#linux gaming handheld

[cozygaymes]

source: retrogamecorps

[brandinotbroke]

i just realized i never played sims 2 pet stories and some of the handheld games so i downloaded and installed them on a whim

[severalowls]

The Steam Deck is now cheaper than a Nintendo Switch in some places. And the Steam Deck can emulate anything with about an hour of setup!

[linuxgamenews]

Upgrade Your Steam Deck Experience with SteamOS 3.6.19

SteamOS 3.6.19 release with big update for Steam Deck support in a variety of areas, even games. Thanks to the Valve team and all the players who shared their feedback. Available for all owners via Steam. Good news, fellow Steam Deck users. SteamOS 3.6.19 has released with a whole range of updates, tweaks, and fixes to make our Deck experience even better. Let’s dive into what’s new, and I’ll keep it simple and to the point.

System Updates

First off, SteamOS 3.6.19 now runs on an updated Arch Linux base with the Linux kernel bumped up to version 6.5. What does that mean for us? It translates to better hardware compatibility, smoother performance, improved security, and a more stable system overall. If you’ve had any issues with random crashes or slow updates, those should be less of a problem now. Speaking of SteamOS 3.6.19 updates, they’ve made future OS updates quicker, which is always a win. Also, there are fixes for certain microSD cards, especially some SanDisk ones that were being misread by the Deck. Plus, session restarts should be faster, especially if your system glitches from GPU errors. If you’ve run into issues with long play sessions causing crashes (like the annoying ‘page allocation failure’). That’s has a patch too. And for those unlucky few who had corrupted Steam installations, recovery should now be smoother.

Wi-Fi and Connectivity Fixes

Steam Deck also fixed several Wi-Fi issues. You should have fewer connection problems, especially if you’re using WPA3 security or Wi-Fi 7 access points. Plus, Valve’s handheld should handle cursor alignment and performance overlay glitches more effectively. Which is also a nice touch.

SteamOS 3.6.19 Display and Performance

For anyone using the OLED model, display issues like weird refresh rates, gray lines during boot, or random screen blacks should be gone. There’s also better color balance and gamma uniformity, meaning the display should look crisper and less “greenish” in low brightness settings. VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) issues with external displays have also have a fix now. Due to make gaming on bigger screens a better experience.

Bluetooth and Controllers

Big win for Bluetooth users—there’s improved pairing for Apple AirPods, and new support for HFP and BAP Bluetooth profiles. They’ve made sure only certain Bluetooth devices (like controllers) wake up the system. So your Deck won’t suddenly power on when you don’t want it to. Some controller bugs have been fixed in SteamOS 3.6.19 too. Check out the gear that now has support through each link, so you can get exactly what you need. Especially for the DualShock 4 and DualSense controllers. Also, Steam Deck now officially supports the ASUS ROG Ally extra keys, Raikiri Pro controller, and Machenike G5 Pro controller, which is great for those who use these peripherals.

Desktop Mode and Docking

If you’re a fan of Desktop Mode, there are a few KDE Plasma updates (now at 5.27.10). SteamOS 3.6.19 also offers a bunch of fixes to ensure smoother switching between Desktop Mode and gaming. External display issues (like blank screens or crashes) should be fixed now too. For those using the Docking Station, there are new HDMI CEC features, meaning you can control things like waking up the TV or switching inputs with your Deck, which is pretty neat.

Battery Life and Power

Steam Deck LCD users will notice up to a 10% battery life improvement under light load situations, which is always welcome. There’s also better power management with fixes for things like random power LED blinking.

SteamOS 3.6.19 Game Fixes and More

A bunch of game-specific fixes are also apart of the changes. Titles like BlazBlue Centralfiction, Warriors All-Stars, ELDEN RING, and Disgaea 5 Complete should all run smoother without those annoying display glitches or crashes. Even game recording should work better with fixes for colors and capture issues.

Final Thoughts

Overall, this is full of useful upgrades, from better Bluetooth and controller support. Also, smoother display handling and more reliable updates. So, if you’ve been running into any of these issues. SteamOS 3.6.19 should make your Valve handheld that much better to play games. Time to get gaming and enjoy these fresh fixes. Available for all owners via Steam.

[fictional-seviper]

Looking for a cheap, pocketable device to play Gameboy Advance games with a better display than original hardware? That's pretty much the Powkiddy V10 in a nutshell.

[rarelinuxgamer]

i really wish I had infinite disposable income so I could buy every handheld gaming pc on the market and compare how bazzite runs on them to see if the steam deck could ever be replaced

[neonrain-dev]

Testing on the steam deck(yes with a Linux port).

[serowebs]

isn't lenovos legion go basically like a switch 2-?

[begouristore]

ANBERNIC RG35XX Retro Handheld Game Console Linux System 3.5 Inch IPS Sc...

[pocketseizure]

For someone who loves old Nintendo games and enjoys the comfort and convenience of an affordable handheld system, a Steam Deck running Emudeck is a godsend. Best of all, you don't have to join a Discord server for help; even a monkey (like me) can figure it out.

There's been a bit of discourse surrounding the Switch 2, especially regarding the price of the system and its games. Two additional issues include: (a) you can't own a game on this console, even if you buy a physical cartridge; and (b) you can only access a larger library of older games through a subscription service.

There's also the giant elephant in the room, which is that the general level of consumer income hasn't increased along with inflation. This makes the choice to buy a Switch 2 more financially painful than it needs to be, especially since Nintendo prides itself on providing "accessible" consoles and games.

No one asked, but my recommendation for anyone who's looking for an upgrade to the Switch but feels dubious about its successor is to get a Steam Deck, which is essentially a gaming PC in handheld form. The cheapest model is perfectly fine and plays contemporary AAA titles like Elden Ring and FFVII Rebirth with no problems at all.

Another selling point of the Steam Deck is that it runs Emudeck, which makes it easy to play an archived library of games for older systems ranging from the Game Boy to the Wii. Emulators for more recent systems (like the Wii U) may take a bit of extra effort, but there are plenty of easily accessible tutorials on YouTube and Reddit.

Thankfully, once you get everything running, Emudeck takes care of itself and lets you access your games through the main Steam Deck interface. It's surprisingly easy, even if you're bad with tech.

Setting up Emudeck can also serve as a good introduction to figuring out how to navigate the console's Linux desktop. What this means is that you'll be able to download and play interesting super-indie games from platforms like Itch.io. Many of these games are never published for an actual licensed gaming console; and, if they are, you can directly support the creators by circumventing storefronts.

Gaming PCs are expensive and not feasible for everyone. Meanwhile, handheld consoles are great for people with limited space, students who move a lot, and people who prefer "work" and "play" to be on separate screens. If you're interested in preserving your archive of games while enjoying them too, running Emudeck on Steam Deck is an easy and accessible solution that's worked well for me.

[cozygaymes]

source: nxt.stop.please

[soup-mother]

aside from Linux compatability or genuine hardware issues it's a little bit funny seeing people complain that certain games run bad on the steam deck. because it's like.....well you sure as hell wouldn't expect this to run on the switch would you lol? why would you expect this to work on a handheld device this game is like 300GB

[autolenaphilia]

I got a Steam Deck last year, and it’s such a great machine. It’s obviously inspired by Nintendo Switch, but it’s a lot better than a Switch.

The most important part is that it runs PC games. It’s fundamentally a Linux gaming PC in the form of a handheld console. There are a lot more games available than any console and and PC games both on Steam and GOG are a lot cheaper than console ones. You can get old or indie games for as cheap as 1-3 euro during sales. It’s a tremendous advantage for the deck over its console competitors.

And while the obvious intent of the deck is to get more people to buy games from Steam, it isn’t a walled garden at all. The deck launches into Steam when you boot it up, but you can go into desktop mode, and then it functions as a normal PC running a Linux distro. From there you can install Lutris or Heroic Games Launcher, and use it to easily install games you bought from GOG and Itch.io.

You can also do things like use the official dock or an unofficial usb-c hub to hook the deck up to a monitor, mouse and keyboard to use it as a desktop PC. Or you can hook it up to a tv to use it as home console.

The hardware is also a lot more powerful than a switch, the demanding triple-a games it can play is actually impressive. Although this comes with the natural disadvantage that it’s bulkier too. Putting more powerful PC parts demands more space for them. The deck is not something I bring with me outside. But then again I didn’t even do that with the 3DS, which was actually of a practical size to do that. The deck is portable enough that I can comfortably play lying in bed, which is how I always used my handheld consoles. So it’s perfect for me, but maybe not if you want to play it on the bus or something. It can probably be a fun addition to your luggage on longer trips though.

Of course, as mentioned, the Steam Deck uses Linux. This has both advantages and disadvantages. The main advantage is that it allows Valve to customize the operating system to make it fit with the machine it’s running on. The Deck’s SteamOS feels really well-integrated into the hardware, like how a proper console OS should be like. It’s not that dissimilar to how Sony used FreeBSD to make Playstation’s OS. Windows would not allow for this amount of customization and would not integrate as well.

And the open source nature of most Linux development allows Valve and the user to use existing open-source Linux software to their advantage. For example, the desktop mode is largely not a Valve creation, it’s an existing desktop environment for Linux, KDE Plasma. Yet it extends what the user can do with the deck to a great extent, like for installing non-steam games.

The main disadvantage to the Deck using Linux is that most PC games are built for Windows and don’t run natively under Linux. To run games built for Windows, the Deck has to run it through Proton, a compatibility layer which is Valve’s own gaming-focused version of Wine. Wine/Proton is far from perfect, sometimes games require extensive tinkering to work, or only run with serious issues, or don’t run at all, no matter what you do. Sometimes a game not working with Wine due to some random but serious issue that comes naturally from running a Windows executable on a Linux system via a compatibility layer. Sometimes it’s due to things like a multiplayer’s game anti-cheat system requiring access to the Windows kernel, and it will block a Linux pc from running the game because it has no Windows kernel.

This is however not as big a problem as it might otherwise be. Most games work, more or less. Valve has put a lot of work and money into both their own Proton and the Wine project as a whole, and they work a lot better than they did 10 years ago. Many run perfectly out of the box, because they are native, or play nice with Proton. Some require mere minor tinkering, like using a different version of Proton. And I generally don’t play multiplayer games, or if I do they don’t have draconian anti-cheats, so the games that are blocked because of anti-cheat are no big loss to me. The Steam Deck not running Fortnite is a plus in my book.

And we shouldn’t forget the Steam Deck verified system. Basically Valve employees check if the game runs out of the box with no issues on the Deck. They get a verified rating if they work with no issue, including both proton compatibility but also things like the controls working nice and the text being legible on the deck’s small screen. They also get a “playable” rating if the game runs to an acceptable standard but with tinkering required or other minor issues.

This is a good system. If you dislike tinkering, you can just buy and play games on steam with a verified rating, and the deck will work like a normal console for you, but with a lot cheaper games. It’s a good way to get people used to consoles into PC gaming, which is probably the point of the Deck.

And if you want more than deck verified games from Steam on the Deck, you are given the freedom to do it. I’ve gotten officially non-supported steam games to run on the deck by installing and using proton-GE and I’ve installed and played games from GOG.

The Steam Deck is really how a Linux PC for the common people should work. An easy and slick experience for casual users, but freedom and customization given to those that want it.

[linuxgamenews]

Experience Gaming in Style with Steam Deck OLED White Limited Edition

Steam Deck OLED White Limited Edition officially releases the Linux gaming handheld. Thanks to Valve for making this happen. You can check out the Steam page for details and to order. Valve has finally delivered on a long-standing tease—introducing the Steam Deck OLED Limited Edition White. Nearly three years after hinting at a sleek white version of the popular handheld gaming PC, its a reality. And as of now, it releases worldwide, Linux gaming ready. So you can get this exclusive design. So, what’s different about this model? As the name suggests, the biggest change is the white color scheme, paired with classy grey trim. It’s a sharp departure from the traditional black version, giving the handheld a clean and modern vibe. This limited edition also includes a matching white carrying case and a white microfiber cleaning cloth to keep your Deck looking fresh. And don’t miss our list of must-have accessories to level up your setup. Other than the new look, the Limited Edition White model is the same as the standard Steam Deck OLED 1TB in terms of performance and storage. It has that stunning OLED screen, a smooth gamplay experience, and enough storage to handle your favorite titles. However, there’s a slight price bump—the white model is priced at $679 USD in the U.S., which is $30 more than its black counterpart. In other regions, prices are also slightly higher, reflecting about a 5% increase.

Steam Deck OLED White Limited Edition

This new colorway isn’t just for U.S. gamers. It’s available in all Steam Deck shipping regions, including Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Hong Kong via Komodo. For gamers in Australia, the Steam Deck OLED Limited Edition White model ships now, November 19th. Alongside other models. Now here’s the catch: the Steam Deck OLED Limited Edition White is only being made in certain quantities. So, to give everyone a fair shot, Valve is limiting purchases to one per account. And your account must have made a Steam purchase before November 2024. If you’re serious about buying one, you’ll want to act fast—once they sell out, that’s it. Valve won’t be making more of this design. While the new white edition is undeniably great, some Linux gaming fans might still lean toward competitors like the Asus ROG Ally X, running Bazzite. Doing so for its slightly better performance and battery life. But if you’re already a fan of the Steam Deck ecosystem and like the idea of owning a rare piece of Valve hardware, the Limited Edition White is a no-brainer. So, whether you’re a collector or just want your handheld to stand out in style, the Steam Deck OLED Limited Edition White release is a bold, eye-catching choice. Don’t wait too long—this is a one-time drop, and they’ll sell out on Steam before you know it!

[dr-spectre]

This is literally my new favourite thing ever.

Holy mother of god i am in love with this beauty of a console pc handheld beast. This can play any game that i want, when i want, where i want. No strings attached, no bullshit, just raw gaming. One moment i could be playing Red Dead Redemption 2 at 40 to 60fps, and then jump into Project Diva or play Batman on the god damn NES.

Despite the Steam Deck being behind other pc handhelds that run Windows specs wise, the Steam Deck still destroys them and is the most successful one because of how optimised the OS is and how simple it is to just get into a game and play. You don't need to deal with the bloat and massive swarm of updates on Windows because you're running a version of Linux. Everything feels incredibly optimised for the deck, even non verified games work like a charm on the deck. (Well, most of em.) The unsupported tag can sometimes be half true in that some games, their online modes don't work such as GTA 5 and Ghost of Tsushima, yet their single player modes work fine and run really well on the deck. Make sure to always look up a game you wanna play on the deck to see if it can actually run on it or not, Valve's requirements can be VERY strict.

Also you can customise the FUCK out of this bad boy when you get Decky. From the boot animation, the ui, the theme, the sound effects, the colours, the suspend animation, the suspend animation that plays when you're in game. It is... so goodddd...

I need you guys to see this.

If that doesn't convince you to get a Steam Deck then I dont know what will.

Also for those wondering, yes it can run Switch games, no i have not tried it because i don't need to and i don't have a way to backup my Switch games.

"Why not pirate them?" The Switch is a console that's still being made today, it's game are still being produced and the developers can get money from me purchasing their games, I am not pirating them cause it's just wrong on a moral level.

But older consoles? HELL YEAH I WILL! If Rockstar games aren't gonna sell me the original versions of the GTA trilogy then I'm gonna have to do what I have to do, you know? Splatoon 1 isn't being sold anymore and will never come back, so i gotta do what I gotta do.

[slitherpunk]

it's really funny to see all these handheld PCs coming out to compete with the steam deck and those are all like "and we have WINDOWS so you can ACTUALLY play ALL your GAMES" and then people just.. install linux on them anyway because windows is complete shit these days & games run better & have better compatibility on linux