"constantly adjust settings" what makes you think you will need to do that? Also, even if you did, it would literally take like 5 seconds to do that. Just switch between, low, medium or high settings. Is this really so different than current gen consoles picking performance and quality modes?
you have to adjust more than just one setting. Brightness, v sync, frame rate locks for sure. Who knows if there is even more. The point is when I play a game on my PS5 and I pick a mode it stays that way. If I play another game on the Steam Deck and change the settings, when I come back I have to tweak again. This isn't a per application setting more like a global one from what I can tell.
Brightness settings will be on the device itself, like every handheld device. Vsync will automatically be turned on for any game at medium settings, which is what most AAA games will be running at.
You're making it seem more complicated and awkward than it really is.
@Hermit - if you say so. The settings seem to be indicating they are under a general settings tab. So checking v-sync or framerate caps will have to be done on a per game basis. If you go from an indie game that can run with full settings, you will need to change them again when you swap back to a new game. Console gaming doesn't really compare in that regard.
Didn't they already say they were having developers also have game modes optimized for Steam Deck? So I don't see the concern or confusion. You can simply click Medium Settings and lock to 30fps. If people can go t options on a console and tab over to resolution or performance, then they can tab over to Medium and 30fps.
It's amazing how people will complain about tutorials and hand holding in games, but act like a physics level algebraic equation was just placed in front of them when they're asked to look at a menu option and move 2 sliders or use a screw driver to unscrew a screw to install a NVMe.
We have brains to learn and use, not run on autopilot and DUH!
I'm glad we get to choose - there are some games on Switch where devs chose things to hit their 30hz refresh that I wouldn't have, and you're just stuck with it. This is one of the benefits of gaming on PC. Choice.
I see you're a PC gamer, so I'm a little confused by the fact that you find this frustrating. You get to choose what you want. Do you want higher res or framerate over graphical fidelity? Do you want to drop AA, eat a few jaggies to get that last locked 60fps? Do you want to use the upscaling tech?
You had to know that this was going to be what the experience would be like as a tiny PC. I mean, some games will have Steam Deck optimized settings, as I recall, but for the majority it'll be up to the individual. Not being pithy or anything, but if you count PC flexibility as a negative I just don't think the Steam Deck is for you.
that's not my point, did you read the article? It's saying that depending on the game you will need to adjust settings to maximize the battery life. Problem is, from what I gather the settings aren't saved on a per game basis, which means you might have to constantly adjust settings based on what game you are playing.
Yes I'm a PC gamer, but maybe I'm just fortunate enough to have hardware that doesn't require me to choose.
I saw the Gamers Nexus video that the headline is based off of. Also just read some of the article. I'm not sure what you mean about settings not being saved on a per-game basis. You change the settings for a game in the game's own setting menu, and those changes are persistent through exit & relaunch. Deck is a PC. It works the same there as it does on your RTX 3080 powered PC. What is it you think you'd have to change more than once per title?
I hope that's the case that each game saves the settings once they are set. I guess we will find out.
Steam doesn't always work that way though. Take Steam VR for example. There are in game settings but there is an overall Steam VR setting that overrides each game. You can modify things like supersampling, refresh rate, etc. If you go from one game to the next it keeps those settings intact which can lead to wildly inconsistent results depending on if you are playing a simple game or more in-depth.
I was thinking the same thing. My old gaming laptop lasted about the same amount of time with higher end games, so I guess I'd already be used to this, heh.
You obviously don't get it. This was a test to drain the battery as quickly as possible by putting as much strain as possible on the hardware, nobody is actually going to play their games like this.
I don't mean to be "that" guy, but yeah, obviously. Nintendo's handhelds have always been in that goldilocks zone between performance and battery. I remember when the GBA was first announced and people were genuinely irked that it couldn't *really* handle anything 3d. Nintendo sold it as a "2d powerhouse" and publications sold it as such.
I love the idea of the steam deck, and I can see how many indie games can probably sip the battery compared to playing the likes of Forza on it but battery life is absolutely crucial for a portable. I think most people expected this in the back of their minds but were simply caught up in the capabilities of the machine more than other, practical measures.
a little frustrating that we are going to have to constantly adjust settings based on the game.
This is to be expected. Back when I had a gaming laptop my battery would be done in about that same time and it was a much larger battery.
90 mins, that's shite. Yeah, I get it, powerful and stuff but still, that's crap.
So the switch being low powered makes more sense now I guess. Nintendo probably decided on battery life over resolution and frames.