Technologies

Steam Deck Has Evolved Into an Amazing Handheld Gaming Device

Thanks to a steady stream of software updates and strong support from game-makers, the Steam Deck has become a handheld gaming device worth buying.

Almost everything about the Steam Deck screams first-generation hardware. It’s a little awkward and clunky, sometimes even creaky. The screen has an oversized bezel that makes it feel small within the hulky body. The button layout isn’t especially ergonomic. And especially during its initial months, getting games to play on it sometimes required wrestling the system into submission, using updates, tweaks and hacks to get software running passably.

And yet, after my initial review, I came back to this handheld gaming PC from Valve, time and time again.

Originally, I said it was best for serious PC gamers who were used to the trial-and-error process of getting games to run on different types of computer hardware.

Now, after a year of steady feature updates to its SteamOS software and widely increased out-of-the-box support for major game releases, the Steam Deck is a much different animal. I’d say it’s good enough now that even gamers used to the plug-and-play ease of a Nintendo Switch could probably swing it.

Valve Steam Deck handheld console showing game selection screen — Dan Ackerman/CNET

Steady evolution

Since its initial release in February last year, the Steam Deck has upgraded or added functionality including better overall performance, smarter cooling and fan speed options, increased compatibility with a massive number of Steam games, better control and sorting of your game library, numerous UI improvements, midgame suspension for quick shutdowns, big improvements to control customization, and better support for expanded microSD storage.

Both Valve and other companies have expanded the Steam Deck’s capabilities through accessories, including docking stations for connecting the system to a TV or monitor and numerous skins, cases and kickstands.

The end result is that the Steam Deck feels like a reasonably polished PC gaming tool now, which is amazing considering it starts at $399 (£349), with two upgraded storage models at $529 and $649. Similar products like the new Razer Edge cost around the same but do less. A lot less.

Steam Deck

$399 at Steam

Making the games the star

The actual hardware, frankly a bit on the underpowered side for a budget gaming PC, isn’t the big selling point. It’s the ability to play PC games, from big new releases to cult indie games, with the convenience of a handheld.

Recently, I’ve been playing Hogwarts Legacy on the Steam Deck, where it runs great (and better than a promised eventual Nintendo Switch version ever will) and Marvel’s Midnight Suns, which took a couple of months to get properly patched for Steam Deck. Games that have worked really well for me include Hard West 2, Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection and Baldur’s Gate 3. Other games that are a natural for Steam Deck include Elden Ring, No Man’s Sky (despite a bug that wiped my saved progress), Vampire Survivors and The Witcher 3.

Valve has gotten better at figuring out which games will work well on the Steam Deck and making that information available to gamers, plus there’s a lot of community suggestions that go beyond the official «great for Steam Deck» tag.

More work to do

That doesn’t mean the Steam Deck is a flawless device. After all, there’s only so much you can do via software updates when the actual hardware is static. Battery life remains an issue — graphically intense games can run for maybe two hours before you need to plug in.

And not all Steam games run, or run well. You’ll often have to drop the graphics settings or compromise on frame rate to make a new game playable. In this area, the Steam Deck’s low screen resolution of 1,280×800 pixels is what allows for a lot of games to play well.

Playing via a TV or monitor through a dock or USB-C-to-HDMI cable isn’t ever going to be great, because often you’ll be playing at higher resolutions than the device can really drive, or else playing at a lower resolution than your 4K screen is capable of. In those cases, an Xbox or PS5 is going to give you a better overall experience.

Getting access to games outside of the Steam ecosystem, including cloud streaming games, remains a hassle — you have to install Microsoft Edge via the Linux-based desktop mode and do a bunch of extra setup from there. Same goes for adding games from other PC gaming storefronts like GOG and the Epic Game Store. Yes, this is a Steam-based product, but PC gamers expect to be able to play games from multiple sources, and they’re right to do so.

The biggest hurdle the Steam Deck faces is that its AMD CPU and GPU aren’t getting any younger, and more powerful components — along with design and ergonomic improvements, a better screen and improved battery life — are on everyone’s must-have list for a Steam Deck 2. There’s no real idea of when that might happen, but the Steam Deck is enough of a hit that a new version is almost guaranteed.

I don’t have any specific insight, but I suspect it’s at least a year or more away. So if you’re interested in buying a Steam Deck for around $500 — I recommend the middle model with 256GB and adding your own microSD card for additional storage — it’s a safe bet to invest now without too much upgrade anxiety.

Valve’s previous hardware initiatives, including the Steam Machine and Steam Controller, never really got out of the gate. With the Steam Deck, the company finally has a genuine hardware hit on its hands. Even better, for me (and I suspect a lot of other people) it has reinvigorated my appreciation for the wide world of PC gaming.

Today’s NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for Nov. 27 #634

Here are hints and answers for the NYT Strands puzzle for Nov. 27, No. 634.

Looking for the most recent Strands answer? Click here for our daily Strands hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Today’s NYT Strands puzzle has a holiday theme. Some of the answers are difficult to unscramble, so if you need hints and answers, read on.

I go into depth about the rules for Strands in this story.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections and Mini Crossword answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: NYT Connections Turns 1: These Are the 5 Toughest Puzzles So Far

Hint for today’s Strands puzzle

Today’s Strands theme is: With gratitude.

If that doesn’t help you, here’s a clue: Today’s the day.

Clue words to unlock in-game hints

Your goal is to find hidden words that fit the puzzle’s theme. If you’re stuck, find any words you can. Every time you find three words of four letters or more, Strands will reveal one of the theme words. These are the words I used to get those hints but any words of four or more letters that you find will work:

MALE, MALES, DIAL, THEY, HONK, WRIT, ENDS, HEAL

Answers for today’s Strands puzzle

These are the answers that tie into the theme. The goal of the puzzle is to find them all, including the spangram, a theme word that reaches from one side of the puzzle to the other. When you have all of them (I originally thought there were always eight but learned that the number can vary), every letter on the board will be used. Here are the nonspangram answers:

FOOD, LIFE, FAMILY, FRIENDS, HEALTH, WORK, COMMUNITY

Today’s Strands spangram

Today’s Strands spangram is THANKFUL. To find it, start with the T that’s five letters down on the far-left row, and wind up and across.

Toughest Strands puzzles

Here are some of the Strands topics I’ve found to be the toughest in recent weeks.

#1: Dated slang, Jan. 21. Maybe you didn’t even use this lingo when it was cool. Toughest word: PHAT.

#2: Thar she blows! Jan.15. I guess marine biologists might ace this one. Toughest word: BALEEN or RIGHT.

#3: Off the hook, Jan. 9. Similar to the Jan. 15 puzzle in that it helps to know a lot about sea creatures. Sorry, Charlie. Toughest word: BIGEYE or SKIPJACK.

Technologies

Google’s Pixel Buds Pro 2 Just Hit a New Low of $134 in Amazon’s Black Friday Sale

We’ve never seen these earbuds fall this low, but we don’t expect this deal to last for long.

If you’re in the market for a new pair of earbuds this Black Friday, now’s your chance to get them. We’ve found a great discount on the Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 thanks to the Cyber Week festivities. They’re among the best wireless earbuds as our top pick for Android users and, at just $134, they’re a bargain to boot.

That’s a new low for these earbuds, but do be aware that it only applies to the moonstone color currently. That could change at any moment, though, so make sure to check the price of the other colors if moonstone isn’t your thing. Either way, we don’t expect this price to last for long, so order sooner rather than later.

The earbuds provide noticeably improved sound quality and noise cancellation compared to their predecessor. They’re built with Google’s powerful Tensor A1 chip and designed to offer rich, immersive sound. It’s the first time a Google Tensor chip has been featured in any earbuds and the result is robust active noise cancellation and advanced sound.

The Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 earbuds deliver deep bass with their built-in 11 mm drivers and a new high-frequency chamber for smoother treble. CNET’s audio expert David Carnoy noted that compared to the original Pixel Buds Pro, «there’s more depth and richness to the sound with better overall definition and extension.» Read his full review of the Pixel Buds Pro 2 to get the full lowdown.

These buds also got a design upgrade, with Google making them 27% smaller and 24% lighter to securely fit even more ear types. If you want to wear them during workouts, there’s a twist-to-adjust stabilizer to help lock your earbuds in place while you’re moving around and sweating.

There’s also a conversation detection feature that pauses your music and switches your earbuds to the transparency mode if you start talking. And with an impressive 30-hour battery life, you can listen to all your favorite songs, audiobooks and podcasts for hours on end without having to recharge.

HEADPHONE DEALS OF THE WEEK

Sony WH-1000XM5 Wireless Noise Canceling Headphones (Black):

$248 (save $152)
Beats Studio Pro Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones (Black):

$170 (save $181)
Apple AirPods Max ANC Wireless Headphones (USB-C Charging, Midnight):

$400 (save $150)
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones:

$298 (save $131)
Bose QuietComfort Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones:

$199 (save $150)

Deals are selected by the CNET Group commerce team, and may be unrelated to this article.

Why this deal matters

At $134, these earbuds are a great buy thanks to advanced active noise cancellation, impressive sound quality and a lengthy battery life. The current deal makes the Pixel Buds Pro 2 earbuds cheaper than ever. But the deal won’t be around for long, so act fast if you want to take advantage of this awesome discount.

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Technologies

Apple Desperately Needs to Launch a Foldable iPhone Flip Next Year

Commentary: Apple is the only major phone company without a folding phone. That needs to change in 2026.

Apple’s iPhone 17 came and went and while we certainly love the iPhone 17 Pro and its vibrant cosmic orange color, I can’t help but be disappointed that the long-rumored foldable iPhone Flip wasn’t part of the company’s September launch event. Most Android phone-makers, including Samsung, Google, Motorola, OnePlus, Xiaomi and Honor are multiple generations into their own folding phone lineups, and it’s beginning to feel like Apple is late to the party. That might be a problem.

Apple dominates in the premium phone category, but foldables — which fit into the premium space in terms of price — are already nipping at its heels, with Motorola telling CNET that 20% of customers buying its Razr foldable jumped ship from Apple. Meanwhile, Samsung is in the seventh generation of its Flip and Fold series. As Lisa Eadicicco discovered during a visit to Seoul, «foldables are everywhere» in Samsung’s home country of South Korea.

With nearly every major Android phone-maker entering the foldable market, Apple risks losing potential customers. It also runs the risk of letting a rival like Samsung become the go-to name for foldables, which could make it harder for Apple to make an impact if it eventually launches its own device. Furthermore, early adopters drawn to foldable tech may be too entrenched in the Android ecosystem by the time Apple’s phone arrives to want to switch to iOS.

Apple is unlikely to be worried. It’s estimated that around 20 million foldables from all manufacturers were sold worldwide in 2023, while Apple reportedly sold 26.5 million iPhone 14 Pro Max handsets in the first half of that year alone. In 2024, foldable sales were flat — and 2025 isn’t fairing much better, according to analysts at CounterPoint Research, although Samsung did report record numbers of preorders for its latest foldable. Clearly, Apple feels it has yet to miss the boat.

Apple has always found success in biding its time, observing the industry and launching its own take on a product when it’s ready. Apple didn’t invent phones, tablets, smartwatches or computers, but it found ways to take existing products and make them more useful, more valuable in day-to-day life and — dare I say — more exciting. It’s why the iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Mac lines dominate the market today.

For me, I need to see Apple’s take on the foldable phone. I’ve written before about how disappointed I am in foldables. I’ve been a mobile reporter for over 14 years and phones have become increasingly dull as they’ve converged to become slight variations on the same rectangular slab.

Read more: Best Flip Phone for 2025

Foldables promised something new, something innovative, something that briefly sparked some excitement in me, but several years in, that excitement has dwindled to the point of being extinguished. They are fine products and while I like the novelty of a screen that bends, they’re not a revolution in how we interact with our phones. Not in the way that the arrival of the touchscreen was when we were still pushing buttons to type out texts.

I did hope that Google’s Pixel Fold would be the phone to catapult the foldable forward, and while the recent Pixel 10 Pro Fold — the second generation of Google’s foldable — does offer some great updates, it still doesn’t offer any kind of revolution. Instead, it feels more like a «me too» move from Google. Ditto for the OnePlus Open. So I’m left instead to look toward Apple, a company with a track record for product revolutions, to create a new take on the genre that genuinely drives forward how we use our phones.

That innovation won’t just come from the product design. Apple works closely with its third-party software developers, and it’s that input that would help a folding iPhone become genuinely useful. My biggest complaint around foldables right now is that while the hardware is decent, the devices are essentially just running standard versions of Android with a handful of UI tweaks thrown in. They’re regular phones that just happen to bend.

Few Android developers are embracing the folding format, and it’s not difficult to see why; the users aren’t there in sufficient numbers yet to justify the time and expense to adapt their software across a variety of screen sizes. The multiple folding formats already available mean Android foldables face the same fragmentation issue that has plagued the platform since the beginning. Android-based foldables are simply a more difficult platform for developers to build for than regular phones. Apple would be able to change that, as it proved with the iPhone and iPad.

Given Apple’s close relationships with top-tier developers — not to mention its own vast developer team — I expect an eventual Apple foldable to offer innovations that make it more than just an iPhone that folds in half.

And I truly hope it does. I want to look forward to tech launches again. I want to feel excited to get a new gadget in my hands and feel that «wow» moment as I do something transformative for the first time.

In short, I don’t want to be bored by technology anymore. Apple, it’s over to you.