Steam Link and me. A little story before the review.
Last year, after we finished the living room renovation, something was giving me an itch that I couldn’t scratch away and it wasn’t drywall dust or chemicals.
"Furniture back in place, new couch settled and even the TV has finally a cool place.
Network connection set on the TV. 2.1 sound system connected too. What else?" I was thinking.
Nothing was really missing but that itch was still there, an itch that only I was feeling.
My girlfriend? She had no itch at all.
Everything was fine for her, except for an additional cupboard we could buy and place where my PC desk is now.
That uncomfortable feeling, like a mosquito flying over your ear at night, kept on rousing me for a long while when, during one of the numerous sleepless nights filled with jitters, I've eventually had the revelation.
"A gaming console is missing!!!" I suddenly shouted waking my girlfriend, the cat and the dog up.
An insanely process of researches and articles reading started just to find which console could suit better my "game-style".
While tormenting myself trying to reach a decision, the idea of using my PC connected to the TV was getting more and more a plausible solution.
"Most of the games I like are available for PC too and I would save money” I was telling myself "but do I really want to run a 50 ft. cable along the room to use the TV?"
Although still cheaper than a console, that idea wasn’t really convincing.
Christmas period meanwhile approached.
While checking for the usual holiday sales, discounts and possible exceptional deals online, I came across a video of a strange device.
"The Steam Link??? What the heck is that?" I asked myself "and what does it d....ooohhh!!!"
Suddenly that spark I was waiting for, it finally ignited.
It was exactly what I needed.
Something cheaper than a console, stylish, small enough to not conflict my girlfriend's home decorating style and able to give me the chance to use my PC on the TV without running an excessively long cable.
Decision was made!
I ordered it and I waited impatiently like a kid waits for Santa Claus to put the presents under the Christmas tree.
REVIEW
Now, jokes aside, the Steam Link is a really good deal guys.
This little awesome device gives you the chance to connect your PC to your TV and play comfortably on your couch like a gaming console would.
These are its specs:
1080p resolution at 60 FPS;
Wired 100 Mbit/s Fast Ethernet and Wireless 802.11ac 2x2 (MIMO) networking abilities;
3 USB 2.0 ports;
Bluetooth 4.0;
HDMI out;
Supports Steam Controller (sold separately,) Xbox One or 360 Wired Controller, Xbox 360 Wireless Controller for Windows, Logitech Wireless Gamepad F710, or keyboard and mouse.
I purchased it during Christmas sale.
It was 21,99 euros but when I was paying, it charged me another 15,80 for the delivery.
Still 22 euros less than the usual 60 euros price so, quite a bargain.
The delivery took 6 days (12/28 shipped - 01/03 received) which was reasonable considering the weekend and the end of the year in between. Packaging was poor in my opinion though.
The box contained the Steam Link, a 2.0 HDMI cable, an Ethernet cable, the power cable and (surprisingly for me) 4 outlet adapters for any countries.
Like any product, it has pros and cons but they are subjected to personal perception so i would better list "what i like" and "what i don't like" of the Steam link.
What I like:
I can play any PC game directly on the TV;
I can use the TV as a monitor without running a cable along the room;
I can watch movies and videos on the TV without using any external storage;
I can play using either a controller or the keyboard+mouse combination, feature not yet fully allowed in consoles;
It is cheaper than a console, games-wise too;
It doesn’t take too much space on the TV table;
I don't have to worry about storage and HDD capacity of the device as it doesn't have one;
It can turn the TV into a sort of Smart TV as I could launch software like Kodi from the Steam library.
What I don't like:
Connected by wireless might experience some hiccup causing some lag (it is recommended Ethernet connection);
Not every gamepad is recognized by the system or by the games. Check the list of supported controllers on Steam site for further info;
It has a limited number of USB ports, only 3;
While streaming, it limits the use of your PC as the full screen size is applied on Steam;
It may freeze sometimes when switching windows on your PC or switching from full screen mode to the desktop and back;
I personally bypassed some of the negative aspect so the positive part prevailed.
I'm really satisfied with it. In my opinion, it's more than worth.
I’ve tested the Steam Link with Steam games and not Steam games.
Online and locally installed games. They all worked fine.
Even racing, fighting and sport games worked properly, if some of you may be concerned about input lag.
I do not play in hardcore mode.
I’m just an occasional gamer (who sometimes gets too involved with the game) and for gamers like me, Steam Link is a very good alternative to a gaming console.
I tested Steam Link with the following games:
Rise of the Tomb Raider;
Batman Arkham Knight;
FIFA 2015;
DiRT Showdown;
Grid;
Mortal Kombat XL;
Injustice - Gods Among Us;
Styx - Master of Shadows;
Warframe.
I know some game is old but I tried anyway just to see the result.
Personal considerations:
The performances are good. Keeping in mind that Steam Link doesn't store games but it streams your PC, lags can be experienced sometimes but they might be caused by the PC performances, the LAN connectivity or the game itself.
Check the settings if you experience some lag. Sometimes changing them gives a smoother experience.
I personally faced some minor lag and none of them have never affected my gameplay to be honest.
The shipping cost is in my opinion high, especially considering the poor packaging.
The unboxing was personally a positive experience.
The experience playing with the controller was smooth and enjoyable.
Playing with keyboard and mouse was smooth too but I honestly think that the idea behind Steam Link is to consider it as a "gaming console" (do not take my words literally) so I enjoyed more with the controller.
If your controller do not work with some of the Steam games, do not jump to conclusion and blame Steam Link.
Check whether the game itself is set to provide full controller experience or not.
Since I have a Xbox 360 wired controller already, I ordered just the Steam Link but i suggest to check also the bundle "Steam Link + Steam Controller" if you don't have a controller or you are "afraid" yours may be incompatible.
For what I can say, Xbox 360 wired controller works perfectly.
The hardware is quite sturdy and stylish, I like it.
The USB ports limitation was actually bypassed by connecting a cheap USB hub, as I mentioned before.
I was able to connect 5 devices at the same time without problems. I had the Xbox 360 controller connected, 2 wired mouses, 1 wired keyboard and a wireless receiver for my Microsoft Wireless Keyboard 800 and my Microsoft Wireless Mouse 1000. No issues at all with any of them.
Final verdict:
Steam Link in my opinion is great for:
Casual gaming;
Great game-time with friends;
Play for fun and fair competitiveness;
Gaming experiences without extreme expectations.
For hardcore and extreme competitive gamers, I wouldn't recommend it.
As i said before, I honestly think that Steam Link is anyway worth and no one would really regret of having one at home.
I give Steam Link a 9 out of 10.
I will keep you posted if I might have additional negative or positive considerations.
Only one month so far but I'm really staisfied.
Please leave a comment if you need further info or if you would like me to test a specific game with it.
Following, the link to the page and the video that convinced me to purchase it.
Maybe it will ignite that spark on you too.
Link: