A thrifty Steam Deck analogue: a budget-built handheld from a Windows tablet
A YouTube creator on the Budget-Builds Official channel pulled together an affordable handheld gaming setup by repurposing an older Windows tablet as the core. The base device carried a modest Intel Atom Cherry Trail T8300 processor and 2 GB of RAM, a configuration far from current gaming standards. To turn the tablet into a functional console, the maker attached a compact gamepad directly to the unit. The setup used Steam Big Picture mode as a shell, reimagining Steam’s interface for a living-room style experience where a keyboard and mouse aren’t necessary. This approach mirrors a growing DIY trend: repurposing existing hardware into capable, low-cost gaming devices for casual play at home.
In testing, the experiment demonstrated that the retro rig could handle classic titles and lightweight modern games at modest settings. Skyrim loaded and ran at 480p with low graphics, achieving around 48 frames per second. Minecraft performed at roughly 45 frames per second when rendered at 720p. A side-by-side comparison with Valve’s Steam Deck was also performed through a standard 3D performance test, delivering a snapshot of capability differences. The budget tablet earned a score close to the mid-80s in that benchmark, while the Steam Deck posted a notably higher result in the four-thousand range, highlighting the gap between a low-cost build and a purpose-built handheld.
When it comes to battery life, the budget console proved to be a practical option for gaming sessions in handheld mode, delivering as much as three hours of playtime. In tablet mode, the same device could sustain usage between six and eight hours, offering a flexible hybrid experience for short commutes or relaxed evenings. This kind of endurance is common in similar DIY handhelds, where the trade-off for cost savings often comes in battery capacity and peak performance.
Another note from the same influencer community mentioned a separate project that embedded a microcomputer inside a LEGO brick to run classic Doom, illustrating the broad appeal of compact, educational, and game-friendly engineering. In this context, the discussed project underscores how enthusiasts continue to experiment with tiny, affordable platforms that can deliver surprising entertainment value.
Source: Budget-Builds