Steam Deck or Gaming laptop?

SilentGameTestR · 23 Apr 2025 at 02:26

From a post in the cpu section, i am looking to change my laptop at some point this year.

Lenovo Flex 5
4700u
8gb ram
512gb
Touchscreen

I am looking to get either a better spec 2 in 1 ideally with an option to upgrade the hard drive as storage is the only reason I want to change. [Cracking laptop after almost 4 years. Really like lenovo] Or a gaming laptop.

I do play the occasional game on my flex, but I would like to be able to run FC25 and BO6 to continue my progress when I'm not on Xbox and so I am leaning more towards a gaming laptop with a 3050(3060 if i find a great deal like the last one i had a year ago) or 4050. I don't need a power house. Just something to run a few games on medium.

However After reading someone else's thread it got me thinking about the Steam Deck as I like the idea of one even if they are chunky compared to the switch(only handheld console i own), but regardless of which model, can they be used somewhat like a laptop without the keyboard or are they strictly for games?

nelbert · 23 Apr 2025 at 23:56

Your mention of BO6 would make the steam deck a non-starter. The anti-cheat isn't supported on Linux and while the devs have said they won't ban Linux/Steamdeck gamers if they workaround it and run, the reality is it won't be officially supported on the steam deck and other than as a technical problem to solve the linux gaming community isn't really interested in making it work.

Those that really want to play games with unsupported anti-cheat usually keep a windows partition handy.

In terms of the Steam deck, I have one and I consider it a Steam Console handheld, which has a linux desktop available. Valve chose not to lock out the desktop and linux OS or replacing with a completely different OS, but they build Steam OS as a Steam Console OS rather than as a general purpose portable linux device that runs steam. You would have to really want the handheld sized portability to use it as a laptop replacement. It is useful having the ability to switch to desktop at times, but it is different to a normal linux setup as the main system is read-only by default so things you'd do on a typical linux install don't work the same and aren't always possible.

You could install Windows on a Steamdeck to play the unsupported anti-cheat games, Valve do provide drivers for download, but I'd just get a Legion Go over the steamdeck for a windows handheld device. Windows isn't a great experience on the steam deck in comparison to the more powerful Windows handhelds. The detachable controllers of the Legion Go mean you could treat it as a more powerful, usb dockable windows tablet rather than a dockable handheld.

The laptop equivalent processor for the Z1 Extreme handhelds (Asus Ally, Legion Go) would be the 7840U/8840U processors which have the 780M graphics built in. I got a Thinkpad T14s with the 7840u which is lightweight, has a decent battery and can play games as well as the handhelds while staying silent. Memory is soldered, but the drives are upgradable.

Any laptop with a discrete mobile nvidia or amd gpu should run rings around the 780M in the AMD processors, but they come with the downside of heat, noise, battery life.

SilentGameTestR · 26 Apr 2025 at 23:30

nelbert said:
Your mention of BO6 would make the steam deck a non-starter. The anti-cheat isn't supported on Linux and while the devs have said they won't ban Linux/Steamdeck gamers if they workaround it and run, the reality is it won't be officially supported on the steam deck and other than as a technical problem to solve the linux gaming community isn't really interested in making it work.

Those that really want to play games with unsupported anti-cheat usually keep a windows partition handy.

In terms of the Steam deck, I have one and I consider it a Steam Console handheld, which has a linux desktop available. Valve chose not to lock out the desktop and linux OS or replacing with a completely different OS, but they build Steam OS as a Steam Console OS rather than as a general purpose portable linux device that runs steam. You would have to really want the handheld sized portability to use it as a laptop replacement. It is useful having the ability to switch to desktop at times, but it is different to a normal linux setup as the main system is read-only by default so things you'd do on a typical linux install don't work the same and aren't always possible.

You could install Windows on a Steamdeck to play the unsupported anti-cheat games, Valve do provide drivers for download, but I'd just get a Legion Go over the steamdeck for a windows handheld device. Windows isn't a great experience on the steam deck in comparison to the more powerful Windows handhelds. The detachable controllers of the Legion Go mean you could treat it as a more powerful, usb dockable windows tablet rather than a dockable handheld.

The laptop equivalent processor for the Z1 Extreme handhelds (Asus Ally, Legion Go) would be the 7840U/8840U processors which have the 780M graphics built in. I got a Thinkpad T14s with the 7840u which is lightweight, has a decent battery and can play games as well as the handhelds while staying silent. Memory is soldered, but the drives are upgradable.

Any laptop with a discrete mobile nvidia or amd gpu should run rings around the 780M in the AMD processors, but they come with the downside of heat, noise, battery life.

Thanks for reply.

Thats interesting about the steam deck and BO6. I have never been banned nor cheated, so it sounds like theres no guarantee that wont happen if i got a Deck. I figured it probably wouldnt be able to replace a laptop, just i dont know what they are like outside of gaming, whether you can go outside of gaming and if bluetooth keyboards connected.

Obviously gaming isnt and has never been the priority with my current laptop and it still isnt for any laptop. i would just like to run those 2 games as i havent attempted BO6 yet, but FC25 runs, though quite stuttering.

Interesting with the Ryzen APU choices. ones i were looking at had the 8640hs which sounds like good ones it seems. I did also think about an intel Ultra 5 125h with its Arc graphics as i quite like the idea of 14 cores for under £600, but ive read mix reviews on ther ARC about how good they are at gaming and how much they cant game. so conflicting reviews.

nelbert · 27 Apr 2025 at 13:39

SilentGameTestR said:
Thats interesting about the steam deck and BO6. I have never been banned nor cheated, so it sounds like theres no guarantee that wont happen if i got a Deck. I figured it probably wouldnt be able to replace a laptop, just i dont know what they are like outside of gaming, whether you can go outside of gaming and if bluetooth keyboards connected.

Just to clarify, BO6 won’t run out the box on a Steamdeck or Linux. The custom anti-cheat built into it doesn’t work on Linux and prevents it running. The devs comments were related to if Linux gamers put effort into getting it to work and played sensibly they won’t ban them.

Xbox live also doesn’t work on Linux/Steamdeck, so unless the game supports cross-play saves, you won’t be able to share progress between Xbox and Linux/Steamdeck. The only way to use Xbox live games is via Xbox cloud streaming.

While it is possible to use the Steamdeck as a portable Linux computer, it’s far simpler to install Linux and steam on a laptop if the primary use is as a laptop rather than a handheld console.

In terms of the Intel vs AMD, in general
780M > 125h with Arc 7 CU > 760M

Where AMD benefit, which might be relevant for laptop use, is the AMD processors are more performant and efficient at low power than the Intel chip. The AMD parts are designed to operate well at 15W minimum, whereas the Intel only goes as low as 25W and isn’t at performant vs AMD at 25W. Obviously if plugged into the mains this is less relevant as both can then operate as full power.

SilentGameTestR · 28 Apr 2025 at 00:03

nelbert said:
Just to clarify, BO6 won’t run out the box on a Steamdeck or Linux. The custom anti-cheat built into it doesn’t work on Linux and prevents it running. The devs comments were related to if Linux gamers put effort into getting it to work and played sensibly they won’t ban them.

Xbox live also doesn’t work on Linux/Steamdeck, so unless the game supports cross-play saves, you won’t be able to share progress between Xbox and Linux/Steamdeck. The only way to use Xbox live games is via Xbox cloud streaming.

While it is possible to use the Steamdeck as a portable Linux computer, it’s far simpler to install Linux and steam on a laptop if the primary use is as a laptop rather than a handheld console.

In terms of the Intel vs AMD, in general
780M > 125h with Arc 7 CU > 760M

Where AMD benefit, which might be relevant for laptop use, is the AMD processors are more performant and efficient at low power than the Intel chip. The AMD parts are designed to operate well at 15W minimum, whereas the Intel only goes as low as 25W and isn’t at performant vs AMD at 25W. Obviously if plugged into the mains this is less relevant as both can then operate as full power.

oh right i see. well that pretty much sums up my decision the ha. The Deck wont do what i want as i use xbox pass more than i do Steam. well for certain games anyways.

Thats interesting then. The ARC falls in the middle. Only downside to the intel ive seen from game reviews is the lack of optimisation due to games mainly using Nvidia and AMD. The laptop ive seen with that ultra 5 is the MSI Prestige Evo AI 14" which looks and sounds like a really good laptop and im quite interested in getting it. Obviously needed to know how it gamed.

Suppose to sum this topic up, i shall only get a deck when i can afford to have one as well as a laptop.

santa · 28 Apr 2025 at 10:38

The latest intel generation cpu's aren't terrible at power usage especially now that the drivers have been improved since launch. However, the latest ryzen are very efficient and would be my first choice. I wouldn't pick intel all things equal, but if there's an insanely low price for a lunar lake laptop then it's viable. And then if it's a gaming laptop you'll likely have an nvidia dGPU in there anyway. Personally I make do with a non-gaming laptop and rely on the 780M iGPU but a toaster could play what I play, YMMV.

I recently had the choice of new laptop or steamdeck, chose the laptop rightly so as the old laptop was skylake. Can't justify both, just bought a controller to use with the laptop instead.

SilentGameTestR · 28 Apr 2025 at 15:03

santa said:
The latest intel generation cpu's aren't terrible at power usage especially now that the drivers have been improved since launch. However, the latest ryzen are very efficient and would be my first choice. I wouldn't pick intel all things equal, but if there's an insanely low price for a lunar lake laptop then it's viable. And then if it's a gaming laptop you'll likely have an nvidia dGPU in there anyway. Personally I make do with a non-gaming laptop and rely on the 780M iGPU but a toaster could play what I play, YMMV.

I recently had the choice of new laptop or steamdeck, chose the laptop rightly so as the old laptop was skylake. Can't justify both, just bought a controller to use with the laptop instead.

Thanks for reply.

I normally wouldnt consider intel, not for IGP performance anyways, but because you can get the MSI Prestige AI Evo with the ultra 5 for under 580 it seems a no brainer. the only other ones cheaper than might be better are the ryzen 5 8640hs laptops. not quite sure how the 760m compares to the ARC, but that being said. 14 core for the price is still an appealing factor. I just need it to be able to support BO6 with the correct drivers and be able to run. But i run that game from xbox/pc game pass which ive been told the deck wont support.

I was only considering the Deck as they seem cool and i do play steam games from time to time, but also being cheaper than a laptop. Obviously they are a secondary device as intended.