You can already replace the battery. You can purchase a replacement here, along with all the tools you need to replace it if you don’t already have them: https://www.ifixit.com/products/steam-deck-battery
There’s also a full video guide on the process.
Valve worked with iFixit to make sure they have replacements available for every part in the deck. Valve was very up front that they wanted to enable people to do their own repairs and upgrades.
Solid state batteries are the next leap we’re likely to see. They already exist but aren’t widely available for consumer products yet.
Yeah, I really like the fact that my son and I can play different games from the same library at the same time. Also, the bi-directional sharing is very nice, and the whole thing is much easier to set up than the original library sharing.
I’ve had mine for almost 2 years now. My usage has always been situational. I use it to game when I’m away from my relatively high-end gaming PC. Extended trips. Any time I know I’m going to be sitting and waiting somewhere. Or maybe I’ve just had a long day of remote work and want to play a game but I don’t want to sit at my desk, so I’ll plop down on the sofa or outside with my Deck.
True enough. It does have controller support. I just find the interface a little more usable with mouse controls.
Balatro is my new obsession. Runs great. I’m using the touchpad for mouse input.
Woof. Their website is chock full of buzzwords (with lots of bonus spelling and grammar errors) with very little actual specs. My personal favorite: “All new flasship gaming processpr” [sic]
Oh, and this helpful bullet list:
6D Immersive Gaming Experience
- Vision Track
- Adaptive Posture
- Sound Comes Alive
- Ultra-Precise Vibrations
- Audio Vibration Enhancement
- Sensory Sync
I have no idea what any of that means, and they don’t explain any of it. But they do repeat it twice, so it must be pretty important.
Just a tip: when asking for game recommendations, it usually helps narrow things down if you give some examples of games you’ve already played and enjoyed.
I’ve been playing Planet of Lana. It’s a puzzle platformer, very similar to Limbo or Inside. But there are some different mechanics that involve a companion animal that follows you around.
I agree. If you’re having trouble sleeping, playing an interactive game at bedtime is likely to make the problem worse, not better. If reading isn’t your thing, consider listening to audio books or podcasts.
Same. I’ll be keeping an eye on it. I really like having access to YouTube without ads, but I detest YouTube Music and opted to pay for a Spotify subscription a few months after they killed Play Music. I’m not going to pay that much for just the lack of ads. I may find another way.
Huh. I wonder if they will increase the grandfathered price I’ve been paying as a Play Music early adopter. Hope not, because at $7.99 it still feels like a pretty good deal.
Tape to Tape. It’s a roguelite hockey game that has a big sense of humor.