Hi everyone!
As I’ve said in the past (see my older post https://sh.itjust.works/post/33787188), I’ll probably buy an used LCD Steam Deck alongside my Playstation 5 right after my wedding as a gift to myself in 2 months.
I’d be using the Deck mostly docked to a screen to play Strategy games like Frostpunk or other games not suited to consoles.
I’d also be using the Deck while travelling (which doesn’t happen often) to play some retro games I’ve missed like the Metro Trilogy.
Here are a few remaining questions:
- Am I right in thinking that I could play on the big screen games until the middle of the Playstation 4 era?
- Am I right in thinking that I could play on the Deck’s screen almost every game which could run on a Playstation 4?
- Since I’d be buying a used LCD deck, I fear that the battery would be in poor health. Is there a way to know its health? If I replace the battery, could I get a better one?
- My PC screen can charge devices through USB-C and has 4 usb ports. It delivers enough power to charge my Surface Go 1 while using it. In my mind, it could clearly replace a dock, but would I have any advantages in getting one? Could the official dock be used for another handheld like my kid’s Switch?
- If I end up using a Dual Schock 4 or a Dual Sense when my Steam Deck is docked, will I have to pair them again with my consoles every time after using them with the Deck?
- Since I’d be buying a used Steam Deck, is there anything I should be particularly careful about?
I’m looking forward to joining the communauty!
“Gnome Power Statistics”, which you can install from Discover Store in Desktop mode, will tell you the battery’s health.
If it’s an earlier build of Steam Deck, the battery is probably glued in like hell. I think Valve eased up on that later on.
retro games I’ve missed like the Metro Trilogy
Two things to add regarding question 1:
The Steam Deck GPU is optimized for the built-in screen, which has 1280x800 pixels. FullHD is more than twice the number of pixels. The GPUs fragment fill rate will therefore not be sufficient to play many games at FullHD native. The Steam Deck has built-in FSR upscaling though, so if you are not sitting directly in front of the screen, it will look OK-ish…
The second thing is refresh rate. On the deck itself you can set the screen refresh rate to 40 Hz. For many, many games the built-in GPU will not manage 60 FPS even at 1280x800, but it quite often manages to do 40, which still feels OK-ish.
Most external screens don’t support 40Hz though, so you will be stuck with either limiting your framerate to 30 FPS, or you will have to live with either tearing or unsteady framerate.
FSR from 800p to 1080p will look like garbage.
I have to both agree and disagree here.
Disagree because it doesn’t look that bad.
Agree because there is a reason I haven’t used the Deck with a big screen in months.
Out of topic but oof it pains me in my joints seeing Metro games labeled as retro.
Yeah I kind of agree. What I wanted to say is that they are part of the games I would have wanted to play but never did. Sorry if it made you feel old 😅
If you want to know if a game works on the deck or not steam lists steam deck verification for games that work. If it’s listed as verified it’ll be a smooth experience, like launching a console game. If it’s marked playable it will have more detailed information about the game’s issues, most common is needing to use an onscreen keyboard for certain things or other UI weirdness.
Games that aren’t verified might work but you’ll likely need to tweak settings to get them running smoothly.
I think you’ve already had your questions answered, but I’d like to add 2 more things:
First, if it’s in budget, I would still consider OLED. I love my LCD deck, but I kinda wish the screen was nicer.
Second, it may be cheapest to get the 64GB version and upgrade the ssd yourself. That’s what I did, and it’s pretty easy with the deck’s repairable design.
First, if it’s in budget, I would still consider OLED. I love my LCD deck, but I kinda wish the screen was nicer.
Same, especially when playing in a dark room. (IMO) just the 90hz would be worth the extra money (though I have a LCD).
I have both and I don’t really care about the oled vs lcd display quality. Both give a picture that is way way way more than enough to play any game on it. OLED screen just is a tiny bit bigger which helps and oled model has a better charger with longer cable.
You can buy most parts including the battery from ifixit. They have a partnership with Valve for parts. Also they have instructions on how to fix the part.
Make sure you don’t hit your wife with it.
Nah I wouldn’t want to break it (the deck, not my wife)
If I end up using a Dual Schock 4 or a Dual Sense when my Steam Deck is docked, will I have to pair them again with my consoles every time after using them with the Deck?
Just get another used gamepad used if it becomes an issue! That is the beauty of using a computer instead of a console, most gamepads are going to work and with Steam’s controller interface it is easy to select a control scheme that will work well for that controller.
- Yes
- Yes
- It’s not too hard to replace it but you can’t get a better one than the original one
- It’ll work fine. Give it a month and then see if you want a dock as well.
- Most likely yes.
- Joystick drift, although they can be replaced and calibrated.
Thanks for the precise answer
