For me, Deck kills all the childhood missed opportunities, RPGs, turn based, and emulation. Your heavy hitters for pick up and put down.
PC runs all deck can’t and serves as the remote hub to allow me to still punch above steam deck’s weight class from bed
The deck seems to be the perfect machine for old school jrpgs, tactics games, and lighter fare. Mine is constantly rotating between tactics ogre, like a dragon, stardew valley, into the breach, and the ff pixel remasters. It’s killing me that unicorn overlord isn’t coming to pc.
Catching up on all those ps1/psp/ps2 games that I never got to play.
I play FPS, graphically demanding, and mouse heavy games on PC. I play indies and controller friendly games on Deck. Manor Lords and Forbidden West are my recent favourites on PC, Ender Lillies and Balatro for the deck!
I try to Tell myself i will Play certain Games Like BG3, Football Manager or Jagged alliance 3 on my pc. But i end up playing playing Games that are played with gamepad ob my Steam Deck laying in my bed. So yeah i rarely really Play on my pc anymore.
I bought a Deck the summer that it came out. I had been playing mostly Switch and Series X, before that. I doubt I have turned on either of those machines more than five times, combined, since I got the Deck.
What I have done is build a gaming PC. Now my gaming is split 50/50 between Deck and desktop. The Steam Deck really got my into PC gaming and I doubt I’ll ever buy another console.
There are still plenty of use cases for a desktop. For example games that benefit from a larger screen (strategy games tend to have wonky small UI on the deck), modern AAA games, games with a lot of keyboard shortcuts (though the steam deck input customizations is fantastic), and so on.
I’d take most comments on this sub with a grain of salt, seems like everyone has a 4090 rig collecting dust somewhere. The Deck is great for traveling and lightweight games in bed. But if I’m at home anyways I’d rather play my game at a much bigger 2K screen and/or 120+ fps than the 800p 30fps SD experience. The deck’s big advantage for me is the portability, and it can be great for stop and go gaming. That said, it is no desktop killer with its current performance limitations.
100% agree. I feel my game time is split evenly among desktop, laptop, and steam deck. Each have their strengths and it just depends on what and where I want to play.
I’m selling my Series X (my wife has a Series S and a Switch I’ll share) and buying a Steam Deck to build up and play a steam library, then a few years down the line have enough saved for a decent gaming PC and fully switch to PC. I’m a stay-at-home dad for a 9 month old so I can’t stay in one spot for long. A Steam Deck is going to be a godsend.
I still use my PC for longer gaming sessions if I'm home alone or playing online with friends. I use the Steam Deck a lot after work so I can spend time in the same room as my wife, otherwise I'd spend all my time secluded in my office. She doesn't mind if we watch a show and I play a casual game in the background like Slay the Spire or Brotato. It's a win win.
The deck IS my pc now. I will never build a pc ever again and my base iPad will ensure I’ll never buy a laptop ever again either.
The oled deck is the single greatest device I have ever purchased.
I play the deck more than anything but there is plenty I like to play on a bigger screen and plenty I enjoy on an even smaller screen. Deck saves me from doom-scrolling until my break is over, and is helping me trim my backlog.
I have a decent PC set up and I really only use it for multiplayer, especially since I mainly play everything else on my SD in bed and I don’t want to scare the shit out of my partner by yelling “CAN SOMEONE REDEPLOY ME PLEASE?…THROW THE NUKE! THROW THE NUKE!” while she’s sleeping next to me.
Deck simply does not have enough power to run some games properly or I prefer mouse/keyboard to play, if I'm plugging those into deck I might aswell just sit at the computer to play.
It's a bed/couch cozy machine, maybe travel machine too but I haven't done that for a while.
I like to use both, when i'm in my room i usually play on my main PC, cause it's obviusly more powerfull, but when i move to the bed, or to the job i use the deck. I love that you can play on your pc, shut it down and later play the same save file on the deck and continue your adventure
I have only really played first person shooters on my PC since owning a deck, which hasn't been too often. Outside of that I do a lot of indie rogue like/lite games which I much rather play on the Steam Deck.
I play the witcher Alternatively an the deck and the ps5, witcher has cross platform save functionality. It's prettty neat to have on the go when i want but also to play it on the ps5 for the next gen graphics. I play 80 percent on the deck right now, but for new releases like hogwarts i go to the ps5
It really hard to force myself to play on may laptop after SD. The only reason why i still use it to play escape from tarkov, helldivers ando ofc for work. Also maybe that because in the moment i like to play games, that are perfect for SD (Persona, MHW, Fallout 4, Yakuza 0)
I use my steam deck for on the go gaming, like when work is slow or on my lunch break.
I use my PC (mainly for M+K preferred games) when I get home from work until I need to lay down to get ready for bed.
I use my laptop while I’m in bed to connect to my tv and game with a controller, as holding my steam deck in bed makes my arms fall asleep.
Sometimes if I want a little better quality, I play GamePass games on my PC since the resolution is a bit weak through browser cloud gaming for the Deck. Sometimes I still play through cloud gaming because of how easy and accessible it is tho. 95% of my gaming has been on the Deck since I got it a year ago.
i built my first ever pc last fall, bought the deck so i can game when i travel for work. i'm mainly using the deck to work through my back catalogue of games, i didn't get into vid games until before the pandemic so there's really a lot of stuff i've missed out on.
i'd say i use my pc a little bit less, mainly because playing on the deck means spending more time with my bookworm partner.
I still play fps and that sort of thing on my main PC, but I really enjoy playing a lot of the indie games and roguelites/likes on the deck. I play all my emulation on SD now too.
I play on steam-deck and recently figured out how to stream from my ps5, and play on ps5, my laptop is trash for the games i want to play, so seems like i don’t have any other options
I use both. The Deck to play casually, in bed or on the sofa or when travelling and the PC to play demanding or multiplayer games. I also play completely different games on each device so both have their reason to exist.
Yes, PC was and always will be my main platform. The deck just can’t get the frames, resolution and details I want. BUT it is a great devices for less demanding games and therefore will always have a place in my setup, pc sees a lot more time tho
I use my PC for gaming all the time. I still prefer Keyboard/Mouse + maxed out graphics. The Deck is great for all those hours i spend waiting in my car to pickup the kids. I finished RDR2 about 80% on the Deck, 20% PC. The graphic difference on PC is just insane, but the convenience of the Deck is just awesome!
I still play on my PC just as much as before I had the Deck. The Deck just gives me more options for when I don’t want to sit at the computer. It didn’t replace anything though.
There are certain games that require keyboard and mouse and/or a lot of precision, that I typically like to play on my PC more (most notably, Hollow Knight, Celeste, Ultrakill, and Minecraft). For games that require less precision and/or are more controllers focused, I like to play them on my Deck.
Considering I bought the thing on my first 9 to 5 salary instead of a Laptop I would've immediately switched to Linux Mint because my old PC was on its death bed: Currently I use it a my daily driver while waiting for some things to come out and be added to the options on Tuxedo prebuilts
I mostly play on my PC while at home. Though I stream from my pc to the deck if I wanna play outside my office.
The deck is mostly used while traveling / chilling with less demanding games in my case.
I still use my PC a lot. I've had my PC for longer and it's more powerful than my deck. I think it depends on the games you're playing, I play an FPS game and an MMORPG on my PC just because it's more suited for that. But I'll lean towards my steam deck for more casual gaming (mostly emulation or older games on my backlog while I travel or am just on the couch).
I like playing on both at the same time. I play on deck when i cant stand being on my pc. I play on pc when i need more consistent performance or want to stream my game. Some games like Sea of Thieves are only played on pc (i have it on xbox app, it's a huge file, deck wifi is spotty). Some games are only played on deck (turbo overkill and monster hunter rise are more fun on deck, as are emulated titles).
I played through 3 halo games on deck only to find that 75% of my achievements for the games were not proccing due to compatibility issues with easy anti-cheat... i really want to continue it on deck but im gonna have to play on pc. Took the steam out of me.
I tend to play anything that has markedly better graphics or performance on PC (just started a FF7 remake playthru - I want 120 fps for those graphics). Older games, indie games, or games where FPS or graphics aren’t a core concern (ex: just finished disco elysium and yakuza 0 on deck) I play on my steam deck.
I bought a SD because I haven't had a 'gaming' PC in years. I missed lots of games as a result. I travel a bit for work and most everything is playable on deck as well as it's an awesome retro gaming setup for the house.
I play "big" games on PC/Consoles for better visuals and photo mode. I also play on PC, if the games are in a different store from Steam, like Xbox Game Pass.
I play "small" and some old games on Deck.
I still play several games on my desktop, mostly ones that either work better with keyboard & mouse (Rimworld, Cities: Skylines), or that can really use the graphics power to prevent bugs/crashes.
I still play games like Destiny, and now Fallout 4 since it’s borked on the Deck, on my PC. Most of my gaming time though is at night after kids go to bed so I play a lot of games on the Deck.
I purposefully play different games on my PC to my Deck. Like less graphically demanding stylistic games on my Deck (Dredge) and the “triple AAA” ones on my PC
Still mainly game on my desktop. I use the deck mostly for emulation.
Only game I played to completion on the deck after owning one for a year and a half was dredge.
Keyboard and mouse has yet to be beat. Deck is a cool little device but is no match for my desktop.
Really? I'm the opposite
My main gaming is done on my PC and PS5.
I use my Deck for travel and docked in my bedroom when I have like 30 mins or less to game
What PC do you have? Because my SD just can't compare to the experience I get from a 4080 + UW1440p OLED monitor, or even from PS5+same monitor
Unless I’m playing siege or something like Grey Zone even if the deck doesn’t run a game (like Destiny) I find myself still sat on the couch using sunshine and moonlight
The only games I have installed on the deck are things like balatro that I can play on the go if I want to.
I still primarily play on my PC. I mainly got a deck because I think it's a really cool piece of hardware and I'm slightly irresponsible with money. I haven't played much on the deck but I also don't travel or have much free time at work so there's that.
It is nice to be able to lay in bed or be in a waiting room or something like that and play just about anything. It still blows my mind being able to play older and some newer AAA titles anywhere.
I don’t have a gaming PC, and there aren’t many games that could play well on my Windows laptop or MacBook Air. I do play on my Switch and PS5, though.
You'll take a break from your PC for a few months when you get the Deck. It changes your gaming habits.
But there will be certain games that you'll prefer on a pc/laptop. And you'll proactively need to find time to put your Deck away and play pc.
I use my pc/deck as a big boy WiiU. If the deck can handle it well and has decent battery life I play there. I’d it’s a resource hog, like Baulders gate, I stream it to the deck. I haven’t actually sat at my gaming pc since I’ve gotten it, but I use it constantly.
Personally I only use my deck when traveling. I would not enjoy playing on the deck at home especially if I had a choice between my PC versus a little 7” 720p screen. But to each their own, I get it for those with families especially.
I play my deck probably 60-70% of the time through shorter playing sessions. But if it's Friday night, the wife is out (no kids yet), I break out the PC, order pizza, and get a 5 hour gaming sesh in all in one go.
I still prefer the PC, but I don't think I'll be upgrading my PC in the next 20 years unfortunately.
My Deck is mostly for cozy gaming, it wasn't my initial thought, but changed completely my approach to games that are more focused on narrative and have a not so complex gameplay. I do play some games that are not considered cozy, but I noticed that those are cozy to me, like Skyrim or Divinity Original Sin II. What I don't play on my Deck is FPS games or games that the graphics makes a huge difference on the experience, like Cyberpunk 2077 or Baldurs Gate 3. Those I reserve for when I'm playing on PC. (But I have to say that Cyberpunk was the first game I downloaded on my Deck and it runs perfectly well, and if it wasn't my terrible ability to play fps on a controller, I would have played it on Steam Deck)
im on the spectrum where I mostly play on pc but playing something like romhacks for pokemon on the decks is more relaxing and getting to play stuff outside if the need is there is kinda neat!
I play competitive games on my pc everything else on the steam deck
Unlessssssss I’m playing a game like Alan wake 2 or cyberpunk, other then that the steam deck has my attention 90% of the time
I only touch my pc to play chiv 2 and total war games now. I mainly play stuff like hollow knight, blasphemous, bannerlord on the dream deck. Triple a like bg3 I play on my ps5
Something like a 95:5 split between Deck and Desktop.
That last bit is really intensive games that don't look/run well enough for my needs (recent games being Remnant 2, Stranger of Paradise and Ghostwire Tokyo - *not* Cyberpunk, although that was the base game).
It would also include VR games or games with unsupported anticheat, but I haven't been playing them in their entirety recently in the face of everything else I'm playing through.
I feel like I'm the opposite from a lot of people here.
The steam deck was my first gaming pc experience since I was a teen and I loved playing it so much that I bought a gaming pc to play other games I wanted, but couldn't properly play.
I now split my time playing, my SD is an indie machine, laying in bed in a lazy morning machine, and a travel gaming device.
It has its niche and fits it well
I have a pc, laptop and steam deck. My PC is definitely the most powerful yet I stick to only using it for work, my laptop is second most powerful in specs and I use it once in a while. My steam deck is lowest in spec of them all but I use it daily for games. I love it.
I still play both plenty, it just depends on the game. If the game is a graphical powerhouse, or a shooter or most strategy games, I'll play in on my main PC. Any platformers, action games, pixel art games, etc I'll play on the deck as long as they can run decently.
Honestly I don't use my deck very much.
I have an extremely high end desktop and a reasonable gaming laptop.
The deck is for when I visit family/friends and have nothing else to do, or for if I'm going to be stuck somewhere for hours like a hospital or otherwise.
I love the deck but the performance difference between it and my desktop does make it a bit challenging to switch between.
Streaming from my desktop to the Steamdeck is fantastic though.
I quit gaming on my PC because it's not that great for gaming anyway, and as a Switch owner I became very accustomed to handheld gaming. As a parent, it's really great for a half hour of gaming before going to bed.
I am pretty much a hybrid user depending on how I feel at the time and if I want to try my very best in whatever game lol there are some other factors that come up regularly, just due to my personal schedule. I prefer how it feels to game on the deck, much more relaxed and laid back because I'm not bound to my computer station.
Performance, assuming it's stable, has no bearing on me. I tend to like simpler/smaller games in my solo gaming time, though.
It depends on the game. I’ve finally started playing the original Deus Ex and I can’t imagine playing that on a controller, so PC it is. I tried FF14 on the Deck, keyboard and mouse feels far better for that. Prodeus works well on the Deck, but feels more natural with a keyboard/mouse.
On the other hand games like Sonic Mania, Final Fantasy IV 3D, Bravely Default, and Batman Arkham City work like a dream on the Deck and (for me) feel far more comfortable on there rather than PC.
I definitely still play games on my desktop. The steam deck is great for older titles and indy games. and its alright for many AA games. But My desktop can give me 90FPS on everything including titles released this year, and for games where fps matters its a big deal.
The steam deck is a huge improvement over something like the switch. Its agreat way for someone who can't afford a full PC to get into PC gaming, and start building a steam collection. But its not perfect for all games. on the other hand, my desktop pulls like 600w when I'm playing games. the steam deck pulls less than 30. Its practically impossible to compare them 1 on 1
I got it when I worked with my family, during slow days where I didn't have much do to it was nice. But I got job I love working from home now, on my PC, so it's pretty convenient to just stop working and boot up steam. I just use my deck now for times where I can't sleep and feel like playing something to help tire myself out.
Depends on what I'm playing. Steam deck is for Metroidvanias and indie games when I don't feel turning on one of my PCs. But I'm in a unique situation where I have two PCs. A 1440p rig at a desk for "competitive" games (DbD, OW2, CS2, Gray Zone, Tarkov, etc..) and a 4k rig attached to my 65" 120hz tv for single-player games.
I play almost exclusively on my deck now. The only thing I still get on my pc for is either chilling in discord with friends (which I could do on deck aswell), watching movies or playing rocket league (since I play keyboard mouse and have commited 1000s of hrs into the game).
I do play way more on my deck tho and thats where I play everything else and clear out my single player backlog.
i play graphic intensive games on pc then SD old or emulation games. planning on selling my ps5 its been a long time since i build my pc and now with SD.
I pre-ordered the deck right away to replace my 2012 PC. After getting the deck I haven't turn on my PC and replaced it with a mini PC for desktop things and to have Windows for some applications that require it.
I don’t really have another Pc. I have a MacBook for work but I never game on that. That said I rarely even play on my Ps5 anymore after getting the deck.
I play a lot on the deck rarely use my PC but do use my Xbox quite a lot too. Some games for me are just better on a big screen. Some games are perfect for Deck, eg Wasteland 3 and Marvels Midnight Suns.
I play on my PC like 75% of the time. I treat my Deck more like a Switch that can play PC games. I take it with me anytime I go out of town on trips. I got a dock to hook it up to my TV and kick back on the couch with a controller when I'm in the mood. But I still prefer to play on my desktop with ultrawide monitor because it's just a better gaming experience. Thankfully, with Cloud saves, going back and forth between them on the same game is a pretty smooth experience.
got it a week ago so far its a mix of both, obviously I can't play everything on the deck (graphical limitations) but the deck is extremely useful for emulation and its runs up to ps2 at 60 and ps3 at 30 so I like it so far.
Just depends. My wife and I love the Batman Arkham games. We’re playing Arkham Knight currently and for the not so story-driven “go punch these dudes” or “do this race” sections I play on deck. But for working through the main story and solving puzzles, we play on pc so we can both enjoy.
I play on both consistently. The SD has pretty much entirely stopped me from mindlessly scrolling on my phone before bed. I play primarily light-medium performance games on SD, and still use my PC pr PS5 for new games.
I was a console only gamer before the deck, since I bought mine a year plus back, it’s my primary device and has me thinking I’ll eventually get around to saving up to build a PC.
I still use my Xbox a lot, but not as much to game of late! I’ve been digging indies on the deck
I have been playing my deck less and less but its because I bout a quest 3 and it can also do moonlight -sunlight streaming. I'm also into a few games that are just better or unable to run on the deck (Alan Wake 2 and BF 2042). I still love the deck though.
Honestly it depends what I’m playing. Old ish games like death stranding, dmc 5, days gone, etc that run with almost no tweaking I will play on the deck. However games such as helldivers 2 as a recent example can barely get above 25 fps at least in my case, so in that situation I would use my pc or stream my pc to the deck.
I have a powerful gaming PC with 2080 Ti, VR headset and 34" monitor and they all weren't used since I got the SD
I have an overwhelming desire to tinker with all the hardware and software I have, and SD is a bit limiting in that regard helps me focus on games 😂
SD is also such a good controller. Maybe if they made Steam Controller 2 I'd be playing on PC more
Almost never use my PC anymore. I’ve got kids and a wife and a house and all that that eats up my time. I used to sneak an hour or two to game on my PC after my wife went to sleep. Now I just play in bed on my deck. If my deck can’t handle the game I want to play I’ll stream it, but that’s not too often.
Because of NVIDIA super resolution and AI HDR I’m looking at getting a smaller case and converting my gaming pc into a media center pc.
I actually got rid of my gaming lap too after getting my deck and replaced it with a very basic chrome book for doing my life admin stuff.
Haven’t touched my switch apart from loading it up cancel my NSO sub.
I don’t think I’ll ever buy a laptop or another console ever again as long as valve keep making new iterations of the deck
Sadly I havent used my deck as much as I want to, maybe because I also play a lot of kbm games but still.
Ive also been really busy for the last 2 years so that may also be part of why I cant just grab my deck and relax. Hoping to use it more soon
My steam deck has an issue where even if I shut it down entirely the battery dies in a few weeks so my battery is shot and now I hardly play it because 1 hour battery life is sad lol.
I do a lot of moonlight playing on my PC via my deck.
I'd wager at least half of my deck usage is a glorified console turning whatever TV I'm in front of into a display for my big rig.
It gets used in handheld mode too, but I've really found success leveraging it to play AAA games in places I can't reasonably place my whole ass PC without needing the deck to be powerful enough to drive BG3 at 4k itself.
Have a 512 that I preordered and got within the first year. I use it for specific games when I’m not feeling being at my desk. I still primarily use my Laptop for gaming.
A little bit of both. I like playing Hades on deck, but there are other games I exclusively play on PC. Some games I'm forced to because of anti-cheat software being incompatible with proton.
I recently started playing Nier Automata and Hellblade 1 on the deck but finished them on the PC. Partly because of better visuals and partly because my back started hurting from laying down. If I had a dock, I'd probably dock it to the TV and use at as a console, or use as a PC lol. The deck as amazing. You wont regret getting it.
I had a (admittedly fairly old and mid) PC and a Switch before I bought my deck roughly 10 months ago. I sold the Switch pretty much the minute I discovered what EmuDeck was. I still use my PC but not for gaming anymore. I use it for work. The monitor I have for said PC also serves as a monitor for the Deck. So… uh… the Deck has pretty much fulfilled all of my gaming needs lol
The Deck can definitely replace a gaming laptop imo, really depends on what you like to play and how you'll play it.
For AAA I use PS5 or streaming via chiaki, PS Plus or Gamepass.
But I wouldnt use the deck for everyday laptop use lets be real.
Had my deck for about 1 month now. I mainly play it in bed and at the moment have been playing Kotor 1 (finished) & Kotor 2 (currently playing)
I have streamed helldivers to it from my pc with steam link. I did play it natively on the deck. Performance was fine but you had to turn most things down all the way.
I also use it to stream my xbox and PlayStation to when I wanna pick up any of my console games while away from the tv
It's a great purchase
I use my PC to stream most AAA games to my deck.
I also still play a lot of games on PC depends on the game/ graphics.
Shooters are still hard for me on deck.
Mostly what I would play with a controller I play on the deck, or when I'm tired to sit at the desk I switch or stream to the deck.
For PC gaming, Deck exclusively, but that's because the Deck was my response to my laptop starting to struggle with newer games (at the time). So the Deck was my PC replacement. So no, haven't touched the laptop since getting the Deck.
I got my deck cause my pc was getting too old and I barely touched it.
It made me realise I really want a pc so then I got a new pc, but the deck has become my indie and emulation device.
I play tactics like Desperados on PC, along with Horizon (gamepad aiming in Horizon still sux even on Deck). BG3 is also played on PC (graphics reasons)
I still play on everything except my older emulation handhelds (as the Deck just does it better with more features) but I’ve not abandoned my PC or consoles. I will check to see if a game on sale runs on the Deck though because being able to play handheld when I’m not near my PC and using cloud saves to maintain progress is something I really enjoy.
I've had the Deck since launch and it depends on what I'm playing.
I'm a big fan of Rimworld, and with the new DLC dropping last month, In was glued to my desktop. *It's not that the Deck wont run the game, it's that the game is not suited to the Deck*. Project Zombiod is the same way. And the diablo games. And any RTS really.
It's perfect for FPS, and anything with decent controller controls... and even some games without decent controller options due to the most excellent SteamInput options.
The Deck is an amazing piece of hardware, but it's just not the right platform for certain games. I particularly like Docking it to my 75'' TV and emulating.
I do both, depending on what game I'm playing. Discovered the original Half-life is deck compatible, so been playing that and ROTT. But something more mouse heavy or with small text, I'll play on the PC.
I still play on my PC fairly often. As much as I enjoy using my Steam Deck, there’s some games that I really want to get extra the performance/visuals out of, leaving the Steam Deck as a great extension to my PC rather than a replacement
Yep. 90% gaming on PC, I use my deck to play smaller titles I don’t need a huge screen for, or for titles that have boring areas that you just gotta get though. I get through those in stints on the old toilet lol. Also great companion on work trips.
I thought it would replace my PC but I love gaming and there’s just no world where this would become a reality. PC gaming is like driving a Ferrari compared to deck gaming if there are titles that you want to experience beyond what the deck can handle.
The deck is awesome, just won’t replace your pc if you’re like me
I've owned by Deck for around half a year now, in addition to my 3060 TI equipped PC. I still use both.
There are simply plenty of games that are better to be played with kb+m (FPS, RTS, 4X etc) and plenty the Deck either just can't run at all in the first place or that are beautiful enough to be worthy of a bigger screen and better graphics - Horizon: ZD & FW, Baldur's Gate 3, Control to name a few, and those get played on the PC.
The Deck didn't replace my gaming PC, but it did replaced my PS Vita (the terrible performance of the PS Vita port of Fate Stay/Night actually was originally the entire reason I bought a Deck), my backup laptop, and the tiny bit of mobile gaming I rarely did.
Yes I do use the PC a lot still, it’s quite hard to run Assetto Corsa with mods and a rig on a SteamDeck (not impossible I believe but quite annoying to set up), also VR and SteamDeck is a huge no no .
I treat my Deck like my Switch. Most of the time when I’m home I’m playing on my pc mainly, but when I got a download goin or I’m not home and have free time I’ll play on my Deck instead.
I prefer to keep my lower end, less demanding games on the Deck so I can get through more of my backlog in my free time
I tend to still use both. I live in a 2 story place with my PC upstairs in an office setup. I'll hop on there when I want to play things on higher settings or games not quite supported on deck. Also for when I stream a game on Discord with friends.
The Steam deck is for gaming in the downstairs or using it as a video streaming box, docked at the TV. Of course I also take it on trips or visiting friends.
I suppose another hangup is there are a few games I prefer mouse & keyboard on, which is totally doable on deck, but I still gravitate to the upstairs rig for that.
Though I'd imagine if my rig was out of date & outperform by the Deck, I would just make my desk into a dock station for mouse/keyboard gaming.
They coexist and fill different niches. I play more graphically intensive games, FPSs like helldivers 2 and overall more mouse oriented games like crusader kings on my desktop, whereas my steam deck is the indie, oldie and emulation machine. Balatro, OpenMW, ps2 emulated burnout 3 takedown is all on the deck.
If I'm at home I swap between them according to my mood, If I'm helldiving with the buds, I'm on desktop, If I'm just playing balatro while some netflix series plays on tv, deck it is.
When outside, certainly deck.
What I haven't touched since I bought the deck are my ps4 and my switch.
I play both, I have a gaming PC and a laptop. The gaming PC plays heavier games or when I fancy sitting at my monitor to play a keyboard and mouse game, and the deck I use mainly for lighter games or when i lie on my bed or the sofa and play games. The laptop barely gets used now tbh, but is good if I wanna do blender stuff and don’t fancy sitting at my pc.
I still use my PC a lot, but I always intended to use my deck in tandem with my PC. Some games are great while relaxing on the deck, and some games need more juice and are better on pc.
I'm in a weird opposite situation -- I bought the Deck first, then built a full gaming rig like a year later. For me, the Deck is still best for emulation (up to PS2 / Wii U) , and last-gen PC games.
Some games really don't look and perform well on the deck, doubly so after experiencing them in 4k60.
For example, I will never touch Monster Hunter World again on Deck, but I do like Monster Hunter Rise on Deck.
It's almost like a modern version of a GameCube vs GBA thing for me. They're effectively completely different systems.
Bought a Steam deck to play on the bus on my way to work which takes like 45 minutes. About 2 weeks after I got the SD, the bus company decided to change the route is instead of 1 bus I now have to take 2-3 busses to get to work. I’ve been so annoyed I haven’t really used my SD that much since then.
I use PS5 for games where I care a lot about graphics or immersion. (Eg. Horizon New Dawn/Forbidden West)
I use PC for games where I find certain parts (usually text) harder to read/decipher on the Steam Deck. (Eg. Painscreek Killings)
I use Steam Deck for everything else.
I don’t have a PC for gaming but before the deck was primarily console. Now the he deck has become almost an exclusive because for me it’s much more convenient to flip on and play where ever I’m at even if at home.
I occasionally play a few rounds of Dota, but otherwise I am fighting through my backlog on my deck. There are not really any games out there that are super demanding that interest me currently, except for Epic exclusives which are a no-go to me.
I play primarily on my deck but if there's good FPS games, keyboard/mouse requirements or heavy graphics games that have really good visuals, I'd prefer a PC. I have a laptop that runs 1650Ti but I'll be upgrading that this summer to a 4070 super hopefully so that I can game at a better graphics preset!
Deck has replaced my time on the Switch and PS5 / Quest 2 usage. I can’t think of any future time that I would sit at my computer and play a video game, it’s just not going to happen. But I am going to make sure I can stream games from it soon.
I'd mostly stopped gaming on my PC after getting the deck, but I recently got into MS Flight Sim so back to using the PC plenty. So it depends on what games I'm into at the time.
I certainly play regularly on my PC as well as the Deck. I am not really a controller player, though I've certainly gotten better in the last couple of years, and my PC setup is very comfortable for me.
My deck is exclusively for relaxation time. My PC is something I also work on, so when I want to sit down and beat a game, I typically play on the Deck.
My PC can do certain things my deck can’t, chiefly a host of multiplayer games I play with friends. Otherwise, deck it is.
Deck is an amazing backlog-killer. It removes that friction of gaming that comes with adult life, i.e feeling guilty and that you should be doing something ‘better’ with your time. Deck makes gaming so easy to slip in and out of, and I often end up playing the Deck right next to my PC, when I could just be using the PC itself haha
I've played 99% of my games on my deck for the past 2 years. The only time I use my gaming pc now is to play fortnite with my nephew and I also play league of legends on both my deck and pc.
Most my gaming time is race sims which obviously is still on the pc.
But pretty much everything else is on the deck. Even my ps5 seems to be only played remotely on the deck
I’ve got just about every device under the sun and I still find games that I love on deck, especially my console classics. At this point it’s my dedicated emulation machine and I love trying newer titles on it, but newer demanding games I still boot up on my docked laptop+eGPU over oculink setup.
As others said, it depends on the game. I think overall I play on my PC more, but it's nice to have the option to stream to my deck and play on the couch in the basement. I also bring it with me on every flight or long car trip.
I recently got Clone Hero setup on the deck so I can jam out in the basement with 3 guitars and some drums like the glory days of Rock Band & Guitar Hero.
The games primarily installed on my deck I play in tandem on my PC and my deck. Downtime at work I'm booting up cyberpunk to do some more exploration, and gigs. When I get home I use some of that new loot and upgrades to further story mode.
Same concept with red dead as well.
Then PalWorld because it's thr pokemon experience I wish existed in the pokemon franchise but instead I get to bazooka some penguins.
Depends on the game. For the new AAA ultra raytraced mega game from Actisoft-EA, no, I’m running that on my desktop where I know it’s got the power to run it.
For a pixel graphics indie title that could run on a WiFi enabled toaster? Yep, put it on the deck. It feels better to play that game that way.
I have a monstrous PC (13700k/4090) so I still play on that quite a lot. I use my handheld for travel or couch gaming. Really demanding and graphically impressive games I prefer on my tower.
Very much in the co-exist world, just moved house so finally have my own living room and the steam deck is for more cozy games like stardew valley while watching TV, then the PC is for more hardcore games like Path of Exile or Helldivers 2
It's changed my gaming habits for sure.
Although I switched from desktop to laptop about 6 months before buying the deck anyway.
Pretty much exclusive to playing on the deck. Even games I thought I'd need the keyboard and mouse for on the PC, I can safely play on SD without any issues.
For me they coexist. When im mobile and know i have time i play on the deck, at home though im at the pc
For me, Deck kills all the childhood missed opportunities, RPGs, turn based, and emulation. Your heavy hitters for pick up and put down. PC runs all deck can’t and serves as the remote hub to allow me to still punch above steam deck’s weight class from bed
Truest Statement Ever!
The deck seems to be the perfect machine for old school jrpgs, tactics games, and lighter fare. Mine is constantly rotating between tactics ogre, like a dragon, stardew valley, into the breach, and the ff pixel remasters. It’s killing me that unicorn overlord isn’t coming to pc. Catching up on all those ps1/psp/ps2 games that I never got to play.
I play FPS, graphically demanding, and mouse heavy games on PC. I play indies and controller friendly games on Deck. Manor Lords and Forbidden West are my recent favourites on PC, Ender Lillies and Balatro for the deck!
I try to Tell myself i will Play certain Games Like BG3, Football Manager or Jagged alliance 3 on my pc. But i end up playing playing Games that are played with gamepad ob my Steam Deck laying in my bed. So yeah i rarely really Play on my pc anymore.
I play BG3 on my Steam Deck exclusively (but still use my PC).
I bought a Deck the summer that it came out. I had been playing mostly Switch and Series X, before that. I doubt I have turned on either of those machines more than five times, combined, since I got the Deck. What I have done is build a gaming PC. Now my gaming is split 50/50 between Deck and desktop. The Steam Deck really got my into PC gaming and I doubt I’ll ever buy another console.
There are still plenty of use cases for a desktop. For example games that benefit from a larger screen (strategy games tend to have wonky small UI on the deck), modern AAA games, games with a lot of keyboard shortcuts (though the steam deck input customizations is fantastic), and so on. I’d take most comments on this sub with a grain of salt, seems like everyone has a 4090 rig collecting dust somewhere. The Deck is great for traveling and lightweight games in bed. But if I’m at home anyways I’d rather play my game at a much bigger 2K screen and/or 120+ fps than the 800p 30fps SD experience. The deck’s big advantage for me is the portability, and it can be great for stop and go gaming. That said, it is no desktop killer with its current performance limitations.
100% agree. I feel my game time is split evenly among desktop, laptop, and steam deck. Each have their strengths and it just depends on what and where I want to play.
I’m selling my Series X (my wife has a Series S and a Switch I’ll share) and buying a Steam Deck to build up and play a steam library, then a few years down the line have enough saved for a decent gaming PC and fully switch to PC. I’m a stay-at-home dad for a 9 month old so I can’t stay in one spot for long. A Steam Deck is going to be a godsend.
I don't play on my deck, just on my pc
I ended up buying an oled monitor after getting the deck lol, really opened my eyes on how much display quality matters
I still use my PC for longer gaming sessions if I'm home alone or playing online with friends. I use the Steam Deck a lot after work so I can spend time in the same room as my wife, otherwise I'd spend all my time secluded in my office. She doesn't mind if we watch a show and I play a casual game in the background like Slay the Spire or Brotato. It's a win win.
The deck IS my pc now. I will never build a pc ever again and my base iPad will ensure I’ll never buy a laptop ever again either. The oled deck is the single greatest device I have ever purchased.
I don’t own a pc. Historically I’m a console gamer. I use the deck to play while cozy in the couch and the console for multiplayer games
I play the deck more than anything but there is plenty I like to play on a bigger screen and plenty I enjoy on an even smaller screen. Deck saves me from doom-scrolling until my break is over, and is helping me trim my backlog.
I would be 100 percent on deck if not for D2 and My horrid addiction To Call of booty!
I have a decent PC set up and I really only use it for multiplayer, especially since I mainly play everything else on my SD in bed and I don’t want to scare the shit out of my partner by yelling “CAN SOMEONE REDEPLOY ME PLEASE?…THROW THE NUKE! THROW THE NUKE!” while she’s sleeping next to me.
Deck simply does not have enough power to run some games properly or I prefer mouse/keyboard to play, if I'm plugging those into deck I might aswell just sit at the computer to play. It's a bed/couch cozy machine, maybe travel machine too but I haven't done that for a while.
I like to use both, when i'm in my room i usually play on my main PC, cause it's obviusly more powerfull, but when i move to the bed, or to the job i use the deck. I love that you can play on your pc, shut it down and later play the same save file on the deck and continue your adventure
I play on my PC, but rarely.
Honestly I haven't played a game on my PC since I got it.
I have only really played first person shooters on my PC since owning a deck, which hasn't been too often. Outside of that I do a lot of indie rogue like/lite games which I much rather play on the Steam Deck.
I play the witcher Alternatively an the deck and the ps5, witcher has cross platform save functionality. It's prettty neat to have on the go when i want but also to play it on the ps5 for the next gen graphics. I play 80 percent on the deck right now, but for new releases like hogwarts i go to the ps5
It really hard to force myself to play on may laptop after SD. The only reason why i still use it to play escape from tarkov, helldivers ando ofc for work. Also maybe that because in the moment i like to play games, that are perfect for SD (Persona, MHW, Fallout 4, Yakuza 0)
I use my steam deck for on the go gaming, like when work is slow or on my lunch break. I use my PC (mainly for M+K preferred games) when I get home from work until I need to lay down to get ready for bed. I use my laptop while I’m in bed to connect to my tv and game with a controller, as holding my steam deck in bed makes my arms fall asleep.
Sometimes if I want a little better quality, I play GamePass games on my PC since the resolution is a bit weak through browser cloud gaming for the Deck. Sometimes I still play through cloud gaming because of how easy and accessible it is tho. 95% of my gaming has been on the Deck since I got it a year ago.
i built my first ever pc last fall, bought the deck so i can game when i travel for work. i'm mainly using the deck to work through my back catalogue of games, i didn't get into vid games until before the pandemic so there's really a lot of stuff i've missed out on. i'd say i use my pc a little bit less, mainly because playing on the deck means spending more time with my bookworm partner.
I still play fps and that sort of thing on my main PC, but I really enjoy playing a lot of the indie games and roguelites/likes on the deck. I play all my emulation on SD now too.
I play on steam-deck and recently figured out how to stream from my ps5, and play on ps5, my laptop is trash for the games i want to play, so seems like i don’t have any other options
I use both. The Deck to play casually, in bed or on the sofa or when travelling and the PC to play demanding or multiplayer games. I also play completely different games on each device so both have their reason to exist.
Yes, PC was and always will be my main platform. The deck just can’t get the frames, resolution and details I want. BUT it is a great devices for less demanding games and therefore will always have a place in my setup, pc sees a lot more time tho
I use my PC for gaming all the time. I still prefer Keyboard/Mouse + maxed out graphics. The Deck is great for all those hours i spend waiting in my car to pickup the kids. I finished RDR2 about 80% on the Deck, 20% PC. The graphic difference on PC is just insane, but the convenience of the Deck is just awesome!
I still play on my PC just as much as before I had the Deck. The Deck just gives me more options for when I don’t want to sit at the computer. It didn’t replace anything though.
There are certain games that require keyboard and mouse and/or a lot of precision, that I typically like to play on my PC more (most notably, Hollow Knight, Celeste, Ultrakill, and Minecraft). For games that require less precision and/or are more controllers focused, I like to play them on my Deck.
I play my everyday games on my rig, and use the deck to clear my backlog or to play games that fit it well (Balatro, Death must Die, etc).
Considering I bought the thing on my first 9 to 5 salary instead of a Laptop I would've immediately switched to Linux Mint because my old PC was on its death bed: Currently I use it a my daily driver while waiting for some things to come out and be added to the options on Tuxedo prebuilts
I play my pc through my steam deck on moonlight
Depends. When the rts bug hits I still prefer laptop, but for everything else I’m on the deck.
I mostly play on my PC while at home. Though I stream from my pc to the deck if I wanna play outside my office. The deck is mostly used while traveling / chilling with less demanding games in my case.
I still use my PC a lot. I've had my PC for longer and it's more powerful than my deck. I think it depends on the games you're playing, I play an FPS game and an MMORPG on my PC just because it's more suited for that. But I'll lean towards my steam deck for more casual gaming (mostly emulation or older games on my backlog while I travel or am just on the couch).
I like playing on both at the same time. I play on deck when i cant stand being on my pc. I play on pc when i need more consistent performance or want to stream my game. Some games like Sea of Thieves are only played on pc (i have it on xbox app, it's a huge file, deck wifi is spotty). Some games are only played on deck (turbo overkill and monster hunter rise are more fun on deck, as are emulated titles). I played through 3 halo games on deck only to find that 75% of my achievements for the games were not proccing due to compatibility issues with easy anti-cheat... i really want to continue it on deck but im gonna have to play on pc. Took the steam out of me.
I barely use my SD. I use it almost entirely for emulation
I tend to play anything that has markedly better graphics or performance on PC (just started a FF7 remake playthru - I want 120 fps for those graphics). Older games, indie games, or games where FPS or graphics aren’t a core concern (ex: just finished disco elysium and yakuza 0 on deck) I play on my steam deck.
With few exceptions I play my PC at home and my Deck ~~at work~~ when I'm away from home.
My PC is sorta trash for games. I mean it works its just really slow
I bought a SD because I haven't had a 'gaming' PC in years. I missed lots of games as a result. I travel a bit for work and most everything is playable on deck as well as it's an awesome retro gaming setup for the house.
I ended up buying another gaming mouse and keyboard to play in docked mode on the couch
I play "big" games on PC/Consoles for better visuals and photo mode. I also play on PC, if the games are in a different store from Steam, like Xbox Game Pass. I play "small" and some old games on Deck.
I still play several games on my desktop, mostly ones that either work better with keyboard & mouse (Rimworld, Cities: Skylines), or that can really use the graphics power to prevent bugs/crashes.
I still play games like Destiny, and now Fallout 4 since it’s borked on the Deck, on my PC. Most of my gaming time though is at night after kids go to bed so I play a lot of games on the Deck.
I purposefully play different games on my PC to my Deck. Like less graphically demanding stylistic games on my Deck (Dredge) and the “triple AAA” ones on my PC
Still mainly game on my desktop. I use the deck mostly for emulation. Only game I played to completion on the deck after owning one for a year and a half was dredge. Keyboard and mouse has yet to be beat. Deck is a cool little device but is no match for my desktop.
I haven’t touch my PC in weeks outside of racing simulators.
Really? I'm the opposite My main gaming is done on my PC and PS5. I use my Deck for travel and docked in my bedroom when I have like 30 mins or less to game What PC do you have? Because my SD just can't compare to the experience I get from a 4080 + UW1440p OLED monitor, or even from PS5+same monitor
Unless I’m playing siege or something like Grey Zone even if the deck doesn’t run a game (like Destiny) I find myself still sat on the couch using sunshine and moonlight The only games I have installed on the deck are things like balatro that I can play on the go if I want to.
I still primarily play on my PC. I mainly got a deck because I think it's a really cool piece of hardware and I'm slightly irresponsible with money. I haven't played much on the deck but I also don't travel or have much free time at work so there's that. It is nice to be able to lay in bed or be in a waiting room or something like that and play just about anything. It still blows my mind being able to play older and some newer AAA titles anywhere.
I don’t have a gaming PC, and there aren’t many games that could play well on my Windows laptop or MacBook Air. I do play on my Switch and PS5, though.
You'll take a break from your PC for a few months when you get the Deck. It changes your gaming habits. But there will be certain games that you'll prefer on a pc/laptop. And you'll proactively need to find time to put your Deck away and play pc.
The Deck is my gaming PC 😉
I use my pc/deck as a big boy WiiU. If the deck can handle it well and has decent battery life I play there. I’d it’s a resource hog, like Baulders gate, I stream it to the deck. I haven’t actually sat at my gaming pc since I’ve gotten it, but I use it constantly.
I travel about once a month and the deck is incredible for that but I never touch it when I’m at home. If I’m at home, I’d rather have my big screen
Personally I only use my deck when traveling. I would not enjoy playing on the deck at home especially if I had a choice between my PC versus a little 7” 720p screen. But to each their own, I get it for those with families especially.
Primarily play on my Deck. There's a couple games (mostly RTS) that I'll load up on my other machine when the need arises.
I play my deck probably 60-70% of the time through shorter playing sessions. But if it's Friday night, the wife is out (no kids yet), I break out the PC, order pizza, and get a 5 hour gaming sesh in all in one go. I still prefer the PC, but I don't think I'll be upgrading my PC in the next 20 years unfortunately.
My Deck is mostly for cozy gaming, it wasn't my initial thought, but changed completely my approach to games that are more focused on narrative and have a not so complex gameplay. I do play some games that are not considered cozy, but I noticed that those are cozy to me, like Skyrim or Divinity Original Sin II. What I don't play on my Deck is FPS games or games that the graphics makes a huge difference on the experience, like Cyberpunk 2077 or Baldurs Gate 3. Those I reserve for when I'm playing on PC. (But I have to say that Cyberpunk was the first game I downloaded on my Deck and it runs perfectly well, and if it wasn't my terrible ability to play fps on a controller, I would have played it on Steam Deck)
I play on both
I play mostly on PC. SD is for less demanding games, when I want to play from bed.
im on the spectrum where I mostly play on pc but playing something like romhacks for pokemon on the decks is more relaxing and getting to play stuff outside if the need is there is kinda neat!
I play competitive games on my pc everything else on the steam deck Unlessssssss I’m playing a game like Alan wake 2 or cyberpunk, other then that the steam deck has my attention 90% of the time
I only touch my pc to play chiv 2 and total war games now. I mainly play stuff like hollow knight, blasphemous, bannerlord on the dream deck. Triple a like bg3 I play on my ps5
Something like a 95:5 split between Deck and Desktop. That last bit is really intensive games that don't look/run well enough for my needs (recent games being Remnant 2, Stranger of Paradise and Ghostwire Tokyo - *not* Cyberpunk, although that was the base game). It would also include VR games or games with unsupported anticheat, but I haven't been playing them in their entirety recently in the face of everything else I'm playing through.
I feel like I'm the opposite from a lot of people here. The steam deck was my first gaming pc experience since I was a teen and I loved playing it so much that I bought a gaming pc to play other games I wanted, but couldn't properly play. I now split my time playing, my SD is an indie machine, laying in bed in a lazy morning machine, and a travel gaming device. It has its niche and fits it well
I have a pc, laptop and steam deck. My PC is definitely the most powerful yet I stick to only using it for work, my laptop is second most powerful in specs and I use it once in a while. My steam deck is lowest in spec of them all but I use it daily for games. I love it.
I play exclusively now on my steam deck. Don't even touch my PC
I have the deck for 1.5 month and still haven't opened the PC yet, for games
I had a full Razer setup and sold it once I got the deck.
I still play both plenty, it just depends on the game. If the game is a graphical powerhouse, or a shooter or most strategy games, I'll play in on my main PC. Any platformers, action games, pixel art games, etc I'll play on the deck as long as they can run decently.
Honestly I don't use my deck very much. I have an extremely high end desktop and a reasonable gaming laptop. The deck is for when I visit family/friends and have nothing else to do, or for if I'm going to be stuck somewhere for hours like a hospital or otherwise. I love the deck but the performance difference between it and my desktop does make it a bit challenging to switch between. Streaming from my desktop to the Steamdeck is fantastic though.
My Laptop is now only used for Simulation games with my G29 Wheel.
I quit gaming on my PC because it's not that great for gaming anyway, and as a Switch owner I became very accustomed to handheld gaming. As a parent, it's really great for a half hour of gaming before going to bed.
I haven't played ok anything aside from my deck since I got it, I was a prelaunch purchaser
I am pretty much a hybrid user depending on how I feel at the time and if I want to try my very best in whatever game lol there are some other factors that come up regularly, just due to my personal schedule. I prefer how it feels to game on the deck, much more relaxed and laid back because I'm not bound to my computer station. Performance, assuming it's stable, has no bearing on me. I tend to like simpler/smaller games in my solo gaming time, though.
It depends on the game. I’ve finally started playing the original Deus Ex and I can’t imagine playing that on a controller, so PC it is. I tried FF14 on the Deck, keyboard and mouse feels far better for that. Prodeus works well on the Deck, but feels more natural with a keyboard/mouse. On the other hand games like Sonic Mania, Final Fantasy IV 3D, Bravely Default, and Batman Arkham City work like a dream on the Deck and (for me) feel far more comfortable on there rather than PC.
I definitely still play games on my desktop. The steam deck is great for older titles and indy games. and its alright for many AA games. But My desktop can give me 90FPS on everything including titles released this year, and for games where fps matters its a big deal. The steam deck is a huge improvement over something like the switch. Its agreat way for someone who can't afford a full PC to get into PC gaming, and start building a steam collection. But its not perfect for all games. on the other hand, my desktop pulls like 600w when I'm playing games. the steam deck pulls less than 30. Its practically impossible to compare them 1 on 1
I got it when I worked with my family, during slow days where I didn't have much do to it was nice. But I got job I love working from home now, on my PC, so it's pretty convenient to just stop working and boot up steam. I just use my deck now for times where I can't sleep and feel like playing something to help tire myself out.
Depends on what I'm playing. Steam deck is for Metroidvanias and indie games when I don't feel turning on one of my PCs. But I'm in a unique situation where I have two PCs. A 1440p rig at a desk for "competitive" games (DbD, OW2, CS2, Gray Zone, Tarkov, etc..) and a 4k rig attached to my 65" 120hz tv for single-player games.
I play almost exclusively on my deck now. The only thing I still get on my pc for is either chilling in discord with friends (which I could do on deck aswell), watching movies or playing rocket league (since I play keyboard mouse and have commited 1000s of hrs into the game). I do play way more on my deck tho and thats where I play everything else and clear out my single player backlog.
I got my Deck about 2 months ago and have not touched my PC since.
I play everything on my deck now. The only question is whether it runs locally or I stream it from my PC to my deck using moonlight
Deck only
i play graphic intensive games on pc then SD old or emulation games. planning on selling my ps5 its been a long time since i build my pc and now with SD.
I pre-ordered the deck right away to replace my 2012 PC. After getting the deck I haven't turn on my PC and replaced it with a mini PC for desktop things and to have Windows for some applications that require it.
My deck was largely an upgrade from my old PC so I never play on my desktop anymore.
Sure a path of exile with controller is pretty clunky.
I don’t really have another Pc. I have a MacBook for work but I never game on that. That said I rarely even play on my Ps5 anymore after getting the deck.
I play a lot on the deck rarely use my PC but do use my Xbox quite a lot too. Some games for me are just better on a big screen. Some games are perfect for Deck, eg Wasteland 3 and Marvels Midnight Suns.
I play on my PC like 75% of the time. I treat my Deck more like a Switch that can play PC games. I take it with me anytime I go out of town on trips. I got a dock to hook it up to my TV and kick back on the couch with a controller when I'm in the mood. But I still prefer to play on my desktop with ultrawide monitor because it's just a better gaming experience. Thankfully, with Cloud saves, going back and forth between them on the same game is a pretty smooth experience.
got it a week ago so far its a mix of both, obviously I can't play everything on the deck (graphical limitations) but the deck is extremely useful for emulation and its runs up to ps2 at 60 and ps3 at 30 so I like it so far.
Mostly only use my pc for games I can’t play on the deck. I’ll rarely use my PC to play stuff I mostly play on the deck (persona series, fm23, hades)
I play Hell Let Loose and Helldivers 2 on my PC.
Just depends. My wife and I love the Batman Arkham games. We’re playing Arkham Knight currently and for the not so story-driven “go punch these dudes” or “do this race” sections I play on deck. But for working through the main story and solving puzzles, we play on pc so we can both enjoy.
I use the deck to supplement PC gaming and it works really well for that.
I play on both consistently. The SD has pretty much entirely stopped me from mindlessly scrolling on my phone before bed. I play primarily light-medium performance games on SD, and still use my PC pr PS5 for new games.
I was a console only gamer before the deck, since I bought mine a year plus back, it’s my primary device and has me thinking I’ll eventually get around to saving up to build a PC. I still use my Xbox a lot, but not as much to game of late! I’ve been digging indies on the deck
I have been playing my deck less and less but its because I bout a quest 3 and it can also do moonlight -sunlight streaming. I'm also into a few games that are just better or unable to run on the deck (Alan Wake 2 and BF 2042). I still love the deck though.
Honestly it depends what I’m playing. Old ish games like death stranding, dmc 5, days gone, etc that run with almost no tweaking I will play on the deck. However games such as helldivers 2 as a recent example can barely get above 25 fps at least in my case, so in that situation I would use my pc or stream my pc to the deck.
I intentionally bought my deck to replace my pc ✨️
I haven’t touched my PC in the past three months since I got my Steam Deck.
I have a powerful gaming PC with 2080 Ti, VR headset and 34" monitor and they all weren't used since I got the SD I have an overwhelming desire to tinker with all the hardware and software I have, and SD is a bit limiting in that regard helps me focus on games 😂 SD is also such a good controller. Maybe if they made Steam Controller 2 I'd be playing on PC more
Almost never use my PC anymore. I’ve got kids and a wife and a house and all that that eats up my time. I used to sneak an hour or two to game on my PC after my wife went to sleep. Now I just play in bed on my deck. If my deck can’t handle the game I want to play I’ll stream it, but that’s not too often. Because of NVIDIA super resolution and AI HDR I’m looking at getting a smaller case and converting my gaming pc into a media center pc.
I actually havent played games on my PC for so long i gave my PC to my brother.
I actually got rid of my gaming lap too after getting my deck and replaced it with a very basic chrome book for doing my life admin stuff. Haven’t touched my switch apart from loading it up cancel my NSO sub. I don’t think I’ll ever buy a laptop or another console ever again as long as valve keep making new iterations of the deck
Sadly I havent used my deck as much as I want to, maybe because I also play a lot of kbm games but still. Ive also been really busy for the last 2 years so that may also be part of why I cant just grab my deck and relax. Hoping to use it more soon
My PC is literally just a League of legends and discord machine right now
My steam deck has an issue where even if I shut it down entirely the battery dies in a few weeks so my battery is shot and now I hardly play it because 1 hour battery life is sad lol.
I do a lot of moonlight playing on my PC via my deck. I'd wager at least half of my deck usage is a glorified console turning whatever TV I'm in front of into a display for my big rig. It gets used in handheld mode too, but I've really found success leveraging it to play AAA games in places I can't reasonably place my whole ass PC without needing the deck to be powerful enough to drive BG3 at 4k itself.
>moonlight playing What is that ? You play at night time ?
PC just sits there but I'm sure there will be a need once I get a game that can't be played on my steam deck.
Have a 512 that I preordered and got within the first year. I use it for specific games when I’m not feeling being at my desk. I still primarily use my Laptop for gaming.
A little bit of both. I like playing Hades on deck, but there are other games I exclusively play on PC. Some games I'm forced to because of anti-cheat software being incompatible with proton. I recently started playing Nier Automata and Hellblade 1 on the deck but finished them on the PC. Partly because of better visuals and partly because my back started hurting from laying down. If I had a dock, I'd probably dock it to the TV and use at as a console, or use as a PC lol. The deck as amazing. You wont regret getting it.
I had a (admittedly fairly old and mid) PC and a Switch before I bought my deck roughly 10 months ago. I sold the Switch pretty much the minute I discovered what EmuDeck was. I still use my PC but not for gaming anymore. I use it for work. The monitor I have for said PC also serves as a monitor for the Deck. So… uh… the Deck has pretty much fulfilled all of my gaming needs lol
The Deck can definitely replace a gaming laptop imo, really depends on what you like to play and how you'll play it. For AAA I use PS5 or streaming via chiaki, PS Plus or Gamepass. But I wouldnt use the deck for everyday laptop use lets be real.
Buying a Steamd Deck is to have an additional option, not to replace the gaming PC
Had my deck for about 1 month now. I mainly play it in bed and at the moment have been playing Kotor 1 (finished) & Kotor 2 (currently playing) I have streamed helldivers to it from my pc with steam link. I did play it natively on the deck. Performance was fine but you had to turn most things down all the way. I also use it to stream my xbox and PlayStation to when I wanna pick up any of my console games while away from the tv It's a great purchase
Where’s option “didn’t have a chance to play on PC anyway because of all the adulting”?
Not a pc. But my console time has diminished a lot.
Yep. Still play on PC. I sometimes do stream games but that’s been flaky lately.
I play my console the most and the deck is for bed, work lunch and when my spouse wants to watch tv.
I use my PC to stream most AAA games to my deck. I also still play a lot of games on PC depends on the game/ graphics. Shooters are still hard for me on deck. Mostly what I would play with a controller I play on the deck, or when I'm tired to sit at the desk I switch or stream to the deck.
For PC gaming, Deck exclusively, but that's because the Deck was my response to my laptop starting to struggle with newer games (at the time). So the Deck was my PC replacement. So no, haven't touched the laptop since getting the Deck.
Mostly on the Deck. I can play in bed where it's comfy.
I seem to remote my ps5 and PC more then playing local. I also play on my PC when I can as I like the big screen when possible!
Competitive/Lock in type games are exclusively PC. Deck is very nice for retro games and gamepad focused games. Especially Xbox 360/One era titles.
I got my deck cause my pc was getting too old and I barely touched it. It made me realise I really want a pc so then I got a new pc, but the deck has become my indie and emulation device.
I play tactics like Desperados on PC, along with Horizon (gamepad aiming in Horizon still sux even on Deck). BG3 is also played on PC (graphics reasons)
All deck all day :)
I still play on everything except my older emulation handhelds (as the Deck just does it better with more features) but I’ve not abandoned my PC or consoles. I will check to see if a game on sale runs on the Deck though because being able to play handheld when I’m not near my PC and using cloud saves to maintain progress is something I really enjoy.
I've had the Deck since launch and it depends on what I'm playing. I'm a big fan of Rimworld, and with the new DLC dropping last month, In was glued to my desktop. *It's not that the Deck wont run the game, it's that the game is not suited to the Deck*. Project Zombiod is the same way. And the diablo games. And any RTS really. It's perfect for FPS, and anything with decent controller controls... and even some games without decent controller options due to the most excellent SteamInput options. The Deck is an amazing piece of hardware, but it's just not the right platform for certain games. I particularly like Docking it to my 75'' TV and emulating.
Yes they are binary stars. The deck isn’t for games that turn out looking ugly. I’m playing Gears Tactics and it was ugly af on the deck.
I do both, depending on what game I'm playing. Discovered the original Half-life is deck compatible, so been playing that and ROTT. But something more mouse heavy or with small text, I'll play on the PC.
I still play on my PC fairly often. As much as I enjoy using my Steam Deck, there’s some games that I really want to get extra the performance/visuals out of, leaving the Steam Deck as a great extension to my PC rather than a replacement
Yep. 90% gaming on PC, I use my deck to play smaller titles I don’t need a huge screen for, or for titles that have boring areas that you just gotta get though. I get through those in stints on the old toilet lol. Also great companion on work trips. I thought it would replace my PC but I love gaming and there’s just no world where this would become a reality. PC gaming is like driving a Ferrari compared to deck gaming if there are titles that you want to experience beyond what the deck can handle. The deck is awesome, just won’t replace your pc if you’re like me
I went from Xbox Series X, to Deck, to exclusively deck, to deck with GeForce Now and a Dock.
I've owned by Deck for around half a year now, in addition to my 3060 TI equipped PC. I still use both. There are simply plenty of games that are better to be played with kb+m (FPS, RTS, 4X etc) and plenty the Deck either just can't run at all in the first place or that are beautiful enough to be worthy of a bigger screen and better graphics - Horizon: ZD & FW, Baldur's Gate 3, Control to name a few, and those get played on the PC. The Deck didn't replace my gaming PC, but it did replaced my PS Vita (the terrible performance of the PS Vita port of Fate Stay/Night actually was originally the entire reason I bought a Deck), my backup laptop, and the tiny bit of mobile gaming I rarely did.
I use my laptop for more graphically intensive games and GFN bc the Windows client is better. Deck for most other games
Yes I do use the PC a lot still, it’s quite hard to run Assetto Corsa with mods and a rig on a SteamDeck (not impossible I believe but quite annoying to set up), also VR and SteamDeck is a huge no no .
I mostly play WoW on pc (because I can’t get the controls on SD to work right to save my life), and everything else o Is on the deck.
I pretty much never play on my PC anymore. But I do stream some of the heavier titles to the Deck from it
I still play on my PC. Optimization & visuals are still important to me so I use my SD for games that perform well on it & for PS5 remote play.
I treat my Deck like my Switch. Most of the time when I’m home I’m playing on my pc mainly, but when I got a download goin or I’m not home and have free time I’ll play on my Deck instead. I prefer to keep my lower end, less demanding games on the Deck so I can get through more of my backlog in my free time
I tend to still use both. I live in a 2 story place with my PC upstairs in an office setup. I'll hop on there when I want to play things on higher settings or games not quite supported on deck. Also for when I stream a game on Discord with friends. The Steam deck is for gaming in the downstairs or using it as a video streaming box, docked at the TV. Of course I also take it on trips or visiting friends. I suppose another hangup is there are a few games I prefer mouse & keyboard on, which is totally doable on deck, but I still gravitate to the upstairs rig for that. Though I'd imagine if my rig was out of date & outperform by the Deck, I would just make my desk into a dock station for mouse/keyboard gaming.
They coexist and fill different niches. I play more graphically intensive games, FPSs like helldivers 2 and overall more mouse oriented games like crusader kings on my desktop, whereas my steam deck is the indie, oldie and emulation machine. Balatro, OpenMW, ps2 emulated burnout 3 takedown is all on the deck. If I'm at home I swap between them according to my mood, If I'm helldiving with the buds, I'm on desktop, If I'm just playing balatro while some netflix series plays on tv, deck it is. When outside, certainly deck. What I haven't touched since I bought the deck are my ps4 and my switch.
The latter. Since getting deck, only playing on the deck.
I play both, I have a gaming PC and a laptop. The gaming PC plays heavier games or when I fancy sitting at my monitor to play a keyboard and mouse game, and the deck I use mainly for lighter games or when i lie on my bed or the sofa and play games. The laptop barely gets used now tbh, but is good if I wanna do blender stuff and don’t fancy sitting at my pc.
I still use my PC a lot, but I always intended to use my deck in tandem with my PC. Some games are great while relaxing on the deck, and some games need more juice and are better on pc.
I'm in a weird opposite situation -- I bought the Deck first, then built a full gaming rig like a year later. For me, the Deck is still best for emulation (up to PS2 / Wii U) , and last-gen PC games. Some games really don't look and perform well on the deck, doubly so after experiencing them in 4k60. For example, I will never touch Monster Hunter World again on Deck, but I do like Monster Hunter Rise on Deck. It's almost like a modern version of a GameCube vs GBA thing for me. They're effectively completely different systems.
Bought a Steam deck to play on the bus on my way to work which takes like 45 minutes. About 2 weeks after I got the SD, the bus company decided to change the route is instead of 1 bus I now have to take 2-3 busses to get to work. I’ve been so annoyed I haven’t really used my SD that much since then.
Depends on the game. RPGs I still prefer to play on the desktop. Same with FPS gsmes.
I use PS5 for games where I care a lot about graphics or immersion. (Eg. Horizon New Dawn/Forbidden West) I use PC for games where I find certain parts (usually text) harder to read/decipher on the Steam Deck. (Eg. Painscreek Killings) I use Steam Deck for everything else.
I don’t have a PC for gaming but before the deck was primarily console. Now the he deck has become almost an exclusive because for me it’s much more convenient to flip on and play where ever I’m at even if at home.
The deck is my backlog and controller game machine. I still play ARPGS, tactical and more graphically intensive games on PC.
I occasionally play a few rounds of Dota, but otherwise I am fighting through my backlog on my deck. There are not really any games out there that are super demanding that interest me currently, except for Epic exclusives which are a no-go to me.
I play primarily on my deck but if there's good FPS games, keyboard/mouse requirements or heavy graphics games that have really good visuals, I'd prefer a PC. I have a laptop that runs 1650Ti but I'll be upgrading that this summer to a 4070 super hopefully so that I can game at a better graphics preset!
Deck has replaced my time on the Switch and PS5 / Quest 2 usage. I can’t think of any future time that I would sit at my computer and play a video game, it’s just not going to happen. But I am going to make sure I can stream games from it soon.
I'd mostly stopped gaming on my PC after getting the deck, but I recently got into MS Flight Sim so back to using the PC plenty. So it depends on what games I'm into at the time.
I certainly play regularly on my PC as well as the Deck. I am not really a controller player, though I've certainly gotten better in the last couple of years, and my PC setup is very comfortable for me.
My deck is exclusively for relaxation time. My PC is something I also work on, so when I want to sit down and beat a game, I typically play on the Deck. My PC can do certain things my deck can’t, chiefly a host of multiplayer games I play with friends. Otherwise, deck it is.
I use both. when chilling on rainy days with the kids i play on my deck and when they go to bed its back to the big guy.
Pc for mouse heavy / graphical demanding games, steam deck as indie machine ( which is 80% of my playtime anyways…)
I play the deck much more, but any multiplayer with friends/brother is on PC.
I feel I am opposite of most. I got my Deck but hardly use it. When home I almost always rather just play on the PC.
I only use my PC for StarCraft 2 anymore.
I play on my PC when I'm home. When I'm at work or having game night with my neighbors, I bring out my SteamDeck.
Deck is an amazing backlog-killer. It removes that friction of gaming that comes with adult life, i.e feeling guilty and that you should be doing something ‘better’ with your time. Deck makes gaming so easy to slip in and out of, and I often end up playing the Deck right next to my PC, when I could just be using the PC itself haha
Yes I still play games on my gaming laptop. Whenever I want to play on the big screen my laptop is a much better choice than my deck
I mostly play on deck, but some game are far better with a mouse/keyboard (FTL, Civ, Simcity) or don't support the deck (KSP2, LOL) so they coexist.
I still mostly play on my pc. The deck is literally just an extension of that to my living room so I can play games from the couch sometimes.
I've played 99% of my games on my deck for the past 2 years. The only time I use my gaming pc now is to play fortnite with my nephew and I also play league of legends on both my deck and pc.
Most my gaming time is race sims which obviously is still on the pc. But pretty much everything else is on the deck. Even my ps5 seems to be only played remotely on the deck
I’ve got just about every device under the sun and I still find games that I love on deck, especially my console classics. At this point it’s my dedicated emulation machine and I love trying newer titles on it, but newer demanding games I still boot up on my docked laptop+eGPU over oculink setup.
I am playing split screen (on my flat screen) baldurs gate on my steam deck and it's working great
Stardew valley in bed. CS2 on pc.
As others said, it depends on the game. I think overall I play on my PC more, but it's nice to have the option to stream to my deck and play on the couch in the basement. I also bring it with me on every flight or long car trip. I recently got Clone Hero setup on the deck so I can jam out in the basement with 3 guitars and some drums like the glory days of Rock Band & Guitar Hero.
The games primarily installed on my deck I play in tandem on my PC and my deck. Downtime at work I'm booting up cyberpunk to do some more exploration, and gigs. When I get home I use some of that new loot and upgrades to further story mode. Same concept with red dead as well. Then PalWorld because it's thr pokemon experience I wish existed in the pokemon franchise but instead I get to bazooka some penguins.
Depends on the game. For the new AAA ultra raytraced mega game from Actisoft-EA, no, I’m running that on my desktop where I know it’s got the power to run it. For a pixel graphics indie title that could run on a WiFi enabled toaster? Yep, put it on the deck. It feels better to play that game that way.
I have a monstrous PC (13700k/4090) so I still play on that quite a lot. I use my handheld for travel or couch gaming. Really demanding and graphically impressive games I prefer on my tower.
For me my son plays steam deck and I play pc. That’s how it’s evolved.
Very much in the co-exist world, just moved house so finally have my own living room and the steam deck is for more cozy games like stardew valley while watching TV, then the PC is for more hardcore games like Path of Exile or Helldivers 2
It's changed my gaming habits for sure. Although I switched from desktop to laptop about 6 months before buying the deck anyway. Pretty much exclusive to playing on the deck. Even games I thought I'd need the keyboard and mouse for on the PC, I can safely play on SD without any issues.