did anyone reserve a Steam Deck?

i was hoping to buy a Switch Pro this year and "repurpose" my old launch Switch, but since that's not happening i decided to get a Steam Deck instead.

i started refreshing the reservation page at 9:59 (PST) and after a few refreshes the page loaded and i made the reservation, took about 10 seconds. a minute later the reservation page wouldn't even load though. did anyone else have any luck?

I was getting errors at first but was able to get one 10 minutes or so after the go-live time.

I’m looking forward to it. Hopefully it doesn’t suck 😅

I hit .500 on preordering new handhelds in the last two days. Got the Switch, missed the Steam Deck.

I got in a reservation, still not sure I want one though.

Snagged the 512 version. Started at 10 when they went live, had to retry a number of times and the purchase was pending for…7-8 minutes after I clicked the final button, but I got my confirmation.

It’s interesting tech, and I want to see how it functions. I think it’ll be similar to the Switch in terms of comfort of playing it while holding it with different annoyances. A quality device to use while traveling (if I ever get back to regular work travel) is a good investment for me.

I snagged a 512 version, shows Q2 2022 for me. I was trying for 1hr 17min and finally got an order to go through after retrying every few minutes

Same, managed to get my 512 order in 7 minutes after it went live. Mine shows Q1 2022.

Part of the justification for me is that it's literally a decent laptop computer and can be used as such when not gaming.

got the 256. Shows Q1 2022 for me! I honestly don't know in what country I'll be by then bc I'll be working on my bachelors thesis. So it sounds perfect for me!

I couldn't buy it w Paypal, but once I added steam funds via Paypal it worked...

For those with Q2: are you in the US? Seems like you get it later than Germany? That would be super weird ngl

I snagged a 512 model after about an hour and a half of errors. No idea when mine will deliver.

I ended up getting the mid tier level, but was there a cap on reservations.. i know that orders go out based on earliest reservations, but i assumed the reservations were open indefinitely.

Reserved the 512 version and had no issues reserving at all. I’m guessing that the initial rush might be subsiding. No idea what that means for when I’m eligible to receive though. As others have said, that might be a good thing as I can see initial responses before full commitment.

I just did it a few minutes ago with no problems at all. I got the 512.

Where do you see what quarter it will be available?

Reservation process was a nightmare for me. I started at launch, and wouldn't get the 512GB model until 4 hours later. Now it just works so I also grabbed the 256GB model on my girlfriend's account. Not sure what I'll do with that one... There's a good chance she'll want it for herself (even though she'd never use it so that'd be a massive waste), but we might just give it to her lil sis.

Don't know how you're supposed to tell what batch you're in, but even now when visiting the reservation page it says Q1 for me. Same goes for when I login to my gf's account. Seems like each region gets their own quota, and us Europeans got lucky.

The 64GB model also seems to be quite popular, but I imagine many are gonna regret their decision unless they really just want it to be a pure SteamOS or RetroArch system. But this is a fully-fledged portable PC, and if you intend to install Windows or do any kind of dual-boot setup, you really want that 256GB minimum (the increase in speed is nice as well, I'm sure). You definitely don't wanna run Windows off a micro SD card.

@gloveslipper: @jagerxbomb: Go back to the page to order it while logged in. The buy button for your flavor will change to a cancel button and it will tell you what quarter you are expected to get notified during below it

Q1 2022 for the 512 for me. PROBABLY should have gotten the 256 but... I am not a smart man

@gundato: Thanks! I got Q2 2022

Q1 2022 for me.

Figured it wouldn't hurt to be in the que given the generously low entry fee. Will wait for reviews/previews before giving the purchase more serious thought though. (Although given how much it could save on electric it could conceivibly cover it's own cost within two years of use)

Apparently the SSD is connected via m.2 (as opposed to being soldered), which is a huge deal for maintaining this hardware long-term. Granted it's not intended to be easily user-replaceable, but it still means you could in theory buy the cheapest SKU and upgrade to an m.2 NVME in the future.

@gundato

Q2 2022 for me too

I feel like I may have a screw loose and doing the wacky walk but uh... I just reserved one! It's the middle tier like other's, but it made the most sense considering what they wanted money wise. I did like the top tier anti glare and increased storage, but the cost was a little too rich for me..

The five dollar reserve is no problem, and I am doing Q2 2022. Plenty of time to hear about hands on with the hardware. My experience from other's was that I was expecting to dance with Steam awhile about even getting to order the Steam deck, but it was an immediate confirm, and with Pay pal. Reading the accounts and Jeff's experience, I was taken back, especially as I wasn't completely serious about it.

not interested in buying it sight unseen. Maybe if its good I'll wait for a second revision

@lyndbako: You can't buy one yet.

It's a £4 refundable deposit to reserve a unit should the reviews/previews prove it worthy of purchase.

you can cancel the reservation at any time and get your $5 back, and i'm assuming there will be publications with preview hardware at some point, but i hope this turns out to be cool and don't need to refund.

Reserved one. I will now have to go in and make sure my game has decent controller support across Windows and Linux before it launches :V

I'm really excited about what they said in the Steamworks Developer video though, that they're aiming to get the third-party anti cheat solutions working under Proton by the end of the year. That'll mean that most if not all software will just work out of the box via Steam Play.

2022 year of the Linux desktop confirmed??? /s

So far I don’t see the appeal and will wait until it gets into people’s hands before I’m swayed. Hearing that people are getting potential shipping dates for the middle of next year seems like I might as well wait till then. Doesn’t help that the pre-order window is once again a complete mess.

No, rarely use my Switch portable. So doubt it would get a lot of use form me, when my PC is in reach in any other situation at home.

I won´t lie, i did think about it for a hot minute. That techno lust set in, but i conquered it this time.

I managed to get one within the first 20 minutes or so. Went with the 629 model cus I've saved loads over the last year and some and would like to just spoil myself a bit on something like this. Sad I have to wait so long to get a hand on it though!

I admit I am pretty keen on this (more or less convinced myself to get a windows handheld in early 2021 and was just figuring out what model) but if folk have ANY interest in this they should probably just make a reservation before it opens up tomorrow

5 dollars but fully refundable (as steam credit) to get into the queue and you are going to have plenty of opportunities to see influencers, random folk, and probably even GB do coverage on the device before your window opens up. It looks bad? Just get your 5 bucks back. It looks good? Congrats, you can get it q1/q2 rather than q4 or from a scalper bot.

I'll wait and see how this plays out before I decide if I want to get one or not. Right now, its too expensive and there are too many unknowns about how it will perform and if it will have any lasting power. The battery life of the handheld is something I already think is too low for my taste. Not to mention there is already rumors about there being many revisions in the future, because you can't update the device itself outside of the improving the SSD.

Nah. My need for handheld gaming isn't strong enough that I'm going to early adopt a Valve product. But if they actually stick with it, keep iterating on Proton, and improve the base specs, Steam Deck 2 might interest me.

I reserved, but I'll 100% wait for user reviews. This could replace my console just because it would be a freakin' PC in your hands, and I love that idea.

With AMD's FX super-resolution, this device could be a dream come true. But like I said, I'll wait until reviews come out, how many games work on proton, etc.

I pre-ordered one mostly one the thought I am due for a new gaming computer, but couldn't justify it due to being on the move with kids at home. This accomplishes two things for me.

If the reviews come out end of year that is not good..i'll cancel.

This is meant to be my “I need to be in the same room as my kid but don’t need to give him my full attention and don’t want to throw in his face I’m playing PC video games device.” Managed to snag a reservation for Q1, 2022. It’s zero risk, why not reserve a spot? Worst thing that happens is that it’s a dud, and I cancel and get the credit on my Steam account instead.

I never use the switch portable , and i already have a pc...so it's useless for me

As someone that hasn't had a PC that can run games for 3 years and has been waiting the past year for a GPU, this is a pretty good way to get back into my steam library. I also reserved one for my wife so that we can PC game together for less than my own build. Hoping it isn't a dud, and works with my old steam link.

Got the 64GB one because of the m.2 slot present on all models. I'm not expecting a super easy process of swapping my own SSD in there, but it should be doable.

Also, this thing is going to mostly be an indie/emulation machine, with any AAA games streaming from my PC to the device. So the smaller and slower storage doesn't bother me too much, especially when I pair it with a 512 GB micro SD card.

ordered one and its showing Q1 2022. not entirely sure how good its going to be but i do take long train journeys very regularly so got it for that reason.

I was in the market for a GPD Win/Aya Neo and this came at the perfect time. I have a huge Steam Library and rom collection, so this is a perfect fit for me, as well as fitting the needs of a gaming laptop(ish), since I needed a replacement one.

Linux isn't super compatible with everything on Steam, so I hope this customized version is more successful with more games. Or I may just have to find a way to boot Windows on to it.

I was this close, had it in my cart and everything, but once I calmed down and thought about it rationally, I decided against it. Pre-ordering proves to be more of a fool's errand than not these days, and with this being new tech and all, I really need to see what people think and how useful it will actually be before plopping down cash on it.

It'll be there if I decide I want it. I highly doubt this thing is gonna be flying off shelves.

I put a pre-order in on the mid-tier model. I'm more curious how much the dock is going to be and that'll really determine if I keep this pre-order or not.

I mean, they are reserving out to Q2 2022 right now, so they probably wont be all THAT easy to get if the mood strikes. For a refundable $5 deposit, seems like if you really have any interest at all, wouldnt be a bad use of your time

@cornfed40: They do say that there will be a general sale though, and they'll let you know when it's available normally if you put it on your wishlist. Is Valve known for having supply problems? I've never bought any of their tech before.

@nicksmi56: The Index has been very difficult to get. I was on a waitlist for over three months last year to get one. There were extenuating circumstances, but those circumstances (chip shortage, included) will extend well into next year and beyond. If you have the means, and you think you'll want one, get your name on the list sooner rather than later. It's only $5.

They won't discontinue it after the initial sale or anything, though, so if you want to take a wait and see approach, you totally can.

@nicksmi56: Not to my direct knowledge, but in 2021 at least, EVERYthing has a supply issue, tech especially. Dont see that changing any time soon

@ry_ry: Its not going to look at nice and clean as the official stand, but it should work with any standard dock out there for Laptop/PC. I'm seeing $40~$70 on a quick amazon search for what i assume are lower end versions with varying ports, $100~$200 and even more for i assume higher end docks. And USB-C cable to whatever display port you want i assume is an option for even cheaper. I'm betting about ~$50 for the official one.

@cornfed40: @elby: Thanks for the advice, guys. Maybe I'll put down a pre-order for the lowest price. Can't see myself spending more than PS5 money on this, too rich for my blood.

Though now I'm hearing that the lowest model may not even be worth it. Something about the internal storage being too slow to run big games, even with an SD card helping it?

@nicksmi56: "Too slow" may be coming from someone who's pretty picky. The techradar article I read is someone saying it's 20% slower than a SATA SSD or going back to 2015 speeds... I don't have a PS5, so I can't speak to how game-changing these new speeds are, but I've definitely noticed diminishing returns in load times for PC gaming since getting my first SSD around 2015.

Sounds like typical "PC master race" BS to me. They're noticeably longer loads, but unless I'm comparing them outright, I doubt I'd take any offense at them.

One thing to consider with this generation of gaming though is that new consoles now have storage that's fast - there will be a move away from your traditional "game tip" load screen.

We'll see an increase in loading in the back ground during gaming or asset streaming. Slower drives can cause things like blurry textures ala Mass Effect or Borderlands as they're loaded, or can cause sudden and short dips in frame rates that cause stuttering. You also want to consider that both Windows 10 and Windows 11 will be getting DirectStorage which requires a fast NVME drive.

But if your goal for owning a Deck is to play older titles, emulation, or small and light weight "indie" style games, then eMMC/SD cards will probably work well enough. I'm not sure what you would consider a 'big game', but you won't find many instances where you can have part of the game on one drive, and another part on external storage.

Games like Halo Master Chief Collection and Baldur's Gate 3 are over 100GB. Valheim and Torchlight 2 come in under 2GB. I just uninstalled Doom Eternal and got back 80GB of space.

I'd really advise against a 64GB deck if the thought is to add an NVME drive at a later date unless you're in to tearing down electronics. If it were user replaceable, they'd mention it. Since it's not mentioned, the assumption I have is thin ribbon cables, replacing thermal compound/pads, heat guns, garbage plastic tabs, and adhesive are going to be involved.