Steam Deck as desktop
Using your Steam Deck as a full desktop PC
Always game for anything, Christian Cawley shows you that while the Steam Deck is great for gaming, it can do so much more.
STEAMDECK
Credit: https://github.com/valvesoftware
OUR EXPERT
Christian Cawley
has been using the Steam Deck extensively since its release, and has travelled widely with it, taking it to Prague, Porto, Barcelona and even exotic places like Hull.
QUICK TIP
Don’t fancy fitting a new SSD into your Steam Deck? Don’t worry - the console’s microSD card slot can be used for additional storage, and also as a boot device (such as for retro gaming with Batocera, as shown in LXF316). Select a microSD card of 256GB or larger for the best impact on Steam Deck storage.
I
n days past, spending 500 notes on a game console pretty much left you using it just for
games. But Valve’s Steam Deck is different. Not only is it a portable portal into the world of PC gaming, it is also a PC.
Running Linux, with USB ports and Bluetooth for controller input and built-in trackpads, accompanied by a software keyboard, it doesn’t look like a typical computer. You wouldn’t, for example, use it like a laptop. Yet you can use the Steam Deck like a PC. In fact, its spec is high enough to use it for media editing.
Console or PC?
The Steam Deck comes ready to play games. You boot it up, and it launches straight into the Steam app, the best implementation of Big Picture Mode you’ve seen. Sign in and your Steam library is ready to install or build. Triple A titles and older games can be installed there and then, if you have a network connection.
(We were so keen to play a game on the Steam Deck that we installed an Amiga classic, Zool: Ninja of the Nth Dimension, reissued on PC through Steam in 2021 – we were playing in minutes!)
But as with a standard PC, the Steam Big Picture Mode on Steam Deck is running on an operating system. SteamOS is based on Arch Linux, with KDE Plasma as the desktop environment. It’s simple to exit the digital distribution and game-launching interface and access the Steam Deck’s desktop. Before proceeding, be sure to have the following:
• Keyboard and mouse (USB or Bluetooth)
• USB-C to HDMI and USB-C adaptor
• USB-C to USB breakout hub (if using USB input devices)
• HDMI display and cable (both optional)
The best way to experience using the Steam Deck as a PC is to have it hooked up to a TV or monitor. You can do this with a USB-C to HDMI adaptor, but the limited ports on the Steam Deck will force you to use a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse. A USB-C to HDMI and USB-C adaptor is also an option here.