I mostly use it to set up Non-Steam Games like Diablo. Once set up, I go back to gaming mode. I once briefly considered using it to resolve a server issue for a business client (by using SSH which for who knows why is expensive as fuck on iPad), but decided against it – I was home to relax not work.

When I first got my Deck I installed several emulators for nostalgia (of course for games I own legitimate versions of), but after recently re-imaging my Deck I haven’t had the urge to do that again. I got what I needed, and may do it again some day; but for now I’m satisfied by Steam games and Diablo.

Mainly for installing things like emudeck or tailscale.

Currently, just when I have to use it to install anything that I can’t install via game mode, and when I need to tweak the system or game files, copy roms from my NAS, etc.

These days manually passing save game files between it and my other PCs.

Sometimes to install stuff like emulators or when needed other launchers.

Hi from desktop mode!

I use a Arch Linux install (configured to have a ‘as close as possible to SteamOS 3’ experience, so I still have the usual gaming mode and desktop mode) and I use desktop mode for web browsing, programming (and related stuff), system maintenance and installing stuff.

I use Gaming Mode for gaming, ofc.

I mostly use desktop mode for messing about with things like emudeck and creating and forgetting an su password.

Mostly I play games or browse the web / watch videos - But I do all of this with a dock and mouse and keyboard.

I have been using mine to read comics recently, since the screen is larger than my phone’s and the aspect ratio is about right when turned on it’s side.

Tinkering with settings, web browsing, coding, file management, terminal, DistroBox, YouTube watching, using multiple monitors, installing flatpaks, installing emudeck, installing cryoutilities, compiling code, Qt creator, etc.

I use it all the time. For everything besides gaming, where I like having the integrated gaming mode UI instead.

Of course, the Deck is my only PC currently, which isn’t the use case that most have for it.

So far, only Minecraft.

There are some movies/websites that don’t work well with Chromecast. Being able to play them on my steam deck while docked is often the easiest way to play them.