I’m looking to buy the steam deck or simply the Ally X and put Bazzite on it. Does anyone here have any experience with Bazzite on the Ally?
I’m not quite sure the Ally X is worth it as it’s about 25% more expensive then the deck and it seems to have a smaller screen though it does have VRR.
It seems battery life is pretty comparable but it seems the Ally X has better performance but, again, is it worth it? I do have a pretty powerfull PC at home (9700X with 6800xt) that I guess I could always remote play or simply go sit at the desk.
I don’t play any recent AAA games, the most demanding I would play would probably be Witcher 3 or Red dead redemption 2 (haven’t started yet).
I do however like to play games the likes of Banished or Factorio and I’m worried that’s not going to be possible without the touchpads on the steam deck.
I’m also worried about the longevity of the Ally X and access to spare parts and accessories.
People overlook how important software support is and with the deck you’re getting that. Plus the much larger user base for guides, parts, and community support.
IMO it feels like the Steam Deck was built with 3 goals in mind:
- Longevity
- Playability
- UX
And the competition feels more like
- Specs
- Gimmicks
Like, sure, better gpu and cpu and ram is great, but it’s kind of shit if the battery barely lasts or tge performance is worse because of lack of compatibility with Windows or the repairability is shit you need to buy a new device if it falls.
Ironicly it reminds me a bit of early android vs iphone. Where Iphone was built with real ingenuity and leading the market, while android was this mess of companies trying everything to “out compete” Apple. The irony being that tge steam deck is the open and inclusive one unlike the iphone.
Steam deck showcases perfectly how all usual consumer electronics are not made for you but for company to make bucks by delivering the bare minimum feature set for highest price.
I don’t think I can name any other device, appliance, car or anything that actually is made purely to deliver the most to the user. It’s a single anomaly and I don’t think this will last long or at all, let alone is some trend that will continue.
From all my purchases over the years it was a single device that not only matched expectations but exceeded them x 2 or more. I bought iPad Pro m4 oled around that time too and ipad in comparison is just a little bit more than what it is supposed to be, severely limited, for a hefty sum even though they say apple is a king of hardware.
Apple is not a king of hardware but a master of making money. Valve makes things that are actually awesome (but probably not profitable)
It’s probably temporary and brief moment but I am sure going to make the most out of it before it falls under the waves of enshittification again.
To be honest I don’t know how all these big companies still make money and are popular with how rudimentary, limited and OK their products are. I am like “what kind of fucking loser is slurping up all their stuff” oh… it’s me
Deck. Competitors try to cram more power, but miss out on ergonomics.
The trackpads are essential imo
You answered your own question 5 times over go with the deck
I only have a Deck but the touchpads are invaluable. Not only for mouse inputs but also to map multiple functions via Steam Input.
But also the gyro aiming is great for shooters. No idea if the Ally has a gyro but that has also been invaluable. Not for broad gestures but for small aiming adjustments. I forgot I used it until I turned it off.
Dual track pads are a game changer. I’m not sure why mainstream manufactures refuse to put more buttons on the their controllers.
