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.
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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 onxfly. 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.
Nice setup! ☺️ Good to see another Freetube and Lofi fan in the wild!
Thanks! I’m glad Freetube has been working again recently. That last outage lasted a while… Lofi girl keeps me sane, lol
You can configure Freetube to use an Invidious instance and also add mpv as external player. One of those usually works whenever Google messes with their obfuscation.
PipePipe can also be used on desktop through Waydroid.
Good tips, and thank you!
Just a suggestion. You might want to look into getting a decent chair and foot support first. Something like a cushioned office chair, the more “executive” looking ones, where even the arm support is cushioned.
Sit at your current desktop with what you currently have, and write down all the measurements that feel comfortable to you. More important: floor-to-butt, butt-to-head, and butt-to-elbow, width of chair (space between elbows). Whatever chair you get, make sure your head and arms are supported. With that, you can look for a good office chair that fits your particular measurements.
The leg-foot support, if it doesn’t exist for your measures, can easily be done with wood.
I had this stuff done, and nowadays I “lounge” on my desktop. I tried the handheld way, and ended up hating it. The couch makes me lean forward, my arms can’t hold the device for long, and most of the games I play look too small on the screen.
I do appreciate the suggestions. I think my current chair/desk/footrest measurements/positioning are all pretty decent for me though. I just like being able to game in an inclined position, instead of sitting upright. I currently have a handheld that runs on android, and it’s pretty great, but the ecosystem is still just too much of a compromise for me.
Steam Deck
If you already have a decent gaming PC you can game on it through your steam deck (or other handheld) with Steam Link. The deck will of course also work just fine by itself. There are more powerful handhelds but they’re all pretty pricey. If you mainly game at home, the PC is a better option IMO.
Steam Deck + Moonlight was a game changer for me. Played and beat Alan Wake 2 from my couch and bed. Steam Link had too high of latency for me.
Steam Link had too high of latency for me.
Wifi or ethernet?
Yes, I am aware of the streaming options. I would rather not have to run two devices at the same time though. Thanks for the suggestion.
I know it’s a contentious opinion, but the Steam Deck has a form factor that doesn’t work for me. It is a fantastic device, but I need something different.
Not sure what other type of computer aside from a Deck or Laptop that would be functional enough for “lounging” while computing though, unless I’m misunderstanding what you mean.
There are lots of other handheld PC’s on the market (Steam Deck is the obvious choice, and arguably the best option because of the value).
The one I have been eyeballing is the onexfly. It’s got a better form factor (in my opinion), better screen, and better hardware. Yes they’re more money, but for something as uncompromising I think it would be worth the investment to me.
If your space is conducive to it (and if your motivation is just to game with your feet up, not actually to travel with the handheld), have you considered just getting a decent sized TV and mirroring the laptop’s primary monitor to it (and putting it in front of an armchair or whatever) so you’ve got somewhere to game that isn’t at your desk, but doesn’t require buying a whole new PC?
That option did occur to me, but I’m not entirely sure that my space would allow for it… Also, even though my laptop is pretty powerful, I’m not sure how taxing that would be on it. My laptop’s screen is capable of a high refresh rate, and ideally I would want to still be able to take advantage of that.
I can’t imagine living without a numpad.
I can imagine it.
I have lived it.And now I have a NumPad, even at the expense of it not fitting my bag.
Ok, that is a fair criticism and it’s definitely been on my list for a while now, but for now I just use the one on the laptop itself.
