I have a gaming laptop and yes, you can get a gaming laptop for the same $600-$700 that will perform better than the steam deck, but I seldom used my gaming laptop, between the size, needing a controller or mouse (hate gaming with a laptop trackpad) booting up, needing to save the game yadda yadda yadda and finding a spot to set the laptop, the deck is just loads quicker and more convenient to play. I've probably played more games on my deck over the last year than the previous 3 years on my desktop or laptop combined. Between kids/family and work I just don't have many large time chunks that I would dedicate to gaming. The Steam deck I can pick up and be playing 30 seconds later, then put it back into hibernation just as quick, where it loses around 5% battery a day, so I hardly ever shut it fully off.