The Steam Deck didn’t invent the modern gaming handheld, but it sure as hell perfected it. Prior to the debut of Valve’s game-changing (no pun intended) handheld, we only had the Nintendo Switch to speak of, and that left out a large section of gamers wanting to play PC games on the go. The Steam Deck gave people something they never knew they needed; its resounding success is all the proof you need. Even three years later, and despite a dozen more powerful PC gaming handhelds on the market, the Steam Deck remains one of the best out there. The gaming handheld market has stagnated, failing to eclipse Valve’s affordable yet impressive offering.