I love my deck because
- it can play Steam games fairly well
- it can play emulated game really well
- but most importantly it’s a linux computer, I can browse the web, watch a movie, even be productive on it, and I sometimes don’t even need to plug in a mouse and keyboard or an external screen !
But I was wondering what kind of uses other people have with it, as a non gaming machine?
Sometimes my wife likes to steamlink my desktop on the tv. In that case I hit my kvm button to switch over to my deck and use it as a backup desktop.
It’s amazing for traveling with. I’ve found that streaming devices like a Chromecast or Roku are hit or miss at most hotels/motels, but the Steam Deck in desktop mode with a USB hub and HDMI cable works basically anywhere.
I also keep some movies and shows downloaded just in case the Wi-Fi particularly sucks wherever I am.
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Honestly just for gaming. I have a Framework laptop running Linux that I use for anything else.
Hoping to get one soon.
I have the AMD 13 and it’s fantastic. It’s even solid for gaming as well and can handle some things the Deck can’t.
Is that the AMD dedicated graphics card? I’m getting the graphics card. Hoping to be able to run ML stuff on there such as Stable Diffusion.
How long does it take to arrive usually? Is there a calendar or timeline for each batch?
No, my Framework 13 is integrated only but it is still significantly more powerful than the Steam Deck. I haven’t really done any ML stuff so couldn’t tell you.
Mine was quoted as Q4 2023 when I ordered it and shipped by the end of November.
Same here, just for gaming. Have multiple other computers for actual computer needs. Though admittedly, none of them are running Linux as the primary OS yet.
Renoise music tracker DAW.
Thanks for a brilliant idea! Jamming sessions with deck would be awesome !
I’d be interested to know if you use any bindings/plugins for Renoise with steamdeck controls.
I use a headless M8 and run https://derkyjadex.github.io/M8WebDisplay/ in Edge (with launch options for game mode). But I didn’t really put in the effort to try and make Renoise work without a keyboard/mouse.
I literally just started the work this week so I’m still trying to figure out what bindings work best for me.
Same! I’ve been slowly building a pretty solid custom controller setup for it too. Oh, and found a tiny M-Audio USB keyboard from a flea market, also great with the Deck.
Did you ever make the custom mapping available on Steam?
Once it’s really qood I will. Still some way to go, should get back to it.
Love a tracker! I saw people running dirtywave M8 headless on a steam deck. Needs a teensy connected and some packages/config, nearly tried it myself but got a preorder for a M8 instead.
I’ve recently started to find its really nice to use kde connect on the desktop to watch videos on my TV though the browser. It’s not the most amazing experience but nice in pinch and better than hooking up my Chromebooks to the TV
If you’re using YouTube then install the FreeTube client - it’s a better experience I find although you need to manually import your watch lists. But avoids advertising and is much more private.
You can also install software like Jellyfin to stream from your own video library. You can also install Kodi to access your own library or streaming services with a nice big screen interface (Kodi is perfectly fine for accessing services you pay for - it’s not a piracy tool unless you make it one. I’m in the UK and use it to login and watch BBC Iplayer).
Honestly, it’s a full PC so with a bit of tinkering you can get it to do what you want in desktop mode and slickly.
To watch YouTube on my"smart tv" and to watch pirated TV shows and movies.
How to watch YouTube on Steam Deck? Via Desktop Mode?
Go into desktop mode and add Firefox as a non steam game. Then you can access it from gaming mode.
I use an app called FreeTube, I believe it uses Piped in some way and integrates SponsorBlock and DeArrow. You can install it through Discover and then add it to your Steam Library and use it in game mode (works best with the Web browser Steam Input config).
it’s my daily device. I watch youtube and anime in desktop mode. I even have some music on it.
I’ve been meaning to install ROS (Robot Operating System) on it, but haven’t gotten around to it yet.
I used it a while ago to record audio with a X32 mixing console in our rehearsal room.
What did you use to input a signal?
I use a focusrite and a MXL V67G microphone to record audiobooks
…mics into the X32, via USB into the deck? Or what did you mean with “input”?
That’s what I meant. I always forget that the USB port can be used for lots of things.
I have a needlessly complicated but high quality signal path (USB-C to A dongle -> some extension cable -> Edirol UA-1D -> looong Toslink optical cable -> active speakers) to play music off Spotify and MPD on the Deck to entertain the family and guests.
With a Dock and my Steam Controller it’s a fantastic media PC.
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Weird, it works flawlessly for me. But I’ve only tried it in desktop mode. I find gamescope mode isn’t great for non games, even Firefox scales wierdly in gamescope mode.
I travel a lot for work with a not very big weight allowance so it has replaced my laptop as my daily machine.
I game on it, use it for discord and dndbeyond to play dnd at work, have jellyfin on it to stream media to my phone+ar glasses, and use it to access my home server to deal with downloads and my main jellyfin server.
It’s an awesome tool.I recently started trying run stable diffusion on my deck CPU. It’s slow, but probably my fastest option as I’m very new to PC gaming and the deck is probably my most powerful computer for now.
Check my recent post history lol.
That’s actually kinda amazing…
I have it plugged into my TV via dock and use it to watch illegal video streams from sketchy websites that don’t have apps. Most often they are live sports streams.
Could you point me in the direction of these sketchy websites? My wife watches a lot of sports and I am looking for a way to stop paying for cable. Most things I have found are very unreliable though.
Sportsurge.net is what I’ve been using for a long time. Goes without saying, but use an adblocker.
That’s mostly it for me. Handheld gaming. I used it for a “retro” LAN party 3 times. I also watched a movie on it with some friends with a very scuffed setup consisting of the Steam Deck + dock + external display + old car radio with speakers, lol.
Sure I used it as a desktop (with monitor, mouse and keyboard) browsing the web and stuff just to see how well it does, but I prefer my full-size PC for desktop use and a notebook for the couch to be honest.
I have a desktop and a laptop but I don’t use my laptop at all anymore. I plugged my deck into my TV and use it as a home theatre PC, using wireless game controller and keyboard and mouse.
It’s honestly great - the big screen is so much more comfortable compared to a laptop, desktop mode let’s you do anything you want and you can sink into the couch and relax.
You could obviously plug youe laptop in the exact same way, although the decks gamescope mode gives it that but more versatility I think.
