this post was submitted on 22 May 2024
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Steam Deck

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TL;DR: Antec is going to be selling a Steam Deck competitive device, based on the Ayaneo Slide. The device has a slide up screen that reveals a keyboard, which is good because using desktop windows is much easier with a keyboard. However the device's lowest estimated power draw at low/no load is 15w, meaning it will use comparable power to the deck running at max power. This means the battery life will probably be pretty rough when compared to the Deck. It will also likely have a much higher price point.

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[–] [email protected] 117 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (4 children)

I'm no fanboy but Windows just sucks for anything portable. At first I was exited to see how manufacturers would pivot to adopt linux for their portables. Now it's just watching flop after flop.

[–] [email protected] 36 points 6 months ago (24 children)

Same. I just can't imagine using anything other than Linux for this kinda handheld. Like, I'm mainly a Windows user and I can't imagine trying to use windows on my steam deck. When you want to make a gaming-focueed handheld like this, you want as much performance as you can squeeze out of the hardware. You're not doing that with windows.

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[–] Diplomjodler3 10 points 6 months ago

They're all scared to piss off Microsoft by bringing out a Linux device.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 6 months ago (4 children)

I'm following Bazzite's development closely because I feel like that'll be the saving grace for all the gaming handhelds that are windows-only at the moment. If Bazzite matches or supplants SteamOS then I might consider a device like an ROG Ally.

[–] [email protected] 17 points 6 months ago

I would definitely consider Bazzite as a good upgrade for those devices, but until Asus fixes their warranty issue, hardware issues, and adds track pads, I'm not really interested in their hardware.

I really appreciate knowing that valve will fix any issues that come up.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 6 months ago (1 children)

I used bazzite on my ROG Ally for a couple of days before I went back to windows because it didn’t reliably work. Crashes abound and some games that work fine on my Steam Deck just refused to open.

Hopefully one day it gets ironed out.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 6 months ago (2 children)

How long ago did you try this?

I've been keeping up with Bazzite and Chimera, and it looks like they've made some progress.

The ROG Ally is listed at gold level compatibility, denoting it requires a few workarounds and has some caveats. I would not be able to get over having no control over the LEDs, so I'll keep an eye out for a bit later as well.

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[–] [email protected] 76 points 6 months ago (8 children)

Every single one of the competitors I've seen makes at least two of the following mistakes, each of which means they don't stand a chance:

  • Windows
  • Display resolution > 720p
  • No trackpads
  • Awful layout
[–] Leg 23 points 6 months ago

It's insane to me that the competition can't compete with the blueprint. I was really hoping that the deck would cause better products to follow, not worse.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 6 months ago (1 children)

I could do without the trackpads but everything else I agree on.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (1 children)

Maybe you could, but the whole point of the steam deck is the ability to play any PC game, and most require mouse input to play well. Most people would be unwilling to make that tradeoff

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[–] [email protected] 68 points 6 months ago (3 children)

Unless it runs Linux it doesn't stand a chance. The moment you decide to sell a handheld gaming console running Windows you doom it to failure. It's the worst OS possible for that purpose.

[–] [email protected] 20 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Nope, there are plenty worse...

z/os, Temple OS, OpenBSD, React OS and others.

Sorry, I am just feeling pedantic, it is late and I am about to get some sleep...

[–] [email protected] 42 points 6 months ago (4 children)

Are you honestly telling me you wouldn't buy a Temple OS handheld?

[–] [email protected] 12 points 6 months ago

Only if it were bound handsomely in leather with gilt lettering, as befits its divine purpose.

[–] 3ntranced 7 points 6 months ago

Man you could generate so many poems by God on that bad boy

[–] [email protected] 5 points 6 months ago (1 children)
[–] laughterlaughter 6 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Especially for gaming!!!!!!

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[–] [email protected] 16 points 6 months ago

Windows is the main reason I never got one of those PC handhelds even though they have been around for a very long time.

Never really felt like a handheld, more like an unwieldly laptop.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 6 months ago (1 children)

To be honest I was recently forced back into Windows by my employer recently and I don't get it's good for :p

[–] [email protected] 10 points 6 months ago

Control. It's metrics and data mining all the way up.

What's funny is that when I learned about system admin, it was all Linux.

[–] Defaced 31 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (1 children)

Honestly just shows how dialed in the steam deck is, it's why I won't ever buy one of their competitors.

[–] Ledivin 24 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Honestly just shows how dialed in the steam deck is

I don't understand how so many competitors are just making rhe most obvious, braindead mistakes. Who the fuck thought using Windows was a good idea?!?

[–] [email protected] 5 points 6 months ago

You're right, of course. But there's still a few games that don't run on Steam Deck (looking at you, Henteko Doujin), that run fine in Windows. I'm able to play these games on my Ayn Loki Zero with Win 11 install, via Steam. Of course, I'm talking about playing indie shmups on a US $250 device, so I'm a bit of a niche case. So... situationally it's a good-ish idea? For, like, three people? Not enough people to make a product worth selling, anyway.

[–] takeheart 21 points 6 months ago (1 children)

i see a keyboard , but no track pads. track pads are really versatile and a key feature of the deck. this keyboard doesn't look to comfortable to use either. Maybe it's ok ish if you put down the device on flat ground and are seated, but typing on this thing while holding it in your hands is going to require some amazing thumb agility.

I have a small Bluetooth keyboard paired with my steam deck that I use whenever I need to input longer stretches of text. it works out just fine.

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[–] Theharpyeagle 21 points 6 months ago (2 children)

The inclusion of the keyboard is a little perplexing. On paper it makes sense that a lot of PC games are built for or work best with a keyboard, but that's because you're using stuff as hotkeys, not because you're typing. How do you comfortably do that with this form factor? I feel like a panel of fewer programmable buttons would've made more sense.

[–] Sylvartas 16 points 6 months ago

It's almost as if Valve thought this through when they engineered the steam deck

[–] [email protected] 6 points 6 months ago (4 children)

I would imagine its for the typing you might need to do, rather than using an onscreen keyboard.

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[–] [email protected] 13 points 6 months ago (2 children)

Is Valve even truly interested in being part of the competition? All their hardware offerings seem more like prototypes or proofs of concept, and the details for other manufacturers to build on the idea are available. Like their strategy to inject competition in these spheres is more just lighting a fire under the asses of other manufacturers to get them making the hardware instead of Valve.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 6 months ago

Yeah. I get the feeling that Valve would be more than happy for people to make competitors to the Steam Deck as long as it had the Steam store on it.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

as long as it can run steam, its a win for them.

think of steam machines, steam controllers and steam links before the the deck.

the goal with most (excluding vr) of valves hardware has been to appeal to the console player audience.

it doesnt matter who builds those things at the end, as long as they bring more users Into their ecosystem

[–] ekZepp 12 points 6 months ago

Valve's money comes from the service, not the device. The more there are, the better.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 6 months ago (3 children)

To be honest, any hardware company can't really compete with valve toe to toe since valves can cut cost and sell at a loss. But I am interested in how the so-called steam competitor would make the same handheld device. I'm waiting for you Tim Epic.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Microsoft will probably come out with an Xbox branded device some day, but I expect it will be restricted to Microsoft store games and game pass.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 6 months ago

Yep, this is more in line with what I expect as a steam deck competitor. We'll just see if they can provide more value to customers than steam while also making good hardware to support it.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Please for the love of God no Whatever epic released would be half baked and make the entire gaming ecosystem worse

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[–] [email protected] 10 points 6 months ago (1 children)

I had a Kyocera Slider, once. I loved to open and close that thing, and it was basically a fidget device. I also had an LG Chocolate 2 and 3, and the physical keyboard was fantastic.

This handheld incorporates both, but I really don't know if it can work in this form factor. Part of the reason it worked on the phones is they were relatively small, but with a wide handheld with joycons on either side, it seems like it would be clunky.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 6 months ago

I miss sliding/rotating phones. In general new phones were really exciting back then.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 6 months ago

Imagine selling a handheld with pre installed windows... Cant make that shit up...

[–] ghostblackout 9 points 6 months ago (4 children)

Are we not going to talk about the empty PC case with just fans that are on like why yes it looks kinda cool but could you not have found a real PC just for the pitcher?

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[–] [email protected] 7 points 6 months ago (5 children)

It's crazy that Microsoft hasn't made an interface for Windows for handhelds like this. They're leaving money on the table.

[–] warmaster 11 points 6 months ago

They will release an Xbox mode, not only a UI. A true Steam OS alternative. But that takes time. I bet they are aiming for a 2025 release.

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[–] RageAgainstTheRich 5 points 6 months ago (3 children)

What a strange design. Why the keyboard instead of how the steam deck does it? I never even use the touch screen. I type by selecting the letters with the dpad. Its... strange. Also no trackpads. I mean some people could like it? It just looks a bit fucked. Like someone glued their kids tablet to a controller/keyboard abomination from aliexpress.

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[–] Coreidan 5 points 6 months ago

Windows is dog shit.

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