The Steam Deck is an awesome bit of kit, which hopefully everyone will have known after reading my review, and a big part of that is that it's not 'only' a handheld console - it's a handheld computer .
So, not only can it play a huge library of Steam games , including many of the best PC games in the world, the Linux-based Steam OS 3.0 operating system it runs on can be used in desktop mode, essentially turning it into a super-portable PC.
So, that got me thinking: could I actually ditch my work laptop, and instead use a Steam Deck? How comfortable would it be to work on, or would it even be feasible? Well, in the interest of science, for the past week that's exactly what I've done, and here's what I've found.
Living with limitations
The first part of my ultra-scientific experiment was planning what I would be using the Steam Deck for, and working around its limitations. It is, after all, a device that's primarily used for gaming.
So, you can use the trackpads on the Steam Deck as mouse control, and there's an onscreen keyboard that can be used. But, just because it can be used, doesn't mean it should be used.
I've used the trackpad and onscreen keyboard on the Steam Deck in desktop mode enough to know that is no way on Earth I'll be using them for writing emails or articles. While the trackpad is fine, the onscreen keyboard in Desktop mode is buggy and awkward (using it in the default mode on the Steam Deck is fine, though). Using it to type out complicated commands in the Linux terminal is something I never want to go through again.
As the bulk of my work is hitting keys to make words that you read with your eyes (the technical term is 'writing'), this just won't do.
The good news is that you can plug just about any USB hub into the Steam Deck via its USB-C port, and that allows you to attach various peripherals.
It just so happens that every desk in the office has a USB hub . This is usually for plugging in work laptops, but as a man of science, I plugged my Steam Deck into the one on my desk instead.
Straight away my Asus ROG gaming keyboard and Razer mouse flashed into life, and I was able to use them to control the Steam Deck. There was an issue, however: the plugged in monitor didn't pick up a signal.
Blank screen blues
After unplugging and reinserting various cables, the monitor remained resolutely blank. While it would be possible to use the keyboard and mouse, and stick with the Steam Deck's 7-inch screen, that wouldn't be an amazing experience.
A search of the internet didn't give me any hints to what could be wrong, but then I had one of my famous Very Good Ideas. The dock was connected to the monitor via DisplayPort. Would switching to HDMI work?
After finally locating a HDMI cable (everything in the office seemed to be using DisplayPort), I connected it all up and... it worked!
I then promptly broke it again.
When you plug in a monitor, Steam OS pops up a dialogue box asking if you want to mirror the main screen of the Steam Deck on the monitor, or want to extend the display. I panicked and picked to mirror the screen. Do not do this.
What it ended up doing was making the monitor look awful with an ultra-low resolution, and somehow changed the rotation and aspect ratio of the Steam Deck's screen. It looked awful and was almost impossible to use.
'No worries' I thought, 'I'll just unplug the monitor and then plug it in again.' The Steam Deck laughed at me in Linux.
Unplugging the monitor... did nothing. Well, it turned the monitor off. But the Steam Deck's screen remained screwed up.
'No worries' I thought. 'I'll plug the monitor back in, and the dialogue box will reappear and I'll choose the right option.
The Steam Deck laughed at me in Linux. No dialogue box appeared.
Restarting didn't help either. In the end, I plugged the monitor back in, blindly clicked until I managed to open up the Settings app, then manually changed the resolution, aspect ratio and rotation of the screens myself.
After some fiddling, I managed to extend the display, with the monitor showing in 1080p, with the Steam Deck back to its 1,280 x 800 resolution. All was well.
Getting to work
Once I'd sorted out the mess I'd made, I was able to get to work. I'm lucky because I mainly use Google Docs for word processing and our own CMS, which are both accessed through a web browser.
The Steam Deck comes with Firefox installed, but the publisher I work for uses G Suite from Google, so for a (slightly) easier life, I installed Chrome, which is a simple process with the Steam Deck, as I just used the Discover app store, which Stream OS uses, and makes installing apps quick and easy.
Once I had installed Chrome and signed in, my bookmarks and passwords were synched and I was good to go.
Performance was very good. Chrome is a notorious memory hog, but even with plenty of tabs open, the Steam Deck ran well. Thankfully, the 16GB of RAM the Steam Deck comes with helps here.
Using a monitor, along with the full-size keyboard and mouse I'm used to using meant I could then get to work comfortably, and there wasn't a huge difference from when I was using my work laptop connected to the same dock, keyboard and mouse.
For the rest of the week, I was happily typing away using my Steam Deck. This article is one of the many I've actually written and published on the Steam Deck. I even held a few video calls using the Steam Deck. There's built-in microphones in the Deck, which can be used, though there's no webcam. Plugging a webcam into the USB dock could work, though I've not yet tried that.
But from my time with the Steam Deck, I really think I could leave my work laptop at home when I'm going into the office. I know that I have a dock, monitor, keyboard and mouse waiting for me there, which means working on the Steam Deck is completely viable, and having the Steam Deck plugged into the dock means the battery is also nice and charged up for my commute home.
Because I take my Steam Deck into work, it meant I really could leave my laptop at home. One less thing to carry around was certainly welcome.
Of course, I'm lucky that I have an office where there is a USB hub on every desk. In offices where this isn't the case, the Steam Deck isn't going to be as useful. I'm also lucky that I use web-based tools primarily for work.
As you can run Linux applications on the Steam Deck, and many programs either have a Linux version, or there's an open-source alternative, many people should be able to work comfortably on the Steam Deck, though if you rely on any bespoke or heavy-duty software, then that could be a problem.
For me though? I'm definitely leaving my work laptop at home, and will use my Steam Deck instead. I might even try to get my boss to buy the rest of the team Steam Decks as well. Wish me luck.
The Mercedes EQS SUV does bulky beauty the right way
Mercedes-Benz has unveiled its latest electric offering, the EQS SUV – a tech-heavy seven-seater that proves chunky EVs can still pass the eye test.
Intended as the battery-powered alternative to the brand’s combustion engine GLS and larger sibling to its (excellent) luxury EQS saloon , the EQS SUV will mark Mercedes’ biggest electric car to date, and is scheduled to hit showrooms before the end of 2022.
We’ll delve into the EV’s specs below, but the long story short is that this is essentially a slightly taller (read: family) version of the EQS, meaning drivers can expect many of the latter’s plush trimmings and stellar performance credentials with the welcome addition of two extra seats.
The EQS SUV benefits from its likeness to the standard EQS in the looks department, too. Unlike other bulky EVs announced in recent months – the BMW XM being the most monstrous example – Mercedes’ latest places emphasis on curves instead of chrome to maintain the EQS’ unassuming elegance.
Those unconvinced by the latter’s shapely aesthetic won’t be converted by this SUV version (especially with its raised roofline and slightly squarer face), but we think that Mercedes has outdone its German automotive counterparts when it comes to sizeable style.
The EQS SUV will launch in three powertrain options: the 450+, 450 4Matic, and 580 4Matic. Mercedes claims the former will boast up to 410 miles of range on a single charge, while the latter all-wheel-drive versions of the car will both offer 380 miles. All three will be capable of 200kW fast charging, as we’ve come to expect from most high-end EVs in 2022.
Mercedes hasn’t yet confirmed the EQS SUV’s speed specs, though the impressive pace of its sedan sibling (0-60mph in 5.9s / 0-100km/h in 6.2s) suggests drivers can expect a comfortable amount of power from any of the three versions offered.
It will come as no surprise to hear that the EQS SUV’s interior looks as stunning as any other in most modern-day Mercedes. The brand’s dashboard-spanning Hyperscreen is, of course, an option here, though even in its absence, owners can still make use of the myriad features – including biometric security and AI-enhanced navigation – bundled into Mercedes’ MBUX infotainment system.
It also won’t come as a surprise to learn that all this tech comes at a price. No official figures have been confirmed as yet, but the Mercedes EQS SUV is expected to cost in excess of $140,000 / £110,000 / AU$193,000 when it releases later in the year.
Sure, that’s an eye-watering sum of money for a family-focused electric car – but at least you won’t be driving a BMW XM.
Prolong the lifespan of aging tech with a good power bank
If you've got an old gadget you love to use even though it's a struggle because of its age, then using one of the best power banks might help you extend its lifespan.
This is something I discovered when trying to eke extra mileage from my iPad Pro 12.9 , because while I still like using it for creative and professional tasks, several years of intensive use has made it hard to rely on for stints of work.
That is, until I employed a portable charger to help me improve the way it works.
Taking a battery-ing
The thing that most affects a gadget over time is its battery life — constant cycles of discharging and recharging can greatly reduce its power capacity, meaning it lasts less and less time while unplugged.
You might not notice it from day-to-day use, but over several years of use, the power drain will become noticeable. If you've got an old iPhone that seems to burn through the battery percentages, you'll know what I mean.
I used to take my iPad for days out working in coffee shops, and I'd spend between six and eight hours on the screen between walks to different cafes and breaks to do other things.
Nowadays, though, I'll get about half that time. Having plain white documents open on the display will eat up the battery, even if I'm not connected to Wi-Fi and have other features disabled too.
Enter a power bank
I've got several power banks (for testing purposes), but the various ones I've been using all clock in at a massive 20,000mAh. That's generally the biggest capacity charger you'd consider buying, as any bigger and you're getting an absolutely massive device, but smaller and you won't get too many charges.
At that capacity, I'll be able to charge up the iPad's 9,720mAh battery twice, with a little leftover for whatever headphones I'm using (or to give my smartphone some extra juice).
I wouldn't actually power it up to full twice — that'd give me way more screen time than I'd actually need — but the versatility of having this amount of power is really useful.
This amount of extra battery is helpful if I have a smartphone that needs lots of juice. It's also useful for days when I completely forget to power up the portable charger before taking it with me; I'll know I'll have at least enough left in it to power up the iPad once.
A power bank is easy to use at a coffee shop as I can keep it plugged into the iPad while I work. Sure, the banks actually charge at a slower rate than the iPad drains power, but if it's plugged in all the time when I'm using it, this discharge isn't fast at all.
Lots of the power banks I've started using actually have built-in displays that tell me how much charge they have left, which is really useful when I'm looking to work out which to take. Most others have LED strips which light up depending on how much power they've got, which is a rudimentary but still-useful way of letting me work out which to take.
My only concern is that most of the power banks I used power via micro USB, so they're not too quick to power if I find all my portable chargers are low on power before heading out of the house. It also means that I have to dig up my sole micro USB charger now and then, which I otherwise only use for my Kindle and PS4 controller — and hide at the bottom of a drawer as a result.
Keeps an old gadget ticking
If it wasn't for my portable power bank, I'd likely have stopped using my iPad Pro for working when out and about, as the power drain and its aching joints would make it hard to use outside my home (when I'm always near an outlet and charger).
This is the same for other gadgets as well — if you find your old iPhone runs out of power by lunchtime, or your smartwatch needs constant powering to keep it going, a portable charger will be great for a mid-day top-up.
Sure, in that case you won't need 20,000mAh like me — 10,000mAh or even just 5,000mAh will be enough, and more portable to boot.
Our list of the best power banks contains a range of different kinds of power banks, so whether you need a chunky charger or a baby bank you'll be just fine (it's also got some interesting ones like solar-powering or wireless). So if, like me, you've got an aging gadget you want to get some extra life from, you should really take a look at this list.