cross-posted from: https://piefed.social/c/battlestations/p/1389168/contemplating-alternative-setup
Here is my current setup. My laptop is an incredible gaming device but I’m kind of hung up on the fact that I don’t much enjoy gaming at my desk. I much prefer to game in a lounging position where I can put my feet up. Because of this, I’m considering splitting my priorities for gaming and browsing into separate devices.
I’m thinking that a mini pc might be a good option for my desk setup. I would use it mostly for browsing, some light server needs, and (possibly?) some light modeling/design work using freecad (for 3d printing shenanigans). I’ve been eyeballing the minisforum um790 pro or something similar.
My gaming needs would likely be outsourced to a handheld pc. I’m pretty set on getting a onexfly and loading it up with bazzite. I know they’re expensive, but the form factor and hardware capability really has me sold on this one. I know it would handle everything I wanted to play on it, and more. I’ve even been wondering if it would be a good daily driver with a dock or something and just omit the mini pc idea altogether.
Why don’t you simply stream the games to your handheld? No matter what handheld you get after a couple of years it will struggle with newer titles, and building a desktop with a discrete GPU that you can upgrade every now and then is the better option in my eyes.
Streaming can be a good option, but it’s not ideal for me personally. I play a fair bit of platformers, so introducing any amount of latency is a no go. Also, I’d rather not run two devices at once. If I was going to have to run my laptop anyway, I’d just go ahead and play it on there instead.
Being able to upgrade (or not) is a valid point. For the mini pc, it wouldn’t really be used for any heavy duty stuff (except maybe some freecad if it was even capable). I suppose a small form factor like that will have certain tradeoffs.
With the handheld pc, I’ve got kind of a similar mindset. Many of the games I will be playing are indie games that will run great, but I can always tune down the settings for the more demanding titles. The particular model I’m looking at is a very capable device, and I think I’d be happy with it for a very long time.
Mind you, you need to research a bit more about this particular handheld, because in handhelds, ergonomics, long term support, etc. all play a very important role.
I have a Steam Deck and while I didn’t try other handhelds, I am quite content with its performance. A lot of people who purchased more powerful handhelds eventually also settled with Steam Deck, due to numerous factors, so just be very careful with that step.
The handheld I’m looking at is the onexfly. Pretty much all of the reviews I’ve read and watched say that it’s an excellent device. The long term support is a good point, I don’t know how much I’d be able to depend on the company since they are based in China, but I am planning on buying it used/refurbished and putting Bazzite on it, so those points are a little less relevant because of that I think.
I actually did own a steam deck for a while and didn’t like physically holding it. It was too heavy, and the ergonomics weren’t right (in my opinion of course).
I appreciate what you’re saying, regardless, but I feel pretty confident that I know what I’m looking for and also what to look out for as well.
Yeah, I checked their webpage. The device looks solid, but finding replacement parts, the lack of touchpads, the higher resolution (1920x1080) will all affect your user experience.
Then there is thermal throttling, battery longevity, storage expandability, etc.
Yes, I am aware of all of those details affecting my user experience. Most of it is in a good way. I don’t find myself needing/wanting touchpads. The higher resolution and refresh rate is certainly a welcome upgrade. Thermal throttling doesn’t seem to be an issue. It has an sd card slot for expandable storage. Battery longevity and replacement parts are valid concerns, but not total dealbreakers.