Final yr, towards my higher judgement, I reserved a Steam Deck (opens in new tab). Then this yr, towards my higher judgement, I cancelled that reservation. Regardless of everybody who had obtained theirs earlier than me singing its praises, telling me how badly I used to be lacking out and the way a lot they had been having fun with crunching by means of their backlog from mattress, I nonetheless could not carry myself so as to add yet one more gaming machine to my assortment. Now, 5 months after declining to observe up on my buy, do I remorse my choice?
Actually, kinda! Do not get me flawed, I like gaming at my PC. I’ve spent a very long time nurturing my setup, tweaking issues just like the chair I sit in or slotting an additional arduous drive into my rig so I can set up extra video games. I’ve obtained what I might contemplate to be a reasonably nice gaming area going at this level. It is comfy, well-lit and never solely do I spend all my time there doing this job, however I spend an excellent chunk of my evenings enjoying video games in the identical spot.
That is type of the issue. If I believe too arduous about how lengthy I spend at my desk withering away I get coronary heart palpitations. Once more: love my setup, love my little space. However pricey god typically I really feel like I gotta contact grass extra. It is troublesome when do business from home encroaches your leisure area too, and I’ve made a acutely aware choice to easily spend much less time at my PC in 2023. I nonetheless need to have the ability to play video games, I simply do not need to be tied to my desk to do it anymore.
That is actually the shining level of the Steam Deck, is not it? The power to take all of those video games you desperately need to play and providing you with the flexibility to do it wherever you rattling please. I’ve needed to sit there as colleagues at work rave about having the ability to end up work for the day after which take their Steam Deck to mattress or to their couch to play no matter they like with out having to proceed mithering round within the space they simply spent the final eight hours writing. Nice Steam Deck video games (opens in new tab) like Vampire Survivors, Persona 5 Royal, Return to Monkey Island, Into the Breach. All ones that had been launched this yr and I might completely have extra time for in the event that they got here with the portability the Steam Deck offers.
All arms on Deck… besides mine
However on the similar time, regardless of all my FOMO and my checking account quietly crying anytime my mates begin speaking concerning the Steam Deck, I can not carry myself to purchase one. I am unsure precisely what it’s. The value level is certainly certainly one of them. The three selections aren’t wildly costly by videogame requirements, however I am at all times extra hesitant to dump a big chunk of cash right into a handheld than I’m a PC or full house console. I believe it is some perceived bias I’ve developed through the years about handhelds having a shorter lifespan than consoles or PC, regardless of getting years and years out of portables like my Vita, DS and Change.
Apart from, when I’ve all of these handhelds at my disposal, do I actually want a Steam Deck? It nearly feels wasteful when I’ve so many different issues I can go and play if I actually do not need to sit at my desk to recreation. My Nintendo Change is commonly uncared for and I’m wondering if my Steam Deck would endure the identical destiny. With so many selections of how and when to play, it appears grasping to need to add to that. That does not imply I would not stay infinitely envious of all my Steam Deck havers, although.
I do know that Steam Decks are actually freely out within the wild, accessible for me to snag anytime. However regardless of my intense want to depart the shackles of my desk behind, I nonetheless cannot carry myself to dump an enormous chunk my month-to-month paycheck into one. I nonetheless have that concern of investing in one thing which may be redundant in just a few years. I believe when Valve releases its subsequent iteration I will take the bait and eventually free myself from my large cumbersome rig. Typically it pays to be affected person and in addition to, would a Steam Deck really assist me nail my 2023 aim of spending extra time doing different hobbies? In all probability not.
