Here’s your answer.
I think Cyberpunk 2077 at high-settings, is the benchmark requirement right now for youngsters.
I personally would love Half Life Alyx on VR.
For both these games, the graphics card will cost an awful lot.
So, best to get some min/max specs from those games, and choose the graphic card that will support them at high frame-rates. 60fps bare minimum.
Then build the PC around the graphics card. But really, $2000 is insane for a youngster, just for this year’s releases.
A static PC tower is not really child-friendly anyway, as their bedroom quickly turns into a high-tech prison cell. Also, it’s complicated to take it away, if you wish to apply some needed discipline, or game-time restrictions.
Much better to have a smaller, but more modern ‘device’. But read on.
I’m not sure people are buying PS5’s, for whatever reason - although they are pushing them now at toddlers in TV ads here in the UK. Like the PC tower, I don’t think they make sense for an active youngster.
There is the Steamdeck to consider. Please read on. Before tonight, Steamdeck was just a name to me.
I remember when the Nintendo Gamegear came out late 80’s, with Sonic the Hedgehog. People couldn’t put it down. That and the original Gameboy were super little machines. But this was before Megadrives and PC’s - which then anchored kids to TV’s. Technology has now caught up, and is miniaturised enough to make something really small, tactile, yet powerful.
The Steamdeck is like an internet Gamegear, but with huge power, and with access to millions of games. Unless your friend has a specific game in mind, a Steam account might be a good start.
Sometimes kids don’t know what they want until they’ve got it, after all.
I guess the Steamdeck can mirror to a big screen, and obviously has online multi-player capabilities, depending on the game.
The only one to consider is the top spec 1TB glass-screened Oled model. Better battery-life, better wi-fi. Games can be stored on extra SD-cards too. Around $650 new, plus a Steam account.
There are even ultra-hacked after-market versions!
Available now.
www.steamdeck.com
Go beyond handheld mode.
www.ign.com
I’m going to look at the Steamdeck right now. If I find anything interesting I’ll report back.
Edit. You can buy powered docks for the Steamdeck, that will output to a bigger gaming monitor, and then use a separate controller which you can bash about. The dock can also hold SD cards, and some can support big HDD’s, for huge libraries of games.
You can just plug a USB-C to HDMI adaptor into it anyway, but you don’t want to be waving the thing around with any cables connected - which is why a dock at home is best, and battery-powered handheld/standalone on the move, or for physical games.
So, if your friend can narrow down a list of games required - have a look and see if Steam support them. This might be your best option, rather than building a $2000 PC.
ProtonDB is the current database for Steam-compatible PC games.
A fully kitted out Steamdeck Oled with dock and controller and SD card will be around $800. Then any fast monitor that can go to 90hz, is ideal. He/She might already have one - even 60hz is do-able.
The Steamdeck also contains a 6-way low-latency gyro-sensor. So can be used as a steering wheel for the latest driving games etc.
Steamdeck can install multiple operating systems - so can be a Windows computer for other stuff - like homework! Lol. The official Steam dock is only £60. Basically turning your Steamdeck into a Windows desktop computer. It can be controlled by Bluetooth devices like a mouse or keyboard, and you can hook up a USB-C hub to it too. This opens up gaming possibilities too, if the friends are into a niche Windows-based game. I think it’s possible.
The Steam game library is truly massive. From Space Invaders right the way through to recent releases.
50 years of gaming, in something you can hold in one hand!
Lastly, the real good news.
Cyberpunk 2077 is now a verified game to play on Steamdeck!!!
So it really is a true up to date gaming contender.
Fortnight can definitely be played if you install Windows on the Steamdeck.
Roblox isn’t so friendly with Steamdeck, due to it’s anti-cheat mechanism, but there are successful workarounds if you reduce security temporarily.
Plenty of online help pages to get you there.
And for me..
Half-Life Alyx, Valve's stellar FPS game, is now playable on Steam Deck and without the need for a VR headset, thanks to an ambitious new mod, out now.
www.pcgamesn.com
Wow. What a great little machine.
I think if you dumped one of these in their hands, they won’t be disappointed.
Do get the dock, extra controller, monitor-cable and a big SD card to go with the 1TB Oled Steamdeck - and that is one hell of a setup.
Add a Bluetooth mouse, keyboard and headset if needed.
The Steamdeck has an onscreen keyboard anyway, and the twin trackpads make cursor movement easy.
I think it’s awesome, and the screen is a good size.
Available now.
www.steamdeck.com
Looks really great, and futuristic.
If they have a younger sister or brother, then the base model Steamdeck is much, much cheaper - and they can have fun playing each other online, if both have one. The Steamdeck does support two controllers, so two players can play on one machine. The Steam controllers have gyro.
Steam are also offering up to 20% off on refurbished units.
