Valves the only one with a major digital store. Everyone else is making money off hardware margin and frequent hardware releases.
Gaming handheld prices are out of control, except for the Steam Deck
Submitted 1 day ago by Fubarberry@sopuli.xyz to steamdeck@sopuli.xyz
https://www.pcgamesn.com/steam-deck/handheld-prices-feature
Comments
commander@lemmy.world 8 hours ago
wry@piefed.zip 21 hours ago
Newer handhelds might have more power, but I still think the Deck is the best value for what it offers.
Korhaka@sopuli.xyz 13 hours ago
I would love to see a lower powered and low budget focused one. Powerful enough for locally running a web browser, normal Linux stuff like SSH and some low spec games like CDDA. Otherwise most games would be played by streaming it from your desktop.
mrgoosmoos@lemmy.ca 4 hours ago
I just want something that runs Minecraft so I don’t have to keep up to date with workarounds on the Switch that Nintendo keeps trying to block
also fuck bedrock edition
my switch exists primarily for Minecraft. I don’t use it much because the experience is terrible. if there was something that did the same thing but for Java, I’d buy it
chonglibloodsport@lemmy.world 12 hours ago
There are loads and loads of really cheap Android-based emulator handhelds. The YouTuber TechDweeb does lots of reviews of these devices. These things have effectively spawned their own retro gaming ecosystem around them.
An alternative is to pick up a used New Nintendo 3DS (New being part of the name, distinguishing it from the original 3DS which is way less powerful). This device can be hacked to run many different emulators and play thousands of games. While the screens are not as good as the best Android handhelds, the form factor is ideally suited for running DS and 3DS games (which obviously run natively on the device) while still being great for older single-screen systems (the unused touch screen is excellent for emulator controls such as pause/resume and save/load state).
SonOfAntenora@lemmy.world 13 hours ago
You want a linux psp, a media device that had a we browser too. The psp was som far ahead of its time.
princessnorah@lemmy.blahaj.zone 13 hours ago
So essentially a Steam Link/Moonlight thin client? Yeah, I like the idea of that.
Romulon@sh.itjust.works 12 hours ago
I think a budget android handheld could work well for game streaming. TechDweeb and Retro Game Corps newest videos show android handhelds that cost less than 100€.
Tikiporch@lemmy.world 21 hours ago
I care less about power and more about silence. I would pay double for a Steam Deck that doesn’t sound like a hair dryer when I try to play Baldur’s Gate 3 on low.
phx@lemmy.ca 19 hours ago
That’s kinda about power though. Think about going up a pulling a trailer up a hill with a vehicle that has a small engine versus a bigger one.
The small engine vehicle might make the hill, but it’s going up gear lower, rev higher, and probably heat up a bit.
The bigger vehicle will handle the hill and load with more grace, but may also use more fuel in everyday situations or cost more.
BG3 is kinda stretching the Deck’s engine (APU), and the fans are running like made to compensate for the heat running at 100% for longer periods. I’ve a few games that stretch the Deck’s capabilities so for those I just stream from my more powerful PC
MudMan@fedia.io 1 day ago
This is just... not true?
The Deck ranges from 420 to 680. The Legion Go S is 520, right in the middle of that. The Z1 Extreme ROG Ally is 670, right in line with the top of the line Deck (and noticeably more powerful). The Switch 2 is 470, on the cheaper side and also a fair bit beefier.
This article is arguing that having next-gen chips in boutique devices for 1K is a) a new development, and b) a bad thing. It is neither.
Before the Deck went mass market with PC handhelds they would routinely be a lot more expensive. The original Ayaneo was between 800 and 900 in 2021. The Pro model went up to 1200.
I want those things to exist. I want GPD to cram a Strix Halo into a handheld with a removable battery. I want Ayaneo to build a dual screen clamshell. I want them to make a dumb console that spits out its buttons so you can flip them around. I want vertical handhelds. All that kooky weirdness is experimenting with new form factors and parts in ways that will move the segment forward. Without Ayaneo, Odin or GPD being dumb enough to cram a laptop into a handheld there'd be no Steam Deck in the first place.
Let the people who like weird hardware dump a grand or two into those weird things and that's how you eventually get a comfortably priced for-the-rest-of-us thing from Valve or Asus that takes the ideas from those that work.
Mynameisallen@lemmy.zip 1 day ago
Mudman here with the most salient point and better written then my “fuck off if you don’t want those devices you don’t have to buy them” but also the used market for those devices is way weirder, I grabbed a Z1 extreme Ally for $250, I’m also for sure ordering a Ayn Thor at 10 tonight, but I enjoy playing with weird hardware more than I do the games tbh
MudMan@fedia.io 1 day ago
I choose to read that as a genuine compliment.
And yeah, man, these weird devices are being sold to weird people who like them for what they are. Which also means when the next weird thing comes out those weirdos are likely to get upsold and resell older stuff. All of these things are going to be fantastic Youtube videos from retro hardware people in the 2070s, assuming we avoid going full Mad Max Idiocracy that long.
squaresinger@lemmy.world 23 hours ago
Total agreement.
It sucks when a device category dies and disappears. Most people might not care, but those who do really do, and it sucks when you can’t upgrade to what you want anymore.
I’m not a handheld guy, but for me, it’s phones with keyboards.
So if there’s somebody making boutique devices for niche audiences, more power to them!
Handheld gaming PCs are really not necessary devices, so if you can’t afford a high-end one, get a cheap one. And if you can’t afford that, stick a gamepad on your phone and boot up a switch emulator or winlator.
Leave people their niche hobbies!
fmstrat@lemmy.nowsci.com 11 hours ago
And Steam sales subsidize the deck, too.
MudMan@fedia.io 10 hours ago
Sure. Maybe? The Deck isn't that expensive, and despite being relatively limited runs it definitely has some benefits from scale. For one it's a custom APU, so you have to assume there's a specific deal with AMD.
Valve is certainly a first party that benefits from software sales primarily, so it makes sense for them to go to some lengths to invest in bringing people over, but I'm not sure that they are actively subsidizing the Deck, the price seems pretty reasonable. I'm sure they don't make a ton of money from it, though, so they definitely get to thin those margins up a LOT compared with the pure hardware manufacturers, let alone with the tiny companies making handhelds one at a time.
rmuk@feddit.uk 11 hours ago
I completely agree. I passed over the Steam Deck and went for the MSI Claw 8 instead. I was willing to pay the extra for a waaaay better CPU/GPU combo and - the killer feature IMHO - not one, but two Thunderbolt ports. Long term, this means I can expect a longer life out of my MSI than the Steam Deck is likely to get, but also means when the GPU does start to chug I can connect an eGPU to it’s dock.
To be clear, that doesn’t mean I don’t rate the Steam Deck - I really, really do - and it’s level of capability and price-point will act as a stabalising point for the wider industry, but I paid more for a better device and got my money’s worth.
MudMan@fedia.io 10 hours ago
You went for an Intel handheld? I salute you, sir, that's a deep cut.
As one of the five people on the planet who owns an Intel GPU I firmly believe we are in a very exclusive club that will one day do wonders for hardware archaeology.
purplerabbit@piefed.blahaj.zone 10 hours ago
I mean everything's price is out of control. But, other than that, yeah, I'm not surprised. It's not surprising that massive companies just wouldn't understand what made the Steam Deck great in the first place.
I still recommend it to most people. I still think it's the best on the market. Because I still think that the more open nature of the device, its trackpads and that SteamOS are killer features.
somerandomperson@lemmy.dbzer0.com 11 hours ago
#TuckFrump
etchinghillside@reddthat.com 1 day ago
I don’t really know what demographic you’re chasing if you’re going after people wanting top of the line specs on a handheld.
MudMan@fedia.io 1 day ago
I find this train of thought weird, because these are all niche devices.
It's strange to hear that there's no demographic for boutique handhelds at the same time any mention that the Switch sold an order of magnitude more than the Deck gets a dozen responses that the Deck is "experimental" or "a first try" or "not competing directly".
And hey, all that's true. The Deck will never move 150 million consoles or sell 5 million in a week. There's value in limited run hardware that does things that aren't mainstream propositions alongside the "let's get every kid to get one of these from their grandma" devices.
NuXCOM_90Percent@lemmy.zip 1 day ago
The only companies that can really compete with Valve for scale are MAYBE Asus. And if they just release approximately the same SKU as Valve or one with minor updates they can maybe get some market share but… why would you not buy the Valve one in that case?
So we instead get a case where they leverage something closer to their gaming laptops SKU… and the price goes up a lot. Although, to be clear, 1k for a “gaming laptop” is actually a REALLY good price… which is why gaming laptops are a stupid purchase.
And that mostly just leaves the Aya Neos and GPDs of the world. They more or less paved the way for Valve but they just can’t produce (and import) at scale to compete so you mostly get niche SKUs that specifically target a type of gaming (often emulation) or come with keyboards everyone hates and so forth.
Which sucks because I really would like there to be competition to encourage Valve to keep pushing the envelope… and Valve would likely like it so they don’t have to release a new gameboy every other year.
bear@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 day ago
They probably fear that Nintendo already has that market secured.
weston@techhub.social 1 day ago
@etchinghillside @Fubarberry I guess if your device is not really scaleable, the only way to make any money is shoot for the top end.
kopasz7@sh.itjust.works 1 day ago
Szeam has the platform to recoup the hardware costs. They are selling PC-based consoles, while the rest is selling handheld-shaped PCs.
Guidy@lemmy.world 23 hours ago
The joke is you n all of them - I’m an adult and I enjoy coming home and playing PC games on my PC with its large gaming PC monitor, keyboard, and mouse.
I’m glad you all love your handhelds, but I’m good without one.
Damage@slrpnk.net 22 hours ago
Well, this sure is an useless comment
nocturne@piefed.social 23 hours ago
I have a gaming pc monitor, keyboard, and trackball (no reason to debase myself and use a mouse) all on my Steam deck. And if I want to take my Steam deck with me to work, I can do that too.
rmuk@feddit.uk 11 hours ago
USB-C docking station mater race.
oxysis@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 day ago
Once again Valve proves they actually understand what people want; a relatively cheap and effective system that lets people play the games they want to play
TragicNotCute@lemmy.world 1 day ago
I think the big difference is that they seem to be optimizing for customer satisfaction where others are not.
My favorite example I use often is how the Steam Deck comes with a case. It’s free and there’s not even an option to not get it. They know you need one, they include it. The Switch doesn’t come with a case. They know you need one but they don’t care. You’ll buy one if you want it bad enough and that’s more revenue.
It’s just a different type of optimization.
Squizzy@lemmy.world 22 hours ago
I have a switch that never left the house, definitely not needed.
01011@monero.town 13 hours ago
I’m still amazed that the Lenovo Legion Go costs almost $300 more than the SD but does not come with a case.
sp3ctr4l@lemmy.dbzer0.com 23 hours ago
Two things massively help Valve:
Steam is a goddamned money printing machine, they are the most profitable software company per capita, per employee… possibly bar none.
Also… they’re not publically traded.
They do not have investors constantly forcing maximization of short term profits at the cost of literally everything else.
… So they can afford to … not price gauge everyone.
potoo22@programming.dev 22 hours ago
Probably the biggest advantage they have is that they can sell devices at cost or even at a loss and still profit from increased Steam game sales, like how other console makers operate.
3rd parties can’t compete with that. Not even close. If there’s no profit from the device itself, there’s no motivation to make it. And apart from the hardware cost, they also need to pay for the R&D and corporate maintenance. They can’t compete with the Steam Deck. If they made an exact Steam Deck clone, they’d have to make it, idk ~$40 more to make a profit, but no one would buy it because the Steam Deck is the same for less. They have to give it slightly higher specs to give it a niche. That might take hardware cost up to $700 and then charge $200 more to make up for the distributor fees and then $100 to make it actually profitable.
Bongles@lemmy.zip 19 hours ago
I fantasize about the idea of starting private companies for things currently dominated by public companies, with the sole idea of not being greedy and shitty.
BackgrndNoize@lemmy.world 19 hours ago
I honestly don’t understand why most companies aren’t private instead of public. Like which founder looks forward to answering to investors when they could just be answerable to themselves and their employees and maybe board, like are they looking for a massive exit payout by going public or to raise funds to become a bigger company, but I argue if you are making enough to be profitable why chase being bigger
KillerWhale@orcas.enjoying.yachts 13 hours ago
They must be too busy enabling children gambling on hats
fuckwit_mcbumcrumble@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 day ago
Don’t forget battery life. Most of those systems get some pretty awful battery life, or are comically large.
SkaveRat@discuss.tchncs.de 23 hours ago
the two things that made the game boy a success: “good enough” system with a great battery life all for a great price
Dudewitbow@lemmy.zip 23 hours ago
its partly windows, and partly 8 core AMD CCDs that handhelds dont need.
Lenovo was given a holy ball (Z2 go cpu, basically 4c/8t zen 3 cpu and 12 rdna 2 cu cores (as apposed to the zen 2 and 8 cu rdna2 the steam deck has) and if they priced it at 600, it would be extremely competitive.
lenovo is basically like nah, 750$ it is.
iturnedintoanewt@lemmy.world 16 hours ago
Well people also want HL3, and here we are…
mudstickmcgee@sh.itjust.works 13 hours ago
The hype train for hl3 is so off the rails that valve can’t release it. It would never live up to the hype, so it’s a pretty sound decision not to make it.
bjoern_tantau@swg-empire.de 23 hours ago
They have advantage of being able to sell at almost cost because they make so much on game sales. Like the other console vendors.
Actually kind of unfair business practice.
oxysis@lemmy.blahaj.zone 23 hours ago
I mean that’s just how consoles are, except Valve does let you just use it as a normal pc so you can use other stores if you want to. Still an advantage to them
sp3ctr4l@lemmy.dbzer0.com 20 hours ago
Ironically, leveraging this kind of tactic is what allowed Google, Amazon and Apple and Microsoft to become as huge as they did, as fast as they did.
Got a whole bunch of lines of business that can functionally subsidize other ventures, so they can make a push for market share.
But of course this doesn’t take too long to turn your whole economy into oligopoly, and thus your society into oligarchy… at best.
RampantParanoia2365@lemmy.world 10 hours ago
Dude it’s my favorite PC in a very very long time. I will definitely be installing Linux on my laptop at some point soon.