Current Events > 10 hour road trip: Steam Deck or Switch?

(+) Yeah! (+)

Steam Deck has a 90 min battery. Are you sure charging wont be an issue? >_>

Switch, all you'd need is Tears of the Kingdom and you'd be all set.

I guess it really depends on what kind of games you plan to play. I feel like Switch is smaller and easier to hold plus my newest OLED switch seems to last longer and has a better looking screen than the old one. If I had to go for a long period of playing, I'd probably get into something adventure related like Zelda. Then there's also the plethora of games on N64 and GBA and the other libraries.

Really it depends on what kind of games you want to play but that's my preference.

Depends on what games you got loaded up.

You probably won't have stable wi-fi/internet for long periods of time... so always online DRM protected AAA titles will be an issue on the deck.

NeonTentacles posted...

Steam Deck has a 90 min battery. Are you sure charging wont be an issue? >_>

That only happens if your playing something AAA, if your playing older games I would imagine the battery life is much longer. Plus there are adapters you can bring worst case scenario. As Torgo said, it depends on the games you have loaded up. I would bring my Steam Deck, only because I like using it more than my Switch for long car rides.

Can either of them really run on a powerbank?

You're on a road trip and you don't have to drive? Lucky!

Bring both since neither will likely last the whole trip

Questionmarktarius posted...

Can either of them really run on a powerbank?

Most modern vehicles have some sort of port in them anyways, be it a usb port, some even have an electrical outlet.

I'd probably play something that's not too involving like MK8 on a road trip. You may want to actually look out the window and see the scenery once in a while.

staring at the running man out the window

I don't really play a lot of nintendo games so I'll recommend the stream deck. If charging isn't an issue, it has access to a wide variety of systems and games.

Ended up going with the Switch.
pedro45 posted...

You're on a road trip and you don't have to drive? Lucky!

Multiple people, so chances are, Ill be driving.

If you want to play a specific game that you own on Switch but not Steam, Switch.

Otherwise, the Deck.

Ludwig_Von_2 posted...

Switch, all you'd need is Tears of the Kingdom and you'd be all set.

Ah, but you can play TotK on the Deck.

Euthanasia, since I'm one of those people who kan't read or play video games in a kkar without getting sick.

UNless your steam libary sucks you likely have more good steam games than Switch.

I prefer the switch for actually fitting in my pocket and not dying after 90 minutes, but a car journey where its hooked to the charger makes that irrelevant

Ivany2008 posted...

Most modern vehicles have some sort of port in them anyways, be it a usb port, some even have an electrical outlet.

If you're charging a Switch via some random USB port, you really should use the cable that came with a Pro Controller, or at least a cable you know has the required resistor in the C end.
Switch's power-controller chip is notoriously janky, and fries easily.

Deck, no contest.

Switch
Who is driving?

Neither one. META QUEST 3!!!

I haven't even touched my switch since getting a steam deck

el_cheato posted...

I haven't even touched my switch since getting a steam deck

Well I have, but that was only to dump my games.

A laptop.

switch is useless compared to the deck

Listen to music and look at the scenery outside the car

Damn_Underscore posted...

Listen to music and look at the scenery outside the car

Honestly, this is what I spent the majority of the time doing. Hardly interacted with the Switch.

I've never seen the steam deck get so much love. That's cool.
Is it pretty easy to use as someone who has never touched steam?

pedro45 posted...

I've never seen the steam deck get so much love. That's cool.
Is it pretty easy to use as someone who has never touched steam?

Yes. If you have a PC you can install Steam on, theyve now replaced Big Picture Mode with the Steam Deck UI so you can try it out.

But you basically have a horizontal list of your games like the Switch, but you also can press the Steam button and go to Lineary for a grid, then apply filters and searches and stuff. library view also has collections, so if you use EmuDeck Steam ROM Manager will just setup a SNES collection for you, and all your SNES games are in there.

EmuDeck is a wizard that basically sets up a bunch of emulators for you with controller hot keys, like Select + L1 is Load State, Select + R1 is Save State, there is a hot key for fast forward and one for rewind but I dont remember them off the top of my head.

Its far more comfortable as a controller than the Switch is, and the screen is deceptively large.

I barely use mine, but thats mostly because at home Id rather use my desktop and outside my home Id usually rather just read on my tablet.

Can you sign up for steam on the deck or do you need it established first?

pedro45 posted...

Can you sign up for steam on the deck or do you need it established first?

I dont know. It would be a lot easier to sign up on a computer (you could do it in a web browser without installing Steam) but Id be surprised if the Deck didnt let you sign up. Im just not willing to sign out of mine to check for you as my password is long and randomly generated, so its a pain when I have to enter it by hand instead of copying it from my password manager.

Thank you. I doubt I'd ever get steam unless i got this.
I haven't had a new console since the ps3, so sometimes i consider what i would get.

pedro45 posted...

Can you sign up for steam on the deck or do you need it established first?

Seeing as you have to order the deck through Steam, you'll be setting up an account if you didn't already have one.

Thank you for curing me of my ignorance!
Hopefully my questions helped others

Kai_Laguna posted...

Seeing as you have to order the deck through Steam, you'll be setting up an account if you didn't already have one.

There are third party resellers.

You can just sign up for Steam online, its really no big deal...

Steam Deck has far less performance issues with it's library.

My Steam Deck has given me countless hours of entertainment. I highly suggest limiting 3D games to 30fps for a great performance boost and lower temperatures. Though I dont think you can charge it unless you use the wall charger because its picky about the power output which you can get through just a usb.

Switch is great too for its exclusives but I havent got the chance to play anything since Christmas asides from Metroid...my brother got me that I should probably bother putting in some more time.

dioxxys posted...

Though I dont think you can charge it unless you use the wall charger because its picky about the power output which you can get through just a usb.

Im able to charge it with a certain type of Anker powerbank and cable. Otherwise, it says slow charging and doesnt charge properly.

Not legally, but with the right stuff added to the steam deck, it can effectively make the switch useless...

But if you like to separate the controllers away from the screen, the Switch got you on that

Prestoff posted...

Not legally, but with the right stuff added to the steam deck, it can effectively make the switch useless...

But if you like to separate the controllers away from the screen, the Switch got you on that

Its completely legal if you dump your legally purchased games and the firmware from your legally purchased Switch.

Killmonger posted...

Im able to charge it with a certain type of Anker powerbank and cable. Otherwise, it says slow charging and doesnt charge properly.

Curious which that is

First time I tried to charge it without the wall charger was with my power bank

Asus Rog Ally > Steam deck

It's more expensive but better.

PraetorXyn posted...

Deck, no contest.

this as long as you can keep it powered

The_Wheelman1 posted...

Asus Rog Ally > Steam deck

It's more expensive but better.

Also its sold worldwide and the steam deck is not

Ivany2008 posted...

Most modern vehicles have some sort of port in them anyways, be it a usb port, some even have an electrical outlet.

Cigarette lighter adapter....

The_Wheelman1 posted...

Asus Rog Ally > Steam deck

It's more expensive but better.

Yes, but not to enough of an extent that someone who already has a Deck should upgrade. If you don't have any handheld, definitely consider the ROG Ally or an Ayaneo device instead.

Im back home now, but the only time I really interacted with the Switch is when I was in my hotel room. So chances are, it probably wouldve been the same with the SD as well. Speaking of handhelds, does anyone own a retroid handhelds? The RP3+ is a pretty solid device and it fits right into your pocket!

dioxxys posted...

Curious which that is

First time I tried to charge it without the wall charger was with my power bank

The cable I used: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09LCD851Z?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

The power bank I used: https://a.co/d/fKkMRTM

The power bank is a bit pricey and has weight to it, but its well worth the money. I was able to charge my MacBook Air with it as well.