• Thorry84@feddit.nl
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    3 days ago

    Is it not much easier and cheaper to buy a mini pc and run Steam with an OS of choice? (You can chose between any number of Linux distros, I use Arch btw). Steam can just launch on boot into big picture mode, it’s pretty much a console at that point.

    • DdCno1@beehaw.orgOP
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      3 days ago

      Mini PCs usually don’t have a battery. The use case for this conversion is on the go with AR glasses.

    • coyotino [he/him]@beehaw.org
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      3 days ago

      I think it would be hard to find a NUC that costs the same or less and still performs the same as the Steam Deck. You could maybe get there with a custom-built SFFPC, but it would be tricky.

      • Thorry84@feddit.nl
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        3 days ago

        I’m not sure what a Steam deck costs? $450 - $550?

        A Minisforum UM870 with 32GB of memory and 1TB SSD is around $500. That has an AMD Ryzen 7 8745H CPU. 8 cores 16 thread 4.9ghz boost Zen4. Gpu builtin Radeon 780M with 12 RDNA3 2.7ghz cores. That could give the Steam Deck a round for it’s money I think.

        • IrritableOcelot@beehaw.org
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          3 days ago

          Yeah, I think the battery thing OP pointed out makes more sense than the power argument. The Z1 extreme used in other handhelds is based on the 8840HS iirc, anf its at least one generation newer than the basis for the steam decks somewhat custom silicon.

          The Deck processor is 4 Zen 2 CPU cores and 8 RDNA 2 GPU CUs, while the 8840HS is 8 Zen 4 CPU cores plus 12 RDNA 3 graphics CUs. It’s going to be wildly more powerful. The 8745H actually has the same CPU and iGPU configuration as the 8840HS – not even close to steam deck specs.

    • coyotino [he/him]@beehaw.org
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      3 days ago

      i think we’re getting there. The new ASUS ROG Ally is shipping with Steam OS and official Steam OS support, and I think this is just the beginning. If this partnership goes smoothly, I think Valve will open up the floodgates to other manufacturers doing similar stuff. And I think this will include a new wave of “Steam Machines”.