General Gaming thread

RedRabbit

I've nearly caved a couple of times and put in an order for the Ally.  I've managed to resist many on the basis that in direct comparison to the SteamDeck, the performance doesn't seem that much better.  An improvement for sure but nothing like the performance hike that is being suggested.

nero1701

TeleMaster said:

I've just preordered the Rog Ally. If it is as it seems, I'll probably sell my Steam Deck. Delivery is in 3 weeks!

I've not had the steam deck long enough to have had my money out of it...

monquixote

RedRabbit said:

I've nearly caved a couple of times and put in an order for the Ally.  I've managed to resist many on the basis that in direct comparison to the SteamDeck, the performance doesn't seem that much better.  An improvement for sure but nothing like the performance hike that is being suggested.

I think the difference is mostly being able to play windows only games although supposedly as a result the experience of the UI etc is quite a bit worse.

RaymondLin

For me, in order to upgrade from the Steam Deck, it needs to....

1 - OLED screen
2 - When Steam Deck doesn't run the majority of new releases at 720p at 30fps.
3 - Smaller bulk than the Steam Deck
4 - With as good battery or better
5 - Better Windows integration...not sure how this will work as they won't make windows.

nero1701

monquixote said:

RedRabbit said:

I've nearly caved a couple of times and put in an order for the Ally.  I've managed to resist many on the basis that in direct comparison to the SteamDeck, the performance doesn't seem that much better.  An improvement for sure but nothing like the performance hike that is being suggested.

I think the difference is mostly being able to play windows only games although supposedly as a result the experience of the UI etc is quite a bit worse.

With a little faf, you can run any game on the steamdeck. I'm running games from Origin on mine.

TeleMaster

RedRabbit said:

I've nearly caved a couple of times and put in an order for the Ally.  I've managed to resist many on the basis that in direct comparison to the SteamDeck, the performance doesn't seem that much better.  An improvement for sure but nothing like the performance hike that is being suggested.

I imagine that as time goes on the performance increase will mean that it should last longer at higher settings.

RaymondLin said:

For me, in order to upgrade from the Steam Deck, it needs to....

1 - OLED screen
2 - When Steam Deck doesn't run the majority of new releases at 720p at 30fps.
3 - Smaller bulk than the Steam Deck
4 - With as good battery or better
5 - Better Windows integration...not sure how this will work as they won't make windows.

It has an improved screen, it also is smaller and less bulky and it has a better battery with faster charging. 

RaymondLin

TeleMaster said:

RedRabbit said:

I've nearly caved a couple of times and put in an order for the Ally.  I've managed to resist many on the basis that in direct comparison to the SteamDeck, the performance doesn't seem that much better.  An improvement for sure but nothing like the performance hike that is being suggested.

I imagine that as time goes on the performance increase will mean that it should last longer at higher settings.

RaymondLin said:

For me, in order to upgrade from the Steam Deck, it needs to....

1 - OLED screen
2 - When Steam Deck doesn't run the majority of new releases at 720p at 30fps.
3 - Smaller bulk than the Steam Deck
4 - With as good battery or better
5 - Better Windows integration...not sure how this will work as they won't make windows.

It has an improved screen, it also is smaller and less bulky and it has a better battery with faster charging. 

Improved yes, but I specifically said OLED, which this is not...and I know it's not lol, and since this is not OLED, it doesn't tick that box. lol

Basically, merely improved screen isn't enough, not going from 800p to 1080p.  Or thinner bezels.

TeleMaster

RaymondLin said:

TeleMaster said:

RedRabbit said:

I've nearly caved a couple of times and put in an order for the Ally.  I've managed to resist many on the basis that in direct comparison to the SteamDeck, the performance doesn't seem that much better.  An improvement for sure but nothing like the performance hike that is being suggested.

I imagine that as time goes on the performance increase will mean that it should last longer at higher settings.

RaymondLin said:

For me, in order to upgrade from the Steam Deck, it needs to....

1 - OLED screen
2 - When Steam Deck doesn't run the majority of new releases at 720p at 30fps.
3 - Smaller bulk than the Steam Deck
4 - With as good battery or better
5 - Better Windows integration...not sure how this will work as they won't make windows.

It has an improved screen, it also is smaller and less bulky and it has a better battery with faster charging. 

Improved yes, but I specifically said OLED, which this is not...and I know it's not lol, and since this is not OLED, it doesn't tick that box. lol

Basically, merely improved screen isn't enough, not going from 800p to 1080p.  Or thinner bezels.

4/5 and improved performance isn't bad in my book.  

RaymondLin

It's still not OLED, and I want OLED for more than its colours.  It comes with, as you know, things like battery optimisation due to each pixel lights up itself, better contrasts etc.

It's just a better tech.

Since it has appeared in other handhelds already, it can't be far away to be a standard and I would wait for it, not to mention I haven't had the Deck for that long, along with my other 4 points on the list.

0/5 on my list isn't enough for me to get it. 

TeleMaster

That's fine of course, but Wouldn't you have three points on your list though? Smaller bulk, better battery, better Windows integration? Or am I missing something? 

RaymondLin

TeleMaster said:

That's fine of course, but Wouldn't you have three points on your list though? Smaller bulk, better battery, better Windows integration? Or am I missing something? 

The battery isn't better.  It depends on the games.  For low power games, like retro emulation, it's worse.

The bulk isn't THAT much a difference, I would think somewhere in the region of the Switch would be the good size.

As for windows, it's not, review says it's quite fiddly still, it's better but not smooth experience.  I could pass on this point and use a mouse and small keyboard I guess....At least at home at anywa.

TeleMaster

RaymondLin said:

TeleMaster said:

That's fine of course, but Wouldn't you have three points on your list though? Smaller bulk, better battery, better Windows integration? Or am I missing something? 

The battery isn't better.  It depends on the games.  For low power games, like retro emulation, it's worse.

The bulk isn't THAT much a difference, I would think somewhere in the region of the Switch would be the good size.

As for windows, it's not, review says it's quite fiddly still, it's better but not smooth experience.  I could pass on this point and use a mouse and small keyboard I guess....At least at home at anywa.

So I saw that battery performance was quite similar a bit better but with a far superior charging time. I also read that it's much thinner and less bulky than the Deck, and it just looks like it is in the pictures and videos. It is lighter, by 10%. Windows is fiddly, but it is Windows at least, which Steam Deck doesn't have.

Personally I found adding emulators and Gamepass and PS Remote onto Steam Deck an absolute nightmare. They're all fiddly but it does appear that you can at least add the launchers on the ASUS without having to get a coding degree.

I still might cancel it, and I see your point, it's not a massive upgrade. I do love the Steam Deck but I just wanted the opportunity of getting it if I could and then deciding later. 

RaymondLin

TeleMaster said:

RaymondLin said:

TeleMaster said:

That's fine of course, but Wouldn't you have three points on your list though? Smaller bulk, better battery, better Windows integration? Or am I missing something? 

The battery isn't better.  It depends on the games.  For low power games, like retro emulation, it's worse.

The bulk isn't THAT much a difference, I would think somewhere in the region of the Switch would be the good size.

As for windows, it's not, review says it's quite fiddly still, it's better but not smooth experience.  I could pass on this point and use a mouse and small keyboard I guess....At least at home at anywa.

So I saw that battery performance was quite similar a bit better but with a far superior charging time. I also read that it's much thinner and less bulky than the Deck, and it just looks like it is in the pictures and videos. It is lighter, by 10%. Windows is fiddly, but it is Windows at least, which Steam Deck doesn't have.

Personally I found adding emulators and Gamepass and PS Remote onto Steam Deck an absolute nightmare. They're all fiddly but it does appear that you can at least add the launchers on the ASUS without having to get a coding degree.

I still might cancel it, and I see your point, it's not a massive upgrade. I do love the Steam Deck but I just wanted the opportunity of getting it if I could and then deciding later. 

It also depends on the level you judge the Steam Deck at.

If I had to get one, and if I were getting the Top price Deck, I would get the Ally.  This is not even an argument for me.  The Ally is objectively a better machine.

However, since you can get the Deck for almost half the price of the Ally, and still have the same processing power, and can add a micro SD for pretty much the same performance....this also becomes a no brainer if compared the 2.

If you have a Deck, that i have, I don't think it would be enough of an upgrade.  

So, I would only get one if I don't have either, and considering getting the top model only. 

RedRabbit

I watched the LTT review of the ROG Ally this morning.

It's not really changed my mind about it but what I hadn't realised was that it has a higher performance "docked" mode which does seem to make quite a difference.  Given that for a long session on the Steam Deck I usually end up sat with it plugged in, it does make the Ally a little more appealing.

I'm still not intending to upgrade but I'll be keeping an eye on what comes out over the next couple of years.

As a side note, despite the positive reviews on the Ally's ergonomics, it just doesn't look comfortable to me.  Most people seem to end up holding it with their palms facing down slightly and it looks like a really unnatural way to hold a controller. 

I also don't really understand the external GPUs.  They're stupidly expensive and I can't imagine anyone buying one unless they had other Asus machines that could also make use of it.

RaymondLin

RedRabbit said:

I watched the LTT review of the ROG Ally this morning.

It's not really changed my mind about it but what I hadn't realised was that it has a higher performance "docked" mode which does seem to make quite a difference.  Given that for a long session on the Steam Deck I usually end up sat with it plugged in, it does make the Ally a little more appealing.

I'm still not intending to upgrade but I'll be keeping an eye on what comes out over the next couple of years.

As a side note, despite the positive reviews on the Ally's ergonomics, it just doesn't look comfortable to me.  Most people seem to end up holding it with their palms facing down slightly and it looks like a really unnatural way to hold a controller. 

I also don't really understand the external GPUs.  They're stupidly expensive and I can't imagine anyone buying one unless they had other Asus machines that could also make use of it.

If I care about graphic enough to get an External GPU I would get a gaming laptop and have it all in 1 one and be done with it.  It would solve windows being fiddly problem, comes with an even better screen and just use a spare PS4/Xbox pad at home.

I don't see the external GPU as a selling point, it's already quite a niche product, this is niche stacked on niche.

Rabs

Interesting new console

Rabs

monquixote

Rabs said:

Got all excited thinking this was a new PSP.

stickyfiddle

New hardware thing is meh. But the new Spider-man looks incredible

Sporky

I finished Ravenlok. Short and easy, but strangely enjoyable.

I got Shadow of the Tomb Raider and AC Valhalla in the never-ending Xbox sale. SOTTR is exactly as you'd expect. Thus far easily worth the £11.