It’s a PC.
Get Proton GE: https://steamdeckhq.com/tips-and-guides/the-proton-ge-steam-deck-guide/
This is a quick install that can help with compatibility in various games. See the link for written guide on installing.
It is as easy as entering desktop mode and installing through the Linux App Store.
Get Decky Loader: https://github.com/SteamDeckHomebrew/decky-loader
It’s a fairly quick install that allows you to browse and install homebrew apps. All are integrated into the “…” button menu.
My main recommendation is to install Decky so that you can install Proton DB. It’s a compatibility database that’s more extensive than Valve’s own Deck compatibility check marks. It adds a rating for all games in your library from broken, bronze, silver, gold and platinum.
It also allows you to install plug-ins for fan control, custom themes, custom boot/sleep animations, a cache clearing utility and so on.
Don’t change your TDP:
From my understanding thus far, it’s much more ideal to lock the frame rate, refresh rate and/or GPU clockspeed and not alter the TDP itself for battery life gains/performance.
Or just leave everything as is, it’s not like you’re leaving the house with this breeze block sized handheld. So you’ll always be close to a charger at home.
Recommended games: Feel free to recommend so I can update this list. These are just my personal picks thus far.
-The Binding of Issac
The GOAT rogue-lite, it runs flawlessly and is very easy on the battery usage.
-Fallout 3
An older game that runs very well and without any stability issues in my time with it.
-Crysis Remastered
Unsurprisingly it runs, and it runs quite well too. I played on medium settings, high textures and at 40hz.
-Predecessor
Probably a terrible MOBA, but it scratches an itch for me. I’m running it on low settings, high textures. 80% resolution with AA enabled. That gives me a locked 60FPS in PvP.
Get Proton GE: https://steamdeckhq.com/tips-and-guides/the-proton-ge-steam-deck-guide/
This is a quick install that can help with compatibility in various games. See the link for written guide on installing.
It is as easy as entering desktop mode and installing through the Linux App Store.
Get Decky Loader: https://github.com/SteamDeckHomebrew/decky-loader
It’s a fairly quick install that allows you to browse and install homebrew apps. All are integrated into the “…” button menu.
My main recommendation is to install Decky so that you can install Proton DB. It’s a compatibility database that’s more extensive than Valve’s own Deck compatibility check marks. It adds a rating for all games in your library from broken, bronze, silver, gold and platinum.
It also allows you to install plug-ins for fan control, custom themes, custom boot/sleep animations, a cache clearing utility and so on.
Don’t change your TDP:
From my understanding thus far, it’s much more ideal to lock the frame rate, refresh rate and/or GPU clockspeed and not alter the TDP itself for battery life gains/performance.
Or just leave everything as is, it’s not like you’re leaving the house with this breeze block sized handheld. So you’ll always be close to a charger at home.
Recommended games: Feel free to recommend so I can update this list. These are just my personal picks thus far.
-The Binding of Issac
The GOAT rogue-lite, it runs flawlessly and is very easy on the battery usage.
-Fallout 3
An older game that runs very well and without any stability issues in my time with it.
-Crysis Remastered
Unsurprisingly it runs, and it runs quite well too. I played on medium settings, high textures and at 40hz.
-Predecessor
Probably a terrible MOBA, but it scratches an itch for me. I’m running it on low settings, high textures. 80% resolution with AA enabled. That gives me a locked 60FPS in PvP.
I'm loving my Deck in the month and a half I've owned one (went for the 64gb ver, with added 512gb SSD), just installed TW3 in preparation for the next-gen update just to see how it runs on there
It runs very well indeed
It runs very well indeed
By Lego Go To PostWhat a thread, can’t wait to start using mine more often but I’ve been distracted latelyOriginal post is now updated!
Monster Hunter Rise plays wonderfully on the Deck. Various jrpgs, too, especially since you can just put the deck to sleep and pick up tha game later.
And, yeah, limiting refresh rate to 40hz is definitely the way to go to save battery without dropping down to 30fps. Limiting power consumption through refresh rate gives you more control of your performance target than just changing the TDP.
I hate videos like "Forza Horizon 5 100 fps!!!!" and battery life goes to 20 min
Give me a proper comparison between settings video, damnit
Give me a proper comparison between settings video, damnit
By recon_zero Go To PostI hate videos like "Forza Horizon 5 100 fps!!!!" and battery life goes to 20 minYou mean, like this?
Give me a proper comparison between settings video, damnit
Quiet pleased with how easy it is get into multiplayer games (when they’re supported). I played some Predecessor earlier with a friend.
Used Steam’s own voice chat, put a cheap pair of Bluetooth earphones in and done. Just need more devs to allow their anti cheat to run on Linux.
Used Steam’s own voice chat, put a cheap pair of Bluetooth earphones in and done. Just need more devs to allow their anti cheat to run on Linux.
Yeah, the anti cheat thing is s big barrier that I hope comes down sooner than later.
I need to install FFXI on mine. Main game I wanted the Deck for back when it was announced. Lol
I need to install FFXI on mine. Main game I wanted the Deck for back when it was announced. Lol
By WoodenLung Go To PostI thought you had one alreadyI didn't have the Dock yet, but I've had a Deck for a couple of months now brother
By Freewheelin Go To PostGetting the Dock delivered today, expensive but meh, I needed one.
Edit: I read Dock as Deck, lmao.
Sekiro works well on the Stream Deck but 60FPS is unachievable. I’ve settled for locking the refresh to 50 and disabling vsync. Still get some dips but it’s very playable. Could lock to 30 or 40 for consistency but I can’t deflect for shit at either frame rate.
I installed Cryo Utilities and changed the VRAM allocation from 1GB to 4GB in the BIOS. Following this video:
The video is more detailed than it need be for a tutorial, as it goes in depth on the swap file, swap tendency, and TRIM. I just followed along as it advised with a 16GB swap file and swap tendency set to 1.
I’ve only tried Sekiro since applying these tweaks, but it is definitely a bit smoother with less drops while grappling to ledges. A consistent 60FPS is still unobtainable. It does stick closer to that mark though. I’ve settled on capping to 45FPS/hz to eliminate frame dips completely and I get pretty much a straight line for frame times now.
Not such I’d recommend going through the 30 minutes or so to install and set the swap file since the gains aren’t massive. Worth trying if there’s a game that you want to play but it doesn’t run as good as it maybe could with these tweaks though.
The video is more detailed than it need be for a tutorial, as it goes in depth on the swap file, swap tendency, and TRIM. I just followed along as it advised with a 16GB swap file and swap tendency set to 1.
I’ve only tried Sekiro since applying these tweaks, but it is definitely a bit smoother with less drops while grappling to ledges. A consistent 60FPS is still unobtainable. It does stick closer to that mark though. I’ve settled on capping to 45FPS/hz to eliminate frame dips completely and I get pretty much a straight line for frame times now.
Not such I’d recommend going through the 30 minutes or so to install and set the swap file since the gains aren’t massive. Worth trying if there’s a game that you want to play but it doesn’t run as good as it maybe could with these tweaks though.
I don’t have any intentions to physically modify my Steam Deck like I have done controllers, but I see a lot of potential in this. Not a fan of the metal plate on the back for additional passive cooling, but the potential for more colours and the different sized back buttons is a nice touch.
By Kibner Go To PostYeah, the back buttons are the one big problem I have with the hardware.They’re a little bit too recessed aren’t they?
By HonestVapes Go To PostThey’re a little bit too recessed aren’t they?I wish they pressed inwards with your grip instead of into the neck of the device. Just so awkward for me to use.
New cryo utilities update is up
This is such low level tweaking, you can just set it up, forget about it and reap the slight bump in performance**
It also now comes with the ability to move the per game shader cache to the SD card.
**With the exception of setting a 4GB VRAM limit in the BIOS since RDR2 doesn’t benefit from that for reasons stated in the video.
This is such low level tweaking, you can just set it up, forget about it and reap the slight bump in performance**
It also now comes with the ability to move the per game shader cache to the SD card.
**With the exception of setting a 4GB VRAM limit in the BIOS since RDR2 doesn’t benefit from that for reasons stated in the video.
GTA IV runs surprisingly well. Had to rebuy the game on a different Steam account to get it working but it runs flawlessly.
Emudeck has been much easier to set up than I expected. Like 30 minutes I’m up and running PS2 games that I completely legitimately ripped from my own disc copies, obviously
I've ran into some problems getting it all setup, but I do have FF XI and Windower running on the Steam Deck. Having some issues with getting dgvoodoo and a particular addon called Skillchains working correctly, but it is all very playable. Especially once I figured out how to bring up the FF XI software keyboard to help with some *nix-specific issues with the game and keyboards.
Still, this is the game that I bought the thing for and I am fairly happy with it.
Still, this is the game that I bought the thing for and I am fairly happy with it.
PS2, GameCube, WiiU, 3DS and SNES emulation all set up and mostly running pretty well now.
Emudeck does a superb job of integrating the different games into Steam. Full controller mapping done per emulator, automatically gets images for each title, etc. Also has hotkeys and radial menu of the left touchpad for some options like save states and and rendering resolution.
Emudeck does a superb job of integrating the different games into Steam. Full controller mapping done per emulator, automatically gets images for each title, etc. Also has hotkeys and radial menu of the left touchpad for some options like save states and and rendering resolution.
I don’t have a proper dock, just a USB C dongle with pass through charge and 4K/30hz (max) support. Despite that, today I’ve dabbled with connecting my deck to a TV and honestly I’m surprised that it works and looks as well as it does.
Connected to a 4K TV, but outputting 1080p/60hz, sat standard couch distance away. Using a Steam controller since my Dualsense is dead and on charge.
Tried a few games so far.
Skyward Sword HD at 30FPS, at whatever resolution the Switch plays it at with FSR
Sekiro at 30FPS, 720p with FSR
Rollerdrome at 60FPS, with FSR
Binding of Issac at 60FPS
Super Mario World at 60FPS
Steam controller felt arse with Rollerdrome, but okay with the rest. Surprisingly good with Sekiro.
Image quality holds up much better than I expected it to. I could definitely get down with using it docked to the TV for emulation and older games. Though I’d rather play Sekiro on the handheld screen for 40hz, or on my pc for 60hz.
Connected to a 4K TV, but outputting 1080p/60hz, sat standard couch distance away. Using a Steam controller since my Dualsense is dead and on charge.
Tried a few games so far.
Skyward Sword HD at 30FPS, at whatever resolution the Switch plays it at with FSR
Sekiro at 30FPS, 720p with FSR
Rollerdrome at 60FPS, with FSR
Binding of Issac at 60FPS
Super Mario World at 60FPS
Steam controller felt arse with Rollerdrome, but okay with the rest. Surprisingly good with Sekiro.
Image quality holds up much better than I expected it to. I could definitely get down with using it docked to the TV for emulation and older games. Though I’d rather play Sekiro on the handheld screen for 40hz, or on my pc for 60hz.
Yeah, I have the official Steam Dock and it's pretty cool, but I haven't plugged it into a TV, yet. For the settings the Deck plays games at 1080p or even 720p on a 4k monitor probably looks quite decent, especially with some upscaling.
By Kibner Go To PostYeah, I have the official Steam Dock and it's pretty cool, but I haven't plugged it into a TV, yet. For the settings the Deck plays games at 1080p or even 720p on a 4k monitor probably looks quite decent, especially with some upscaling.The upscaling really helps. It’s just FSR 1.0 at the system level, but it definitely cleans the image up enough to look okay on a big screen.
It’s not sharp by any means, but serviceable. Which is honestly above what I expected from it.
Yeah using the official Steam Dock on an OLED TV for the majority of my playing time, honestly prefer it to playing handheld tbh lol
By Freewheelin Go To PostYeah using the official Steam Dock on an OLED TV for the majority of my playing time, honestly prefer it to playing handheld tbh lolI should try it on my CX.
Haven’t used it in a while. Ever since I hooked my pc up to a 240hz/1080p monitor earlier in the year, it’s being laying dormant in the bedroom apart from my girlfriend occasionally using it to watch dance moms in bed.
Aside from the paddles, I absolutely love the way the Deck feels in my hands. Just so pleasantly comfy.
By Kibner Go To PostAside from the paddles, I absolutely love the way the Deck feels in my hands. Just so pleasantly comfy.That’s my one complaint with the device tbh. The ergonomics just don’t me suit very well. The overall feel in my hands is good, but due to the sides being straight and the width of the grip, it puts my wrists in an uncomfortable position.
I’ve seen a 3D printed attachment and a case on Amazon that add some bulk to the bottom sides of the grips that would probably help, but they look pretty janky.
If you just want to play a brainless arcade racer, Dirt 5 is feels great to play on the Deck btw. Had it docked to my tv earlier, holds up pretty well from a distance (visually).
I’ve only played Dirt Rally and DIRT5. Both on opposite ends of rally racing though. I’ve got Dirt Rally 2, yet to try it though.
I had no idea that Steam Deck worked with VRR on external displays. Actually really handy given most big budget games run in the 30-50 fps range.
By HonestVapes Go To PostI had no idea that Steam Deck worked with VRR on external displays. Actually really handy given most big budget games run in the 30-50 fps range.I can't wait to see what they do with a second Steam Deck. I hope they keep it as modular/moddable as it currently is, have an OLED VRR screen, make the paddles easier to press, and give it an appropriate power increase.
I'm actually fine with the screen size, resolution, and max refresh rate.