More from Steam Deck, ROG Ally, and more: all the news about the handheld PC gaming revolution
The Steam Deck is discounted again, now up to 20 percent off for Steam’s 20th anniversary. Valve is selling its handheld PC for $359.10 ($39.90 off) for the 64GB model, $449.65 ($79.35 off) for the 256GB, and $519.20 (about $130 off) for the 512GB with an anti-glare screen. Even Valve’s dock is 20 percent off.
These are the best prices on Steam Decks right now, as the refurbished models are sold out. The promo runs until September 21st.
With Steam Deck competitors on the rise, Microsoft has been focused on phones for Xbox Cloud Gaming so far.
You can now nab a 2TB Sabrent Rocket Q4 for just $200 at Amazon — it’s typically $220–$260, and originally cost $300+ until SSD prices fell off a cliff.
2TB is the biggest you can easily fit into a Steam Deck, ROG Ally or Surface, because a single-sided M.2 2230 only has room for one flash chip.
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[Amazon.com]
Before you play on Ally, you may want AMD’s new graphics driver issued especially for this game. It seems playable plugged in.
Before you buy for Deck, know that GamingOnLinux couldn’t maintain 30fps even on the lowest settings; see video below. It’s a CPU-bound game on many planets, my colleague Tom tells me.
GamingOnLinux’s Liam Dawe reports it’s only available in advanced update channels right now, but should be part of the upcoming SteamOS 3.5 stable release. (3.5 also brings HDR for external screens.)
If you’re considering one of the new Steam Deck screen replacements, this might be a reason to wait?
iFixit sells the genuine Valve anti-glare screen for $100, including its microwavable iOpener tool to help loosen adhesive. Jsaux’s version has an electroplated oleophobic coating to resist fingerprints (which Valve’s admittedly attracts.)
I can’t say which is better, but it means we’ll soon have three replacement screen options — the third being the upcoming higher-resolution, more colorful DeckHD. None of them are beginner-friendly, with the latter also requiring a BIOS patch.
Can’t think of anyone I’d rather beat me to a handheld console than Taki Udon — and he’s just gotten hands on the Ayaneo Kun.
Its 75Wh battery dwarfs the one in the Steam Deck, it’s got a larger brighter 8.4-inch screen that goes down to 35Hz, and it not only sports a pair of Deck-esque trackpads and full button parity but a Deck-like UI as well. The big remaining questions: Battery life? Price? Can it ditch Windows?
New updates let you add a “hold to repeat” function to most buttons on the $700 Windows gaming handheld — or unmap them entirely. The joystick should now be more responsive on the desktop too, due to a smaller dead zone. Full changelog at the link below.
I can’t test because my units are with Asus. For now, I’ve moved onto testing an Ayaneo Geek which is... well, better than the last one I tried!
[rog-forum.asus.com]
Valve deemed it “playable” at launch, but apparently things have improved in a single day? Yesterday, GamingOnLinux, one of the sources I trust, certainly wouldn’t have agreed that the game’s default config “performs well on Steam Deck.”
Is it working well for you there?
I had no idea that Jsaux’s Steam Deck docks were updatable — but the company’s now letting you flash a new BIOS that supports the Asus ROG Ally’s 30W Turbo Mode.
Some of them need a 100W USB-C PD charger for 30W turbo, while others can do it with the OG 65W brick. Either way, Jsaux proves yet again that it’s paying attention!
Windows is still the vast majority of gaming PCs — over 96 percent — but the Steam Deck has thrust Linux into second-place, according to Valve’s latest hardware survey.
A full 42 percent of those Linux gamers are on SteamOS Holo specifically, which (for now) only officially ships on the Steam Deck. Is it time for Apple to finally get gamers in gear?
[GamingOnLinux]
That’s all we know, save it may use the same AMD Phoenix chips as Asus’ ROG Ally. The report speculates it’ll be a Windows handheld because it has a Ryzen chip, but that doesn’t follow — the Linux-based Steam Deck shipped with Ryzen guts.
It also speculates the ROG Ally’s Z1 Extreme chip might have an advantage over AMD Phoenix. But since Z1 Extreme is a Phoenix, I’d take that with a grain of salt.
So far, the port looks... pretty OK! Also — LOL — they tried running it on an original PS4 hard drive to bust the myth that it never needed a new console.
Wondering whether it’ll truly play well on Steam Deck? An early test on YouTube suggests it’s actually pretty smooth, but relies on dynamically adjusting AMD FSR 2.1 which can make the game look mighty low-res in graphically intensive moments.
$40 for the RGB back cover, $60 combo with the front plate for the fully transparent look, $36 for front plate by itself, $60-$90 for the RGB docks.
Don’t miss our report on how Jsaux rode the Steam Deck to escape the Amazon wilderness.
I’ve been playing Sony’s troubled PC port on the gaming handheld... and my 16-year-old launch PS3.
There’s a lot to love about portable Joel and Ellie, but graphics ain’t it.
Note: Valve’s “verified” and “playable” lists of titles haven’t always been reliable, since Valve doesn’t playtest the entirety of a game last we checked. Also, some verified games run at 30fps and/or drain battery quick. But it’s a good ballpark.
For me, it never ceases to amaze: We now live in a world where a Linux handheld can competently play Windows games.
A note from Asus in late June mentioned issues with failing SD cards and said a future update would boost fan speed as a precaution. Now that update is here, labeled BIOS 322. It raises the fan curve when using it in Turbo mode, both on battery power and plugged in (via Windows Central).
Our updated review of the ROG Ally showed that, like the Steam Deck before it, software updates could go a long way to improving the handheld PC gaming experience.
