Posted 13 March 2024

Steam deck owners - some questions

Hi Everyone

so, im tempted by the steam deck but i dont have a gaming pc so would be using the deck as a portable and in dicked mode on the tv.

how good is the quality of the games in docked mode. it doesnt have to be 4k, but we talking about games being at least 1080p? How do they run in docked mode?

Ive already got a series s and use xcloud on my tablet and phone regularly. so im used to having the console experience and continuing my progression between my phone/tablet and the series s.

so looking to pick up a steam deck but the 'console' like experience with the dock mode is pretty important to me.

can any owners share their experiences please?

thanks
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  1. zippy99's avatar
    Unlike the Nintendo Switch the Steam Deck doesn't get a boost to its capabilities when docked. So if you want an on the go with a docked "made for big screen" boost it's Switch or nothing.

    As a handheld the Deck a fantastic little console, after you invest more money into it for SSD upgrades etc. However when docked you'll get frustrated at how low quality big budget games look compared to your xbox if thats where you're coming from. In PC terms it's the joke of having a potato build. It can run it, but unless it's an indie game graphics style you won't like what you see.

    A Steam Deck can't replace a gaming PC, it's more an "in addition to" device.

    Continuing progress between a gaming PC and Steam Deck happens flawlessly, however its down to each game if they support cloud saves.
    EN1GMA's avatar
    Author
    Thanks for that. yeah, im not expecting top end pc gaming on a handheld but i would have liked in dock mode, its to 1080 which tbf, other devices like the rog and Legion seem to manage.
  2. Dee_Dubyah's avatar
    The steam deck is a great all-rounder and the main reason for docked mode is to use a mouse and keyboard to control games and have a better experience accessing desktop mode to setup plugins, modes, emulators etc.
    It works great either way and if you want to play some of the biggest PC games out there, then this is the cheapest way.
    If you prefer having it docked to a TV more then you would use it in handheld mode then a ROG ally or Legion Go would be better suited as they can draw more power when connected to a power supply/dock.
  3. sm9690's avatar
    Dicked mode?
    EN1GMA's avatar
    Author


    Just noticed it LOL

    You've made my day
  4. crevitz215's avatar
    My handheld experience in hogwarts legacy is everything on low, and several features turned off.
    Reminds me of skyrim.

    I’ll try it docked later on and will report back
    crevitz215's avatar
    I should say that I’ve just followed recommendations in game. Not overclocked or tweaked anything with any add ons
  5. Uridium's avatar
    Never gotten round to even trying mine docked, the handheld experience and controls are just so good I've never bothered. Love being able to nip in and out of gaming without all the faff of powering everything else on.

    5 seconds after i pick it up I'm back in the game exactly where i was (edited)
    EN1GMA's avatar
    Author
    see thats how i use xcloud where i play between my phone/tablet and the series s. I love the flexibility. I am not expecting top end pc performance in docked mode but i'd like it to be usable without being rubbish.

    I want to dip into steam by way of the steam deck as i dont game enough to ever warrant a gaming pc. so the deck might be my way in but i'd like a good tv experience too as i do flit between both.
  6. slimy31's avatar
    It does depend mostly on the game, but 1080p is a fairly OK output on screen. I think the handheld screen is 720p so it's a bit more challenging to run at 1080p. Sometimes you have to reduce the graphics settings, occasionally you get stutters.

    I've never had trouble playing mine on the big screen at 1080p, but I didn't really buy it for the screen as being portable is a much bigger benefit for me.
    EN1GMA's avatar
    Author
    I'm perfectly happy for it to be 720 on the small screen as that size, it's not probably as noticeable. On the big screen however, I'd need games to be 1080. Thanks for the response
  7. abaxas's avatar
    It depends. If you are playing the latest and greatest "AAA" games you are going to be in for a dissapointment.

    Saying that, there are many slightly older games that will run just fine at 1080p or you need to downgrade from say 40fps>30fps and graphical settings.

    I would assume there is a way to force the steam deck to output 720p docked and let your TV (hopefully 4k) upscale it. Maybe not the best option for visual quality but perfomance will be the same as running on it's native screen. This will depend on how large your screen is and how far you sit away from it. We have a 32 inch (pleb class) TV so 720p is more than fine. Things will be different on a 65 inch OLED beast.

    Whatever you do there will be a bit of "tweeking" needed when you change from external display to internal if you want the best outcome.

    NOTE: 40fps will not be possible on a 60hz display.
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