When Valve announced its Steam Deck, it became clear that it was becoming the most desired device for many gamers. A portable computer, similar to a Nintendo Switch, that would allow you to run the vast majority of games available in the Steam catalog. The console has already been launched, but due to stock problems, getting hold of one is an impossible mission even for Ethan Hunt himself. However, that is not a big problem, because together with the Steam Deck, there have been many manufacturers that have been encouraged to launch very similar consoles. These are The best alternatives to the Steam Deck current.
Steam Deck, the most capable portable "console"
The Steam Deck is nothing new, at least as a concept. That does not mean that it does not have attractive features and hence all the interest it has been generating since it was released, but there were already similar proposals on the market that can be just as or more interesting depending on what type of user and player you are.
Therefore, in this article we want to tell you what would be the best options if you are Can't wait to get your hands on a Steam Deck And you don't want to wait to try what it would be like to be able to take all your PC games wherever you go on a portable console-shaped device like the Nintendo Switch.
The keys to the Steam Deck
Valve's proposal is interesting for many reasons, although if you are thinking that it is a better option than the Nintendo Switch, for. We must begin by clarifying that due to its power it is clear that it is a much more attractive option, but what the Nintendo console manages to conquer so many players throughout the world is with its games and that particular approach.
So before going to compare a Switch with the Steam Deck for its hardware, take into account its software, its catalog of games. From there, what you can compare this device with is with other similar ones in terms of specifications, but first let's know the Keys to Valve's proposal:
- AMD processor with Zen 2 architecture and RDNA 2
- 16 GB of LPDDR5 RAM
- 64, 256 and 512 GB storage
- 7-inch LCD screen with 1280 x 800 pixel resolution
Now that you know this, the rest are easy details to appreciate just by looking at the images. So you can see that it will play in a similar way to another laptop, with its D-pad and analog sticks, triggers, buttons, etc.
The best alternatives to the Steam Deck
Ok, so it stands to reason that Valve's Steam Deck is currently the most powerful "portable console" and, in turn, with the most attractive price. Because depending on the capacity it will cost between 419 and 679 euros. So it is logical that it has aroused so much interest among the games community. And if we add that Valve is behind it, well, even more so.
However, there were already similar proposals on the market. So, in case you still can't wait for the official release of this Steam Deck and you're looking for a alternative solutionTake a look at these options that we show you below.
GPD win 3
This manufacturer has long been involved in creating portable alternatives to other very popular devices. The GPD win 3 is, in addition to a product with a very striking design thanks to that screen that slides to give way to a integrated QWERTY keyboard, one of the most capable in terms of power.
The device incorporates an Intel Core i5 or i7 processor depending on the configuration chosen by the user, 16GB of LPDDR4 memory and up to a 1TB capacity SSD storage unit. In other words, a fairly capable technical sheet that will allow you to play demanding games with frame rates per second between 40 and 60 as long as your graphic settings are not set to the maximum.
View offer on AmazonOf course, that shouldn't be a problem either, because on a screen of this size it shouldn't be negative at all. The only downside is that the price is somewhat higher than Valve's option, basically double, about 1200 dollars.
GPD Win Max 2021
From the same previous manufacturer, the GPD Win Max 2021 It is a portable with a design or aspect that is more similar to a mini portable or console like the Nintendo DS. However, in terms of specifications it is super striking for use with games as well as other day-to-day tasks.
This GPD Win Max 2021 offers a processor AMD Ryzen 7, also option to bet on a Intel Core i7, 16 GB of LPDDR4x RAM, 1TB M.2 SSD, Thunderbolt 4 support, 8-inch display, and support for DCI-P3 extended color space.
Its price is around 900 Euros, which is not bad at all, but logically it is also more expensive than the Steam Deck. The advantage is its form factor and that keyboard.
Aya Neo
La Aya Neo it is an option very similar to Steam Deck and you might be pleasantly surprised to learn the rest of the specs. To begin with, it has an AMD Ryzen 5 4500U processor with Zen 2 architecture as Valve's proposal.
Along with this, it incorporates 16 GB of RAM memory, 512 GB or 1 TB SSD of storage and a screen with 720p resolution that again allows a more adjusted energy consumption and prevents the user from being tempted to use higher resolutions that affect graphic performance. .
With a price that is around $900, Not a bad choice. Again it is more expensive than Valve's proposal, but comparing some sections it does not come out badly.
One XPlayer
Finally there is the One XPlayerr, a proposal that is already to another level in terms of specifications. Because this is a more ambitious product and that is also noticeable in the final price of the product that ranges between 1000 and 1600 dollars.
The OneXPlayer integrates an Intel Core i7 Tiger Lake processor, 512 GB, 1 TB or 2 TB SSD storage drives, 16 GB of LPDDR4x RAM, a touch screen and a rather striking design reminiscent of the Switch with those analog joysticks asymmetrical in height. Something that also happens with the Xbox controller.
AYANEO Next Advance
This other AYANEO console has a prohibitive price, part of the 1.345 dollars. Nonetheless, it is a far superior machine to the Steam Deck.
The brain of this console is a one AMD Ryzen 7 5800U CPU. The graphics are possible thanks to the AMD Vega 8 GPU that make up the APU of this console. It also has 16 GB of RAM and 2 TB of SSD storage. Regarding the screen, the panel is 7 inches. The Next Advance is one of the many consoles that AYANEO has launched in 2022. His idea is to launch many more models throughout the year, looking for a price balance to be able to compete with Valve and its Steam Deck.
Price and autonomy, the main problems
As you can see, all four are very attractive alternatives in terms of features, design, options, etc. The problem or main problems is in price and autonomy. Due to the cost of components and demand, as well as the financial muscle of the companies that sell them, it is true that they are worth more than the Steam proposal.
Even so, autonomy is the most compromised aspect. The energy consumption is higher and it will not offer a large number of hours of gaming on the go. So think carefully to what extent it pays you to bet on a laptop of this style now or wait for the Deck to be in stock - or a revision with a next-generation processor.
In addition, the Valve console has other strong points that make it attractive, such as the optimization of its SteamOS (based on Arch Linux). Competing consoles use Microsoft Windows, that is, the same system that we use on our PCs to play. However, even at the same level of hardware, the Valve-designed Linux-based system is much more efficient, so with less hardware, we'll get better performance.
Another point in favor of the Valve console is maintenance. We know that the company usually bets a lot on the user satisfaction, and they are not going to leave anyone stranded with the Deck in terms of update support. With the rest of the consoles, we cannot say anything at all, since they are manufacturers that do not have enough history for us to trust them. What is clear is that consoles like AYANEO's are expensive, but they are much more powerful than Valve's. If they manage to lower the price of their products, we will have a market with very interesting competition where the only winners will be us, the players.