Hey, I’m thinking of upgrading from my old work laptop (which isn’t really built for gaming at all, but is great for productivity), and I was eyeing either an OLED steam deck or a more powerful laptop that I could bring with me and use on campus away from my home setup. I plan on using linux for either machine, but I was wondering if any of the Steam Deck’s secret sauce or price to performance puts it ahead compared to a Framework or Gaming laptop.
Also, if anyone has experience using a steam deck as a workstation/portable work setup, I would love your input on if it’s a good idea to replace a laptop with a steam deck entirely.
Look… we all go through our LTT phase.
I would strongly recommend ACTUALLY looking at what modding a Framework or a Steam Deck would mean. The latter has a decent number of controller mods and varying levels of jank regarding their cooling or storage.
But, at their core, both are more SOC than not. Theoretically, you can replace a USB controller if you break the port but they aren’t devices where you are making heavy changes and the Framework upgrade model is to literally buy a whole new motherboard (and, depending on the model, you have to do that for RAM too…). I think the Level 1 Techs review was probably the best where Wendell acknowledged that he would configure his laptop (basically what USB dongles and keyboard layout) once and the rest was just an excuse for him to goof off during a meeting.
You know you. But my experience from back in uni is that carrying a gaming handheld was pointless. if I have free time between classes I am going to do my homework or hang out with friends. And once classes are over? I am going home (or to hang out with friends again). And I commuted. For folk who actually live on campus there is even less reason to carry a gameboy around.
I agree. When I was in college, both in between classes and after them I either didn’t have the time, energy, or mood to play anything.
@Truscape@lemmy.blahaj.zone, if I were in your shoes, I’d stick with the laptop you currently have. Especially if it’s still in working condition and if it’s light. Get a new laptop only if the current one is heavy – you don’t want to carry around a 20-kilogram gaming laptop everywhere!
If you want to get a new machine and you’re set on getting either the Framework or the Steam Deck, I would choose the Framework. I think they are similar in terms of performance (all I know is that both of them can play Spider-man Remastered), but I can’t imagine doing anything productive on the Steam Deck (even with a mouse and keyboard connected). And hauling two devices around (laptop plus Steam Deck) gets annoying quick.