Yes. Yes you can use your Steam Deck as a PC. Here's how.

Using your Steam Deck as your main PC is easy. All you need is a USB C hub with power delivery and you will have a grand old time.

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[harrism.]

I’ve been using my steam deck as a pc for a few months now after my old MacBook died out of nowhere and it’s been going smoothly. The only downsides of using my steam deck as a replacement for my laptop is that the screen size is smaller when I’m not plugged into my monitor and that peacock tv doesn’t work on Linux. Other than those small downsides I haven’t seen any obstacles to using a steam deck as my everyday computer.

[awakenedcrowl]

The only thing I wish for the Steam Deck to make it pretty much my perfect Laptop replacement would be some kind of attachable keyboard. Ideally, a keyboard the size of the SD's screen, that can be clipped to either the back or for all I care, even the front when you're just carrying it. So you can just easily detach it when you actually wanna use it.
If anyone knows something like that that's up for purchase, let me know. I have a small Bluetooth keyboard, but having to carry one around seperately... technically isn't bad, but having one attached to the Deck, so I can always carry them together, would go a long way for me. Kinda like the new GPD thingy

[yeri_pratama]

so much useful information in under 3 minutes. this kind of content is top.

[Kinos]

At times, I find myself in the desktop mode of the SD more than game mode.

[jeffrodrequez]

Absolutely agree, I run linux on my main work computer (used to use KDE, now using WM Wayfire or Hyprland) so my steam deck is docked to an extra monitor + bluetooth kb/mouse when I want to switch it over to desktop mode and use it for something else. Love my Steam Deck!

[Malisteen]

The steam deck was my main home computer for a period of several months last year, after my old laptop finally gave up the ghost and lasting until I was able to afford a new desktop setup that I liked.

using the deck as a pc wasn't ideal, but it got the job done. Without the deck I'd have had to pick up something relatively low end on an emergency basis, but thanks to the deck's versatility I was able to hold off on replacing my computer until I could afford a much nicer mid-range desktop (i5-13600k, 4070ti, dual boot windows & pop-os on separate ssds, not the best of anything but a major step up from my 10 year old asus laptop).

[steventechno]

Funnily enough upon stumbling on this video just now, I'm actually using mine as my main PC now after selling off my tower. (long story, won't bore with details) but it's been a perfectly good stand-in for my tower. I also have access to Windows via a USB drive I have it installed on for certain apps/games that WINE can't handle.

[PavelShevchuk]

I used SD as my main PC for almost a year. Had win11 installed, VSCode, virtual machines etc.

[bokocchop]

I'm currently using Steam deck as my secondary PC as my laptop is slowly dying on me. I absolutely love the experience, it runs beautifully, has enough horse power to handle my development work and so on. I only wish it came with Gnome as the default desktop though.

[londiebrondie]

I've been using the SD as my main PC since I received it (over a year ago). Yes, I use the stock SteamOS.

[rafaeldurban]

My mobo shorted my cpu and while I save for a replacement I'm using a Jsaux dock to plug a 1440p, ethernet cable, mouse and keyboard to my deck and use it as my desktop. I'm playing 2D games at 1440p and 60fps with 0 problems. I'm burning my indie back catalogue, watching shows and YT, reading tech and gaming sites, finishing office work, you name it.

[VladTerrible]

As a university student, the steam deck is a godsend.
I use a laptop proper for homework, but it's not there for gaming. The steam deck is just absurdly convenient

[arafat]

I just bought a steam deck for my little nephew. I wanted him to get into computers early; this was the cheapest way to do so while still having something powerful. Plus, it will be good to introduce him to Linux early.

[Lord_Orpheo]

I used to use Windows 8.1 on my 10-year old desktop. The harddrive died. I planned to use my Steam Deck as my main computer until I acquired a replacement harddrive. Using SteamOS, with its Arch Linux backbone, converted me. Fast-forward 3 months and the Steam Deck is still my main computer. I've decided to stick with the Steam Deck as my main line of PCs from now on, likely upgrading every other release (Steam Deck 1, 3, 5, etc.).

I use a bluetooth keypad, bluetooth mouse, webcam, the official dock, and an old PS4 controller connected via USB for gaming. The decade-old desktop I used to use (a Dell Inspiron 660s) was also inferior to the Steam Deck in hardware specifications, so the Steam Deck is actually quite the upgrade, and it has portability. :D

[rafaelsouza]

It would be great if Valve launched a proper desktop console which could double as a working machine

[mitcoes]

My PSU broke, and I had to use my Deck as a desktop PC for a week. And all was fine.

I will buy a dumb laptop If I need a laptop in the future, and will give my old one to my nephews this Christmas.

And with minutes of installing my work software (I use Manjaro, not a big deal, the change) I was working as well as I was with my desktop PC. (I plugged it, configure the big screen with the deck's one switched off, my keyboard, mouse, and webcam, and my data HDD connected with a USB adapter)

[LoranBriggs]

My work from home setup includes a monitor with USB ports that I connect my mouse and keyboard to. Then I connect to my work laptop 💻 through a single usb-c cable. When I want to switch to my SD, I just swap the single usb-c cable from my laptop to my SD and the mouse and keyboard move over with it. Works great and if you happen to have a usb-c monitor with USB ports I highly recommend it

[DavidPD]

I'm not using it as a primary PC, but I've got a USB-c monitor from Dell that I use for my laptop. And I don't know why I hadn't tried this until recently, but that connection works PERFECTLY with the Steam Deck. The monitor provides enough power and connections to my mouse, keyboard, headphones, ethernet, and even a USB drive so I can share files between machines. All with just a single cable.

[peterd]

I have a dual boot setup, Samsung external ssd, with windows 11. Works great !!

[XeroLinux]

For sure it's usable as main PC I have done it. Also you are not limited to SteamOS' Desktop mode, you can install any Distro although I only tested it with mine (XeroLinux) an Arch based one on an external SSD n boot from it while benefiting from latest Kernel n more ! I enjoyed it that way for 6 months before giving it away to my brother since I don't have any use for it (Not a gamer and got 5 Desktops)... So the sky's the limit with Steam Deck, just as long as you don't set you expectations too high, it's a midrange laptop after all, not a High-end one lol...