Is Elden Ring Good on Steam Deck? A Comprehensive Review
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The short answer to whether Elden Ring is good on Steam Deck is: yes, but with caveats. It’s not a simple “plug and play” experience, but with some adjustments, you can absolutely enjoy FromSoftware’s critically acclaimed open-world RPG on the go. The Steam Deck offers a unique way to experience Elden Ring, providing the freedom to delve into The Lands Between anywhere. However, achieving a smooth, stable experience requires some understanding of the game’s performance and the Deck’s capabilities. Let’s explore the details.
Elden Ring on Steam Deck: The Performance Reality
Initially, Elden Ring on Steam Deck faced challenges. The game launched with significant frame rate drops and poor visuals. However, Valve stepped in to optimize the game for the handheld, resulting in substantial improvements. While it won’t consistently hit a smooth 60 FPS, a stable 30 FPS is achievable with adjusted settings.
Finding the Sweet Spot: Graphic Settings and FPS
The key to a good experience with Elden Ring on Steam Deck is finding the right balance of graphical fidelity and performance. The game offers four graphical presets: Low, Medium, High, and Maximum. According to gamer reviews, the optimal experience is achieved by setting graphics to High while locking the frame rate at 30 FPS. This approach provides a good level of visual fidelity while maintaining smoothness, stability, and maximizing battery life. Trying to push the game to higher frame rates will likely result in inconsistent performance and a less enjoyable experience.
Stuttering and Optimization
A primary issue with Elden Ring has been its stuttering, largely linked to continuous shader loading. The Steam Deck, in a way, becomes one of the smoothest devices to play Elden Ring on. Community driven optimization guides and tweaks have addressed this issue. Some players even report that disabling the “e-cores” can boost performance dramatically, even hitting stable 60 FPS in some scenarios. However, for most users, focusing on maintaining a locked 30 FPS offers the best overall experience.
Battery Life and Storage Considerations
Battery life is a critical aspect for any handheld device. With Elden Ring, you can expect anywhere between 2 to 8 hours of play, depending on your settings and how graphically demanding the scenarios are. Sticking to the 30 FPS cap can help significantly extend playtime, allowing for longer adventures in The Lands Between without constantly needing to reach for a charger.
64 GB Steam Deck? Proceed With Caution
If you have the 64 GB Steam Deck model, be aware that it only has 46 GB available. Since Elden Ring requires significant storage space, you’ll definitely need a microSD card to install the game. This limitation is crucial to consider before buying the game. The 256GB and 512GB versions utilize a faster NVMe storage, while the 64GB model uses slower eMMC. This difference impacts boot and game install speeds, making the loading times notably slower on the 64 GB model.
How It Compares to Other Platforms
While the Steam Deck provides a viable portable experience, it’s not the most powerful platform to play Elden Ring on. The PlayStation 5 (PS5) is generally regarded as the best platform for playing Elden Ring currently, due to its superior performance and stable frame rates. On the other hand, the Steam Deck offers portability and accessibility. Choosing between the two comes down to your priorities: graphical fidelity and raw power, or the ability to play on the go.
Alternatives to the Steam Deck
If you’re looking for a more powerful handheld console, the Asus ROG Ally is a strong alternative to the Steam Deck. The ROG Ally boasts a more powerful processor, a higher refresh rate screen, and sleek design. This makes it a viable option, if budget is not an issue.
Gameplay on the Steam Deck
Beyond just performance, the Steam Deck handles Elden Ring well. The controls adapt well to the handheld format, making combat and exploration manageable. You will quickly find yourself engaged with the game’s open world. While precise aiming might be trickier than with a mouse and keyboard, the console is generally comfortable to use for long play sessions.
Dual-Wielding on Steam Deck
It’s worth noting that for those interested in dual-wielding, the button combinations are straightforward: Y + RB (or Triangle + R1 for PlayStation layouts). The controls are intuitive and quickly become second nature.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Elden Ring on Steam Deck
1. Can the Steam Deck actually run Elden Ring?
Yes, the Steam Deck can absolutely run Elden Ring. However, initial performance required improvements, which Valve has addressed. Now it is generally considered that it can run smoothly with some tweaks.
2. What are the ideal graphics settings for Elden Ring on Steam Deck?
Set the graphics to High and lock the frame rate at 30 FPS for the best balance of visuals, stability, and battery life.
3. Will Elden Ring constantly stutter on my Steam Deck?
Initial stuttering issues have been linked to shader loading, and optimization patches have helped to resolve them. Community-driven guides offer further improvements. With proper tweaks, the game runs relatively smooth on Steam Deck.
4. Is the 64GB Steam Deck capable of running Elden Ring?
Yes, but you must use a microSD card due to the game’s storage requirements. The 64 GB model has limited storage available.
5. How long does the Steam Deck battery last while playing Elden Ring?
Expect 2 to 8 hours of battery life, depending on settings and in-game scenarios. A 30 FPS cap will help significantly with battery life.
6. How does Elden Ring on Steam Deck compare to the PS5?
The PS5 offers the best experience in terms of stability and visual fidelity. However, the Steam Deck allows you to play on the go, making it convenient.
7. Can I achieve 60 FPS on the Steam Deck while playing Elden Ring?
Technically, yes, but it’s not consistent or always stable. Focusing on a locked 30 FPS yields a smoother experience. Some players have managed a stable 60 FPS by disabling e-cores, but it is not universally stable.
8. Is Elden Ring poorly optimized on PC?
Elden Ring has suffered from optimization issues on PC, but community fixes and settings tweaks help with performance issues on both the PC and Steam Deck.
9. How can I make Elden Ring run better on my Steam Deck?
Adjust settings such as Steam and Elden Ring priority, disable the Microsoft Device Association Root Enumerator, adjust Nvidia Control Panel settings, and disable overlays on Steam or Discord. Also, turn off Depth of Field and Motion Blur.
10. What is the maximum FPS Elden Ring can achieve?
The game is natively capped at 60 FPS. You would have to use mods to pass the cap on PC.
11. Is Dark Souls good on Steam Deck?
Yes, Dark Souls Remastered runs well on the Steam Deck at a stable 60 FPS and good battery life.
12. How does Cyberpunk 2077 perform on the Steam Deck?
Cyberpunk 2077 runs well on Steam Deck at Low and Medium settings, generally staying above 30 FPS, and sometimes around 40 FPS.
13. How much RAM does Elden Ring need?
The minimum requirement for Elden Ring is 12 GB of RAM.
14. What is the best starting class for beginners in Elden Ring?
The Vagabond class is a strong starting point for beginners.
15. How does the Steam Deck handle less intensive games?
The Steam Deck handles less intensive games very well, running them perfectly even at the highest settings.
In conclusion, while not the most powerful platform for Elden Ring, the Steam Deck offers a compelling portable experience, offering the freedom to explore the Lands Between anytime and anywhere. With adjustments, you can have a smooth and enjoyable experience.