Hey all, sorry in advance if this kind of post isn’t welcome in this community. I wasn’t really sure where to post this question and I didn’t see anything in the rules against text posts or questions. If there’s a more appropriate place to post I’ll take this down and repost somewhere else.
With the recent price hikes of game pass, Microsoft’s general inability to publish good games, and a deep loathing for AAA studios obsession with milking me for every dollar I have while delivering uninspired, broken slop, I’ve cancelled my game pass subscription and started considering PC gaming. I’m still on the Xbox one and haven’t bothered to get the one X due to these issues. I’m due for am upgrade and don’t feel particularly thrilled at the idea of spending that much money on a console that has little to offer.
I don’t have a lot of money, but I do have enough to afford a modest build (600-700 USD.). But with all the praise and broad support that the steam deck has been getting, I’m wondering if my money may not be better spent on getting one and using the extra for a dock, some peripherals, and a start to building my library. The steam deck would be living most of its life docked and plugged into a monitor. The fact that it’s a capable portable gaming machine is, for the most part, a bonus to me.
I’m curious to hear everyone’s thoughts on this. Is a steam deck a viable alternative to a budget gaming PC?
Heres the thing. If you get a deck, you know that at least steam won’t be gaslighting you to buy another one for a hot minute.
I liked my deck enough that I bought the OLED when it came out to give my old one to my partner. Now we play in bed together side by side. She hadn’t played in years because well, life and being busy.
A deck can (somewhat) replace a PC. A PC could not replace a deck. Its a fundamentally different thing. I am going to buy a banger gaming PC. My deck allows me to play and have fun until I can buy the rig I want instead of the one I can afford.
Definitely hits home, I’m in school and working toward a better career at the moment. I have a decent laptop that fufills my “computer” needs, and the PC/deck was purely oriented towards gaming. I think a deck might be the better option for the moment. My current budget and ideas for a build had some compromises, with the knowledge that I’d need to replace/upgrade a lot of stuff down the line. I’m not 100% sold on the steam deck, but it does seem like a more viable and pragmatic choice now