Can I access my SSDs that I have all of my movies stored on with a steam deck like I would a laptop?

Yes, but you’ll want a dock or hub for this because the Deck has just 1 USB port, which means if you plug in an external SSD you can’t charge the Deck at the same time.

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What type of games work best on the deck?

Indies and any game that came out for last gen consoles (eg XB1/PS4). Current gen games will oftentimes work, albeit with sacrifices to performance or visuals. With last gen games you don’t need to make sacrifices for the most part.

And emulation. The Deck is an emulation beast.

What are some other advantages of the deck compared to a laptop?

More portability. Take up less space in your cramped cabin. More comfy to play in bed. SteamOS is generally simpler and more console-like in gaming mode, so you spend less time messing around getting games working than you would with a windows device. Much better price for the performance you get. You ain’t getting a credible gaming laptop that can do what this thing does for the price Valve’s asking, especially since the LCD Decks got huge price cuts.

Downside is less horsepower, so games will generally run worse.

For casual gaming it’s more comfortable if you trying to relax you can chill in bed or have 1 hour break you can pull it out and play example emulator like Switch games.

It’s not good when it comes to AAA games and 60fps gaming unless those are smaller games or emulators. You can still play Cyberpunk etc at 30fps low settings.

Battery will last you around 60-120min depending on how intensive game is and power settings.

As someone who is a big PC gamer in general I love my Steam Deck, but could not see myself only gaming on it. I like the bells and whistles so I want to play Alan Wake 2 and Cyberpunk in all it’s glory. I want to be able to play Crusader Kings 3 or say FPS games online with a mouse and keyboard. Having said that, I adore the Steam Deck and it’s an awesome compliment. I can continue a save seamlessly on the deck and some games like indies or JRPG I think are just better and more comfortable handheld. But if I didn’t have a PC I would get a desktop or laptop ahead of the Steam Deck for sure, but that might just be me and my somewhat unhealthy hardware obsession.

If you’re going to be playing near a power outlet, go with the laptop. If you’re going to be playing mostly on battery power go with deck.

I had a Switch when I was offshore and it worked out really well. I now live in a van every other week and the Steam Deck is great. After a 12+ hour shift, it’s nice to lay your bunk and zone out to a game.

If you want to watch media, I’d suggest a laptop. Holding up the steam deck to watch something for an extended period of time might get old. I keep a 13” MacBook with me for that purpose. It’s light and thin, and you can also use it as an external monitor for the Steam Deck if you want to play on a bigger screen.