I’m getting a 64gb steam deck probably next month. It will be used as a portable console and a desktop PC for work (desktop reliant websites). The most heavy game I’ll play is Stray (no 1st person shooters, MMOs or huge open worlds) with an hour or two of play time a day.

I plan to get a 3rd party dock, a screen protector and a case. I will wait until around black friday for those.

Is it necessary to get a ssd? Or will the 128gb micro SD card I have will be okay for one downloaded game at a time?

Main issue is the heat. Will a case make the SD hotter? Will having a JSAUX backplate or a fan matter to keep the console cooler during playing? From what I’ve read, people say the backplates will still get heated after so many minutes of playing. The fans seems to put vaccume pressure on the actual fan and will cause it to stop working in the near future. I want to prioritize coolness before getting everything else.

  •  Mambert   ( @Mambert@beehaw.org ) 
    5•11 months ago

    From what I’ve seen:

    Many of the fans seem to be such different sizes, placements, etc. It seems like no one really knows how to cool the steam deck from the back at this time.

    I have also never seen someone’s default steam deck getting overheating issues. But I don’t work for valve’s warranty/RMA department.

    Personally, I haven’t had any issues playing GTAV on my steam deck directly in my lap. A friend of mine has the JSAUX plastic back plate, their thermal pad doesn’t fit flush, and removing the thermal pad doesn’t affect temperature more or less than the original.

    I am of the opinion that no accessory is needed for 1-2 hours of play in terms of cooling, it will be fine for years to come. Battery, however, will be your main issue. I’d get an external battery, and some companies make cases that can hold the battery to the back.

    Let me know if you need any help getting your steam deck set up! Or if you need any advice on some things you should do first with your SD.