Valve's Steam Deck is technically a travel console out of the box. While it is a handheld gaming PC running a custom version of Linux, you can easily use it the same way you would a Nintendo Switch or Switch 2 without any modifications. In fact, the Steam Deck is a more powerful handheld than the original Switch and Switch Lite, and it has a larger library than Nintendo's handheld lineup, which makes it a great option for a travel console.

But there are a few issues with the out-of-the-box Steam Deck experience that make it less than ideal as a travel console. However, there are a few small accessories and quick fixes you can add to get a better overall console experience from the Steam Deck.

All handheld gaming PCs can be used as travel consoles

But the Steam Deck is the best choice

As mentioned, any handheld gaming PC can be utilized as a travel console. They're portable game devices at heart, even the ones with Windows 11 installed. However, some handhelds make superior travel consoles compared to others, and the Steam Deck has some serious advantages due to its custom operating system, custom AMD Van Gogh APU, and dual trackpads on either side of the display, which gives it a level of control and versatility no other handheld has truly matched.

Granted, the Lenovo Legion Go S with SteamOS is a close second when it comes to travel consoles, because it also features the same streamlined Linux operating system. Valve's SteamOS is a far more optimized operating system and is easier to control on a handheld than Windows 11. While the Legion Go S may have off-the-shelf AMD Ryzen Z series processor options, the Z1 Extreme is actually a more powerful APU than the Steam Deck's Van Gogh chipset. The Z1 Extreme is an AMD Zen 4 and RDNA 3 APU, while the Van Gogh chip in the Steam Deck is a Zen 2 and RDNA 2 system.

But the Legion Go S is missing the dual trackpads that make the Steam Deck the most versatile handheld, so it falls just a bit behind in the ranks of "best handheld travel console."

Of course, the Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 are travel consoles as well, but you're locked into a smaller library with the Switch. The Steam Deck can access the full Steam library, though game compatibility may vary. There are also community-made tools to get access to other game platforms, like the Epic Games Launcher, in addition to the Steam library.

You may want to invest in a few accessories

Extend your storage, battery life, and more.

That said, to get the best travel console experience, you may want to invest in some key Steam Deck accessories. While the Steam Deck is a favorite handheld gaming PC for good reason, it doesn't have the best battery life out there, and if you plan to use it as a travel console, you might want to snag some other quality-of-life accessories to get a more relaxing gaming environment.

To start, I highly recommend nabbing a solid power bank, like the Ugreen Nexode. A good power bank can help offset any battery limitations so you can use your Steam Deck for longer trips or flights without needing to go hunting for an outlet that may or may not work. Alternatively, you can undervolt your Steam Deck to get better battery life, but this will have a slight impact on performance.

While the Steam Deck is a great handheld, the 7-inch display can feel a bit cramped for longer gaming sessions, which is where a monitor, gamepad, or keyboard and mouse come in. Obviously, you'll want to stick to travel-friendly accessories here, for using the Steam Deck as a travel console, but you can get a pretty good 10-12-inch portable monitor with a high refresh rate for pretty cheap. A good portable monitor is a useful investment even outside of making your Steam Deck a better travel console.

You won't get all the console 'exclusives', but most do make it to PC

Console exclusives just aren't what they used to be.

Console-exclusive games used to be a major selling point for one console over another. But that just isn't the way of gaming these days. Even PlayStation 5 exclusive games like Marvel's Spider-Man 2 will eventually be released on Windows after the initial console exclusive launch. Granted, there are a handful of Sony console exclusives that never make it to PC, but most do eventually get a PC launch. And every Xbox game is now a dual-launch for Windows. If anything, you could argue that gaming PCs get the most "exclusives" compared to any of the consoles out there.

The Steam Deck is not a Windows handheld, but the Proton translation layer built into SteamOS can get the Steam Deck access to most Windows PC games, though some are better optimized for Steam Deck controls than others.

Which means the only exclusives you're truly locked out of with the Steam Deck are Nintendo's first-party games. And even then, there are some emulation options you can go for if you're willing to take the risk of using emulation software.

Meanwhile, the Nintendo consoles don't ever get the full library of PC or console titles. One of the most popular games to release within the last year, Marvel Rivals, still isn't on the Switch or Switch 2, after all.

It doesn't just have to be a game console

You can do a lot with a Steam Deck

A travel console doesn't just have to be a travel game console. The Steam Deck is a full Linux PC, just with a small handheld chassis. So it can run plenty of Linux and Windows software, including the note-taking app Obsidian, and run Android TV.

If you grab a portable monitor, keyboard, and mouse, the Steam Deck is not only a travel game console, but a travel-friendly mini PC that you can use for anything from social media doomscrolling to software development. It's hard to get that level of software flexibility out of a Nintendo Switch 2.