hearing stories of people bricking their £500 toy trying to install Windows on it. The Win10 kernel is a bit better with some stuff these days, but it still needs drivers for a pretty high number of components. Basically installing Windows is much, much harder than installing Linux, even putting aside the 100Gb+ you need for it to actually work.
No thanks.
Really hoping I get mine near my B-Day, that'd be sweet. I truly don't see most people installing Windows on this. There might be a small percentage of people that do. I honestly don't know why you would, unless someone thinks the game pass or whatever is worth it, but from my recollection, wasn't there a way to do that through Linux now anyhow?
2 Likes, Who?
Quoting: slaapliedjeWould be hilarious if they didn't release drivers for it, and it ends up being how most people still view Linux (the hardware is lacking drivers, hard to use because resolution isn't right, etc).Or if Microsoft needed to go get their bootloader signed by Valve so that it would work with Secure Boot.. .
8 Likes, Who?
Quoting: slaapliedjeQuoting: fleskI would have reserved the medium model day one, but unfortunately it's not available in the EEA countries.Ha, I don't know a co-worker who owns a Tesla, demanded I post it somewhere. He rattled off something about it does driving correction and you basically only have to have your hands sort of touching the wheel or something. I was too busy reading specs on the steam deck or something else. Did think it was funny.
Quoting: slaapliedjeIt has been pointed out that the person driving the car in the image with the kid in the back seat at https://www.steamdeck.com/en/hardware is driving it wrong. That isn't how you drive a Tesla!
How so? I've only been driving a Tesla for a couple of weeks, but I can't tell what's wrong with the image.
EDIT: Assuming it's this image we're talking about: https://cdn.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/steamdeck/images/factorio-cover.jpg
That looks perfectly normal to me.
Yeah, I'm pretty sure that's their so-called FSD features, which is an optional (expensive) extra that I haven't tried. I think that's rubbish too.
Nothing wrong with driving a Tesla as a normal car.
0 Likes
Philadelphus Jul 20, 2021
Quoting: Purple Library GuyShe's older, but as far as I can tell the younger supposedly all tech-savvy generation is pretty much the same--they're just really comfortable clicking those icons, but they mostly don't look beneath that.A bit off-topic, but a friend of mine was talking this past week how she was teaching students in high school and had to show them how to do complicated computer things like…creating a folder to put their project photos in (it was an art class), or selecting more than one file at a time.
Apparently "digital native generation" doesn't automatically equate to "knows anything about computers beyond surface level"! 
3 Likes, Who?
Quoting: PhiladelphusQuoting: Purple Library GuyShe's older, but as far as I can tell the younger supposedly all tech-savvy generation is pretty much the same--they're just really comfortable clicking those icons, but they mostly don't look beneath that.A bit off-topic, but a friend of mine was talking this past week how she was teaching students in high school and had to show them how to do complicated computer things like…creating a folder to put their project photos in (it was an art class), or selecting more than one file at a time.
I do IT support and I see a regular pattern that above a certain group (around 60) there is a dropoff in IT knowledge, but now also below 25 there is also a similar dropoff. Go close to 20 and below, and it is intense. I regularly have to talk people under 25 through IT basics, even on Windows. How to create and navigate folders, use Outlook, how to use the start menu, what a browser is and the difference between them, and so much more. The Pi Foundation has it right: education in IT is severely lacking these days and everyone should have to use a Pi and learn IT basics on it.
3 Likes, Who?
Quoting: F.UltraQuoting: AppelsinQuoting: TuxeeQuoting: AppelsinQuoteCurrently it's limited to United States, Canada, European Union, and the United Kingdom with more regions becoming available in 2022.
Nothing for Norway then (or Switzerland, or Iceland or Luxemburg)? Or is this just a ploy to make us join the EU?
Last time I checked Luxembourg was still part of the European Union. Did they leave in silence?
They are? Then you've just corrected a misunderstanding I've had since early school xD I though they were outside, like us. I could have sworn they've always been mentioned in the same breath as the non-EU-member-trade-agreements we have and such things. But that may have been for other reasons then. TIL something basic x)
Luxemburg is not only one of the founding members of the EU, they are also one of the 4 official capitals of EU :-)
That's what I found yesterday, when I had to look it up 😂 Which only makes me thinking they weren't EU even better 🎯 😂 If making an error, make it big.
3 Likes, Who?
Quoting: SupayI actually think those of us who were using computers before about, well, 1995, have an advantage. If your early computers used DOS, you know in your bones there is something under that slick GUI. You've watched the abstraction layers stack up. The younger set don't really grok that there's anything behind the curtain.Quoting: PhiladelphusQuoting: Purple Library GuyShe's older, but as far as I can tell the younger supposedly all tech-savvy generation is pretty much the same--they're just really comfortable clicking those icons, but they mostly don't look beneath that.A bit off-topic, but a friend of mine was talking this past week how she was teaching students in high school and had to show them how to do complicated computer things like…creating a folder to put their project photos in (it was an art class), or selecting more than one file at a time.
I do IT support and I see a regular pattern that above a certain group (around 60) there is a dropoff in IT knowledge, but now also below 25 there is also a similar dropoff. Go close to 20 and below, and it is intense. I regularly have to talk people under 25 through IT basics, even on Windows. How to create and navigate folders, use Outlook, how to use the start menu, what a browser is and the difference between them, and so much more. The Pi Foundation has it right: education in IT is severely lacking these days and everyone should have to use a Pi and learn IT basics on it.
6 Likes, Who?
Quoting: SupayQuoting: SpykerI also share this concern than most people will put Windows on it, even if Valve nailed Proton compatibility and performance, those who use the Microsoft Gamepass will want it on the device too and we can't do anything against that.
I think a lot of people will just play it as is, no different to any other handheld or console. If people want to install Windows, they can and probably will end up regretting it if it doesn't work exactly as hoped for. They probably will blame Valve too, but better that than it being a locked down device, and they can always go back to SteamOS setup as no warranty or secure feature tripped. As long as the majority are happy and it boosts the overall success, they can complain all they like in their reddit corners. Maybe we will even see some converted if they rage on a Windows install then realise SteamOS works well.
I agree to a point the second x game doesnt work they ll be on to support and demanding a refund, to previous comments no generally people do not want to install an os but mention linux and the response you ll get is if they know what linux is they go oh that thing for hackers and no lifers. If they dont know what it is the first thing they will say is "is it like windows". As this was the sort of thing i dealt with when my company rolled out linux back in 2008 when i was working in IT.
1 Likes, Who?
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