Lenovo releases a new handheld starting at $700
It’s nice to see portable PC gaming become easy, but at least for me, it’s not just about that. The Steam Deck has raised the bar, by also bringing freedom from Microsoft’s ecosystem by default. I would rather have it.
(And I would rather give my money to Valve, who have been investing significantly in making that ideal a reality.)
Valve doesn’t get the credit it deserves for innovating if not keeping alive the PC space. Steam came out at a time where PC gaming was dying on store shelves, there was no support for it by triple A publishers…it was a dark time. And everyone hated Steam at first. Took a lot of work attracting smaller/indie devs to the platform to prove itself as a viable option for larger publishers.
They’ve proven that Linux is a great operating system for games, and without the overhead that is Windows. The ability to natively play Windows games isn’t enough of a draw for me to use the Ally or Legion.
Lenovo and ASUS are very much trying to cash in. Which is not bad.
But if you really do care about “giving money” to companies that “invested”: Aya and GPD have been the real drivers for a viable handheld gaming PC form factor for years. I personally don’t think they ever succeeded, but a lot of Valve’s advantage is that they can tank a failed launch and price accordingly. Whereas Aya or GPD would likely go out of business if their new device flopped and thus need to make sure they profit on every unit.
I think you somehow missed the main point of my comment.
Not to diminish other companies for bringing hardware to market, but Valve is also funding the developers of the open-source software that makes games built for Windows run well without Windows, and is providing free support for it, with great success. It has dramatically improved the Linux gaming experience not only for handhelds, but also for desktop gamers. Including people who don’t use Steam at all.
(And sadly, Lenovo, Aya, and GPD answer to and help to fund an incredibly predatory government that I do not want in my life and cannot in good conscience support.)
Microsoft is not freedom. It’s vendor locking.
Thats why they said it brings freedom FROM Microsoft.
Looks cool but I assume it’s still running windows which is doodoo for handhelds.
Just install Linux my dude.
Why would someone buy this to install Linux on it when the Steam Deck is already running Linux out of the box?
I don’t understand what your statement has to do with what I said.
… seriously?
Do you have a tbi or something?
This isn’t the steam deck? It’s a Lenovo handheld? The comment I replied to said it was probably running windows - so I said - just install Linux? What does the steam deck running Linux have to do with this other device? I haven’t read the article - I was just telling the commenter they didn’t have to stick with windows if that was the OS.
Seriously sorry if I have offended anyone. I know the steam deck runs Linux, I just missed the connection you made.
Pretty cool.
They need to make a grip for the controllers like the one for Joycons.
nice touchpad