That Linux users want to be different to the rest of the world isn’t a counterpoint.

This is one of those “if you have to ask, it isn’t for you” type things. If you’re confused, go for the SD card, the difference is negligible.

Just play some games. All the bollocks people mess about with makes almost no difference outside a few edge cases, and we don’t even know if the OLED will benefit from them still given its better cooling and memory bandwidth.

The only Steam Deck specific thing worth suggesting is playing Aperture Desk Job first because it’s free, basically exists to check everything is working and show you what it can do.

You can upgrade the SSD, but he will need be to competent and careful, there’s a few stories on here of newbies being talked in to upgrading the SSD when they weren’t capable of it and killing the device. It’s as easy as such upgrades can possibly be though (on the old version, we don’t actually know if it’s as easy with the new one yet).

With that said, it takes micro SD cards for extra storage, and the difference is almost non existent. He’ll be fine with the 512GB version and a 512GB/1TB micro SD card as long as it’s a good quality one.

The new one is definitely worthwhile though. Between higher storage, a far better screen, and better thermals which seem to provide more stable performance, it is a much better idea.

If you can’t afford it that means you got the 64GB version. In which case you can now return it and buy a 256GB version for the same amount.