Gaming handheld prices are out of control, except for the Steam Deck
-
And Steam sales subsidize the deck, too.
Sure. Maybe? The Deck isn't that expensive, and despite being relatively limited runs it definitely has some benefits from scale. For one it's a custom APU, so you have to assume there's a specific deal with AMD.
Valve is certainly a first party that benefits from software sales primarily, so it makes sense for them to go to some lengths to invest in bringing people over, but I'm not sure that they are actively subsidizing the Deck, the price seems pretty reasonable. I'm sure they don't make a ton of money from it, though, so they definitely get to thin those margins up a LOT compared with the pure hardware manufacturers, let alone with the tiny companies making handhelds one at a time.
-
I completely agree. I passed over the Steam Deck and went for the MSI Claw 8 instead. I was willing to pay the extra for a waaaay better CPU/GPU combo and - the killer feature IMHO - not one, but two Thunderbolt ports. Long term, this means I can expect a longer life out of my MSI than the Steam Deck is likely to get, but also means when the GPU does start to chug I can connect an eGPU to it's dock.
To be clear, that doesn't mean I don't rate the Steam Deck - I really, really do - and it's level of capability and price-point will act as a stabalising point for the wider industry, but I paid more for a better device and got my money's worth.
wrote last edited by [email protected]You went for an Intel handheld? I salute you, sir, that's a deep cut.
As one of the five people on the planet who own an Intel GPU I firmly believe we are in a very exclusive club that will one day do wonders for hardware archaeology.
-
This post did not contain any content.
I mean everything's price is out of control. But, other than that, yeah, I'm not surprised. It's not surprising that massive companies just wouldn't understand what made the Steam Deck great in the first place.
I still recommend it to most people. I still think it's the best on the market. Because I still think that the more open nature of the device, its trackpads and that SteamOS are killer features.
-
I think a budget android handheld could work well for game streaming. TechDweeb and Retro Game Corps newest videos show android handhelds that cost less than 100€.
The android console did not do do well. I mean it made a lot of money, but died not last long after release.
-
There are loads and loads of really cheap Android-based emulator handhelds. The YouTuber TechDweeb does lots of reviews of these devices. These things have effectively spawned their own retro gaming ecosystem around them.
An alternative is to pick up a used New Nintendo 3DS (New being part of the name, distinguishing it from the original 3DS which is way less powerful). This device can be hacked to run many different emulators and play thousands of games. While the screens are not as good as the best Android handhelds, the form factor is ideally suited for running DS and 3DS games (which obviously run natively on the device) while still being great for older single-screen systems (the unused touch screen is excellent for emulator controls such as pause/resume and save/load state).
In that form factor/size are the android handhelds better screens worth the trade-off of what I assume is better build quality from Nintendo (I've never used a ds so I assume the build quality is better)
-
We had a bunch of laptops at work with ARC GPUs in them. The vendor supplied one of them as test units saying they were ideal as portable 8K video editing machines, to which I replied - in exactly these words - "oh, fuck off". But then we tested them and they're honestly excellent and run a lot cooIer and longer than the AMD/Intel+Nvidia equivalents. I had to apologise. I got to test the Claw side-by-side with the Steam Deck playing RDR2 and Forza Horizon 5 and that sealed the deal. And when the ARC GPU does start groaning then, like I said, it's eGPU time. The ARC is probably never going to bother the top-tier GPUs from AMD and Nvidia, but for portable and, I dare say, midrange desktop gaming it's ideal.
-
I have a switch
I’m sorry for your lo$$.
Yeah its pretty shit, only want it for mario kart, odyssey and super mario bros.
Wonder was ass, absolutely the worst I have ever played of those games.
-
This post did not contain any content.wrote last edited by [email protected]
Valves the only one with a major digital store. Everyone else is making money off hardware margin and frequent hardware releases. I want a smaller one though. Pretty much a Switch 2 sized handheld. Maybe even smaller. Different levels of portability. Like I don't need to be on a device that can run at 15-30w like current Steam Deck competitors when I'm just trying to play Persona 5 on an airplane. You can play that set at lowest TDP on a Steam Deck and hit 30fps
-
The hype train for hl3 is so off the rails that valve can't release it. It would never live up to the hype, so it's a pretty sound decision not to make it.
They should make the game where, after the opening credits, it just says "There, we did it. Fuck off" and then rolls end credits.
-
Probably the biggest advantage they have is that they can sell devices at cost or even at a loss and still profit from increased Steam game sales, like how other console makers operate.
3rd parties can't compete with that. Not even close. If there's no profit from the device itself, there's no motivation to make it. And apart from the hardware cost, they also need to pay for the R&D and corporate maintenance. They can't compete with the Steam Deck. If they made an exact Steam Deck clone, they'd have to make it, idk ~$40 more to make a profit, but no one would buy it because the Steam Deck is the same for less. They have to give it slightly higher specs to give it a niche. That might take hardware cost up to $500 and then charge $150 more to make up for the distributor fees and then $100 to make it actually profitable. But at that point, they've already lost most budget and casual gamers, they might as well aim at whales and enthusiasts and make profits $300. If a $950 device sells half as well as a $750 device, it's still more profitable.
Edit: more realistic numbers
They could sell them at a loss assuming the average Steam outlay per device exceeded the loss. This figure would be dragged down by people buying them as generic portable PCs, using them solely with emulators, using them as drone controllers (apparently the Ukrainian military do that), and such.
-
There are loads and loads of really cheap Android-based emulator handhelds. The YouTuber TechDweeb does lots of reviews of these devices. These things have effectively spawned their own retro gaming ecosystem around them.
An alternative is to pick up a used New Nintendo 3DS (New being part of the name, distinguishing it from the original 3DS which is way less powerful). This device can be hacked to run many different emulators and play thousands of games. While the screens are not as good as the best Android handhelds, the form factor is ideally suited for running DS and 3DS games (which obviously run natively on the device) while still being great for older single-screen systems (the unused touch screen is excellent for emulator controls such as pause/resume and save/load state).
Yeah, but I hate android and want to run steam natively so I can play indie games.
Where is my small Linux handheld for steam. Something not targeting the AAA games?
-
Yeah, but I hate android and want to run steam natively so I can play indie games.
Where is my small Linux handheld for steam. Something not targeting the AAA games?
I believe a lot of the folks into these retro handhelds ditch the default Android system and install a community made distro specifically for running these retro emulators! TechDweeb talks about them.
-
In that form factor/size are the android handhelds better screens worth the trade-off of what I assume is better build quality from Nintendo (I've never used a ds so I assume the build quality is better)
I’m not sure actually. I’m into the hobby but I have only a New 3DS. I plan to get one of those handhelds at some point but I’m not there yet!
-
Could there be an argument about the R&D costs not being factored in there? So for companies that can't compete, its literally a skill issue.
Not like the companies releasing these things have been making PCs and peripherals for decades or anything lol
-
I would love to see a lower powered and low budget focused one. Powerful enough for locally running a web browser, normal Linux stuff like SSH and some low spec games like CDDA. Otherwise most games would be played by streaming it from your desktop.
I just want something that runs Minecraft so I don't have to keep up to date with workarounds on the Switch that Nintendo keeps trying to block
also fuck bedrock edition
my switch exists primarily for Minecraft. I don't use it much because the experience is terrible. if there was something that did the same thing but for Java, I'd buy it
-
I would love to see a lower powered and low budget focused one. Powerful enough for locally running a web browser, normal Linux stuff like SSH and some low spec games like CDDA. Otherwise most games would be played by streaming it from your desktop.
This is a neat idea and contrary to what the other commenter said, I still think it's a valuable proposition because many folks, myself included, would rather have a Linux device rather than an Android one.
-
This post did not contain any content.
The price of everything is out of control, because it turns out the people who set wages have a different idea of inflation than the people that set prices.
This is the only gen I can think of where console prices have gone up from what they were at the start. And that's before you get tariffs from everyone's favourite orange dickhead.
And PC component prices are even worse.
-
I would love to see a lower powered and low budget focused one. Powerful enough for locally running a web browser, normal Linux stuff like SSH and some low spec games like CDDA. Otherwise most games would be played by streaming it from your desktop.
wrote last edited by [email protected]I do this with my RK36XX emulation system (powkiddy RGB30). It has a port for the moonlight streaming app
It even plays stardew valley and quake 3 arena through the onboard ports really really well
-
Fair enough, Gabe has even said they don't have a tie-in ratio, just that pricing was both painful and a test. Thin margins is the conclusion I came to as well, but knowing they expected to expand game sales with it, too.
-
The price of everything is out of control, because it turns out the people who set wages have a different idea of inflation than the people that set prices.
This is the only gen I can think of where console prices have gone up from what they were at the start. And that's before you get tariffs from everyone's favourite orange dickhead.
And PC component prices are even worse.
A big part of console/computers getting cheaper has been thanks to decreasing transistor sizes (aka moore's law). But we're seeming reaching the physical limits of how small transistors can get, and as a result hardware won't get cheaper simply from being remade with smaller chips.
