Valve has revealed new information about the Steam Deck, its portable video game console that may already be pre-ordered and will begin shipping later this year. If you’re looking to buy a device, the first thing you’ll want to know is if it supports dual-booting and whether it can be used as a PC gamepad.
New details on Valve’s Steam Deck
The day is drawing closer when Valve will begin shipping the first units of its Steam Deck, that portable gaming device they introduced in September and which has been reserved since July 16.
While they do not arrive what the company has done is to answer a series of questions that some users were asking. So it is the perfect time to know these details that will make this Steam Deck may or may not become one of the products of the year.
Support for multiple user accounts
While the Steam Deck may be used as a personal gaming device, that doesn’t take away from the fact that some people may want to use it on a shared basis. The issue is that individuals do not want their personal account information to be changed.
The Steam Deck, unlike other devices such as the iPad, will allow you to log in to multiple accounts and store data separately. Each user will be able to access only the titles they own in their game collection. However, if you’re going to share it, the best choice is usually to buy the one with the most storage capacity.
Support for games not available on Steam
Although the Steam game catalog is very large, there may be titles that you are interested in playing on the Steam Deck. Well, you will be able to add new games thanks to an “Add a game” button like the one in the desktop version.
These titles that are not compatible with the Linux version on which SteamOS is based will run thanks to Proton.
Will it always be necessary to have an internet connection?
Users are asking themselves this question today because while it is the most common and recommended option, having an internet connection might not always be feasible. So, will it be possible to play when you don’t have internet in the Steam Deck?
The Offline mode, as Valve explains, will allow you to play games you have already downloaded and do not require a connection in an important way. That is to say, those online multiplayer titles or similar will not be able to be played logically. But many other games with story mode can be played without WiFi.
Using the Steam Deck as a PC controller
Spending at least $469 on a device to use it as a PC gamepad is not the smartest thing in the world, but if you want to do it you can. The Steam Deck will give you the option through Remote Play to function as a PC game controller. So, not bad if you want to take advantage of its controls to play games at home on your desktop.
Virtual Reality Glasses on the Steam Deck
Technically the Steam Deck could make use of virtual reality glasses. It’s possible to install this kind of equipment on any basic PC because its hardware is equivalent to that of any other PC, and its operating system likewise permits and promotes these accessories. Even so, Valve does not recommend it and it is sensible since the strength of this PC isn’t comparable to those PCs that are commonly used for virtual reality experiences. So don’t expect much in this regard, at least with this first-generation product.
Steam Deck and dual boot support
The Steam Deck will use SteamOS, a Linux-based operating system. Of course, it won’t be the only operating system you’ll be able to install and use. You may also take advantage of others, such as Windows 11, but the greatest thing will be the ability to dual boot.
Thanks to the dual boot when you turn on the console you will be able to decide if you want to start SteamOS or Windows 11, for example. So, if we said before that Proton could be used to play games not available on Steam, you can install Windows and then play it in the event that they can’t.
When the Steam Deck goes on sale?
As you can see, these new details added to the Steam Deck Q&A section are shaping up much more what could be one of the devices of the year in terms of gaming. Everything appears to be going well at the moment, but we’ll have to check out what a live experience is like.
Regarding the sale, the device can be reserved since last July 16 and the first units will start shipping from December 2021. In other words, by the end of this year, we will be able to find out more about the potential of this portable game console.
On pricing, depending on the storage capacity that varies between 64, 256, and 512GB, the Steam Deck will cost $491, $644, and $796 respectively.
