The Steam Deck is on its way…

Steam Deck. © Valve Corp.

…with mitigated enthusiasm from specialized media. Testers who were finally given a tour of the place agree that the Valve console is still a work in progress. Though all give its manufacturing quality and processing power the thumbs up, they feel that the software side is not yet up to speed. Repeated crashes, odd malfunctions, display issues and arguable design choices chip away at this first model’s user experience. Unsurprisingly, most of the problems arise from the Wine compatibility layer, which is still undeveloped. An often-mentioned critique of the hardware is the 7-inch LCD panel, which is incompatible with variable refresh rates (VRR) and whose color rendering disappoints. Where the Nintendo Switch “just works”, you may find yourself pleading with your Deck to “Just work, please!” says Ars Technica’s Sam Machkovech.

In short, the Steam Deck still needs time in the dry dock. If you haven’t ordered it yet, you might want to wait until the software is seasoned and more stable. Perhaps Valve will get the hint and offer a better screen for a few extra dollars. Certainly, had Windows produced this console, it would be smooth sailing from day one, though the price point would be off the charts.

⇨ YouTube, “Steam Deck Review: Buy One Or Wait? | Ars Technica”

⇨ The Verge, Sean Hollister, “Steam Deck review: it’s not ready.”

⇨ Ars Technica, Sam Machkovech, “Steam Deck: The comprehensive Ars Technica review.”

2022-02-25