Steam Deck | A Casual Gamer's Journey

One casual gamer's journey through the Steam Deck, taking you through 12 months of my experiences as someone completely new to PC gaming, some unexpected trials and tribulations with the Steam Deck RMA process, and my inevitable upgrade to the OLED model.
I wanted to trial this supercut format as a way to bring my full thoughts on the Steam Deck to you in a longer form than usual. It would be great to hear your thoughts in the comments.
You can expect to hear:
- My initial experience with a refurbished Steam Deck
- How I came to love the Steam Deck
- How I pushed the Steam Deck beyond handheld gaming
- When it all came crashing down
- How the Steam Deck OLED saved the day
#gaming #steamdeck #supercut #valve #handheld
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[@IntentionalTech]

You could have been watching The Bear Season 3 right now, but you're here with me instead. Thanks so much! This video is kind of a test to see if bringing content series together into one long form video can help older content find new viewers. I'm a but scared to test this 'supercut' style so please let me know what you think. Hopefully you find it useful! Chris

[@rcash3625]

I honestly started season 1 like 3 times

[@IntentionalTech]

Devoed. I love it but I can see it’s not for everyone.

[@weichiang89]

Stumbled your video in another trying time of my life. Getting a second hand device to save while being a busy dad resonated with me a lot. My Switch saved me, my Steam deck cemented that. There's always time to play now. I'm subbing.

[@defautluser0]

every steam deck sold, new arch linux user made

[@IntentionalTech]

haha love it :D

[@fairphoneuser9009]

At least statistically. 😁

[@AbarajameLabanyera]

Every android phone a new arch user also. P.d: prove me wrong

[@defautluser0]

@@AbarajameLabanyera ??? android is not based on arch linux

[@idcrafter-cgi]

@@AbarajameLabanyera android only uses the Linux kernel, i have seen some older devices that did even mention to have a ubuntu flavored Kernel for some reason which is still no arch.

[@JustAJoX]

got the oled 512 model last night now im just watching steamdeck stuff on yt haha

[@weichiang89]

a rite of passage. Welcome to the team.

[@TianLong72k]

same, i ordered the 1tb model yesterday. how long did it take yours to ship/arrive.. my payment still says processing

[@JustAJoX]

​@@TianLong72kthursday ordered , came next tuesday , 5 days - germany

[@TianLong72k]

@JustAJoX thanks, I'm just getting nervous lol. In a week or 2 I will be away from home for about 9 weeks. So I'm hoping to get it before I leave

[@JustAJoX]

@@TianLong72k should be fine , valve is great at customer support. Even if u are not home, there are other ways to secure the deck :)

[@GH-sn1gm]

Thanks! The journey and comparison of refurbished vs oled deck was very helpful

[@IntentionalTech]

Wow, thanks so much! First ever super thanks 🙏🏻 - appreciate it.

[@Jake-kw4ql]

Draining the steam deck battery to 0% is a known issue with all all the steam deck models. Don't let it happen, it doesn't affect every unit, but a large amount of them get a "black screen of death" and either just won't turn back on, or will power back on but the screen won't power on. Just keep it charged and you'll be good.

[@arcadeportal32]

I think updates fixed the issue with mine, but I use to have to sometimes make sure it was plugged in then try to power it on then it would start charging. Weird bug, but it hasn't happend in a long time even doing the same thing.

[@paulkendrick4153]

Thanks for the tip

[@Jake-kw4ql]

@paulkendrick4153 no problem. If it does happen to you, you'll still be able to connect an external display to it in order to trouble shoot.

[@psytama1]

never happened to me. i got a steam deck lcd since launch

[@Jake-kw4ql]

@psytama1 never happened to me either. I got a launch lcd, let it die all the time... it did have a hard time powering back on, but that was true whether it died or not, and it was very early in the OS cycle. Haven't let my oled die yet though, i saw people talking about it a lot on reddit

[@daviddawson1423]

Great work! I appreciated the honesty and different perspective. Earned a subscriber in me!

[@IntentionalTech]

Thank you 🙏🏻

[@Aygross]

Just found your channel. Fantastic video well done. Just subbed.

[@IntentionalTech]

Thanks. Appreciate it!

[@breakfast7595]

I used to be a Microsoft fanboy, especially during the Windows 7 era (my favorite Windows OS). Ever since then I've always dreaded the next Windows OS. Each one seems to be worse. I tried multiple times to switch to Linux but in always found that I had to have a Windows install for some reason. Over the past two years I've completely switched to Linux as my primary OS, mostly due to the loads of investment from Valve into Proton. Their OS is amazing, and the effects of it have seriously shifted what many thought impossible. I don't even own a Steam Deck, but I intend to. It seems to be one of the most polished systems out there. Valve seems to be a long term company. Investing in experimental tech, sometimes it fails, but when they succeed they REALLY hit it out of the park

[@JimCamel37]

Great video by the way! i liked & subscribed.

[@IntentionalTech]

Thanks, mate!

[@McSmurfy]

Got my Oled a few weeks ago and my stick caps came today. Now just waiting for my case with a stand on it to arrive, this is by far my favourite console gaming device. The PS5 is amazing and the Switch was nice for portable gaming, but now I can play PS5, emulated games and Steam games in one device.

[@hdrkn5247]

How do you play ps5 game on the deck?

[@TianLong72k]

@@hdrkn5247 first you can use remote play, or just download the game because console exclusivity is not really a thing anymore and most "console only" games come to steam within a year or 2

[@philipdarmawan6252]

​@@hdrkn5247 probably with remote play

[@weichiang89]

I wanted to get tbis for so long. My dearest aunt (you the mvp) offered to get me one. Got an oled but was planning to get the glossy oled but my local store only had the etched glass 1tb. Not as vibrant BUT it helped me a lot when I'm on commutes.

[@thomasstevens9553]

I just got my Steam Deck refurbished and it is in great condition and runs well

[@IntentionalTech]

Awesome. Have fun!

[@fernandolopez4895]

Love it!

[@cs-ge5kx]

Why I been thinking of getting but just haven't

[@fernandolopez4895]

@@cs-ge5kx so worth it, I had an Xbox and PlayStation my whole life and never knew about pc only games. With steam deck I like having the access to them. Hard to get bored of gaming now with so many options lol

[@peblackstock]

I have had the LCD 512GB model since day 1 release. It has been rock solid with no crashes. I think Casual Gamers bad experience with the LCD version was just unlucky. Anyone thinking about getting an LCD version, you shouldn't be getting crashes....certainly not regular crashes...they are quality too.

[@nithorias9622]

I got my OLED last Wednesday and it is amazing.

[@IntentionalTech]

Awesome

[@mikedmann7487]

Heck yeah!

[@SniP3rHavOk]

I just removed the white dbrand skin from mine and put a new one on with the killswitch. The white skin started yellowing around the buttons haha, but it did look good while it lasted. The killswitch case is seriously incredible though and glad I gave it a shot

[@IntentionalTech]

Agree. I’ve been really impressed by the screen protectors too.

[@SniP3rHavOk]

@@IntentionalTech it’s the first time I got one on so perfectly!

[@CellPhish]

Good video. You can use your iPad without all that stuff. I have the same iPad and on the current OS I just stream to it as a monitor.

[@IntentionalTech]

Cheers. I need to keep testing.

[@rubencamps6689]

I have the LCD 512 Gb matte screen since two weeks besides my PS5, Xbox series S and switch. To honest, I only play on my Steamdeck. Play recent AAA games to older AAA games like Dead Space 2, NFS Most Wanted, ... but also switch games like Monster hunter Stories 2, ... , It's just an amazing device to play at home or in the train.

[@TheGuvzilla]

I was looking at getting the refurbished Steamdeck. They have been out of stock though (U.K.). this video has convinced me not to get one

[@AlecsLee]

If your crashes have a freezining image, with a black screen that evenatually go back to the freezed image, but the sound continúes to play until It hard crashes, thats a very well know fault of the lcd model, in fact, its the moat extended reason for RMAs of the lcd model and to this day , not valve or the comunity knows what causes them, and i think its something innerith tl the lcd model that you can simply experience more or less, but you are going to have some of those crashes eventually. I had got 4 deck lcd from the RMA sevice and EVERY one of them got that kind of crashes, while my oled haven't got not even 1....so i think its something related to the lcd hard, maybe something about the wattage, power management etc, but the only way to get rid of those issues is to get an oled, any other solution including the RMA service its goinf to be placebo.

[@BirdSpotter43]

I bought the 256g a few months ago when the OLED came out. Not sure it's worth investing in the OLED TBH, unless you just want the fancier screen. I use mine mostly docked at home or slow days at work. LCD works fine for me.

[@Quanziam]

Because the OLED panel is thinner, Valve had more room to make upgrades everywhere, especially the battery.

[@mreverybody1150]

In the OLED the screen refresh rate was boosted from 60 Hz to 90 Hz. The Deck is now 30 grams lighter despite housing a bigger 50 Whr battery Vs the old 40 Whr one. The new battery can deliver 30 to 50% longer battery life. The new OLED screen is 0.4 inches larger than the screen found on the original Steam Deck, and it supports HDR. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capabilities have been upgraded so now supports Wi-Fi 6E and wake up on Bluetooth functionality. It has higher fidelity haptics, and its trackpads have been improved in terms of edge detection. The speakers inside of the OLED model are louder and boast improved bass. It has a slower, quieter fan, higher transfer speed of the RAM giving 2-5 extra fps in some games. Lastly the 7nm AMD APU in the old Deck has been improved and is now a 6nm APU offering less heat and increased efficiency which results in slightly better battery life. Ive also heard that there is Improved grip on joysticks and enhanced feedback on shoulder buttons.

[@MattMatheson]

I had both. The OLED is 10 times better. The lcd looks awful in comparison. Like a different device.

[@fairphoneuser9009]

Your issues sound like issues with the device. I didn't have them on two different LCD Steam Decks, and the second one is a refurbished one, with no issues at all, and haven't heard of such issues either... But it's great that you still ordered an OLED Steam Deck after all those annoyances. I might have given up.

[@obhettwicegameplay1234]

i have steamdeck oled and im sad coz my cat urine my steamdeck and now its damage due to water damage inside.some buttons not working. i used it via bluetooth controller but i decided to sale it in low price

[@totallynotaliar9912]

Damn I feel bad for whoever gets the piss deck lol

[@stanislavrico]

So what’s the name of the app on iPad?

[@Username_CC_]

Enjoy!

[@markangeloayaton4559]

I was working while listening to you and I notice the audio was cut the end. Why is the video seem like cut? I thought it was my internet when I replayed again it really is cut.

[@IntentionalTech]

Probably just poor editing on my part 😅

[@Yusei255]

gonna get the regular steam deck, cos i don't see the need to upgrade to the OLED.

[@Quanziam]

Better battery, modern Wi-Fi chip, beautiful screen. The Wi-Fi 6E chip is critical for streaming games, which consumes significantly less battery than running games natively. 512 GB is good enough, but 1 TB is nice for the new game recording feature.

[@Yusei255]

@@Quanziam don't really do the whole streaming games thing, so that's one less thing to worry about, id normally keep it docked, so that's the battery and OLED screen out of the way.

[@eternalzeero]

​@@Yusei255 I fully respect the decision but here's one thing I noticed about the OLED deck, the gameplay experience of 30 fps 90 hz, 40 fps 80 hz and 45 fps 90 hz is much better than the original alternative which was 30 fps 60 hz and 40 fps 40 hz. It feels great and smoother gameplay wise. Its your decision I'm just sharing some information with you. I hope you have fun with whatever choice you make!

[@JimScreechie556]

Lets be real. The only reason someone wouldnt buy the oled is related to how much money they have. ​@@eternalzeero

[@fire44it]

I've had both and I would recommend the oled. Mostly the battery life is insane, refresh rate 40/80hz. The fan noise is waaaaaay better. My lcd was super loud, while my oled is quiet. And some extras. Nicer screen, lighter, a bit better performance 5%-10%, it runs cooler.

[@pinchejamon8906]

What platformer game was that? Man jumping and climbing?

[@IntentionalTech]

It was either Planet of Lana or A Highland Song

[@RobertSmith-tu7rl]

Just got the LCD model don't need an OLED I have a tV for that I just wanna enjoy some emulator games and chill

[@mreverybody1150]

The OLED model isn't just a better screen though, it's a bigger battery, better trackpad, better fan, more efficient chipset, improved wifi, bluetooth, better speaker and better grip.

[@RobertSmith-tu7rl]

@@mreverybody1150 welp u get it if I really wanna play play I'll play on my C4 OLED television.

[@jacksonrowley7797]

dang bro, you holding the steam deck makes it look small. Even though I know it's a super big handheld

[@IntentionalTech]

😂

[@JimCamel37]

i got my 512gb in 2023 sept. i nvr let it drop below 30% & battery health still at 100%

[@dhandley22]

The PlayStation Portal has been out for several months, right?

[@IntentionalTech]

Yeah, it has. I’m testing a new format here where I try to pull together sections from different videos and tell a longer form story using my experiences at different times. It’s good to notice time-specific things like that though so I can cut them out in future edits if I decide to continue this series.

[@dhandley22]

@@IntentionalTech oh that makes sense 👍👍

[@jer4rud0]

Actually, Fall Guys and Rocket League from Epic Games work, they just actively block Fortnite from running on Linux machines like the Steam Deck.

[@michaelfisher3301]

I want a hand held. I’m very close to just getting the steam deck! I just can’t make up my mind between that and the new ROG Ally X. Any suggestions from anyone here?

[@jer4rud0]

Just get the Steam Deck. Valve’s support is waaaay better than Asus’

[@michaelfisher3301]

@@jer4rud0 that’s the biggest thing I hear. I’m not a huge gamer as well. So specs aren’t to important to me. Just as I’m about to pull the trigger, I see a video on the ROG Ally x and how much better it runs games. But everything I’ve read about the steam deck seems like it will work

[@jer4rud0]

@@michaelfisher3301 I think getting the OLED model would be the good balance since you’re thinking of getting a better spec one, the Ally X, and the LCD Steam Deck. The improvements are really nice and makes it a polished experience, also that 3-12 hour battery life with quick resume from suspend is nice when you want to take a break and pick it up another time.

[@paulkendrick4153]

@@michaelfisher3301 Get the Steam Deck OLED. Valve is a very dependable company and Asus is shady and unpredictable. Currently playing Ghost of Tsushima and Fallout New Vegas on my 3 day weekend. Life is good 😊

[@michaelfisher3301]

@@jer4rud0 my buddy has both the Steamdeck and ROG Ally so I was gonna game on both of his and see what feels best. But from what I read steam os seams to be the best and easiest OS system out rn. Like 95% leaning towards the deck but then I see a video on how the ally x is better… lol just gotta pull the trigger

[@user-ik5kv3fd8k]

2tb 100$ aliexpress ssd do it i got the 64gb now its 2000gb you wont regret it

[@jeromethompson3282]

Those actually work?

[@user-ik5kv3fd8k]

@@jeromethompson3282 hell yeah they do!! Remember to get the right size and the one thats most sold if i remember correctly 1tb is around 60 or 50 and 2tb is 100 smaller sizes are even cheaper !!

[@user-ik5kv3fd8k]

​@@jeromethompson3282 yep

[@goat800]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="908">15:08</a>, <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="1567">26:07</a> game ?

[@FunkyHQYT]

Cocoon

[@goat800]

​@@FunkyHQYT26:07 game ?

[@IntentionalTech]

@@goat800 A Highland Song

[@goat800]

@@IntentionalTech thanks

[@silentplayz6797]

This video is outdated. Half the stuff you’re saying isn’t even accurate because you have the LCD deck lol

[@IntentionalTech]

I’m testing a new supercut format which brings together footage from old videos to tell a longer story but thanks for the feedback. I think if I do it again, I’ll need to rewrite certain parts and introduce voiceovers to add context

[@williamrosenberg8061]

Boooooh

[@Username_CC_]

Enjoy!