John's Bought A Steam Deck OLED... So What Does He Think Of It?

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[@VincentVanBro]

Steam Deck OLED has become my daily driver. I play my XSX, PC, and PS5 remotely seamlessly along with locally installed Steam games and over 800 ROMs across 4 generations of consoles. Incredible. Within 60 seconds I can go from flawlessly streaming Spider-Man 2 in HDR to playing perfectly emulated Rogue Squadron 2 on Dolphin (one of the hardest GameCube games to emulate). What a dynamic device.

[@GaragebuiltOriginal]

Is this done on multiple sd cards or on only one?

[@Rocksteady72a]

I really expected my OLED Deck to become my daily driver, but I spend more time configuring and troubleshooting random errors & crashes than actually playing the games on it. I thought Outer Worlds would be the one I poured hours into, only to find all the cinematics were blank, for example. It literally wasn't until today when I realized I spent the entire day on the PSPortal that I realized that's basically made my Deck redundant for me.

[@VincentVanBro]

@@GaragebuiltOriginal 1 tb ssd and 1 tb sd card

[@VincentVanBro]

@@Rocksteady72a said no Steam Deck OLED owner ever lol

[@LeeBeever]

Sounds just like what I’m doing on my ROG Ally. Love it. These portable PCs are such a game changer for me. I’m playing so many more games now.

[@AdrianMRyan]

I'm very excited for John's eventual "full guide to emulation on the SteamDeck OLED" video

[@zZiL341yRj736]

Not from him.

[@alfredobarba5122]

I mean there's already a million of them on KZbin, and with EmuDeck it's extremely straight forward.

[@therealericvc]

For me, the cherry on the cake for Steam Deck emulation really is the ability to play Model 2 and Model 3 games in full glory at perfect 60 fps and at higher red. It really is amazing to play Sega Rally 2, Daytona 2 and SCUD Race and other Naomi titles mobile, a dream come true! 😎

[@MerryBlind]

A note about DMC5: it supports HDR but doesn’t work on Steam Deck by default. You need to add a launch parameter and then it works without issues. Look it up it’s very simple. EDIT: Using Proton Experimental now also works so that launch parameter isn’t needed anymore.

[@niks660097]

I thought SD already has HDR profiles as a part of OS, which is updated by community?

[@AL2009man]

as of this writing: that should be fixed via Proton Experimental.

[@MerryBlind]

@@AL2009man You’re right I just tried it and that now works without needing the launch parameter.

[@LostUkraineGirl]

How do I do that? I don't understand. And can I play as vergil?

[@harissonbond7499]

Go to properties then compatibility then select proton experimental

[@kylerclarke2689]

I would listen to a feature length video of John just talking about his Deck OLED

[@garethhanna9173]

Yes, he's up there with Tyrion Lannister in GOT.

[@OptimumSlinky]

So glad to hear John acknowledge how outstanding Valve’s UI is on Deck. Tweaking games is instantaneous; no “restart the game to update the refresh rate” garbage. SteamOS is absolutely fantastic. It absolutely embarrasses the gaming experience on Windows even with Proton as a factor. And agree 100% on the resolution take. At 7”, the 1280x800 rez is perfect and easy to drive.

[@amilyester]

I hope Valve keeps the resolution intact for SD2.

[@lechistanskiswit320]

hahaha Experience on Deck - set the config in Linux, restart Deck, set the Proton, restart the Deck, damn still it doesn't work in shitty SteamOS.

[@AVWUVU]

Skill issue. ​@@lechistanskiswit320

[@playin4k611]

@@lechistanskiswit320 You clearly have no idea what you are talking about.

[@cube2fox]

7 inch directly in front of you can cover a larger FOV than your TV several meters away. It doesn't make sense.

[@user-ec8zd8zp4x]

I have a Steam Deck since launch and since I have it, I almost never touch my PS4 Pro anymore. I just canceled my PS+. It's the best computer I ever bought or made. I've been playing a lot of Heroes of Might and Magic 3 and 5 on the Deck lately. The games play awesome, because of all the input possibilities of the Steam Deck: trackpads and loads of customizable buttons! I also like to play the Command & Conquer Remastered edition on the Steam Deck. To me that's crazy! I would never expected to play these games on a handheld on the go. Really a dream come through!

[@MerryBlind]

HoMM3 HD mod is definitely on my list to replay on the Deck! The slow pace of the game seems perfect for the trackpad and touchscreen! Also respect for playing 3 and 5 lol best games in the series

[@damianabregba7476]

This guy gets it. You probably know this, but Heroes 5.5 mod is impressive with human-like non cheating AI. Works great on my Deck

[@redcrimson1028]

😂😂😂😂😂😂 that's what everybody did when the switch released. Why do you think it's the best selling hybrid? It also outsold the ps4 which had a 4 year head start.

[@user-ec8zd8zp4x]

I am not interested in who outsold who. I am interested in me having fun! We have two Switches in our household, but the Switch never made me for cancel my PS+ subscription. The Steam Deck did! Because it let's me play my favorite PS games on the go.

[@budthecyborg4575]

Burnout Paradise got an update this week to run on Steamdeck, the engine is capped to 60fps but it runs flawlessly at 5 watts.

[@NutrigrainHulk]

I bought one a month ago, a tad worried it would gather dust kinda quick given I have a pc. It has not, and has quickly turned into the main way I play games. The Deck kinda feels like it's from the future lol

[@ActionJaxonH]

Deck OLED has completely replaced PS5, XSX and PC. They're great systems, just not for me anymore. Switch OLED and Deck OLED, only two systems I need anymore.

[@NutrigrainHulk]

@@ActionJaxonH I do still like my PC for competitive multiplayer stuff and my eyes are kinda eh so stuff like Baldur's Gate 3 is much easier to make out on a bigger screen, but man, anything that does work well for me on deck, I'm playing there.

[@MooMooTheWolf]

Yeah the Deck Oled has become my main console. With my Ps5 just being used for intense multiplayer and really demanding games. The Deck feels like the PSP 3.0

[@ChrisLines128]

Yup. Understand that one. It’s my main go to at the moment (Bethesda addict) and first dip into PC gaming. I love it. Still to try emulation and remote play on the PS5 but its quality stands out.

[@cbgg1585]

@@ActionJaxonH Lmao, if they don't release a real sequel, good luck playing GTA 6 on the Steam Deck. SD won't be able to run it. xD

[@gdoumit]

I am LOVING this Steam Deck coverage you guys have had recently. I think the device more than deserves some attention. I'm really glad John likes it. I got an OLED in December and I play that more than my PC now. It's just great being able to take the same games to the couch or bed before I sleep.

[@jinty83]

I also recently bought a SD OLED and went for the 512gb model which I upgraded to 1tb as I preferred the glossy screen. I almost cried when I saw how gorgeous the games looked and the battery life is fantastic. The other reason I waited so long was that I wasn't sure if I could play games at 30fps without getting motion sickness which affects me quite badly on larger screens. This is only on the more taxing titles of course as indie games and older pc games run really well. With the 90Hz screen 30fps looks very smooth and the clarity of 800p on a 7.4 inch display looks fantastic. I sold my laptop to a friend recently as I can also use my deck in desktop mode with a portable screen and wireless keyboard with trackpad. I use linux on my main pc so it was no issue to do this and it works perfectly for my use. I am so happy with my purchase and now when I'm working away from home I can play my pc games anytime.

[@mravg79]

I was planning to buy a new gaming laptop (for many reasons I dropped stationary PC long time ago), I even ordered one but it was rather expensive. I cancel the order and like two weeks later I decided to buy the Steam Deck 512GB OLED, dock and 512GB micro sd which was total a fraction of what the laptop would cost me. I have little experience with Linux. But since then deck + 27” inch screen in dock mode (with keyboard and mouse) replace my need for a laptop. Since I also have both current gen consoles I use the deck for older games, indie games to play something from my backlog. Perfect for short evening sessions. It is not that hard to follow a few tutorials or try things on your own in terms of adding non-Steam games. I have a lot of backups of DRM Free games. Sure sometimes some dependencies are missing. But the beauty of it is if someone does not want to do things manually (I decided to go this route to learn more like where the files are stores how the folders are named and so on), there is number of tools which can be very helpful for just selecting missing dependencies and they will be install for you. The OLED screen is great (out of the box I did not change color palet or saturation), the battery in case of lower frame rate is also good, touchpads are very nice addition. Overall I’m impressed what this portable low powered pc can do.

[@tropictom5996]

“It’s a sign”. How often I have used that same excuse to justify electronics/gaming purchases.

[@environm3ntalist549]

I got a steam deck at Christmas and it has been a game changer. It’s the only thing I want to play. My Series X and PS5 are gathering dust for the foreseeable future.

[@spacemanleezy93]

Same

[@honzaklos]

SteamOS is based on Arch. I use Arch BTW :D

[@AndY1ksi]

DF's launch review of Steam Deck OLED was the reason I bought one. I'm super satisfied!

[@stealthninja4299]

Congratulations on your purchase, John. I bought the LCD Steam Deck in August and I honestly think it's one of the best things I've ever bought. You'll have many hours of fun on yours for sure

[@user-gb3jk5sn9u]

I’ve nearly 100% completed 3 games in my backlog since I got the OLED Deck. Kind of been a game changer, that’s more than almost all of 2023 for me.

[@tyo101]

Linneman buying an OLED is in itself a glowing endorsement of its quality!

[@fresco_dinero5155]

Steam deck is great. Would love to see Digital foundry use Steam deck and Asus ROG Ally for their low end comparisons over low end gaming PCs. Especially the ROG Ally, that thing is incredible. I sold my Steam deck for it but I still think the Steam deck is great, and I use big picture mode on my Ally all the time so I can have that simplicity again

[@paulsegrue5133]

I bought the Ally 4 months ago and haven't touched my LCD Steam Deck since. Maybe I should just sell it now.

[@evostu7814]

​@@paulsegrue5133same here, ended up selling my deck as it just wasnt quite powerful enough & linux was a chore outside of running steam os. The ally is a beast for gaming & runs all my game launchers without any messing around.

[@fresco_dinero5155]

@@paulsegrue5133 that’s what I did. Steam deck is cool but very finicky in some areas

[@heitorcruz7895]

DF is such a nice podcast man Im shocked I only dicovered them last year

[@ThomasRager]

KDE is not a distro; it is a desktop environment. On Linux, the system and the UI are separated.

[@bobbypaycheque]

Yep. As an aside I think the deck running a Linux distribution is doing a lot to bring people into the Linux world. All win. More people should use Linux.

[@deathtrooper2048]

@@bobbypaycheque Linux for desktops is awful.

[@xperience-evolution]

Linux Desktop is absolutely awesome. Started to enjoy my PC again and I am in control of it instead of being controlled by it. @@deathtrooper2048

[@mortenera2294]

​@@deathtrooper2048Linux in general is awful

[@PeakKissShot]

@@deathtrooper2048 Windows for anything is awful

[@manic_miner]

My gaming PC is in my 'work from home' office and I don't want to sit in there after working all day... I bought an OLED deck on release and haven't used the gaming PC since... It's such a great solution for PC gaming on the sofa... Love it

[@EmpireOfNerds]

Something that can’t be said enough is the lighter weight coming from the LCD to the Oled. I can play full sessions + my silicone case and I’m ergonomically satisfied.

[@EmpireOfNerds]

@@jonathanwentgaming For me it absolutely did, less pressure in the palms for long play sessions & better weight balance helped in that wrist/forearm fatigue, but everyone is different. I'm 35 so I'm more sensitive after years of gaming and from work.

[@5persondude]

I was lucky enough to snag one of the Limited Edition OLED Decks. I ordered one the night before they sold out and and I’m glad because the translucent shell and orange-reddish details look great. And of course the OLED model in general is a huge upgrade, especially the 90Hz screen. Lots of PS3/Xbox 360-era games can run at an almost locked 90 FPS; so far I’ve tested Mafia 2 (original 2010 version), Fable Anniversary, CoD World at War, Disney Infinity 1.0, Resident Evil 5 (recommend installing the “Quality of Life” mod to get rid of Enigma 😉)… odd bunch, I know Anyone know of other PS3/Xbox 360-era games that look and run great at 90 FPS on OLED Deck?

[@unsavourylittlerunt]

Watch out for some games where high frame rates can cause issues, RE5 can have you and enemies stuck in corners (but unlike the player, the A.I. doesn't know how to get out of it). 60 isn't flawless but far better than even 75fps. Tomb Raider underworld is another one that will probably run and look great (has a demo too), and extremely cheap on sale. High frame rates can break some physics in puzzles where you lift a box and it flies away but 60fps is fine, maybe 90 is too. Darksiders looks pretty neat but I don't know how high can frame rate go, maybe Bayonetta too? Dead island, fallout, just cause 2, hey L4D! Spec ops the line, maybe saints row 3 original. Other than TRU, L4D and RE5 I have no idea what the experience will be like, just some games I would try personally lol

[@stephanschultink7570]

What a great video and it all shows exactly what my experience is with my Steam Deck OLED. I bought the 1TB version just a week ago and once I turned it on, that screen was amazing! It drives many AAA+ games so well, even Street Fighter 6 and Diablo IV! Now I’ve got the official dock and a sleeve from Skull&co to protect the device from being damaged. This machinery is nuts what it’s being capable of!

[@xperience-evolution]

Now it would be nice if you start to include more Linux Gaming, FPS Test comparisons to windows. Tweaks and Tricks. Linux Gaming is on the Rise and it would be actually super beneficial for Gaming if more people can jump over to Linux gaming.

[@MajorGingex]

I bought a Deck OLED back in November, it took me a long time to decide to buy it I watched countless videos, reviews ect; as I was worried that once the honeymoon period ended it would gather dust like my Switch OLED and PSVR. Now 2 months down the line I can happily say it is my most used console I currently own and my favourite handheld device of all time. I love how “open and free” the device is, the limitless customisation available; the feel of the device, how intuitive it is and don’t get me started on that incredible trackpad 😯 I’m also relatively new to Steam and Linux have enjoyed getting to grips with a whole new OS. My girlfriend gets annoyed when I geek out about it though but it’s probably my favorite device that I currently own and I’m enjoying it more than my PS5. If you’re on the fence about the Deck go for it as it has reinvigorated my passion for gaming once again

[@cyberedge881]

Very similar story with me. I absolutely love this device. My powerful gaming PC and my PS5 both get much less use now. But I'm gaming more and having a blast.

[@junyanlu8962]

I also just got one and lovin' it! Hope you were fine with the GLS delivery in Germany. It was a horrible experience for me.

[@StefanConstantinDumitrache]

I wish Valve offered a choice of screen type for their top-end model when the order is placed. By the looks of it a clear glass is better in most situations and it can be covered with an antireflective screen protector if desired. But an antireflective screen cannot be made clearer.

[@environm3ntalist549]

No, the anti reflective screen is way better full stop. There are some numpties pedalling what you say online without actual knowledge and they are completely wrong.

[@cyberedge881]

@environm3ntalist549 Actually, you're wrong, because it's entirely a matter of taste and opinion. I prefer glossy finishes on all my displays. I am very experienced with TVs, monitors, phones and handheld gaming devices, and I know for a fact that for me glossy looks much better. That said, I respect other people's opinions as well. To each their own. Just don't try to make it sound like your love of matte screens is objectively or universally true. It's merely your preference.

[@environm3ntalist549]

@@cyberedge881 no it’s objectively true. Some people believe in religion but they are still objectively wrong, to a rational person anyway. Same as with doubters of evolution, a spherical earth, etc.

[@StefanConstantinDumitrache]

@@environm3ntalist549 being objectively wrong about religion is a different animal than being "wrong" about display types. One of them you hold in your head, the other you hold in your hand. Some people prefer clear glass, FULL STOP! Which is why I say offering the option for it at checkout would be pro-consumer, although it could delay your delivery if the unit has to be put together after you ordered it.

[@ordohereticus3427]

1280x800 is more than enough at that screen size. The rest is just excess gimmickry and pointless. Focus those resources and energy towards better frame rates and visual effects.

[@IamThatChris]

The absolute best purchase I’ve done in a long time. I’ve owned pretty much every console and gaming PCs. I’ve sold everything off and just use the Steam Deck now. Combining this with Steam, Emulation and Cloud gaming is just a dream.

[@FROSTB4NE]

I've the LCD and find the screen too small for my eyes, do you think the oled is worth it as an upgrade and does the small size increase make text easier to read?

[@IamThatChris]

@@FROSTB4NE I used to have the LCD, then sold it and got the ROG Ally. Sold that one when the OLED released. For me it’s easier to use handhelds than the TV. Because some games have really tiny texts and fonts. In your case I’m not sure if the OLED will make a difference compared to the LCD.

[@FROSTB4NE]

@@IamThatChris Thanks sephiroth, I appreciate the response. I think using the oled could cause less eye strain than the LCD so it might be worth it for me. There's no backlight and I feel like my oled tablet and phone don't strain my eyes while the LCD deck does.

[@zapmando]

Started Gyro controls Recently and steam input makes gyro for any game super easy. Definitely more interested in Steam Deck since im completely addicted to gyro and PS5 really does not focus on that piece even though they have the best controller

[@Moskeeto]

Steam Input has always been great for gyro controls. It has supported the feature for the Steam Controller, DualShock 4, DualSense, and Switch Pro Controller for years now. You set it up the same way as the Steam Deck gyro controls and on any OS Steam can run on.

[@deathtrooper2048]

That's cause the analog sticks on Steam Deck are awful.

[@guillermo9171]

​@@deathtrooper2048 and your metric for establishing their quality is... ?

[@SetsuneW]

I think HedgeModManager will let you boost the framerate in Sonic Generations, but some physics might be framerate-tied and need a separate mod. There's also a Direct3D 11 mod (or alternatively a D3D 9 Ex one) that updates the graphics API to purportedly get rid of the occasional stutters.

[@jonathansallows836]

Steam OS was the only reason I was sold on the Steam Deck idea. I remember throwing controller adapters on my iPhone. It felt so janky. When you have a dedicated operating system for your device, it feels more like a dedicated gaming console.

[@parthibanspace]

Not just for handhelds, but in general, windows can implement a game mode, where if an xbox controller is connected, the interface automatically converts to a customisable xbox like dashboard(that allows non microsoft store apps/games also to be added to the dashboard) and one that scales to all form factors including handhelds.

[@guillermo9171]

It can't just be UI, they need to offer a proper game mode in terms of bloat and background processes. If the Xbox doesn't need them neither should a dedicated Windows "game mode"

[@raulvito6246]

I couldn’t resist either to the OLED, it is such a high grade upgrade in visuals and the battery 🔋 seems better too

[@MasterPJ86]

The touchpad combined with steam input software (and gyro eventually) is nothing like a laptop touchpad. It's so much more advanced, precise and customizable. It's the closest thing to a mouse for fps gaming. It can get ridiculously precise and fine tuned, it's impressive.

[@Joaaaaaaaaaaa]

The best thing on the deck is Resolution. Even if Deck 2 is 30~40% more powerful, if they go for a 1200p screen, games will be as hard / harder to run on native res. Current 800p 90hz Oled Screen is perfect for the next gen every current triple A would run 60 to 90 easy

[@ultimategohan1551]

Current gen PC handhleds like the rog ally and legion go already offer 30 to 40% more performance than the deck at 17-18W so its not a hard bar to cross. A couple more Ryzen/Rdna generations when the deck 2 releases should easily be 50%(if not more), more performance than the original deck at 15W.

[@realshompa]

Imagine if they put an M3 in it. 20 teraflop. Faster then 16 core AMD and draws under 15w. But apple are retarded.

[@cyberedge881]

I think they should keep the OLED screen and the 800p resolution, but I do hope they improve the refresh rate to 120Hz and implement VRR support. VRR is nice so that you can cap at a certain refresh rate, but it will help smooth out any small drops below that. And the main reason I want 120Hz is not so much to run games at that frame rate but rather so that we can have black frame insertion at 60fps. This OLED with black frame insertion would be the closest thing to having a CRT in a handheld.

[@hypnogri5457]

@@cyberedge881if you have the preorder oled then its possible to overclock the boe screen to 120hz without issues if you arent unlucky

[@DeckTested]

Looking forward to the gaming on Linux with Proton vs Windows performance comparisons now

[@LimboJimbo]

I 'only' have the regular Steam Deck, but I already love it to bits. I have two kids and work full time, so I have very little gaming time. The Steam Deck allows me to quickly grab it and play an hour before going to bed, which makes it my most played device by far. The best thing though is that it doesn't even feel like a compromise, so many games look, run and play great on it. And that's even without the OLED screen. So to every gamer, who is remotely interested in a handheld and doesn't have a Steam Deck yet: Get one if you can, it is absolutely amazing!

[@MerryBlind]

Personally I way prefer the etched-glass display. I’ve compared both models and the light diffusion works very well and makes the image way more consistent for a device like this which you might be playing in various places and even walk with. The reflections on my glossy Switch are also so distracting now whenever I go back to it. I actually wish my C9 Oled had the same etched-glass finish!

[@40Sec]

Totally agree with you. I also have both the Deck OLED and Switch OLED (which both use the same underlying panel, just a different cut, which makes them great for comparisons). I don't find the colours or contrast on the glossy Switch to be noticeably better, but the reflections absolutely take away from the immersion. Nothing like having those nice blacks ruined by your big dumb face being reflected in the screen.

[@cyberedge881]

Some people like the look of matte and some prefer glossy. I strongly prefer glossy screens. I think matte screens look flat and less three dimensional. Colors and black levels also look dulled. However, other people like you don't see it that way. We're all wired differently. I am glad they have an option for people who prefer glossy and for those who prefer matte.

[@40Sec]

@@cyberedge881 - Agreed. It's fine for us all to have our preferences, but it gets tiring when people get super hardline about it and act like only one option has advantages. Glad people can pick what they like best.

[@j.d.6915]

It looks awesome! I'm not a handheld enthusiast, but I can see it's a nice piece of kit.

[@CurtMudgeon]

The thumnail for this clip made me think this video was it's own bespoke video for a second, then I realized I had seen it in the DF Direct.

[@rekunta]

I’ve had my OLED for about three days now and I must say it is very impressive. Valve has done a remarkable job at integrating its OS and ecosystem. Being able to tweak and set frame rates, apply custom controller templates, see how the system is running when playing, etc, at the push of a button makes using this thing a breeze, and a pleasant one at that. It’s obvious that it’s made by gamers, for gamers, not by a corporation who’s only in it for the buck. And yeah, the screen is absolutely gorgeous. 👍🏼

[@StayPuft209]

Just picked up another Deck from GameStop as a refurb. Owned when it first dropped and really enjoyed it but found it lacking. Now with the drop of oled and some GameStop promos, I was able to get the base for 250. At that price it’s definitely a must buy and a nice companion device if you already have some kind of pc.

[@StayPuft209]

As someone who also owned the Ally, I mean the pickup and play aspect is super convenient! And battery life is much better as well the performance at low watts, something that I don’t believe the Ally or legion go can match yet.

[@cad3nce]

I need to get one of these!

[@capuchinseven]

I've been ill lately, like in bed for two months ill, and as I have a good wired network around the house I went all in on Steam Remote and Playstation remote playing on a Steam Deck OLED and I'm running games at 90fps (60 on PS5) with what I'd called perfect quality, it's crazy seeing Cyberpunk with everything everything on full running at 90fps on it. Took a little setting up, in one way or another but games basically look native. The only let down is no HDR yet with Steam Remote but Chiaki4Deck (what you use to do Playstation remote playing) does and Spider-Man 2 and Forbidden West in 60fps and HDR look incredible on it.

[@gonekrazy3000]

moonlight has hdr on the deck now. still a bit experimental but works for most games. cyberpunk with pathtracing at 90fps +hdr on a handheld is amazing.

[@capuchinseven]

@@gonekrazy3000 I had problem getting the nightly with HDR to work on my Deck (as you say, still experimental so I'm keeping my eye out), I didn't put much effort into working it out though to be fair because I also have some issues with Sunshine/Moonlight because my PC is using an ultrawide QD OLED and when streaming to my Apple TV or Deck I have issues changing the resolution (think I could get around this keeping the screen off which is better anyway and setting up a virtual monitor that's 4k so my PC sees that as the only screen connected when the ATV/Deck connects). All that said, you're right Moonlight/Sunshine are great options in general and I love streaming to my OLED Deck!

[@gonekrazy3000]

i actually just setup a custom 1280X800 90hz resolution for my monitor that i manually switch to for streaming. looks terrible on my monitor but perfect for my deck.@@capuchinseven

[@SlimmCity]

I'm loving my Steamdeck OLED too ❤🎉❤🎉

[@paulkinder8440]

I have the 512gb original Steam Deck but I picked it up more for games that weren't on the Series X or PS5. I too have played games on it, that are listed unsupported. It's not my go to console because I've always been a console gamer. But I am impressed with mine. I don't think the battery life is great, but the titles I'm playing are generally older titles that aren't available or weren't available on consoles when I bought it, so the battery isn't bad for those titles that hardly push the Steam Deck. I certainly don't regret buying it,it's the only way for me to play the Trails in the Sky Trilogy and until recently the FF pixel remasters.

[@casedistorted]

I got an RMA’d oled steam deck because my first one had 3 stuck pixels near the center. I haven’t taken my new oled LE steam deck replacement out of its box I’ve been so preoccupied. Glad John got one, it’s a good product just wish they were all Samsung screens and not BoE because the quality control isn’t as good.

[@spacemanleezy93]

I still have my steam deck LCD and still my favorite console/pc to game on

[@XxPetexXx]

I have the Rog Ally and I absolutely adore it. Steam Deck Oled looks super sweet too

[@xuano666]

I already own an OLED Steam Deck, otherwise it would've been an instant buy after hearing John. I love how enthusiastic he is when talks about the things he likes.

[@blooooooooooom]

This video was the final straw to convince me to order one. I got it two days ago and I absolutely love it.

[@chrisfratz]

One thing I did is I put Plex HTPC on my steam deck, and I set the FPS limit to 24 FPS. And movies on it look nice. Can't do HDR on movies sadly, but it's still nice to look at.

[@SickAzzTonez]

This thing is nuts! I got the LCD and bought the OLED right at launch. It really is a night and day difference! Valve knocked it out of the park. Best console I ever bought and I got PS5, Series X, Switch and a high end PC. The Deck is such a great user experience. Cheers!

[@steveybiggunzgaming8118]

The deck is literally a game console and a pc and the performance goes neck and neck with my 7840u device at 15 even 20 watts on some games. You guys should do a video about this I was shocked with the real world performance

[@ZackSNetwork]

It’s a pocket PC not a portable console.

[@Gramini]

@@ZackSNetwork It's... both

[@wolver1n3x]

LMAO!! @ 0:57 Guilty as charged.

[@Xilent1]

I felt like he did. Buying an OLED makes you think you got some kind of GPU upgrade. I'm talking about monitors, but SURE its exactly the same on the Steam Deck OLED. Sounds like the best accidental purchase yet.

[@sgwcyingko]

Buying a OLED version of a handheld gaming device instead of non OLED means that graphics is important.

[@TheL1arL1ar]

Not really but kinda😅…I did slightly feel that way with my switch to the OLED model…and now from lcd deck to 1tb OLED feels nice, but I mostly play docked to a 4K tv in my living room.

[@Spectru91]

the steam deck is amazing :D great purchase

[@TechRyze]

SO tempted to buy this... Seconded on the Windows Gaming Edition being needed. Maybe just an 'Xbox Mode', in a similar manner to Windows Vista/7's Media Centre mode.

[@write2nick]

Mine is arriving tomorrow 😊

[@o0junglist0o93]

Steam Deck is my favourite console ever. Im loving the gyro support breathing mouse aim accuracy into games that never intended to have it. Remapping K&B controls to enable mouse gyro is a game changer, literally!

[@Moskeeto]

Crazy to me people are only finding out about this now with the Steam Deck when Steam has had this feature with the Steam Controller since 2015, DualShock 4 since 2016, and DualSense since 2019.

[@o0junglist0o93]

@@Moskeeto I've never owned an actual PC rig...yet

[@Moskeeto]

@@o0junglist0o93 I see. Well if you own a Steam Deck you can also use any of those controllers on it too for docked play.

[@warlockboyburns]

The nreal air combination with the steam deck is better than looking at my 27" monitor. When the character in 3rd person games looks like they are the same size as you are it is jaw dropping.

[@argan18]

I got a cheap refurbished 64gb model and a 1tb ssd for half the piece of an oled recently and its been great for older games in the backlog and is a great remote play device.

[@dontsweatme4588]

I want a SD OLED. I just wish there was more competition with similar features. Right now the only other OLED pc handheld is the ayaneo air 1s. Battery kinda sucks only 60hz and goes up to 20 watts when not plugged in

[@morissonmarcel9144]

It would be awesome if Alex review a SteamOS fork distro or Proton / Gamescope magic

[@DanielPerez-hy6qi]

I might get a steam deck OLED too..

[@Isengardtom]

Had mine shortly after launch. Love it. I play BG3 on it

[@moasto02]

Rise Son Of Rome was a huge Benchmark for me. Considering it was the showpiece for xbox one seeing it run great and look great on SD was a huge indicator of the scope of performance the machine could provide.

[@eliv.1033]

Does it run better 10:20 on series x?🤔

[@diddymies]

no​@@eliv.1033

[@AndehX]

The stuff John describes that he loves about the Steam Deck are all things that make it better than things like the ROG Ally or the 20 Ayaneo devices that came out last year.

[@koincidental]

I love you guys... just a couple of geeks talking about stuf... awesome. Most of the internet is trying to be so cool and perfect, you are all very refreshing :)

[@MerryBlind]

I love the SD UI and options as well, but I hope they add more options. A Post-AA option in the Quick Menu would be great for some old games without any built-in AA or that would just benefit from being smoothed out a bit. Like for example FXAA in the Nvidia drivers or a simple smoothing filter. An Anisotropic Filtering setting would be great as well.

[@retro_ed746]

Well, you can increase Internal rendering resolution up to 4K. It is per game settings and can be found under Properties. Tick box is missing first time you set resolution but it will appear if go back and forth on menus....

[@MerryBlind]

@@retro_ed746 Haven’t tried that but that could be useful yes I’ll try it. Still not the same though. FXAA’s flaw is that it smooths out the image a bit too much for high fidelity highly detailed games, but that smoothness can actually help make an old game look less “harsh” or a cartoony one look “cleaner”. Jet Set Radio for example really benefits from it; it slightly cleans up the low res textures and low poly models, on top of cleaning up the aliasing of course.

[@retro_ed746]

@@MerryBlind My best example for using higher resolution than Deck`s display is GTA 4. It has awful antialiasing but running it with 2560x1440 (30fps, yes it takes some performance hit) it looks so much better.

[@MerryBlind]

@@retro_ed746 I’ve actually just tried it in a bunch of games and it does work very well! The downsampling smooths out the image a bit and the higher res slightly improves texture filtering. Also improves font in some games. Jet Set Radio and Katamari Reroll look great in 1600p/1440p! AC1 and Dark Souls 1 look great in 1080p. I can see it being useful for GTA4 you’re right the “AA” option blurs the image way too much in that game and the aliasing is distracting without it.

[@damianabregba7476]

There is vkbasalt that allows to do that

[@Axispaw1]

Exactly the same feeling when I went from the standard Switch to the OLED model, I was convinced they had made it more powerful since it looks so much better. Night and day.

[@themysterykid1]

Mario wonders looks insane

[@Axispaw1]

@@themysterykid1 agreed!

[@hanhanhanhan7692]

I’m loving that thing as well ❤

[@crestofhonor2349]

I love my steam deck OLED and I am looking to get some other PC based handhelds at some point as well

[@ssteinerjr]

I actually just got the Steam Deck OLED a few days ago. It's been incredible so far. Only complaint so far is the Mura effect, but it's not terrible on my deck.

[@unscripted3209]

Oh no not mura again, it's so bad on my psvr2

[@LISTEDGames]

in Wolfenstein 2009 I am getting 7hrs- 8hrs of battery which is inane, I know its an older title but all games that are 10 years older run perfectly and you can get 5hr+ of battery since its running at 5-6W TDP

[@digitalermitanyo8937]

It's a "Beautiful Accident" 🤣. Congrats john! I'm really enjoying mine! My main PC will be put to rest for a while (just for work).

[@jeramzPC]

Don't forget the steamdeck's standby feature. Main reason why I can't consider other handheld PCs at the moment.

[@Gramini]

Is that still a problem with other devices/Windows? I'm using standby all the time on my Deck.

[@RMED24]

​@@GraminiI believe it works but it can cause more issues in games that weren't designed for it whilst SteamOS does it more seamlessly

[@igorgiuseppe1862]

4:06 KDE is not the distro is the Desktop Enviroment. the distro is SteamOS

[@SolidSt8Dj]

KDE is not the desktop environment either, it's the organization. Plasma is the desktop environment.

[@igorgiuseppe1862]

@@SolidSt8Dj maybe not nowadays, im not sure, but KDE literally stands for "k desktop enviroment" maybe the rebranded the DE since the organization have other projects, but in the past that was the name for sure.

[@robertwahlstrom]

The Asus Rog Ally got 1080p and yeah it looks very good but yeah I understand what you are saying 720p is still a very good resolution for a handheld. Think it a bit like going from 1080p to 4K, it do look sharper but it's not as significant as going from 360p to 720p for example.

[@Mikri90]

Daaaamn you John, I don't have a Steam Deck but Ori and Will of the Wisps is basically my favorite game ever and if something will make me buy one it will be that game and there's you confirming how good it is :D I had a sort of hint on how it will look playing it on a phone through GeForceNow but boy I can imagine how it appears on a larger screen and running locally.

[@JFinns]

4:00 SteamOS uses Arch Linux. Loving that OLED display boys keep up the awesome work.

[@DANCINGDARTH]

Really would like an in depth look on playing GTA 4 on the steam deck. I have the OLED that I had got and been playing it the past few months and have a blast with it! One issue I ran into was that GTA 4 doesn’t not have cloud saves. I bought GTA 4 on steam originally years ago and I’m not able to use the same saves I have on my pc as on my steam deck. Other than that little hiccup it’s been a blast

[@retro_ed746]

I transfer my GTA4 saves with usb drive from system to system. GTA4 is native windows game so your saves from main pc should still work on Deck. I dont know save path on windows but on Deck (use Desktop mode) saves are in folder "profiles"

[@tom_123]

Next time, just trust the words of Papa Richard. He told you SD was amazing months ago.

[@budthecyborg4575]

I can agree that 1080p is too much for Steamdeck 2, but personally I just want 1600x1200 to match the top spec monitor supported by old games from the 90's. 1920x1200 pillarboxed to 4:3 is the only way to keep native resolution compatibility with classic games, but I would also be willing to compromise and go 1600x1000 and only fill the horizontal axis, which is probably the ideal balance for a handheld like Steamdeck 2.

[@marvinmallette6795]

If you're talking about games from the 90s, the Steam Deck should be able to handle 1600x1200 easily. The internal display is only 1280x800, which may cause some issues with hardware detection. I'd probably reference a DPI/PPI calculator regarding the 1024x768 resolution on the Steam Deck OLED's 7.4" display if you are looking for hand held 4:3 gaming. That pixel density looks to be double your typical 1600x1200 4:3 CRT, meaning the Steam Deck is already a "high DPI" display. At arm length's viewing distance, game UI elements are likely to become unreadable at 1600x1200 on a 7.4" display.

[@retro_ed746]

You can now use even 2048 x 1536 resolution (if supported) for old games. Go under Properties and set game resolution to 4K. If tick box is missing go back and forth again in same menus. After this there is a lot more resolutions to choose in game. 16 : 10 is great aspect ratio for old and new games. Works on decks display and external display. And if you set max resolution for example 1024 x 768 this may help with older titles starting issues.

[@budthecyborg4575]

@@marvinmallette6795 "At arm length's viewing distance" When I'm playing games on my Steamdeck OLED it's usually in bed with the screen 6" from my face. If batteries were 10x more powerful I would want Steamdeck to have a 4K display in a 7" handheld, but things being the way they are I like having 6 hours battery life so the resolution needs to be tailored for that use case.

[@bravebiird]

god i love the steam deck oled hahaha first thing i played on it was half life 2! felt like a really nice way to start, and it obviously runs perfectly, the oled is excellent with the game's darker areas, and valve did a lot to make it feel at home with the controls

[@StuartHerrington]

I still love the Vita and would really like something a little bigger than it but smaller than the Switch and Steam deck.

[@unslept_em]

ok but how does videoball look on the steam deck oled? inquiring minds have to know

[@ben-tendo]

EmuDeck is just exceptional and is the best setup for emulation. Glad to see it now expanding out to Windows etc despite it's name.

[@shovsoft]

I've been playing Carrion at 45 FPS with 8 Watts TDP and the battery life is 9+hrs!

[@Simulati0n]

I have first SD love it, ended up buying LeGo but the battery is miserable. If I had to do it over I would’ve bought the oled instead.

[@animehunter8655]

hell yeah John got a deck

[@garethsmith6611]

Thats awesome. John tried Ryse son of rome and that was my first ever game install on the steam deck oled. loving it.

[@markholroyd5682]

I got that game ages ago and didn’t play it much. Think I will give it another go on my new OLED. Thanks for reminding me

[@djtomoy]

I have 3, they’re excellent

[@Dosnmeda]

If only Microsoft had a department that focuses on building gaming hardware and gaming UI...

[@keepitshort4208]

Will get steam deck oled 512gb So there is still a chance for Thumb stick drift ? Also a bit concerned about the dead pixels and headphone jack issues. Are the new batch of steam decks have less issues that i mentioned ?

[@DoukNoukum]

Yes get the 512gb version and not the LE version

[@keepitshort4208]

@DoukNoukum I will hopefully, just scared about the burn in screen. Sadly, there is still no update for downloading games while the screen is off and in summers it will get really hot which is not good for an oled screen.

[@Wainster]

I've always argued for me alone, I'm prefer native pixels always. 1080 displays are a gimmick that current hardware specs can't cope with. In a year or 2, there will be newer better silicon that will push 1080 without upscaling. But, on such a small screen, 1080p isn't a must.

[@louis1443]

John please do a video on the OLED deck

[@warlockboyburns]

Gyroscope helps to highlight long lines of text which you can't do without it.

[@AlchemicSoul]

I could probably give up my desktop entirely and just play on this and be happy. Maybe I will, man. I dunno, get like a Macbook Air to compliment it and ride into the sunset. This thing is perfect, the only thing I want to replace is is a faster one in a few years.