I like the idea of a more ambient PC gaming lifestyle, where I can hop on my Deck to check out the latest Baldur's Gate 3 patch while sipping a beer at a dive bar while waiting for some friends, or poke at an Elden Ring boss on the train. Once I clock out, I fill my backpack with stuff I might wanna dip into if the occasion arises: books, swimming shorts, and now, a whole-ass gaming PC.

My biggest problem with PC gaming is that it's usually tied to a desk in an isolated room away from friends and family, and the last thing I wanna do after working at a desk all day is stay sitting to play some games.

Pro: I don't want to bring a gaming laptop to a bar. A Razer Blade 14 (opens in new tab) is significantly more expensive, sure, but if you're thinking of dropping $650 on a 512GB Steam Deck, I feel like you're on your way there. Con: If we're plugging it in all the time, then why not just get a gaming laptop? You can use it for work or school or for writing your spec script about a haunted oak tree and emailing it to Netflix, and it also has all your Steam games on it.

Steam phone games