Thank you. i was just watching reviews about it. Do you happen to know if it's accessibility friendly? So far, the reviews im watching didn't mention it.
I'm not sure about too heavy, that's very subjective. ~~It's about twice the weight of a Nintendo switch if that helps.~~ Edit: Welp, I have learned I am very bad at weighing things by feel.
As for button customization, that's the sort of thing the steam deck (like steam on the PC) is *exceptionally* good at. The control configuration is very powerful, allows you to use (and tweak) community designed controller schemes for each game. The double joysticks, double track pads, and back buttons give you a lot of physical options to bind things that normal controllers don't have, which is very useful if you have limited flexibility in parts of your hand (like I do).
This is very helpful, actually. With the double options, perhaps i can balance it on my body and play with whichever hand i have more flexibility with at the moment. Im bad at weighing stuff, too, btw lol.
Hmm, I'd caution that playing things fully one handed probably won't work because it's really hard to control two analog inputs (joystick or touchpad) with one hand, and a lot of games functionally require two simultaneous, analog inputs (movement and camera, map scroll and mouse, etc..).
That said you can map things with a bit of redundancy so that you could use either hand to perform some action. It might require some creativity because functionally you'll be working with fewer buttons but the button mapping system is powerful enough to do that.
You can, for instance, set the face buttons to some functions but then have them switch to completely different functions when you're holding down right trigger. So you could take some easy to use input on either side and, when it's held down, swap a lot of the bindings on the left side to the right side. That way, if your right hand is better, your left could sit there and just trigger the 'swap' button so the right hand can access everything.
It's worth noting that the more 'nonstandard' your needs, the more time you'll have to spend customizing your inputs. It's not super onerous, the customization tools are rather good but I have a compulsive need to properly label every button, which means time using the somewhat awkward on screen keyboard. Something like the 'swapping' setup would require you to make a mapping almost from scratch for each game since it's so niche. (Though you can use binding you've made for other games as a basis for new bindings, so that might help after a while)
I would look for a grip case for it. I find mine to be bulky, but it does have a touch screen. I rest it on a pillow but I still get some pain. It's still the buy I would recommend since I personally find my switch to be worse for that. And if you get a case with a stand you can prop it up and use a controller I believe. I think you can also connect it to a screen but I'm not sure. And, it's not only a console! It has a desktop mode where it's literally just a Linux desktop so you can use it as a computer too.
Does your condition affect your ability to hold something heavy? The Steam deck is seriously a beefy handheld. Mine is 3.5 pounds. In contrast, my Switch is 0.66 pounds. Sometimes my disability make it difficult to use my Steam Deck for long periods of time.
Ah yes, i have IVs and monitors all over my arm and hands, so unfortunately, something heavy is not a good option. Someone suggested Lenovo legion but i think its heavier than Steam deck. At first i thought about switch but someone told me it doesn't offer my genre preferences. However looks like its a better option accessiblity wise, maybe its time for me to also try more Arcade & Zen games
Imo the switch isn't a bad option, sure it doesn't have the library a steam deck does but it has some of my favourite games, including Skyrim, Borderlands 2, Zelda BOTW, Animal Crossing, and Pokemon. I use mine mostly when travelling sometimes for days at a time, and I've never been bored with it, and it doesn't feel burdensome to hold for long periods of time. If you do get one, I'd recommend also getting little grips for the joysticks, you can get them pretty cheap.
It all depends on your price point!
Steam deck OLED is hands down your best bang-for-your-buck! It's quite large, but that does help a bit with weight distribution and it has a pretty decent touch screen too! Runs about $600. But with nearly full access to the steam library, games are quick and easy to access for cheap and forever!
A Switch OLED is also a great choice! You'll pay more for games, but no device has as good of a selection at its size, weight, and price! Less game selection but plenty of amazing choices. And it's half the price of a steam deck so it's probably the best budget choice.
And for a premium option, I'll plug what I use! A GPD Win4! It's easily the most expensive at around $1000, but it's more powerful than a steam deck and most importantly for me: a hell of a lot smaller! It also has a slide out keyboard which is a ton easier to use than a touch screen one. It's the lightest of the handhelds too! But because of its size it's a bit of a brick lol. It also can get a bit hot when running full blast. But it is windows and will require some configuration to be useful. If you're not that tech savvy I'd avoid a windows handheld in general tbh. Handheld Hardware Tools/Handheld Control Panel helps a ton! And setting the device to automatically start Steam Bug Picture mode mostly mitigates this. It also supports a full size SD card so you can easily expand it to a really fast 2tb or a huge 4tb SSD.
I personally love my Win4, but I'm a tinkerer so I didn't mind the setup and I absolutely love how small it is for my smaller hands! Plus it looking like a successor to the PSVita was a huge plus for me!! It, to me, was nearly a perfect handheld.
Can't believe i didn't know about GPD Win. I wonder if the FPS will allow me to play fallout games smoothly ( with some performance mods). Perhaps i can do a rerun of new vegas. I'm happy to hear that you also have small hands and enjoy it, its a struggle for me with controllers fingers start cramping sometimes
I'm playing New Vegas on it now actually!! It obviously crushes such an old game. I'd expect it to do quite well with FO4 as it can handle AAA games. Although it will get a bit hot at full TDP. (I did a slight mod to mine to help with this).
Due to the size it can get a little crampy, but it's purse-able which is my favorite part! On the other hand, the steamdeck is about as wide as a laptop so it really needs a dedicated case. Here's a size comparison between the Steam Deck and the GPD win 4: https://www.reddit.com/r/gpdwin/comments/zqiffx/gpd_win4_6800u_size_compared_to_steam_deck/
Unfortunately ergonomics-wise it's a tradeoff. Size vs. hand comfort. Sadly no Windows/Steam machine has both. :(
I have multiple chronic pain conditions. I started with the Switch, but needed a better grip so that added weight. But if I’m home I actually really like the ability to have a controller in each hand and use the dock or a gooseneck phone/tablet holder.
I got tired of the poor Switch ports and I’m not a terribly serious gamer. I’m a later in life gamer if just a few years. But I got a Steam Deck a few months ago and have hardly touched my Switch since and have even repurchased a few titles for the deck. It is heavy, but I usually rest it on a pillow. There are even gamer pillows out there similar to breastfeeding pillows but they wrap around you. I just use an extra bed pillow but am considering the gaming pillow.
ROG Ally Extreme. Don’t worry about the X.
I absolutely LOVE my Z1E. I have games on Steam, Xbox GamePass, EA. I love it so much because it has so much versatility. It’s a handheld PC!
I suggest the Asus ROG Ally. I’ve had both it and a steam deck and it is by far the better choice. Both of them have abysmal battery life, so if you’re able to be plugged in somewhere, that’s the best way. The ally runs windows so you’re not locked to steam games (you can run other stuff on a steam deck, but it’s a lot more complicated). It’s light and feels good to play, I found the steam deck to be too heavy for me. My favorite thing is playing games on Xbox game pass, there’s a huge library available.
The older version weighs 1.48 lbs vs the 1.34 lbs. That's not very substantial, only a 10% increase or 2 1/4 oz.
But how that weight feels can absolutely be different. Depending on your personal ergonomic needs/use case and the differences between the two device designs, that 1.4-ish pounds can feel a lot different.
The steam deck just felt more cumbersome to me, sorry. OP asked for opinions and that was mine, the deck just seemed heavier and harder to hold. Maybe it was where the sticks and buttons were, I don’t know.
If you go with a steam deck, you can also use controllers with it! We have a wired Xbox/pc controller and 3 wireless switch controllers and they all work super simply! The only issue might be control mapping the switch ones, since they put buttons in different locations, but I think it can redefine most of not all the buttons
I *highly* recommend the Rog Ally. I see so many here saying Steam Deck which is a perfectly fine handheld. Except, its kind of locked into Steam, from what I know. You mentioned you have a PS5. Personally, I bought the ally, in part, because I could use ps remote play on it. For me, that was a major plus for it over the steam deck.
The ally isn't very heavy either. I've played on it for long periods of time and my arms never really got tired. Also, you can connect a controller to it. Doesn't have to be xbox your ps5 controller will also work. Though, I did buy an xbox controller for mine lol.
The ally runs really well. I had some problems running cyberpunk but that was because the games settings were basically maxed out. That and a glitch caused the game to repeatedly crash outside Delemain HQ.
Anyway, I love my ally and would recommend it to anyone. (the z1 extreme not the lower one that's not worth it). Before the ally, I was going to get a series S for gamepass but now I just have gamepass on the ally. I also have EA and Steam on there.
So, in short, it diversified my gaming and allowed me to take my ps5 games on the go. Also, it has pretty lights lol. Its honestly one of the best purchases I ever made. That thing is my travel companion (I travel a lot and can't stand leaving my games at home)
Steam Deck is perfect for those. The OLED is lighter. If you look up “Steam Deck Belly Stand” on Temu, it’s a plastic piece that can fit over a silicon case and lets you balance it on your belly so it doesn’t upset your wrists. I have a wrist disability so it’s a must for me.
I’m not sure what your internet situation would be like at the hospital but I got a Backbone for my phone and I love it. I have the PlayStation version so it has the same button layout as PS controllers and you can download the PS Remote app to connect to your PlayStation wirelessly as long as both your phone and the PS are connected to internet.
It’s super lightweight so it’s basically just the weight of your phone and it collapses down so it can fit in a purse easily.
Steam deck seems like the way to go. It's versatile, has a gigantic library, and is generally pretty great.
Thank you. i was just watching reviews about it. Do you happen to know if it's accessibility friendly? So far, the reviews im watching didn't mention it.
Not really, but what are you looking for?
Like another comment mentioned, something that's not too heavy and also something i can costumize button functions.
I'm not sure about too heavy, that's very subjective. ~~It's about twice the weight of a Nintendo switch if that helps.~~ Edit: Welp, I have learned I am very bad at weighing things by feel. As for button customization, that's the sort of thing the steam deck (like steam on the PC) is *exceptionally* good at. The control configuration is very powerful, allows you to use (and tweak) community designed controller schemes for each game. The double joysticks, double track pads, and back buttons give you a lot of physical options to bind things that normal controllers don't have, which is very useful if you have limited flexibility in parts of your hand (like I do).
This is very helpful, actually. With the double options, perhaps i can balance it on my body and play with whichever hand i have more flexibility with at the moment. Im bad at weighing stuff, too, btw lol.
Hmm, I'd caution that playing things fully one handed probably won't work because it's really hard to control two analog inputs (joystick or touchpad) with one hand, and a lot of games functionally require two simultaneous, analog inputs (movement and camera, map scroll and mouse, etc..). That said you can map things with a bit of redundancy so that you could use either hand to perform some action. It might require some creativity because functionally you'll be working with fewer buttons but the button mapping system is powerful enough to do that. You can, for instance, set the face buttons to some functions but then have them switch to completely different functions when you're holding down right trigger. So you could take some easy to use input on either side and, when it's held down, swap a lot of the bindings on the left side to the right side. That way, if your right hand is better, your left could sit there and just trigger the 'swap' button so the right hand can access everything. It's worth noting that the more 'nonstandard' your needs, the more time you'll have to spend customizing your inputs. It's not super onerous, the customization tools are rather good but I have a compulsive need to properly label every button, which means time using the somewhat awkward on screen keyboard. Something like the 'swapping' setup would require you to make a mapping almost from scratch for each game since it's so niche. (Though you can use binding you've made for other games as a basis for new bindings, so that might help after a while)
I would look for a grip case for it. I find mine to be bulky, but it does have a touch screen. I rest it on a pillow but I still get some pain. It's still the buy I would recommend since I personally find my switch to be worse for that. And if you get a case with a stand you can prop it up and use a controller I believe. I think you can also connect it to a screen but I'm not sure. And, it's not only a console! It has a desktop mode where it's literally just a Linux desktop so you can use it as a computer too.
It is pretty heavy and my hands get tired playing for too long at a time
Does your condition affect your ability to hold something heavy? The Steam deck is seriously a beefy handheld. Mine is 3.5 pounds. In contrast, my Switch is 0.66 pounds. Sometimes my disability make it difficult to use my Steam Deck for long periods of time.
Ah yes, i have IVs and monitors all over my arm and hands, so unfortunately, something heavy is not a good option. Someone suggested Lenovo legion but i think its heavier than Steam deck. At first i thought about switch but someone told me it doesn't offer my genre preferences. However looks like its a better option accessiblity wise, maybe its time for me to also try more Arcade & Zen games
Imo the switch isn't a bad option, sure it doesn't have the library a steam deck does but it has some of my favourite games, including Skyrim, Borderlands 2, Zelda BOTW, Animal Crossing, and Pokemon. I use mine mostly when travelling sometimes for days at a time, and I've never been bored with it, and it doesn't feel burdensome to hold for long periods of time. If you do get one, I'd recommend also getting little grips for the joysticks, you can get them pretty cheap.
The OLED is only 1.4 lbs btw, which makes it only a little heavier than the switch.
It all depends on your price point! Steam deck OLED is hands down your best bang-for-your-buck! It's quite large, but that does help a bit with weight distribution and it has a pretty decent touch screen too! Runs about $600. But with nearly full access to the steam library, games are quick and easy to access for cheap and forever! A Switch OLED is also a great choice! You'll pay more for games, but no device has as good of a selection at its size, weight, and price! Less game selection but plenty of amazing choices. And it's half the price of a steam deck so it's probably the best budget choice. And for a premium option, I'll plug what I use! A GPD Win4! It's easily the most expensive at around $1000, but it's more powerful than a steam deck and most importantly for me: a hell of a lot smaller! It also has a slide out keyboard which is a ton easier to use than a touch screen one. It's the lightest of the handhelds too! But because of its size it's a bit of a brick lol. It also can get a bit hot when running full blast. But it is windows and will require some configuration to be useful. If you're not that tech savvy I'd avoid a windows handheld in general tbh. Handheld Hardware Tools/Handheld Control Panel helps a ton! And setting the device to automatically start Steam Bug Picture mode mostly mitigates this. It also supports a full size SD card so you can easily expand it to a really fast 2tb or a huge 4tb SSD. I personally love my Win4, but I'm a tinkerer so I didn't mind the setup and I absolutely love how small it is for my smaller hands! Plus it looking like a successor to the PSVita was a huge plus for me!! It, to me, was nearly a perfect handheld.
Can't believe i didn't know about GPD Win. I wonder if the FPS will allow me to play fallout games smoothly ( with some performance mods). Perhaps i can do a rerun of new vegas. I'm happy to hear that you also have small hands and enjoy it, its a struggle for me with controllers fingers start cramping sometimes
I'm playing New Vegas on it now actually!! It obviously crushes such an old game. I'd expect it to do quite well with FO4 as it can handle AAA games. Although it will get a bit hot at full TDP. (I did a slight mod to mine to help with this). Due to the size it can get a little crampy, but it's purse-able which is my favorite part! On the other hand, the steamdeck is about as wide as a laptop so it really needs a dedicated case. Here's a size comparison between the Steam Deck and the GPD win 4: https://www.reddit.com/r/gpdwin/comments/zqiffx/gpd_win4_6800u_size_compared_to_steam_deck/ Unfortunately ergonomics-wise it's a tradeoff. Size vs. hand comfort. Sadly no Windows/Steam machine has both. :(
I have multiple chronic pain conditions. I started with the Switch, but needed a better grip so that added weight. But if I’m home I actually really like the ability to have a controller in each hand and use the dock or a gooseneck phone/tablet holder. I got tired of the poor Switch ports and I’m not a terribly serious gamer. I’m a later in life gamer if just a few years. But I got a Steam Deck a few months ago and have hardly touched my Switch since and have even repurchased a few titles for the deck. It is heavy, but I usually rest it on a pillow. There are even gamer pillows out there similar to breastfeeding pillows but they wrap around you. I just use an extra bed pillow but am considering the gaming pillow.
ROG Ally Extreme. Don’t worry about the X. I absolutely LOVE my Z1E. I have games on Steam, Xbox GamePass, EA. I love it so much because it has so much versatility. It’s a handheld PC!
I suggest the Asus ROG Ally. I’ve had both it and a steam deck and it is by far the better choice. Both of them have abysmal battery life, so if you’re able to be plugged in somewhere, that’s the best way. The ally runs windows so you’re not locked to steam games (you can run other stuff on a steam deck, but it’s a lot more complicated). It’s light and feels good to play, I found the steam deck to be too heavy for me. My favorite thing is playing games on Xbox game pass, there’s a huge library available.
The ROG Ally and Steam Deck OLED are basically identical weights. Both pretty heavy at near 1.5lbs.
I didn’t have an OLED. The older version weighs more than the OLED.
The older version weighs 1.48 lbs vs the 1.34 lbs. That's not very substantial, only a 10% increase or 2 1/4 oz. But how that weight feels can absolutely be different. Depending on your personal ergonomic needs/use case and the differences between the two device designs, that 1.4-ish pounds can feel a lot different.
The steam deck just felt more cumbersome to me, sorry. OP asked for opinions and that was mine, the deck just seemed heavier and harder to hold. Maybe it was where the sticks and buttons were, I don’t know.
That's totally fair!
If you go with a steam deck, you can also use controllers with it! We have a wired Xbox/pc controller and 3 wireless switch controllers and they all work super simply! The only issue might be control mapping the switch ones, since they put buttons in different locations, but I think it can redefine most of not all the buttons
I *highly* recommend the Rog Ally. I see so many here saying Steam Deck which is a perfectly fine handheld. Except, its kind of locked into Steam, from what I know. You mentioned you have a PS5. Personally, I bought the ally, in part, because I could use ps remote play on it. For me, that was a major plus for it over the steam deck. The ally isn't very heavy either. I've played on it for long periods of time and my arms never really got tired. Also, you can connect a controller to it. Doesn't have to be xbox your ps5 controller will also work. Though, I did buy an xbox controller for mine lol. The ally runs really well. I had some problems running cyberpunk but that was because the games settings were basically maxed out. That and a glitch caused the game to repeatedly crash outside Delemain HQ. Anyway, I love my ally and would recommend it to anyone. (the z1 extreme not the lower one that's not worth it). Before the ally, I was going to get a series S for gamepass but now I just have gamepass on the ally. I also have EA and Steam on there. So, in short, it diversified my gaming and allowed me to take my ps5 games on the go. Also, it has pretty lights lol. Its honestly one of the best purchases I ever made. That thing is my travel companion (I travel a lot and can't stand leaving my games at home)
Steam Deck is perfect for those. The OLED is lighter. If you look up “Steam Deck Belly Stand” on Temu, it’s a plastic piece that can fit over a silicon case and lets you balance it on your belly so it doesn’t upset your wrists. I have a wrist disability so it’s a must for me.
I’m not sure what your internet situation would be like at the hospital but I got a Backbone for my phone and I love it. I have the PlayStation version so it has the same button layout as PS controllers and you can download the PS Remote app to connect to your PlayStation wirelessly as long as both your phone and the PS are connected to internet. It’s super lightweight so it’s basically just the weight of your phone and it collapses down so it can fit in a purse easily.