IbizaPocholo
NeoGAFs Kent Brockman
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Steam Deck |OT| Nintendo Switch 2
- Thread starter .Pennywise
- Start date
- |OT|
MidGenRefresh
*Refreshes biennially
I've finished another game played exclusively on the Deck over the Christmas. The Witcher 2. Brilliant game. I've played on Dark difficulty and it was a lot of fun. Great story, characters and choices. I can't believe I skipped this one for so long.
Kupfer
Member
How long did it take for you to finish? Started the first one on the Deck and I spent more time configuring the controls than playing until I stopped after like 3 hours because it didn't felt good for me. Does Witcher 2 have native controller controls since it also released for the 360?
MidGenRefresh
*Refreshes biennially
Yes, it does have native controller support with button prompts and everything. Just select controller from the in-game settings and make sure that in the Steam OS your control options are set to gamepad. When you do it, it feels perfect.
I think I played for like ~40 hours but don't know for sure as Steam counter breaks sometimes when you put the Deck to sleep. I've done all side quests that I could find + craft unique armour etc. that's why it took so long.
Maiden Voyage
Gold™ Member
I finished all 4 of the The Room games. The touch screen feedback is super slow and clunky. It's not so bad at first but after playing through the 4 games back-to-back, it got quite frustrating at the end. I haven't had issues other times I used touch as an input method. IDK if it's the Deck or the software.
Subterranean
Member
Ordered mine a week ago and it is set to arrive today. FedEx sucks though, their site is so bugged I can't assign a drop off at a store or pay for a different delivery day where I am not stuck at work without it giving me error messages. Hopefully at the end of the day the Deck will be on my porch.
TintoConCasera
I bought a sex doll, but I keep it inflated 100% of the time and use it like a regular wife
Do we know anything about this game? It has tons of positive reviews, and apparently Vanillaware artists were involved in it.
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StarPlatinumTheWorld
Member
Obsessed with my Steam Deck, I got it on the 9th Dec and I have played it every day since.
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Damien Crowley
Member
On a mission to put every Tekken Game on the Deck. Almost done. The PS3 ones work surprisingly well and TTT2 on a Handheld is absolutely awesome. Need to see how I can port my PS3- save states over.
Maiden Voyage
Gold™ Member
CrustyBritches
Gold Member
PowerTools is the key to Switch emulation. You shouldn't have to run .5x res, since it's mostly a CPU issue, so you should be at native 1280x800. You want SMT disabled, locked CPU frequency, and GPU frequency in a limited range. I made a post that showed the effect that different combinations of settings have on performance and battery life in SMO. I think your best bet is SMT 'Off', CPU @ 3.3GHz, GPU @ 1200-1600MHz. That was pulling ~16.3W in a heavy scene resulting in estimated battery life of 2h40m.
Full post...
Post showing Zelda: Link's Awakening going from 40-45fps with stuttering to relatively smooth 60fps...
---
I'm sure he's been linked in this thread before, but I want to give another shoutout to CryoByte33, the author of CryoUtilities for Deck and a guy with one of the best Youtube channels for Deck optimization. He usually provides 3 different profiles/targets with goals of best performance, best battery, and best graphics. He lists settings in exhaustive detail for each profile/target. Great channel.
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Steam Deck Gaf, how can I transfer my emulator games' savegames onto my Steam Deck that uses EmuDeck for emulation? I've used RetroArch on my Windows Desktop PC, and there's a folder called 'saves' inside the RetroArch with *.srm files in it. Where do I have to put them to use them with EmuDeck?
Where do my memcards files from PSX, PS2, and the Citra/CEMU save games go to?
I slowly get the gist of Linux' file structure, but it is still confusing to me to navigate and where things go. I know where the rom folders are, how I access my SD card, where my Steam games are, etc. but I don't know where the actual emulators are.
EDIT: Okay, I got it. For those who are interested:
EmuDeck – inside the 'emulation' folder where also the 'rom' folder is – creates a folder called 'saves' in which there are linked folders to the real locations, working like shortcuts in Windows. Via network I simply transferred my memcards from my Windows PC (found in the emu-specific folders) to the dedicated folders inside that aforementioned 'save' folder. It's quite well-structured, actually.
Where do my memcards files from PSX, PS2, and the Citra/CEMU save games go to?
I slowly get the gist of Linux' file structure, but it is still confusing to me to navigate and where things go. I know where the rom folders are, how I access my SD card, where my Steam games are, etc. but I don't know where the actual emulators are.
EDIT: Okay, I got it. For those who are interested:
EmuDeck – inside the 'emulation' folder where also the 'rom' folder is – creates a folder called 'saves' in which there are linked folders to the real locations, working like shortcuts in Windows. Via network I simply transferred my memcards from my Windows PC (found in the emu-specific folders) to the dedicated folders inside that aforementioned 'save' folder. It's quite well-structured, actually.
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Damien Crowley
Member
Kenpachii
Member
Moving to spain for a few months, and i don't want to drag my PC with me so i kinda want to get a handheld going with me. So its the oled switch or the steam deck and after watching some video's about people playing on the deck, honestly i was shocked on how well it runs games on it and how it plays practically anything. So its a deck for sure, but which one.
The 419gb is enticing but god dam the storage solution is dog shit on that one. As a BDO player and AC gamer and do a lot of emulation, its not even a option as performance of the storage is actually important for stable gaming not just load speeds. pci-e 2.0 x1 64gb is shit, no real upgrade path as u will always be locked behind that 2.0 x1 solution, and gaming on SD yea good luck with that. So its 256gb model or the 512gb model as they cut a bit to much corners on that 64gb model.
So i heard the 512gb model has a better screen, but going from 419 > 680. yea that's kinda steep mate. So maybe the 256gb is what i should deal with and later on i can just slap a bigger SSD in there. I must say the screen has more worried on that 256gb model tho, reflection seems to be real on that one. But its a nice middle ground solution even while 256gb is kinda bare minimum in the current times.
So yea i can't really decide on this one just yet.
Anyway got a few questions about the deck maybe some people can answer it.
1) How hard is it to install windows on it?
2) What do i need, for keyboard mouse connection on that thing + put it on a screen. Do i need extra connectors / cables and if so which one.
3) What SD card is a good one and cheap one like a 512gb one.
4) How hard is it to move games from SSD > SD and back to SSD are there tools for this as i do this constantly on my PC
5) Are ubisoft/blizzard games through uplay/blizzard client playable on the steam deck linux solution and if so what are the plus and down sides while doing that
6) Are there websites that share shader caches that are complete for steam deck on unsupported games because i can't be arsed to stutter through the entire game before actually having the shaders, i already own the game so illigal my ass.
7) any mods or other shit that makes life a lot more easier when using a steam deck
8) Whats a good battery pack that extends the playtime on the deck and what's the name of it so i can order one as the internal battery is kinda weak.
9) Any good websites for settings specific for the steam deck, so i can just select those and start gaming
10) How does emulation work on linux and the steam deck, anything i should be knowing
11) Any tools and hints that improve the deck like saturation slider that make the colors pop more which i use on my own PC.
12) Is there a way to charge and use a wireless with a dongel headset at the same time and if not what do i need to get that going.
13) any possibility to lissen to music and game or use discord and game at the same time, how is deck with multitasking, as this is important to me.
14) any other hints and tips are welcome.
15) i live in the netherlands, anybody recently ordered steam deck here and how long was the delivery time?
16) anybody playing mmo's on this thing how does that work for you?
17) hows the steam dock, any better alternatives or cheaper ones for just keyboard/mouse connections
18) hows is zelda botw performance on the deck, comparable towards the switch or just worse in general also visually.
The 419gb is enticing but god dam the storage solution is dog shit on that one. As a BDO player and AC gamer and do a lot of emulation, its not even a option as performance of the storage is actually important for stable gaming not just load speeds. pci-e 2.0 x1 64gb is shit, no real upgrade path as u will always be locked behind that 2.0 x1 solution, and gaming on SD yea good luck with that. So its 256gb model or the 512gb model as they cut a bit to much corners on that 64gb model.
So i heard the 512gb model has a better screen, but going from 419 > 680. yea that's kinda steep mate. So maybe the 256gb is what i should deal with and later on i can just slap a bigger SSD in there. I must say the screen has more worried on that 256gb model tho, reflection seems to be real on that one. But its a nice middle ground solution even while 256gb is kinda bare minimum in the current times.
So yea i can't really decide on this one just yet.
Anyway got a few questions about the deck maybe some people can answer it.
1) How hard is it to install windows on it?
2) What do i need, for keyboard mouse connection on that thing + put it on a screen. Do i need extra connectors / cables and if so which one.
3) What SD card is a good one and cheap one like a 512gb one.
4) How hard is it to move games from SSD > SD and back to SSD are there tools for this as i do this constantly on my PC
5) Are ubisoft/blizzard games through uplay/blizzard client playable on the steam deck linux solution and if so what are the plus and down sides while doing that
6) Are there websites that share shader caches that are complete for steam deck on unsupported games because i can't be arsed to stutter through the entire game before actually having the shaders, i already own the game so illigal my ass.
7) any mods or other shit that makes life a lot more easier when using a steam deck
8) Whats a good battery pack that extends the playtime on the deck and what's the name of it so i can order one as the internal battery is kinda weak.
9) Any good websites for settings specific for the steam deck, so i can just select those and start gaming
10) How does emulation work on linux and the steam deck, anything i should be knowing
11) Any tools and hints that improve the deck like saturation slider that make the colors pop more which i use on my own PC.
12) Is there a way to charge and use a wireless with a dongel headset at the same time and if not what do i need to get that going.
13) any possibility to lissen to music and game or use discord and game at the same time, how is deck with multitasking, as this is important to me.
14) any other hints and tips are welcome.
15) i live in the netherlands, anybody recently ordered steam deck here and how long was the delivery time?
16) anybody playing mmo's on this thing how does that work for you?
17) hows the steam dock, any better alternatives or cheaper ones for just keyboard/mouse connections
18) hows is zelda botw performance on the deck, comparable towards the switch or just worse in general also visually.
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calistan
Member
For what it's worth, I don't notice any difference running games off the SD card vs internal storage. I have the 512 GB version. Matte screen is nice, though.
CrustyBritches
Gold Member
All Deck models have the same m.2 slot and speed(PCIe 3.0, I believe).The difference is the drives used. I initially had the 512GB/anti-glare version and I sold it to a kid for $650(no scalp) with a 256GB microSD. Then I bought a 64GB model and upgraded it to 1TB since I dual-boot SteamOS+Win10 and I wanted more space for Game Pass games. That’s definitely the best bang-for-buck route, but it depends on your willingness to open the Deck and swap the drives. If you play in high-glare scenarios the anti-glare screen is helpful, and has unique appeal of its own. I play almost exclusively inside in low-glare so I don’t miss it much.
My son has a 256GB model, and we both use TeamGroup 512GB microSD cards that I got from Amazon for $45 on sale. They’ve been solid cards.
Most of the functionality you’re asking about is available via the Decky Plugin Loader: Vibrant Deck to control gamma and saturation, music player, PowerTools for precision tweaking of the hardware which is essential for Switch emu, and a bunch of other plugins like HowLongToBeat integration. Yes, you can install and use Discord while playing. The Deck has 2 microphones on it and has excellent audio quality for chat.
Emulation on Deck is amazing. I use EmuDeck that sets everything up for you. Then you can use Steam ROM Manager to add EmulationStation(front-end/all-in-one launcher) to Game Mode library, or add ROMs directly to your Game Mode library. I usually only add WiiU and Switch games, then load everything else out of EmulationStation. Deck can do everything up to Switch and some PS3. Concerning BoTW I had some minor glitches with smoke alpha effects that weren’t present in the WiiU/Cemu version. WiiU games run great on Deck and you can easily do tweaks and mods like no weapon break, etc.
When it comes to Windows I prefer Win10, but you can also use Win11. I used the Deck Wizard tutorial and I still use the old way where it boots to Windows by default, or you hold vol-up+power to go to boot menu and select SteamOS. There’s a new method that goes to a nice looking UI that lets you select an icon for which you’d like. For controls on Windows SWICD has been my preferred option. It will boot upon startup once installed. You’ll want to disable mouse and key presses in SWICD to get rid of double presses. When playing Halo MCC I also had to close Steam because it was doing some doubling on the A button. Occasionally the Windows time will desync and you’ll have to take a few seconds to sync it or GP game won’t open. I also pin the virtual keyboard and Xbox(GP app) to the taskbar for easy access. I love having GP natively on Deck
I don’t have the Dock, I have a $25 USB-C hub with HDMI out, 2x USB 3, USB-C pass through charging, microSD slot, and SD slot. I think it’s limited to 1080p/60fps, but I also have a USB-C to HDMI cable that can do 4K for experimenting. I don’t play on the TV much. I’d recommend a mini keyboard with mouse touchpad for convenience.
That’s about all I can think of.
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Kenpachii
Member
Hey thanks mate, that's a lot of stuff i wanted to know.
Oh so they put some cripple SSD in there then, because it sounded like they straight up put some janky pci-e 2.0 x1 slot on that deck. Here's the spec sheet from steam.
Then the 64gb could actually be interesting and just slam a 512gb or 1tb SSD in there. Got any link to where u bought your SSD from and kit to replace it, so i can see the price on that.
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Perfectly fine. I do it all the time on the Deck because I went for the 64GB model. And I'm a sucker when it comes to performance, because my desktop PC has a 3080, 21:9 165hz monitor. My guess is that future games (like in +5 years) really profitting from higher bandwidh aren't gonna be feasible or acceptable in performance on the Steam Deck anyways.
1. easy as pie
2. docking station, I recommend the one JSAUX sells because it is as sturdy and feature-rich as the official one but cost half the price.
3. any one will do. Statistics show that RMA are a few percent across all manufactureres and failure of specific brands are anecdotal. I went for 1TB SanDisk Ultra.
4. possible via Steam's UI on the Deck. Simply as moving anything on a computer. Just go to 'storage' and there it is self-explanatory.
5. Ubisoft and Blizzard launchers work. Played Anno 1800 via UbiConnect just the other day. Just expect some oddities when launching these launchers. Once you're ingame, it's fine.
6. idk, don't want to mess with that
7. install Decky and PowerTools
8. idk, I usually get 3-6 hours of game time which is plenty. Just get a power bank with high Ampere output (5V, 3A, 15W) so you don't lose charge while playing if there is such a thing.
9. https://www.pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/Home and https://www.protondb.com/
10. just go to www.EmuDeck.com easy and convenient solution.
11. see 7. via Decky you can install plugins. There's one that allows you to change what you're asking for.
12. idk
13. gaming mode of the Deck is not built for multitasking. You'd be needing to use the Desktop mode, which on the other hand is harder to handle with the Deck's input. If you gonna use m/k it's a different story. idk if Discord runs on Linux.
14. just go in for the Deck, it's not that expensive, see for yourself and ask less
15. I live in Germany, my Decks all came from the Netherlands.
16. tried GW2 and SWTOR, worked fine and flawless after some tinkering with the controller layouts.
17. see 2.
18. performance is typical for emulation; that means shader compilation stutter here and there on CEMU, but raw FPS are better than on Switch. Pick your poison.
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CrustyBritches
Gold Member
Those specs are for the drives, not the slot. I’ve tested the original 512GB drive and the new 1TB drive on the Deck and they both roughly have 2400MB/s read | 1800MB/s write.Hey thanks mate, that's a lot of stuff i wanted to know.
Oh so they put some cripple SSD in there then, because it sounded like they straight up put some janky pci-e 2.0 x1 slot on that deck. Here's the spec sheet from steam.
Then the 64gb could actually be interesting and just slam a 512gb or 1tb SSD in there. Got any link to where u bought your SSD from and kit to replace it, so i can see the price on that.
My drive was a new WD SN530 I ordered from EBay China-based seller for $148 total. It’s more expensive now at around $155 from that seller. I haven’t priced them recently, but they sell new Sabrent 1TB 2230 drives on Amazon now for $159 with faster delivery. There’s also plenty of cheap used options for 256GB and 512GB drives.
The screwdriver set you saw in the post I did about the swap was from iFixit. It came in the fan replacement kit from way back in April/May when I got a whiny Delta fan on my original Deck. I ended up gettting an RMA and new replacement with a quiet Huaying fan, but I ordered the kit just in case. It was $30. You could get a mini screwdriver set that will work on Deck for probably $5. iFixit should list the precise bit sizes. A guitar pick works well to pry open the shell, which is best started by the fan exhaust port, contrary to what iFixit says. Their tutorial is still good, I would just add that you should be careful pulling the battery disconnect cable pull tab too hard. I didn’t have an issue, but I’ve seen it strip the wires from the connector on Reddit. You can just help the the connector out with your fingernail while pulling the tab/strip.
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Kenpachii
Member
Perfectly fine. I do it all the time on the Deck because I went for the 64GB model. And I'm a sucker when it comes to performance, because my desktop PC has a 3080, 21:9 165hz monitor. My guess is that future games (like in +5 years) really profitting from higher bandwidh aren't gonna be feasible or acceptable in performance on the Steam Deck anyways.
1. easy as pie
2. docking station, I recommend the one JSAUX sells because it is as sturdy and feature-rich as the official one but cost half the price.
3. any one will do. Statistics show that RMA are a few percent across all manufactureres and failure of specific brands are anecdotal. I went for 1TB SanDisk Ultra.
4. possible via Steam's UI on the Deck. Simply as moving anything on a computer. Just go to 'storage' and there it is self-explanatory.
5. Ubisoft and Blizzard launchers work. Played Anno 1800 via UbiConnect just the other day. Just expect some oddities when launching these launchers. Once you're ingame, it's fine.
6. idk, don't want to mess with that
7. install Decky and PowerTools
8. idk, I usually get 3-6 hours of game time which is plenty. Just get a power bank with high Ampere output (5V, 3A, 15W) so you don't lose charge while playing if there is such a thing.
9. https://www.pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/Home and https://www.protondb.com/
10. just go to www.EmuDeck.com easy and convenient solution.
11. see 7. via Decky you can install plugins. There's one that allows you to change what you're asking for.
12. idk
13. gaming mode of the Deck is not built for multitasking. You'd be needing to use the Desktop mode, which on the other hand is harder to handle with the Deck's input. If you gonna use m/k it's a different story. idk if Discord runs on Linux.
14. just go in for the Deck, it's not that expensive, see for yourself and ask less
15. I live in Germany, my Decks all came from the Netherlands.
16. tried GW2 and SWTOR, worked fine and flawless after some tinkering with the controller layouts.
17. see 2.
18. performance is typical for emulation; that means shader compilation stutter here and there on CEMU, but raw FPS are better than on Switch. Pick your poison.
Ah thanks man, thats a lot of info nice.
I will be using the deck for PC solutions also, like writing documents, watching movies through it etc. So multitasking would be a nice solution to have really. Specially with discord as i want to keep chatting with people i know while gaming or typing some stuff. But all the other stuff u mentioned, puts me over the line to get it.
Also will support steam because of it, honestly never saw such a impressive device with so much freedom something no other company could give really besides them. There support also seems to be going hard still to this day and the minor hardware revisions they apply makes it a good time to bite.
Ah thanks,
Good to know you did the replacement, so its the SSD that's junk not the connector that's great. Then there is no point in getting a 256gb or 512gb model really. Will just go for the 64gb and deck it out with a 512gb SD card ( 1tb a bit to pricy for my liking ) for movies / series / emulators and have 1tb SSD for games, as i will have AC games on it, space is needed.
I got some experience with opening laptops and replacing shit, so its probably the same kinda. Just the plastic shell i am worried about bricking. The ifix set is not gainable here, only that junky other set. i have tons of small screwdrivers a whole set for other PC stuff so that will be fine tho. And yea that battery connector seems iffy as hell.
Currently ordering everything so i can be set.
This is the list so far.
1) Steam deck itself:
2) 1tb sabrent SSD. Not sure if 4.0 works, but title says steam deck, so thanks for that tip. 1tb will be plenty for me.
https://www.amazon.nl/gp/product/B0BQG6JCRP/
512gb = 171 euro's, 1tb = 180 euro's, so yea either a pricing error but no reason to go lower then.
3) Ifixit set for opening that thing, looks the same as there website, however its the only one i can order here. So i hope that works out, maybe some other suggestions would be cool
its 10 euro's.
4) Wanted a 1TB version and its on sale, from 170 to 150, still a bit high for my liking, so i will settle for a 512gb which is plenty for me for now which sits at 75 euro's half the price. 150mb/s is nice for larger files.
5) JSAUX docking station, ethernet port 1gbps, hdmi + dp out, 3x usb which is handy for my headset + mouse + keyboard, pretty cheap 60 bucks.
Total cost: 744,88 euro's.
That's like 65 bucks but with 1,5tb storage with 1tb fast, instead of 512gb, need a 10 buck microsoft keyboard then, and a new logitech mouse so 800 euro probably in total. Bit steep, but then i will be functioning as a PC also at spain. Basically my mobile PC with handheld mode. Seems like a plan.
Anything else i should add?
64GB model ordered. Any idea how to know when it arrives?
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Northeastmonk
Gold Member
I had a tracking number with mine, but I’m in NA. I could monitor it through the postal carrier.
Turok 2 is on sale on Steam. Had some nostalgia for playing the game again after pulling out an issue of Nintendo Power. I picked that up. I played the XB version a while back.
Turok 2 is on sale on Steam. Had some nostalgia for playing the game again after pulling out an issue of Nintendo Power. I picked that up. I played the XB version a while back.
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I see. It's basically a portable computer with a Linux distribution pre-installed (SteamOS based on Arch Linux with KDE Desktop). Means you can do everything a normal computer with that OS can normally do. You can switch between desktop and gaming mode with two clicks and it takes only a couple of seconds. There are apps for productivity etc to use in Desktop Mode. And of course you can install Windows on it via dual boot on the same internal drive or install Windows on an SD card (which I did) and boot it from there. Apparently it is not recommended to boot Windows from an SD card because that card can wear off rather quickly because micro SD cards aren't optimised for running OSs off of them, but I haven't looked up any real data. But then again, you can install Windows on the internal SSD as well but then you might be needing a serious upgrade to have enough storage for both systems.
If you really want to run both, I suggest the 512GB version (but as I'm writing I'm seeing you'd alread went for the 64GB model) or go for the 64GB and get an upgrade to 1TB 2230 m.2 drive for like 150 EUR and you're still 100 EUR cheaper than the 512GB variant minus the display that is just SLIGHTLY better (have tested them both). Changing the internal drive is pretty easy and done in a few minutes. On the software side you need some preparations which is well documented but the whole process shouldn't be taking more than half an hour or an hour tops.
Or, if you feeling a tiny bit adventurous, go for the Windows-on-SD-card variant and see for yourself how it works for you. You can always upgrade your internal storage later on.
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Kenpachii
Member
Its important i can write documents so a alternative towards word / excel will be fine. Need to figure that out as i never messed around with linux.
This is also why the dock station is kinda important because of mouse keyboard and monitor out eventually to connect it to another screen if needed.
Other then that, vlc for some series / movies when i have downtime, discord and some internet browser that's all i need really. I am sure linux has some solutions for this, then windows isn't much useful to me. If however i stay longer in spain i will probably start pushing some more stuff forwards and expand a bit more on it and maybe slam windows on it also a reason i needed more storage then 512gb on that thing.
I also wonder can a external HDD be connected towards the steam deck and read out? i got a 4tb harddrive i could connect then as its currently connected to my dead nvidia shield, so could also take that one with me and slam all my shit on there as backup.
I will keep the SD windows solution in mind, could be that it will eat through its lifecycle of that SD hard tho as result i can see that.
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Yes, it does. Linux can mount NTFS drives once you've installed NTFS drivers for Linux. In some Ubuntu distributions these drivers come pre-installed. Not sure about SteamOS. But even if not you can always install them manually which should grant you access to NTFS file formats formated under Windows.
EDIT: If you mean the actual proccess of 'connecting': you'd be doing that via the docking station.
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Kenpachii
Member
Oh that's amazing, i can basically drag my entire movie library with me then, and copy data from there to the deck. Good stuff.
Diseased Yak
Member
Hadn't heard of it, but it looks sweet. Has a demo, I'll def give it a try.
In Deck news, I'm playing the hell out of Persona 5 Royal, up to ~65 hours with no end in sight, 99% of that on the Steam Deck. *hugs his Deck*
TaroYamada
Member
Just adding that there's no real reason to go beyond that 64GB for most folks. I bought it, don't see an issue with it. What I want in a Deck refresh is an OLED screen and a larger battery. I'm rather shocked the highest end model isn't OLED. Missed opportunity on Valve's part.
DynamiteToadie
Banned
Agreed. I actually got in early on the top-end model when they first put them up, but after buying and playing the OLED switch, I realized that it's near impossible for me to go back to lesser screens. Hell, I have an Analogue pocket as well, and while that thing is gorgeous when full lit up with a game, seeing the milky grey instead of black on borders and whatnot has soured me a bit. OLED screens on handhelds are just too awesome. Here's hoping the next revision is soon and has a better screen.
CrustyBritches
Gold Member
You should order 3x 16-32GB USB flash drives to dedicate to the Deck dual-boot setup. That’s for Steam Deck Recovery Image, GParted, and Win10/11 installer. The drives can be had for $4-5 each and having dedicated drives mean you can quickly reinstall if something happens. You can also create a folder on the Windows drive for all Deck drivers for easy setup. I personally ejected my microSD, installed the SD reader driver, then disabled it in Device Manager so Windows wouldn’t try to “fix” my SteamOS microSD. Now I leave it in the unit.Ah thanks man, thats a lot of info nice.
I will be using the deck for PC solutions also, like writing documents, watching movies through it etc. So multitasking would be a nice solution to have really. Specially with discord as i want to keep chatting with people i know while gaming or typing some stuff. But all the other stuff u mentioned, puts me over the line to get it.
Also will support steam because of it, honestly never saw such a impressive device with so much freedom something no other company could give really besides them. There support also seems to be going hard still to this day and the minor hardware revisions they apply makes it a good time to bite.
Ah thanks,
Good to know you did the replacement, so its the SSD that's junk not the connector that's great. Then there is no point in getting a 256gb or 512gb model really. Will just go for the 64gb and deck it out with a 512gb SD card ( 1tb a bit to pricy for my liking ) for movies / series / emulators and have 1tb SSD for games, as i will have AC games on it, space is needed.
I got some experience with opening laptops and replacing shit, so its probably the same kinda. Just the plastic shell i am worried about bricking. The ifix set is not gainable here, only that junky other set. i have tons of small screwdrivers a whole set for other PC stuff so that will be fine tho. And yea that battery connector seems iffy as hell.
Currently ordering everything so i can be set.
This is the list so far.
1) Steam deck itself:
2) 1tb sabrent SSD. Not sure if 4.0 works, but title says steam deck, so thanks for that tip. 1tb will be plenty for me.
https://www.amazon.nl/gp/product/B0BQG6JCRP/
512gb = 171 euro's, 1tb = 180 euro's, so yea either a pricing error but no reason to go lower then.
3) Ifixit set for opening that thing, looks the same as there website, however its the only one i can order here. So i hope that works out, maybe some other suggestions would be cool
its 10 euro's.
4) Wanted a 1TB version and its on sale, from 170 to 150, still a bit high for my liking, so i will settle for a 512gb which is plenty for me for now which sits at 75 euro's half the price. 150mb/s is nice for larger files.
5) JSAUX docking station, ethernet port 1gbps, hdmi + dp out, 3x usb which is handy for my headset + mouse + keyboard, pretty cheap 60 bucks.
Total cost: 744,88 euro's.
That's like 65 bucks but with 1,5tb storage with 1tb fast, instead of 512gb, need a 10 buck microsoft keyboard then, and a new logitech mouse so 800 euro probably in total. Bit steep, but then i will be functioning as a PC also at spain. Basically my mobile PC with handheld mode. Seems like a plan.
Anything else i should add?
64GB model ordered. Any idea how to know when it arrives?
iFixit lists a Philips #2 screwdriver in the SSD replacement tutorial, but my bits says PH0 and PH1. Make sure to follow the instructions on draining the battery to under 25% and putting it into battery storage mode in the bios. Better safe than sorry. Once you finish you’ll need to plug it into the USB-C to power it on out of storage mode. This is how Valve ships the units I’ve received from them.
When I did my SSD swap I was ocd and layed the screws out on a table in the same pattern they came out so I put them back into the same holes. There will be a few tiny screws inside you’ll want to keep track of. The iFixit bits are magnetized, you might want to use a magnetized bit to keep from dropping the shield screws or SSD screw into the Deck, however unlikely it might be.
A few tips:
-EJECT YOUR MICROSD BEFORE OPENING!!!
-They tell you to start the shim on the right side of the Deck to open it, but it’s much easier to start at the fan exhaust port.
-They tell you to peel off the SSD shielding wrap, but I was able to slide it off and back onto the replacement.
-Be careful with the shielding screw foil cover so you can re-use it after you’re done
-Put your old 64GB eMMC drive into the case your new drive comes in and save it in case you have to do a RMA.
-Don’t over-tighten the screws when reassembling.
-After I reassembled I had a slight creak in the bottom left of the Deck shell. On Reddit there’s a thread about this with both people who opened their Deck and even some who didn’t. A user said he solved it with anti-abrasive Vaseline meant for lubricating CD drives. He said it was “G-1/3 universal anti-abrasive vaseline". My creak only happens when I push down with my palm and it doesn’t bother me, but I might try it for the hell of it.
Don’t let all my fear mongering deter you. I love having 1TB storage and a 512GB microSD and I would never go back to a smaller setup. I’ve never used the Sabrent Rocket 2230, but it says Steam Deck compatible, it’s listed as PCIe Gen4 backwards compatible with Gen3, and reviews on Amazon have people saying it works fine on Deck. If you have any concerns you can chat with their support or go with a Gen3 drive like WD SN530 or numerous other options. Good luck and be sure to post your progress and any questions.
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Maiden Voyage
Gold™ Member
I have no regrets on my 512GB model. Etched screen is nice but the real killer is having the dual tone logo on the case.
All kidding aside, yeah no regrets. I keep Steam games on the internal drive and all my roms for Retroarch on the SD card.
All kidding aside, yeah no regrets. I keep Steam games on the internal drive and all my roms for Retroarch on the SD card.
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jshackles
Gentlemen, we can rebuild it. We have the capability to make the world's first enhanced store. Steam will be that store. Better than it was before.
Still happy with my 256gb model, although in hindsight I wished I had gone with the 64gb model to save some cash. The extra space is nice, but as others have said it's just as easy to pop in a big SD card, which is cheaper. I only bought the slightly better one when the pre-orders opened, because I thought I'd get it faster. Turns out the opposite was true and everyone wanted the higher end model.
Lately I've been playing Assassin's Creed Origins on mine and... holy shit. 40fps target is the sweet spot where the deck runs the game smooth as silk. Pretty damn impressive even though the game is a few years old and running at 1280x800. Ubisoft Connect was a pain to get working at first, but as others said, one I was able to launch the game it was fine.
My biggest gripe with Ubisoft Connect (not really related to the Steam Deck, I don't think) is that I can't be signed in on my Deck and PC at the same time. I don't really care about playing games on both (duh Ubisoft would not be that cool with their licenses) but it'd be nice if I didn't have to close out of Ubisoft Connect on my main PC before launching it on Steam Deck. If I don't, it forcibly signs me out. So, the next time I launch it I have to sign in again and go through their 2FA bullshit. What a pain.
Lately I've been playing Assassin's Creed Origins on mine and... holy shit. 40fps target is the sweet spot where the deck runs the game smooth as silk. Pretty damn impressive even though the game is a few years old and running at 1280x800. Ubisoft Connect was a pain to get working at first, but as others said, one I was able to launch the game it was fine.
My biggest gripe with Ubisoft Connect (not really related to the Steam Deck, I don't think) is that I can't be signed in on my Deck and PC at the same time. I don't really care about playing games on both (duh Ubisoft would not be that cool with their licenses) but it'd be nice if I didn't have to close out of Ubisoft Connect on my main PC before launching it on Steam Deck. If I don't, it forcibly signs me out. So, the next time I launch it I have to sign in again and go through their 2FA bullshit. What a pain.
Kenpachii
Member
Oled would be nice indeed, but it needs a solution to replace the screen after a while. I think valve would be great with the steam deck 2.0 if they made it more modulaire in design, so u can replace practically everything more easier.
Good point, will add some USB sticks with it, ended up wrecking my headset while at it, got a keyboard + mouse also with it so yea gg with that.
Another 430 down the drain oh well.
Thanks for the hints about installing.
I wanted gen 4 specifically because of the speeds:
| Sequential Read: | 4,750 MB/s |
|---|---|
| Sequential Write: | 4,300 MB/s |
Not sure how well its going to saturate the 3.0 bus probably around 3,5gbps which my current SSD also pushes in my PC, probably lowers down a bit the speeds because of heat, but from my experiences with PC's i want to get the most out of the bus for the simple reason, stutter mitigation in emulation but also newer games and future games + transferring/loading stuff in general. And for 170 its not much costs really.
But yea its a PC at the end of the day, and not a switch, so file sizes are big these days so large amounts of storage data is needed specially when u lack a fast solid internet connection where i am going. Need to load all my games and stuff up before i move. So storage is kinda big.
Will try to not crack the shell, will see how it goes. As long as everything works 100% i am fine tho, a little crack/scratch couldn't really care much for it.
First i am going to mess around with the deck a few days while its stock in order to see if everything works properly before i replace the SSD
Also:
God dam they are quick.
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Maiden Voyage
Gold™ Member
TintoConCasera
I bought a sex doll, but I keep it inflated 100% of the time and use it like a regular wife
What's the best way of playing through Gamepass on the Deck? Preferably without having to install Windows, if possible.
BadBurger
Many “Whelps”! Handle It!
The storage controller and bus (interface / slot if you will) supports Gen 3 x 4 for 4GB/s. At first the 256/512 models shipped with 3 x 4 NVMe drives, but after a few months Valve started shipping the 256/512 Decks with slower Gen 3 x2 drives instead (so 2GB/s). So if you received a Deck within the first few shipments you should have a 3 x 4 drive. If not, you could always replace it with one.
Edit: I checked, it looks like they started using the slower drives sometime in May.
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jshackles
Gentlemen, we can rebuild it. We have the capability to make the world's first enhanced store. Steam will be that store. Better than it was before.
Only way to play Game Pass games on Steam Deck, without installing Windows, is to do their cloud streaming.
CrustyBritches
Gold Member
I started playing FFVII Remake Intergrade and I wasn't able to figure out how to get it to play 16:10 instead of 16:9 letterboxed. It's weird because the game menu splash screen seems to be fullscreen, but once you get into the menu or the game it's back to being letterboxed. Can't force it to 16:10 using Steam Menu Game Resolution or Launch Options. It's not the worst thing, and I'm really enjoying the game, but it seems like devs made it impossible to run anything other than 16:9. Weird shit. That aside, I did do the mod to disable dynamic res and locked it to 40fps. That helps since you have options for 30fps and 60fps in-game, so if you select 60fps and try to lock to 40fps you'll get dynamic res scaling that blurs the picture.
support.microsoft.com
Xbox Cloud Gaming in Microsoft Edge with Steam Deck - Microsoft Support
How to set up Xbox Cloud Gaming on a Steam Deck device using the Microsoft Edge browser.
support.microsoft.com
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Kenpachii
Member
Would suck if it came with a x2 solution tho, i though it was just a lottery really. Still 2gbps is acceptable at the end of the day.
Maiden Voyage
Gold™ Member
Being able to jump back and forth between PC and Deck is so seamless. Wife was on the PC while I was on the Deck, both playing Elden Ring. When she wrapped up, I switched back to PC. Absolutely flawless.
LiquidMetal14
hide your water-based mammals
I base all the games I'm going to beat now on the cloud saves on Steam even if I can play them on Game pass or own them elsewhere.
I've beat Yakuza Like a Dragon and Dragon Quest 11 back to back. I've started Tales of Berserks today but am trying to figure out the next game I can beat. Kinda wanted a change of pace so somehing like an action adventure.
I've beat Yakuza Like a Dragon and Dragon Quest 11 back to back. I've started Tales of Berserks today but am trying to figure out the next game I can beat. Kinda wanted a change of pace so somehing like an action adventure.
TintoConCasera
I bought a sex doll, but I keep it inflated 100% of the time and use it like a regular wife
Kenpachii
welcome! I had the exact same reaction with the screen and controls, amazing device.Thanks bros. If streaming is the way to go then I'll try directly streaming from my PC rather than their cloud service, I bet that works better. Will post results later.
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CrustyBritches
Gold Member
The screen on the Deck is pretty good once you see it in person, and gets even better with Vibrant Deck and just a little more saturation. The ergonomics of the Deck are amazing. It’s extremely comfortable to hold and play. A lot of the size is in the controls due to the touchpads and curves on the handles. Imagine how bad it would be if it was flat like Switch and had the same layout with no touchpads. Hand cramp city.
I would take my Deck(1TB ssd + 512 microSD), 400 Game Steam library, EmuDeck, dual-boot SteamOS+Win10, GP, and 220 game EGS over PS5 any day if forced into that choice. I’ll be all over Deck 2 the second it goes on preorder.
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Kenpachii
Member
Well testing the deck out now for a while and i must say, its amazing really even the sound is pretty darn good on that thing.
As i can't install the witcher 3 because no space lol, the witcher 2 in the most demanding place
Sits at 60+ fps.
Powertools works incredible well, on the fly disabling of SMT and slam the clocks from the GPU on fixed 1100 + 3,5ghz on the cpu cores and boom 60+ smooth sailing.
I can't believe how far we have come really, i remember this game absolute butchering my 580 gtx back in the day. Now u play it in handheld mode.
I can totally see why people start to only play games on there deck, its so comfortable and easy.
Now that i have the saturation plugin, what value are you running? i like to saturate it a litttle bit,, but i mostly overdo it. So wonder what you guys value's are. got it at 120 atm.
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CrustyBritches
Gold Member
Kenpachii
Member
Ah nice will pick the same value.
Also got lucky SD 512gb just arrived, tommorow the 1tb nvme drive arrives.
BadBurger
Many “Whelps”! Handle It!
Ah nice will pick the same value.
Also got lucky SD 512gb just arrived, tommorow the 1tb nvme drive arrives.
0000
Remember to remove the SD card before you do any work on the Deck. Before you remove that back plate.