Steam Deck | Critical Consensus
Jeffrey Rousseau
Staff Writer
Tuesday 1st March 2022
Valve
Recently video game company and Steam owner Valve released its first portable device with the Steam Deck. Following a year of revealing the console's features, review embargoes lifted last Friday, and outlets gave readers both a sense check and verdict on the hardware.
The machine has earned praise for its ergonomic design and Steam Storefront offerings. It was offset by various opinions on how comfortable it is to play and its overall appeal.
In her review of the Steam Deck for Engadget, Jessica Conditt made note of the device's dimensions and mass juxtaposed to that of the Nintendo Switch. Like most reviewers, she drew comparisons to the latter as its the closest competitor on the market.
"The Steam Deck is 11.7 inches long, 4.6 inches tall and 1.9 inches thick, and it weighs 1.5 pounds. For comparison, the Switch Lite and Vita each weigh about half a pound, while the Wii U gamepad weighs just over 1 pound," Conditt said.
She went on to explain that its weight results in what may become a discomfort when playing games. With its mass, players may find it more comfortable to rest the console on their lap and look downwards, however that may lead to neck discomfort.
Another point she drew attention to was that the console might not be comfortable for people with smaller hands. She explained that the combination of its size and button layout may not be read as intuitive as one would think.
"At more than 4.5 inches tall, I'm unable to rest the Steam Deck on my palms while also reaching the top buttons with my thumbs, and even using the analog sticks is difficult in this position," she notes.
"It truly feels like my hands are too small for the Steam Deck."
Jessica Conditt
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