Valve Steam Deck as a stepping stone to the Linux desktop
Over a decade ago, Gabe Newell, CEO of Valve and its Steam game platform, said, "Linux is the future of gaming." It was a great idea, but it didn't work out that way. However, Valve's Linux-powered, handheld Steam Deck console has carved out a niche in the gaming market.
True, Steam Deck sales, an estimated 4 million units globally in 2024, are modest compared to its closest rival, the Nintendo Switch, with approximately 200 million units in the hands of gamers. Still, the people who have Steam Decks really like them. Valve says nearly half of all Steam Deck owners prefer it to other gaming platforms.
They prefer it because it gives them access to the large Steam library of games. In addition, you can use the Steam console as a computer in its own right. With its larger screen, a 7.4” diagonal on the OLED models, 3-12 hours of gameplay, and top-notch haptic feedback, it's a pleasure to use. The Steam Deck also offers more powerful hardware than the Switch.
The Steam Deck comes in three different models. The entry-level $399 256GB LCD Model comes with 256GBs of NVMe SSD storage, a 7" diagonal 1280 x 800 LCD, a 2.4-3.5GHz AMD Zen 2 CPU, an 8 RDNA GPU, and 16GBs of RAM. The $549 512GB OLED Model and the $649 1TB OLED Model offer better graphics, a 7.4" OLED diagonal display, greater storage, and a larger battery for more gaming time.