It's been about four years since Valve will present the Steam DeckI remember being surprised when it launched a "console," but soon after, we began to learn that it was actually a PC inside the body of a portable console. Its success encouraged other manufacturers, such as ASUS, Lenovo, and MSI, to launch their own handhelds, but so far, they all have one problem: the operating system, Windows, isn't the best gaming experience. Well, that's days are numbered if we look at the next mode. xbox full screen.
It's been a few hours since Microsoft has announced the price of its Asus ROG Xbox Ally X. This is a more advanced version than its sister without the X, the same as we found in its non-Xbox variants. The price will be around €900. In that sense, it has little to do with a Steam Deck whose most expensive model is €679, and you can still find them with an LCD screen for less than €400. What's sobering is that full Xbox screen.
Xbox Full Screen is a game changer
Today, When a game runs on SteamOS, the performance is unmatched.Note that I'm not mentioning the Steam Deck, which is somewhat limited in power compared to more powerful Windows handhelds. But the fact is that SteamOS and Proton generally offer better performance, with higher FPS and those kinds of "geeky" stats.
Why? It's simple: besides Linux being generally lighter, SteamOS's Game Mode doesn't load the desktop and lose any weight. On the other hand, Windows 11 is heavier, and the desktop is loaded, along with a lot of other software that runs in the background.
Xbox's full-screen mode will come to the rescue. Initially, it will only be available for handheld with Windows and is now available in preview. From what I've been able to investigate, It can also be activated on normal computers, and that's a stab straight into the heart of SteamOS.
Multitasking in game mode
Like SteamOS, Xbox Full Screen It also allows multitaskingThe main difference is that SteamOS closes a game if you open a second one, but Microsoft's proposal will allow games to be paused or suspended. Does this make much sense? I'm not one to jeopardize a game's progress to open another, but it's a possibility. App multitasking does seem fine to me and makes sense..
The ability to use it on regular computers is something I'm interested in. Currently, my "TV Box" is a Chinese mini PC that comes with Windows 11, and while I don't complain much about its performance, it does feel slow at times. I could add my apps to Microsoft's Game Mode and use an interface more similar to what Smart TVs offer.
Why it's not a full Game Over for the Steam Deck
The Steam Deck won't die with this Windows 11 feature. The reason is found in the priceWindows consoles come with a system that requires a license, which increases the price. They also tend to add a bit more hardware to achieve similar performance, and we end up with similar consoles for about €200-300 more than the Steam Deck.
But there's no denying that Microsoft's advances are significant. Using Windows guarantees full compatibility, and it remains to be seen whether the market for handheld or console computers will grow to the point where we'll spend €900 on one, as we already do with cell phones. Because Steve Ballmer laughed at the price they introduced the iPhone at in 2007, saying that no one would want to pay $500 on a contract. The fact is, the smartphone market has reached a point where people are paying more than $2000 for foldable phones.
I can't imagine that future. If performance improves, compatibility is complete, and the price doesn't change much further, we'll see what happens with the Steam Deck.