Handheld Gaming Overload: Pros, Cons, and the Future

[@EduardoVasquezMedina]

"There are way too many fast food restaurant, we only need McDonalds cause its the best" Why are we complaining about having the option to choose between so many devices? No one is forcing us to buy every single one of them.

[@weeklystruggle4205]

i just want the steam deck to continue. I love it so much

[@jurgi1218]

I want a small PC Windows Handheld like GPD Win 3, AYANEO Air 1S with OLED Screen and good Backbuttons! Where is my Handheld ? There are not enough Handhelds !

[@DienerNoUta]

I think the aya neo air have an Oled screen, but I don't know if it have back buttons there was the Ayn Loki, but it didn't had an OKed screen and its currently delisted

[@EsotericWolf]

Yes there's a lot of handhelds, esp when you have companies like Ayaneo, GDPwin, OnexPlayer with so many different SKUs, they release like 7-10 at once. (Exaggerating but not really) But with that being said, I can't wait to see what other handhelds come out. Interested to see the ROG Ally X and Steam Deck 2. Would also love to see Alienware release the UFO! I really like the bigger screen and detachable controllers but something with great hardware and a good amount of ram would be awesome to see!

[@brianbrxwn6344]

I agree,way 2 mach,still trying to decide whether I should get the steam deck oled or rog ally x🤔

[@RoyalXSoda]

They do have a lot of contrasting pros and cons to them lol. Personally im very happy with my steam deck lcd! But i find it so excitingg to see all these new handhelds evolving in some way and i can enjoy a cheaper option while i wait to see what i wanna upgrade to if at all because the steam deck is so good already!

[@fishmo_mofish]

It's not a problem for now. The more, the merrier, and it will help push the handheld market faster. However the issue comes when individual companies are releasing multiple SKUs in such a short timeframe. This will leave consumers constantly questioning whether to dive in, hold, or upgrade.. leading to just not bothering. They need to look towards the console market as an example, but slightly quicker maybe 5-6 years instead of 8 years.

[@DienerNoUta]

small companies need to release new devices, if not then they will go bankrupt. consoles can have a long live cicle per generation because they revenues comes thanks to their gamesa and services, not because the consoles, so how a hardware console that dosent have a store like steam can survive with only 1 device for so many years? that's something that people doesn't thinkt when they talk about this...

[@bas919]

_And GabeN said, "Let there be handheld PC." And there was Steam Deck._

[@DienerNoUta]

*GPD

[@dominichelton]

I wish there was a way to regulate oversaturated markets with their product output like a hard cap on 2-3 devices per company and plan to have the products lifecycle last like 4 years sounds fair. Companies and r&d can cook longer and give us better stuff without forcing planned obsolescence at a monthly rate

[@kewlztertc5386]

Many of these HHPC devices were in development before the Steam Deck was released. Valve was only the first to market......I should say "mainstream market."

[@games_revealed]

Since the deck, companies like AYANEO tripled the amount of different devices they are releasing

[@fishmo_mofish]

​@@games_revealedthey need to focus on one. Biggest reason I never bought into the handheld was precisely for this reason. They release far too many far too quickly and I don't feel they support them once they are out the door. Valve made it clear they would support the Steamdeck and the steamdeck 2 wasn't on the table. Imo 5 to announce, 6 to release years would be suitable timeframe . It's long enough for technology to improve sufficiently to give a valid upgrade and give value for money. While also fitting into the console life cycles.

[@andyvasquez470]

yeah i think there are def way too many, Im not going to so much as bat an eye to anything else but a Deck 2 at this point. I do want to see growth in this sector but i really dont like how its being approached right now. These are still 600-800 devices and people cant afford to put that kind of money down knowing that something new and better is coming out in the near future. Id prefer that companies commit to the hardware they make for the long term, and make sure they fit all the needs that gamers are looking for in a device like this on day 1. and as an example of make sure they fit all the needs on day 1 is Battery life on these devices should never have been so poor, especially when you know the general demograph is going to be taking these to go in the first place. if they cared at all on serrving the customers they could have made a new backplate for the OG ally that can house the newer larger battery to save the existing customers the grief of having to sell their original units and pay another $4-500 just to get the battery life that should have been in the OG ally in the first place. then that low quality SD card reader near the hot fans and that proprietary XG port, all terrible ideas with 0 thought put into their placement and longevity. We literally paid $700 for a mistake. and now they want you to pay another $800 for their correction.....its ridiculous.

[@EsotericWolf]

I agree with this message lol

[@charleyweinhardt]

I want power, I want Windows- (10), I want 'some' battery life, I want a comfortable grip where my thumb can actually reach the buttons and the stick at the same time!

[@kelvinhbo]

Are there too many PC handhelds? YES!

[@McSmurfy]

For me it was easy once I realized I want a gaming handheld not pc since I have a gaming laptop, then the Steam Deck Oled appeared in my hands and I did not regret it one time.

[@TS-qr3rk]

I would consider 2 and really only seriously consider 1. ROG and Steamdeck. The price is just so good on the Deck it makes the decision easy. Software/support is also HUGE deal and Valve has a proven track record of getting it right.

[@Talon97]

Personally I'm just waiting for the handheld market to finally crash lol. This way I can score a solid handheld at a reasonable price.

[@smidlee7747]

I think pc handheld are over-hyped especially on You-tube as I still prefer playing PC games on laptops/desktop on a much bigger screen. It was cool when the Deck first came out to play a game like God of War but after the newness wears off I end up playing some less demanding games and indy titles on them. Vampire Survivors type of games as great to play on the go on a handheld. Even with the Switch I ended up playing most of the time docked to a TV.

[@weeklystruggle4205]

I sit on the computer for all my work day, I wanna chill on couch or in my bad with the steam deck. I player elden ring, cyberpunk etc on it. So for me its definitely not overhyped but a total blessing. Nobody could pay me to still sit in front of a PC after work

[@smidlee7747]

@@weeklystruggle4205 You do know you can easily dock a laptop and desktop to a TV right? Some PC games are not designed to play on a 7" screen. I often play on my laptop connected to a 65* TV in my bedroom. I was playing on this laptop in bed before there was a Steam Deck. In PC gaming you are not bound to a single piece of hardware..

[@DienerNoUta]

great, then this market isn't for you

[@weeklystruggle4205]

@@smidlee7747 lol ofc. i have a huge Oled. a comfy couch and even a ps5….which my partner plays. so your solution does nothing for me

[@DienerNoUta]

I prefer to have many ones to chose instead of have just 2 or 3 like in the begining when GPD started this I dont know why people gets mad when a company release a new handheld, I think they are just fanboys of the deck lmao

[@X862go]

i love them all lol soon well get them for cheap soon.

[@onefiftycanningvale]

asus has the best support. lol