For the purposes of this conversation I would say yes
Then again I would count the steam deck more as a console than a PC in most scenarios
Comment on I remember getting a PS3 just to avoid this back then
huskypenguin@sh.itjust.works 7 months ago
Is the steam deck a console?
OrnateLuna@lemmy.blahaj.zone 7 months ago
Kecessa@sh.itjust.works 7 months ago
I count it as a portable mini-PC because the games I’m playing on it are the same I own on PC…
9point6@lemmy.world 7 months ago
Yes. It’s a mass manufactured consumer product with gaming as it’s intended purpose
That’s a console.
EatYouWell@lemmy.world 7 months ago
Consoles typically lock the player into their ecosystem, though. You don’t have to use steam to play games on the deck.
Waluigis_Talking_Buttplug@lemmy.world 7 months ago
I guess that depends on your definition, but really I’d lump it into handheld computer, I’ve owned several, such as the GPD Win
You can install desktop Linux software on it with no need to perform any types of “jailbreak”
OtisRamflow@lemm.ee 7 months ago
It runs desktop Linux natively, steam button, power, switch to desktop.
Dudewitbow@lemmy.zip 7 months ago
So was a launch ps3 not a console because you could install linux as an “OtherOS” before sony revoked thr feature?
Waluigis_Talking_Buttplug@lemmy.world 7 months ago
Again, it’s a loose definition and it’s pointless and purposefully contrarian to argue about it.
520@kbin.social 7 months ago
Depends at what level you define it.
Is it a device purpose built for playing games? Yes.
Is it it's own gaming platform? No.
gornius@lemmy.world 6 months ago
Steamdeck is more console than x86 PC is a platform. I get what you mean, but PS4 and PS5 are too technically x86 PCs. Most modern games’ tightly coupled target are actually APIs they are using.
It can be one click in a compiler to compile the game to ARM PC, but it’s a different story when you port your game engine to console, where you have to implement the same features using different APIs. (E.g. Raytracing, storing game data, connecting to profile, implementing multiplayer etc.).
BolexForSoup@kbin.social 6 months ago
does it have its own bespoke gaming platform?
Sure steam doesn’t fit that definition exactly but I mean…it kind of serves the same purpose.
OtisRamflow@lemm.ee 7 months ago
No, it’s a handheld PC.
Cort@lemmy.world 7 months ago
To be fair, does that make a ps3 running Linux a desktop?
linuxdweeb@lemm.ee 7 months ago
“PC” historically refers to devices that are “IBM PC” compatible, although nowadays that mostly means machines with x86 chips… except that powerful ARM desktops, laptops, and servers are becoming a thing too so that’s not accurate either. Plus there’s that whole “Mac vs PC” ad which also makes the term more confusing.
But even going by the recent historical usage, I’d say the Steam Deck qualifies since it has an x86 chip, whereas the PS3 has a weird custom PowerPC cpu (which, ironically, was made by IBM).
Swedneck@discuss.tchncs.de 6 months ago
really at this point PC just means it’s not locked down to a highly specific software source and lets you change the OS
kick_out_the_jams@kbin.social 7 months ago
All consoles are computers, in the sense that their chips are turing-complete
They don't really make a computer that can only run the things you like and none of the things you don't.
They're just computers locked down by digital rights management with opaque operating systems.