Sure, I'm not much for handheld gaming, but the Steam Deck presents a very interesting hardware application in a market dominated by mobile phones and the Nintendo Switch. So here I am, unboxing a 256GB one!

No written stuff, just me and my bad jokes!

Congrats on getting a Steam Deck

It is big and black. lol.
I figured you might extend that joke when comparing it to the stock Switch, but you went the accessory route and took the high road. Not so funny, but a good point.

I really want one, but I am going to wait for a revision I think with a bit more hardware under the hood.

Thanks! Sadly, I was a Q2 pre-order, but I got blue-balled by delivery issues (it said out for delivery SEVERAL times before ACTUALLY making it here...).  It came a little later than I had anticipated, and I even though it got stolen since I ended up with no scheduled delivery date for awhile.  Talk about mild heart attack lol

I have a white Joy-Con SWOLED, what would my joke have been?  The Switch is small and white? LOL

If there's one thing I'd grant as a needed upgrade, it would be the screen itself.  It's got the same poor pixel response time as the base Switch (a problem the OLED does not have), except it sometimes is exacerbated by the types of games available to it.  Otherwise, I plan on doing a future video (and I see there's a couple new pages on my last Nintendo video, OH BOY I can't wait to read those replies! lol) about comparing it to the Switch in terms of hardware.  What was possible back 5 years ago, what's possible now, etc.

I honestly don't think Valve will be upgrading the Steam Deck anytime soon, though: based on what it has now and the type of hardware this thing is packing overall (haptic touch pads, capacitive joysticks, dual mics, M2 SSD, touchscreen), they're likely selling these very close to a loss if not at a loss for the $400 model.  I mean, for just $50 more than a SWOLED, you literally get four times the power and everything under the sun in terms of gaming tech.  Basically, unlike the Switch, the Deck has NOT released underpowered or underprepared.  And until a new console generation starts, there won't be too many major architectural upgrades needed.  5 years from now, though?  Perhaps it'll get its own midgen upgrade, but that would depend on its overall sales numbers.  Right now, it's more of a "success" than a success.  For people like me who own it, it's a surprisingly capable and welcoming handheld device, but it has yet to see proper grip in the greater scheme of the handheld gaming market.  ESPECIALLY when you consider just about everyone in any developed country has a tinier handheld gaming device they carry everywhere: a cell phone.

I will pick one up when its available in Australia however ill probably get the base model.

I do wonder when it'll be available there (and some other regions).  They're already barely keeping up with demand, now, and have somehow managed to secure nearly double the manufacturing pace (likely attributed to the use of different SSD manufacturers).

You probably weren't around, but I did show games running off the SD card, they run fine in case you were worried about that!  I think that'll only really affect AAA games pushing tech limits, but MGSV, Spyro remake trilogy, Witcher III, they all ran perfectly fine off the SD card.

And yea, the best bang for your buck is the base model, but I didn't want to open mine up in case I decide to give it away just to slot an M2 in it myself, so I opted for the 256 even knowing that I paid a little more than I needed do.  I even told me friend that she should get the base model if she ends up being interested (she's BIG on handheld gaming, loves getting comfortable in bed to play games lmfao)