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The original was posted on /r/steamdeck by /u/Benji3233 on 2025-07-21 11:06:02+00:00.

I know Steam Link usually gets a bad rap in comparison to Moonlight and Sunshine, but I wanted to share my experience in case it helps others. I was having constant stuttering issues with Moonlight (a hitch every 1 to 1.5 seconds) that I couldn’t solve, even after trying every setting and tweak I could find. Out of curiosity, I gave Steam Link a try, and it’s been flawless.

I’m streaming from my PC to my Steam Deck over a 5GHz Wi-Fi connection. I tested Cyberpunk 2077 running maxed out at 60fps and the experience has been completely smooth. No noticeable input lag, great image quality, and only a couple of minor audio glitches. Genuinely shocked at how well it’s performing.

To install Steam Link on the Deck, I just switched to Desktop Mode, opened the Discover Store, searched for Steam Link, and installed it. After that, I added it to Steam as a non-Steam game so I could launch it easily from Gaming Mode.

If you’re using IEMs or stereo headphones like I am, I also recommend switching the in-game audio setting to “Stereo” instead of “Headphones” or virtual surround. It helps eliminate audio artifacts when streaming.

I’m not saying Steam Link is better for everyone, but in my case, it’s outperformed Moonlight in every way. Worth a try if you’re having issues with other streaming setups