The Steam Deck is a large hit for PC avid gamers, and it was inevitable that competitors would pop up. Devices just like the Asus ROG Ally, the Lenovo Legion Go, and the MSI Claw all attempt to ship an identical expertise…with one massive distinction. These Windows-powered options have had a number of months to stew, and whereas Adam Patrick Murray likes a few of them, PCWorld contributor Will Smith isn’t impressed.

Will is a giant handheld fan who pre-ordered the Steam Deck day one. And whereas the Linux-based Steam OS isn’t good — notably having compatibility points with a number of massive titles like Fortnite — he’ll take it any day over Windows-based machines and their janky interfaces. It’s an opinion shared by individuals like GiantBomb’s Jeff Grubb (a pal of our Full Nerd podcast).

Even a few of these machines’ signature variations versus the Steam Deck, like high-resolution, high-refresh screens or LED lighting, are issues which are extraneous for PCs on this handheld type issue, the place battery life is at a premium and 40 frames per second is sweet sufficient.

But it’s the assorted third-party makes an attempt to compete with Steam’s Big Picture Mode and its diversifications for the smaller Steam Deck which are the true deal-killers. “It’s trash fire city,” says Will. Lenovo’s Legion Go is especially unhealthy, however all of them lack polish — for many video games it’s simply simpler to load up the Windows model of Steam and use that as a substitute.

“This isn’t on the vendors, this is on Microsoft for not fulfilling this need,” Will feedback. “This is something the Xbox app on the devices should be able to fulfill.” So yeah, loads of that is on the system makers making an attempt to out-do Valve and failing. But you would additionally say that Microsoft, because the steward of Windows as a gaming platform, is failing even more durable. All the “home” button on these items must be user-addressable, as a substitute of going to no matter customized handheld interface is getting used.

There are some excessive factors. All of those gadgets shine for streaming, both through a service like GeForce Now or from a main gaming machine over Wi-Fi (although that does imply they don’t stand on their very own deserves). Graphics and refresh charges are higher in the event you’re leaning on distant {hardware}, clearly.

But for essentially the most half, it looks like the Steam Deck remains to be far and away the best choice on this new class it kind of invented. For extra deep dives on PC gaming, you should definitely subscribe to PCWorld on YouTube.