This is How I Play the Steam Deck

Let's talk about how I use the Steam Deck in an everyday capacity.

Videos mentioned:

Timestamps:
00:00 introduction
01:09 accessories
06:35 my typical use case
10:13 Xbox Cloud Gaming
11:08 emulation discussion
13:27 conclusion

Theme song written by Jim Gray of Our Ghosts:

This video is for entertainment and educational purposes only.

#SteamDeck #EmuDeck #PCgaming

[drifter]

Really enjoy your channel. I'm 52 and started playing games in 1979 and none of my friends play games anymore, so it's pretty lonely when you can't share anything about your hobby. Visiting channels like yours, feels very good in that regard. Feels like coming home 😉

[zacharyshanes]

When I was a kid growing up with my various game boys, my friends and I would talk about how awesome it would be if there was a console that played everything. Nintendo, Sega, arcade and even pc games on a handheld. It seemed like one of those pie in the sky thoughts we’d have, alongside interstellar travel a la Star Wars, things like that. The steam deck is exactly what we dreamed about. I cannot believe something like this actually exists. Especially in our walled garden, pay for each live service type of existence. It’s remarkable.

[meltyblood]

More of these type of videos please! I think all of us are a little burnt out on "device mania" and that's one of the fundamental appeals of retro gaming - a break from the constant consumerist push to buy more and keep up with the latest thing all the time, and a chance to enjoy what you want at the pace you want. Believe it or not your intent and headspace comes through clearly in the things you create, like these videos, so if you are having fun and finding peace then we are as well. And if you find it mechanistic and boring we probably will too.

[conchobar]

I gave up being a physical game collector decades ago, but seeing those NES cartridges in the background almost makes me rethink that decision. They look so cool stacked up, and bring back so many awesome memories. I tend to forget about all the time spent blowing in them though.

[danielfrabotta]

I originally got the deck for emulation and I use it a ton for that. I am however, blown away by the AAA experience this thing offers and have also played a lot of Horizon: Zero Dawn, Spider-Man and Sonic Frontiers which has been one of the most exhilarating gaming experiences I've ever had, especially on a handheld. With my disability, I'm often switching between my bedroom and the living room so a traditional console didn't make much sense for me. In purchasing the deck, I knew it would emulate more consoles than other handhelds I own but had honestly expected a much more compromised experience for modern games but thankfully, the deck does not disappoint. Thank you so much for recommending it. It's truly a great piece of kit.

[RifterDask]

FFXIV is an incredible experience on the Deck provided you're playing a controller-friendly class like Dancer. Playing an MMO while laying down is an absolute revolution in the field of human sloth.

[doozledorf]

My 512gb will be here on Wednesday. I finally took the plunge. Too much good stuff in this little thing

[batmabel]

Super glad to see you talking about the Deck again! I got mine last november and I'm absolutely loving it, thanks in no small part to your emudeck tutorials. Keep up the awesome work, love your channel!

[The_Esco]

Ever since I was a kid I dreamed to play Paper Mario TTYD and Simpsons Hit and Run on the go portably. I shed a tear the first time I booted those 2 on the deck.

[wlxlhmk]

What I would like is a video series for each console emulator on the steam deck: including the most optimal or preferred settings for that console, the games you most enjoy, the games you recommend, and the underrated and under-appreciated games.

[GhostX]

That’s an awesome update! It’s great to hear that you are still getting in game time, because you kept saying how you don’t play many games any more, you just test them. So I’m glad to hear that you are enjoy some happy gaming as well. Also I have been loving games pass for streaming to my Odin at night😏

[jordandeck-o]

We love content like this Russ! It shows the fun side of gaming. Reviews are appreciated, however getting to know you and your preferences is satisfying!

[MannyHaarp]

Your guide videos are what helped me get into emulation on my SD. Love it so far and it has become my nostalgia station!

[Dronetothetop]

This guy has his own distinctive way of making me understand things clearly. I really like to listen to him.

[benc.]

I like seeing this kind of video. Obviously you can't spend six months with every device you review, but it's nice having a check-in like, "is this thing still getting use? Is it getting ongoing support from the company and/or the community? Is there anything else different about the experience now than when the formal review went up?"

[CptJackZ]

When I first heard about the Deck, I was excited like a little boy - and usually I am not, anymore, sadly. I wasn't as excited about a new device for more than 10 years. I have actually enjoyed waiting for it for 9 months. It has become a precious thing to me before it even arrived. And I treated it like something fragile, as it wasn't easily available for another half a year.

During that time, I grew the idea to only really play games, that I could run at 10 W max. I extended that to about 12.5 W, but 10 W is my line. So I now have 3 categories in my library: "Deck: Perfect", "Deck: OK", "Deck: Too much power". This changed the perspective on my library. I had a look at many games, which I never played, when I was still grabbing big time in sales.

The limitation was a relief, as oftentimes I sat in front of my Library and couldn't decide what to play. With the Deck, I learned again, to decide for a title and play it to the end. And I started to appreciate titles with less than 30 hours of story, like Dishonored, Guacamelee, Transistor. Currently I'm playing through Darksiders 1 on it.

While I would love to still have the time for 100+ hours games and I did and do thoroughly enjoy Horizon Zero Dawn, AC Odyssey, Immortals and the like, I started enjoying playing "through" a game within a month a lot. Btw.: Such games, I only play at home via Steam Link / Remote Play. Works flawlessly (also the Ubisoft-titles). In my opinion a very underrepresented feature. And again I do appreciate the limitation. I ended up buying even less new games, because there's so much to play still.

The Deck also got me into emulation and hence, to this channel. EmuDeck was so nice and easy to set up. It's the reason I've become a subscriber here, bought 2 Anbernic-devices and became a member in the respective subreddits.

My use cases are gaming on the couch, while the wife is watching series, movies, videos on YouTube, as well as, when I'm traveling (by train), which I do about once a month for the 3 days. It has mostly superseded couch-gaming on the big screen. I love it, I'm a fanboy and I'm excited about its effects.

[richardockwell]

Just want to thank you for your channel and all the work you put into your videos. I've gone from Miyoo Mini, to Anbernic RG353M, to the Steam Deck I just ordered. Every device, I use your videos to gain insight on them before purchasing. Please keep up the fantastic work!

[salitz]

I really love this type of content mixed in. One for the RP3+ and Miyoo Mini, please!

[arvindhmani]

Just do your thing Russ, the style of videos you have are what brings us back again and again. At the same time, these sort of videos are a refreshing change from the usual review types, plus they can be an opportunity to do a retrospective on some of the devices you've reviewed in the past.

[jeffreygravener]

I’ve been watching your videos for about 2 months now getting into emulation. I was deciding between a steam deck or Odin pro. Ended up getting a great deal on a 256g steam deck. Your videos have givin me the courage to start my steam deck journey. Great video as always!