Valve Steam Deck Reviews, Pros and Cons | TechSpot

By TechRadar on February 25, 2022 90

The Steam Deck is a brilliant gaming device that should appeal to PC gamers looking for a way to play their games while on the go, but who don’t fancy a gaming laptop. For console gamers who want a polished, straightforward experience, knock half a star off our score, but don’t discount the Steam Deck either.

By Mashable on February 25, 2022 80

The Steam Deck is an impressive starting point for portable hardware that offers high-end, PC-style gaming on the go. It's a work-in-progress at launch — and the battery is an inescapable problem — but it's an amazing step up from Nintendo's Switch.

By Engadget on February 25, 2022 81

The Steam Deck is a Frankenstein synthesis of a Wii U and a Vita, but with Valve’s DNA coursing through its cables. It’s a Steam Controller and a Steam Machine in one hefty package, and I’ve come to appreciate it for what it does best. The Steam Deck isn’t a mobile device to take on your everyday commute; it’s a Steam library extender, opening up new places to play around the house. I wouldn’t recommend the Steam Deck as an introduction to PC gaming, but for millions of existing Steam users, it’s worth the price of entry, even if you just play a few times a month, two hours at a time.

By The Verge on February 25, 2022 65

When I flew to Valve’s headquarters last August to see the Steam Deck, I told you why I was putting money down: I loved the idea of taking my PC games on the go, resuming them right where I left off on my desktop, finally having the time to play through Control and Resident Evil 2 and Fallout 4 and The Witcher 3 and a mountain of indie games I used to wait years to buy on Switch because that’s the only way I found enough time to see them through. So far, that’s the one part of the Steam Deck that’s largely working out, and I can only hope it’ll get better.

By Wired on February 25, 2022 50

I've played multiple games from my backlog over the past few weeks, just because I'm no longer tethered to my gaming PC. The experience hasn't been as seamless as I'd have liked, but give it six months to a year and the OS could be in a completely different state. Or, you know, just wait for the inevitable Steam Deck V2.

By Tom's Hardware on February 25, 2022 80

Valve's Steam Deck is a powerful, flexible gaming handheld that feels great and lets you take your games on the go. Just don't expect it to last too long, and know that some games may not work perfectly out of the box.

By TrustedReviews on February 25, 2022 90

The Steam Deck is a more powerful alternative to the Nintendo Switch, capable of playing virtually any PC game on the go. Performance is excellent for a portable, with SteamOS offering a console-like experience, while still retaining all of the versatility of a PC. Battery life isn’t great when playing demanding games, but the Steam Deck remains the absolute best option for portable PC gaming.

By Ars Technica on February 25, 2022

You have to be a specific kind of patient PC gamer to enjoy Deck in its current state. If you're not, wait for its software side to match the value of its price-to-performance ratio.

By EuroGamer on February 25, 2022

There've been many challenges in reviewing Steam Deck and many frustrations over the last couple of weeks. However, when the 'wins' started to roll in, I only only became more intrigued and excited about the system and the potential it offers. Reviewing Steam Deck is essentially reviewing a PC, which can be done in any number of different and interesting way. And with that in mind, I can't wait to read other reviews and to find out what other surprises the system may have to offer.

By GameSpot on February 25, 2022

The Steam Deck is a wonderfully constructed and powerful portable PC that can, in the right hands, be a lot more than what Valve envisions with SteamOS, given your patience to work with Linux or replace it entirely. That isn't a requirement, however, and in some cases antithetical to the device Valve is pitching here. What the Steam Deck excels at is being a mobile hub for your Steam games, giving you enough to work with to get the best out of a selection of games you can't go without while away from your desktop. In that regard, there simply is nothing better on the market right now.

By Polygon on February 25, 2022

For people who already have a Steam library, or are eager to dip their toes into the waters of PC gaming, the Steam Deck already feels like a legitimate alternative. It builds on the Switch’s pitch of playing anywhere and everywhere, because now my games and save files aren’t tied to a console. They live in the cloud, following me wherever I can access Steam — from my Steam Deck, to my gaming PC, to my work laptop, and wherever else I might want them in the future.

By VG247 on February 25, 2022

I’m going to dive more into that side of the Steam Deck in the coming weeks – particularly into the idea of using it as an emulation powerhouse. For now, however, I’m generally pretty pleased with what it is, for what it is, though I have high expectations for the device to evolve and improve through a regular cadence of software updates. If Valve can hit a strong tempo there, they could be on to something special.