Every PC gamer knows about Steam, which is one of the largest and most popular game distributors online. The only company that outsold Steam is Epic games, but when you compare the number of live games on each platform, Steam is the most obvious winner. It has nearly 50,000 games that you choose from its store. With so many games, it’s no surprise there are consoles out there that support their games. There are many consoles that support Steam games, but the most famous one is the Steam Deck. It’s the best handheld for steam games.

However, many people don’t agree with this statement because they have their own preferences when it comes to games. That’s why in this article, I’ll be going over why the Steam Deck, be it the 64GB variant or the 256GB variant, is such an amazing choice as a handheld for steam games. There are a number of factors that a gaming console must have to ensure a smooth gaming experience. That’s why the topics that I’ll be covering in this article for Steam game consoles are as follows.

• What makes a gaming console great
• Is the Steam Deck the best choice for handheld steam games

With that said, let’s start by going over the main things that every handheld gaming console must have to ensure a great gaming experience. 

What Makes a Handheld Gaming Console Great

Before we begin, I want to state that I’ve previously owned or used a few handheld gaming consoles to run Steam, and currently, I’m using a Steam Deck Handheld Gaming Console 64GB. Many gamers have doubts about this console (or the Steam Deck 256GB variant), but I’m gonna clear up all of the doubts so you can make an informed decision for yourself. 

Since most of the people who’re buying a Steam console are going to be PC gamers, they’re gonna have a few reservations because a PC offers much more flexibility than a gaming console. You can change RAM, swap hard drives, upgrade graphics cards, and much more. However, with a handheld gaming device, you don’t have that much freedom to change or upgrade your system. To counter this, the handheld (or any other console) needs to have some massive specs for the potential customer to even consider buying it.

That’s why here are the components a gaming console for Steam games must possess to ensure that a person who loves PC games will shift to a handheld.

1. Display Quality

The first and foremost thing that a gaming device manufacturer shouldn’t compromise on is the display of the handheld. Unlike older generations of handhelds, the display of the newer generation of handhelds needs to be amazing to support high-resolution games and provide the user with some amazing visuals.

Luckily, the Steam Deck surely delivers in this regard. No matter if you go for the Steam Deck Handheld Gaming Console 256GB variant or the 64GB variant, you’ll get the same 7″ diagonally. The size of the display is quite good for a handheld console. Plus, the panel used with these gaming consoles is an optically bonded IPS LCD which is used for enhanced readability. Another interesting fact about this display is that it comes with a 60Hz refresh rate to provide a smooth gaming experience. I know, I know! It’s not the same refresh rate that a PC gamer would get with their high-end gaming device, but still, considering that you’re able to play PC games in a handheld form factor at a reasonably good FPS is saying something.

Additionally, the Steam Deck allows its user to adjust the frame rate of the games being played to effectively improve the battery life. The resolution on both of the gaming variants is 1280 x 800 px with an aspect ratio of 16:10. One more thing about the display that I would like to mention is that it comes with a touch screen. Yup! You read that right. Now you can do a lot more than simply play games on the handheld console.

2. Gaming Performance

Since we’re talking about gaming consoles, it would be foolish if the console being used couldn’t play them well. Since you can’t really change much of the specs of a handheld, you need to make sure that the CPU and GPU used in them are top-of-the-line and can play all of the latest gaming titles like God of War and Eelden Ring. 

Both of the Steam Deck variants come with the same Zen 2 CPU and 8 RDNA 2 GPU. Even though they might not be great like the Core i9 CPU with a GTX 4080 level, they can surely hold their own. If you’re looking for some of the best handheld for Steam games, then the console made by Valve is one of the best.

I’ve tested two of my favorite games, which are God of War 2018 and Elden Ring, on this console, and the gaming performance of both of these devices was quite good. I played both of them on the medium setting, and there was almost no lag or issue with the console. When on the performance-focused mode, the FPS that I got for God of War 2018 was around 40FPS, and the Elden Ring got around 30FPS, which is quite playable.

3. Storage Capacity

For some, the 64GB storage space in any gaming console will seem like a joke, and this is because most of the games are reaching the installation size of 100GB. The size of Red Dead Redemption 2 is well over 100GB, and you can install it on a 64GB variant. 

That’s why Valve has made the Steam Deck Handheld Gaming Console 256GB variant that can store a few massive games of many normal-sized games. Plus, the 256GB variant also comes with an NVMe SSD, which has much faster read and write speeds.

However, the 64GB variant is no slouch either because it comes with the eMMC drive, which may not seem like much but can definitely hold its own for the storage space issue, don’t worry because the console supports up to 1TB SD card. It’s advised that you also use an SD card even if you own a 256GB variant because it’ll free up the internal storage and give much better performance with less load on it.

4. Battery Timing

Now, it’s a given that no matter what handheld you go for, it should always have good battery life. Since most of the Steam games are pretty graphically demanding, they will need more energy to provide better visuals meaning the batteries of the handheld will die soon.

However, the Steam Deck is said to last for at least 2 hours and, at most, 8 hours, depending on what type of game you’re playing and what its settings are. Plus, even if the battery on your Steam is running low, you can easily plug the charger and play away. 

Speaking of playing the console while plugged in, the device should also be comfortable to hold, and this gaming console definitely checks all the boxes. Not only is it lightweight (contrary to how it looks😅), but the grips also provide a much more comfortable feel, and you don’t really get tired easily while holding it.

Is the Steam Deck the Best Choice for Handheld Steam Games

Now, the big question that all of you PC gamers are going to have in mind is if this handheld gaming console is the best choice for playing Steam games when on the go. From what I’ve experienced, even though other Steam consoles might be a bit smaller or have some special gimmick, Valve has made one of the best Steam gaming consoles. I would even go far as to say that it’s the best gaming console in the world, but that is my opinion, so you can put down your pitchforks 😅.

No matter if you go for the 64GB variant or the 256GB variant, I’ll assure you that you’ll get one of the best gaming experiences out of all of the handhelds. Everything about this console is great, including the price tag that it comes at, but if you want to buy any of these variants at a much better price tag, then visit Wise Market Pakistan because we have some of the best prices for all of the smart devices. 

Buying a gaming console in Pakistan isn’t cheap, so we make sure that we provide the best possible price for you. Other than gaming consoles, we also sell tons of amazing devices at a discounted price tag which also includes both new and used mobile phones. Some of you might be wondering, “Why used mobile phones?” The answer to this is that Wise Market aims to remove as much e-waste from our country as possible, and one way of doing this is by providing people with used or refurbished mobile phones. We also have tons of accessories ranging from smartwatches to earbuds. So, what are you waiting for? Order your Steam handheld gaming console today at a discounted price.