If your goal is to emulate classic Nintendo games, the Steam Deck is too expensive and overkill.

I’ve seen a lot of people express that they want to buy the Steam Deck so they can run emulators on it and play classic Nintendo games. That’s nice and all, but the Steam Deck is **way too expensive** to buy just for that purpose.

The base model of the Steam Deck is $399 USD. Meanwhile, the [Anbernic RG351M](https://www.anbernic.com/engappliance_sel_one?eng_ApplianceVo.eac_id=68), the gold standard of handheld emulation devices on the market right now, retails for $134.99 USD. There are similar devices on the market that are even cheaper, and they can handle anything from the NES to the N64 with ease.

If you really need portable GameCube and Wii games, there are many Android devices that are capable of running Dolphin at respectable speeds.

The Steam Deck is cheap for a portable PC, but if your main goal is to emulate games from 25 years ago, it’s overkill and a waste of your money.