Retroarch super gameboy border3/29/2024 The LCD Deck can get warm and noisy fairly quickly, too, and the d-pad on each device is somewhat mushy. The Steam Deck’s biggest issue is its size: At two inches thick and nearly a foot long, it stretches the definition of a “handheld” device, even if the OLED model is lighter by comparison. You can also cloud stream Xbox games with a little setup. Some PS3 and original Xbox games can be tricky, but just about everything else works beautifully. That power, combined with third-party tools like EmuDeck, makes the Deck superb for emulation as well. You’ll still need to make tweaks every now and then to get a game to run optimally, but the process is usually straightforward. (There are workarounds to access other storefronts as well.)Ī near-constant stream of updates has turned Valve’s SteamOS into a flexible yet user-friendly platform. While official game support is limited to a subset of the Steam library, the list of officially verified and still-playable titles is massive, diverse and constantly growing. Newer AAA games are certainly pushing their limits, but both Decks can run tons of games that just aren’t possible on a Nintendo Switch, from Elden Ring to Final Fantasy VII Remake to the Resident Evil 4 remake. The entry-level Steam Deck, which uses a more basic IPS LCD display but now comes with a 256GB SSD as standard, is still an unmatched value at $399. Performance is roughly the same, though the OLED model’s increased memory bandwidth can help it gain a couple extra frames in certain games.Īll that said, $549 is a big investment. A larger fan keeps things cooler and quieter, and the chassis feels lighter. No handheld can play resource-intensive "AAA" games for too long, but Valve says the new model can run for three to 12 hours depending on the game, whereas the LCD model lasts between two and eight. The maximum refresh rate has jumped from 60Hz to 90Hz as well, which can help many games look smoother.ĭue to the less power-hungry display, a more efficient AMD APU and a larger battery, the Steam Deck OLED also lasts longer than before. The higher contrast and richer colors of an OLED screen makes every game look better by default, but this display also supports HDR, with significantly brighter highlights at its peak. Starting at $549 for 512GB of storage, this variant features a 7.4-inch OLED display that’s brighter, faster, slightly bigger and more vivid than the 7-inch IPS panel on the now entry-level model. And the new Steam Deck OLED is a thorough upgrade over the original. Thanks to a refresh late last year, Valve’s Steam Deck continues to offer the best balance of price, performance and usability in the gaming handheld market. Steam Deck LCD - Display: 7-inch IPS, 1,280 x 800 resolution, 400 nits brightness, 60Hz | Processor: Custom 7nm AMD APU | RAM: 16GB LPDDR5 5500 MT/s | Storage: 256GB SSD | Battery: 40Whr | Dimensions: 11.73 x 4.6 x 1.93 inches | Weight: 1.48 pounds | Wireless: Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.0 | OS: SteamOS Steam Deck OLED - Display: 7.4-inch HDR OLED, 1,280 x 800 resolution, 1,000 nits peak HDR brightness, 600 nits SDR brightness, up to 90Hz | Processor: Custom 6nm AMD APU | RAM: 16GB LPDDR5 6400 MT/s | Storage: 512GB, 1TB SSD | Battery: 50Whr | Dimensions: 11.73 x 4.6 x 1.93 inches | Weight: 1.41 pounds | Wireless: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3 | OS: SteamOS They might not have the widest appeal as a result (Switch excluded), but they’re often easier for less tech-literate folks to just pick up and use. They aren’t necessarily ideal for emulation or playing the latest multiplatform titles instead, they often have distinct game libraries. We’ll call the last tier “handhelds that do their own thing.” This is a catch-all for things like the Switch or Playdate: portable devices that run heavily customized software and aim to provide a unique gaming experience. (Engadget does not condone piracy.) Backing up files of games you already own for personal use only is considered more defensible, though, so for that a mobile handheld can be a more user- and wallet-friendly way to play the classics (or even some Switch games) anywhere. Getting emulators to work can be complicated, and accessing the BIOS and ROM files required to play games this way is legally murky. While most are marketed toward those ends, many gamers actually buy them to emulate classic games through software like RetroArch. They aren’t equipped to play modern console or PC titles, but they’re usually more compact than a portable PC, and you can still use them for mobile games and cloud streaming. These devices often run Android or Linux and can range from under $50 to $400-ish. Further down on the price spectrum are "mobile handhelds" like the Logitech G Cloud or Retroid Pocket.
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