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The original was posted on /r/steamdeck by /u/Spiritual_Carrot_510 on 2025-09-02 12:48:29+00:00.

I can honestly say that the Steam Deck saved me while I was on vacation. The thing is, unfortunately, I have very sensitive skin and I can’t be in the sun too much; to be precise, I have a predisposition for skin cancer and go for mole check ups every six months just to be safe. But this year I really wanted to go on a proper summer vacation with my girlfriend. Last year, because of me, she agreed to go to Malta where we spent most of our time in museums and sightseeing (there’s a ton of history there), and we only went to the beach once the strongest sun had already passed. This time I felt the need to return the favor, so the plan was to spend more time on beaches, since I know how much she enjoys sunbathing.

Basically, we’d rent an umbrella with sunbeds, and I would spend the whole time in the shade except when I went in for a quick dip in the sea to cool off. And I have to say, the Steam Deck was a huge help. After I finished reading the book I had brought I would just sit in the shade, sip lemonade, and play games, and honestly, it was not a bad experience at all 😁. I mostly played Balatro or Doomspire, since they were perfect for this situation; I could just put the Steam Deck down at any time with no real consequences. Whenever my girlfriend went into the sea, which usually lasted about half an hour, I’d squeeze in a run. I’d either try my luck with Balatro to get past ante 6 hopefully or get further than depth 10 in Doomspire, which usually didn’t happen, so by the time she was back, I was already finished lol. After that, we’d play a round of Rummy or Yamb together, and continue with our usual activities (yeah, I like card games, how could you tell?😂). When the sun was at its peak, I’d retreat to the room and either play Last Epoch, since the new season had just started and I wanted to grind my way toward endgame to see how strong Beastmaster will be this season (I think it’s going to be even crazier than Void Knight last season), or I’d watch Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, which for some reason I’d never seen before 😂. After that we’d go back to the beach, grab some gyros, swim, relax for a while, then go out for an evening walk, and repeat the whole thing the next day.

Honestly, this was one of the best vacations I’ve ever had, for several reasons. I managed to give my girlfriend the kind of holiday she wanted, with plenty of sun, while also keeping myself entertained instead of just sitting around bored while everyone else swam and had fun. So yeah, I’d say the Steam Deck played a big part in making that happen, and I can safely say it’s slowly but surely becoming one of my favorite consoles!