You‘ve likely heard the hype — the Steam Deck offers a tantalizing proposition. Play your entire Steam PC gaming library on one ultra-portable handheld device!
As appealed as this may sound, questions linger around whether the Steam Deck hits the right notes for every gamer. Don‘t get me wrong, Valve‘s new release represents an impressive first-generation hardware entry. However, early adopters have discovered some compromises and downsides worth weighing before dropping $400+.
Let‘s explore the top 8 reasons you might choose to hold off purchasing a Steam Deck — for now. I compiled these factors based on hands-on testing, expert analyses, and user experiences to help set well-calibrated expectations.
Quick Primer: What is the Steam Deck?
Before we get to limitations, a quick recap of what this device aims to achieve:
- All-in-one handheld gaming PC designed by Valve
- Plays your Steam game library on the go
- Custom AMD processor with integrated graphics
- Three models priced between $399-$649
On paper, it may sound like the ultimate portable Steam Machine for playing AAA computer games anywhere…but does reality fully match the dream?
8 Reasons You Might Want to Wait on Buying a Steam Deck
I don‘t necessarily aim to deter Steam Deck purchases outright with the following. Rather, think of these as talking points for setting realistic expectations before parting with a chunk of cash. Let‘s jump in!
1. Bulkier and Heavier Than You Might Expect
You must hand it to the device‘s engineering to cram so much power in a handheld form. However, reviewers widely comment on how gigantic and heavy the Steam Deck feels for prolonged gaming sessions:
- 11.7 x 4.6 x 1.9 inch body (wider than average tablet)
- 1.47 pound heft (2X heavier than Switch)
One user on Reddit who adored their Steam Deck still cautioned it strained their hands after 1-2 hours of Elden Ring. Compared to the far lighter Nintendo Switch or controllers, its beefy physicality gets tiring quicker unless you have larger hands.
For those eying the Steam Deck expressly for comfortable portable play, make sure you can hold nearly 2 1⁄2 pounds for your desired gaming duration without cramping or fatigue.
2. Cannot Upgrade Internals Like a Gaming Desktop
Gamers relish building high-powered desktops packed with bleeding edge components like the latest RTX graphics cards — then upgrading parts again after 2-3 years. This extends a machine‘s lifespan while minimizing future costs.
In contrast, the Steam Deck‘s internal storage, memory, GPU and other hardware aspects ship as fixed. You cannot swap in more RAM or install a better graphics card over time as game requirements grow.
The most you could do is replace the M.2 SSD down the line for more storage. But then you‘d likely void the warranty prying open such a tightly designed device with custom silicon.
If you highly value ready upgrades to prolong hardware usefulness, a gaming laptop or desktop better fits the bill.
3. Many Popular Games Not Officially Supported or Playable
Believe it or not, a relatively tiny portion of Steam‘s 50,000+ game catalog currently integrates flawlessly with Steam Deck. Per ProtonDB, roughly 7000 titles fully work or may require small tweaks. By my math, that‘s only around 14% compatibility!
Many all-time Steam best sellers have not yet qualified as Verified or Playable. For example:
- The Elder Scrolls Online
- Destiny 2
- PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds
- Rainbow Six Siege
- Various Call of Duty titles
Unless you primarily enjoy older or indie games, chances run reasonably high your personal favorites aren‘t smoothly playable just yet. Verifying this factor alone before purchase prevents unpleasant surprises down the road.
4. Lackluster Battery Life
No matter how masterfully engineered, current mobile chips still drain batteries quicker, especially powering AAA 3D games. Most reviews pin average gameplay longevity around 2-4 hours on a full charge. If you lower graphical settings and stick to 2D indie titles, perhaps you‘ll squeeze 6 hours tops.
An hour or two hardly cuts it for plane rides or long commutes. And no one wants to be that person fishing for airport wall outlets 3 times on a cross-country flight!
I love the Steam Deck‘s capabilities otherwise, but subpar battery durations seriously hamper portable use cases. Keep charging needs firmly in mind depending on your gaming habits.
5. Smaller, Lower Resolution Screen
A 7-inch 1280×800 resolution screen works splendidly for retro-style and indie titles focused more on gameplay than pushing graphical limits. However, displaying today‘s vast open-world 3D extravaganzas exposes downsides to the Steam Deck‘s panel size and quality.
Richly detailed textures appear muddier. Crisp resolutions standard on decent laptops and phones outclass the Steam Deck‘s 800p resolution. Massive environments feel trivialized when shrunk down to a screen smaller than my Galaxy S10 phone.
Admittedly, I‘m spoiled by a high-end gaming monitor at home. Even so, I expect a finer display in 2023 on premium-priced electronics purporting AAA gaming excellence in the palm of my hand.
6. More Limited Software Versus a Windows Machine
Don‘t fret, you can install and dual boot Windows 10 or 11 on the Steam Deck thanks to its AMD architecture. However, Valve optimized their custom SteamOS software out of the box specifically around gaming. Navigating Windows introduces extra complexity into driver support and managing battery drain.
Ideally, Valve hopes you‘ll stay immersed in the automatic streamlined experience afforded by SteamOS. Expect to occasionally navigate quirks though if venturing beyond Steam‘s walled garden for Xbox Game Pass or juggling productivity apps and such.
Of course, people who solely desire the Steam Deck as a dedicated ultra-portable Steam Machine likely need not worry themselves with Windows at all! Just don‘t expect a full-fledged operating system replacement out of SteamOS.
7. Very Little Customization Compared to Typical Gaming Rigs
For me, half the enjoyment of PC gaming comes from personalizing controls and aesthetics just how I like it across peripherals. Fancy RGB-lit gaming keyboards and mice…zero-latency monitors pushing buttery frame rates…tailor-made controllers molded to my hands — you feel me?
By compact design, the Steam Deck allows no cosmetic embellishments. You can‘t swap out parts. And you‘ll need to bring your own Bluetooth peripherals if disliking the built-in inputs.
Again, if wanting just a straightforward handheld Steam device, no problem. But folks who thrive on tricking out hardware will crave options the Steam Deck simply doesn‘t accommodate.
8. One-Size-Fits-All Controls Could Cause Comfort Issues
Unlike the vast PC and console controller market, you can‘t swap out Steam Deck inputs. Valve permanently mounted thumbsticks, buttons, trackpads and such based on ergonomic data from thousands of hand scans. For averages, it should excel.
Even so, individuals experience physiological differences in joints, tendons, and hands. Maybe your grip works better angled slightly differently than their molds. Or perhaps smaller hands strain reaching certain buttons.
My point being — if the molded controls don‘t feel natural in your hands, tough luck. Sure, you can wirelessly sync an Xbox or PlayStation controller. But at that stage you might question why you dropped $650 on the Steam Deck‘s signature inputs in the first place.
In Conclusion: One Man‘s Thoughts
I‘ll reiterate none of my nitpicks imply the Steam Deck somehow fails as a inaugural handheld. Frankly, Valve dealt an impressive maiden effort toward advancing high-performance portable PC gaming.
However, early adopters accept shortcomings buying into first-generation hardware. If the issues above resonate individually or collectively, maybe see what future Steam Deck revisions offer after a few iterations.
For now, I hope framing pragmatic realities assists your personal decision weighing excitement against practicalities. What do you think? Which pros or cons factor prominently in whether you‘d buy a Steam Deck presently? I‘m curious to hear perspectives, because so much boils down to individual preference and budgets.
Sound off with your thoughts below!
