so the title says it all. if you’re willing to read my situation, thank you.
Married, Father of two. Recently purchased a gaming laptop that’s around PS4 quality. But I play GTA V, Ace Combat 7, PS2 via PCSX(only my own ROM copies, really), nothing FPS, and sadly nothing new has really piqued my interest(maybe starfield?) PC game purchases are either Steam or GOG.
I usually play games away from the kids as I don’t particularly like them seeing Dad gunning down people(but they’re really bad people!) And while attached to the wall I can play to my heart’s content, battery power is pitiful with the dgpu activated. I need a desk and controller to play, so it’s as akward as ipad gaming and lap burningly hot when I try to play on the sofa.
As a Dad, I have very little time for personal entertainment. maybe an hour daily, up to 3 hours if I decide to cut into sleep.
As a Dad, purchases for my own use have to go through a pretty long vetting/authorization process. That gaming PC I mentioned above was telegraphed a year in advance(hey my current pc is having hardware issues, hey my current pc is ungodly slow and I can’t help w/ the kids online homework, hey my current pc is almost 10 years old…) It’s a gaming PC, but I also use it to edit premiere for my tiny YT channel
From what I can tell, the steamdeck can give me comprable or less gaming performance than my gaming PC, in a much more portable, single piece hardware that I can play on the couch, staying in the same room as my wife and kids while they do other stuff in the living room. the convenience is appealing, but I’m just thinking of the energy I’d need to put into it to get a clear OK as opposed to the side eye and comments such a purchase out of the blue would create, just for the ability to do something I can do already on my gaming pc(albeit a little less easier if I had a steamdeck)
I’m personally thinking I’d rather spend that kind of energy on a future, more capable steamdeck 2, on the off chance some new game I want to play comes out my pc can’t handle.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m happily married, and get along great with my wife, but I’ve noticed I get the stinkeye a lot more for any purchases for myself that are solely entertainment related
Hey buddy. Don’t be feeling like you got to justify anything. Just don’t put your wants ahead of the needs of the family.
You work, you provide, and sometimes Dad deserves a toy.
You don’t muzzle the oxen that treads out the corn.
That is to say, if you are working to provide like you do, then what is it if you dip into the cash you are making?
Make sure the bills are paid, make sure Christmas is covered if you all celebrate it, and that everyone will have their needs met. If you meet all those criteria and still got the dosh, then live a little. Can’t take that money with you when you leave here noway. Just take the side eye and do something nice in return like wash the dishes or something. Give her a big ol’ smooch and tell her you love her. Or cook a fancy meal.
That’s how I really feel about it.
Now if you actually want talked out of it?
It’s flash in the pan tech. There’s gonna be another new thing in a year or two or three that’ll grab your attention then too. You’ll want it too. You’ll live if you don’t get it. You could just buy a lap desk off of Amazon to sit the PC on for way under the price of the OLED or the LCD.
I don’t feel like that at all.
It’ll probably in reality revolutionize your recreational time with freedom of movement and access to instant gaming. Beware of taking it to bed with you, you may never be asleep at a decent hour. It won’t run everything silky smooth 60 fps highest graphical settings in every game always, but it sure will play a ton of games. Some that are even in “playable” status or “unverified” or “unsupported” and not “verified” will be smooth like butter. Add to that that you can do emulation on it and easily pull off all the way up to the PS3 era, and you’ve got a crazy little toy in your hands there.
Do buy a nice grip case, some thumb grips for the control sticks, and a nice screen protector alright? Merry Christmas.