We’ve seen a lot of PC gaming handhelds come out over the course of the last few years, but the Steam Deck remains the most popular of them all. It’s success is no wonder considering the device’s simple interface, lower price point, and easy Steam library access. But right now, Valve is making it’s handheld that much easier on your budget by giving it a discount. The 64GB Steam Deck LCD is $296.65 at Steam while the 512GB Steam Deck LCD is currently only $381.65 at Steam. But this discount only lasts from now until July 11, 2024 at 10a.m. PT.
Is Steam Deck really the best PC gaming handheld?
There is a lot of debate over which is the best gaming handheld, but there’s no denying that the Steam Deck has been one of, if not, the most popular PC gaming handhelds since its launch.
Obviously, over the last two years we’ve seen a few Windows 11 competitors like the ROG Ally, Legion Go, and MSI Claw, and all of these are more powerful than Steam Deck when it comes to graphics capabilities and display resolution. For some people, one of these other devices might be a better fit. However, the Steam Deck doesn’t cost nearly as much as its rivals and the SteamOS interface is a whole lot easier than Windows 11 is to navigate. It basically just brings up your Steam Library so you can launch whatever title you already own. Otherwise, you can head to the Store tab and purchase a new game, download it, and start playing. So it’s no wonder people continue to gravitate toward Steam Deck due to it being more approachable.
That all said, some people do prefer to have Microsoft operating system on Valve’s handheld, and we can help you get that set up if you head to our guide on how to install Windows on Steam Deck.
To be clear, not all Steam games are compatible with Steam Deck. However, you can easily check by going to a game’s Steam page and looking for the Steam Deck Compatibility section. If something is Verified, then everything in a game should work properly. If it says Playable, then certain aspects might not be optimized for Steam Deck — for instance, there might be tiny text or the game might require the use of mouse and keyboard. Finally, if a game says Unsupported, then you won’t be able to play it on Valve’s handheld. As time has gone on, more and more games are getting released with Steam Deck Verified compatibility, but you might still find that certain indie games or specialized games (like VR games) aren’t supported.
I’ve put dozens of hours if not hundreds into my Steam Deck since I got it. In fact, my first Baldur’s Gate 3 playthrough was mostly played between Steam Deck and ROG Ally. The convenience of being able to play in bed before falling asleep or to play on the couch when my husband wants to use the TV for something else is really freeing. I basically always take a PC gaming handheld with me whenever I travel and the Steam Deck has joined me on many of these trips. If you like the sound of portable PC gaming that’s less clunky than a gaming laptop, you’ll enjoy using a Steam Deck.
