If you are a South African gamer, you know the routine. Loadshedding hits just as you enter the Oldest House. Can you keep playing? Control on Steam Deck is a question many local enthusiasts are asking right now. With its brutalist architecture and physics-heavy combat, Remedy’s hit looks like a resource hog. But is it actually playable? Let’s dive into the performance of this supernatural thriller on the go.

Performance Benchmarks for Control on Steam Deck

Control is officially "Verified" by Valve. This means the game runs well without needing complex tweaks. In our testing, the experience is surprisingly smooth if you manage your expectations. You can expect a solid 30 to 40 FPS on a mix of medium and low settings. Because the screen is compact, the lower resolution does not hurt the visual fidelity much.

The game is famous for its destructible environments. When objects start flying, the frame rate can dip. To keep things stable, we recommend locking the refresh rate to 40Hz. This provides a great balance between battery life and fluid motion. If you are looking to upgrade your mobile setup, checking out the latest handheld gaming consoles is a great place to start.

TIP

Performance Pro Tip ⚡

For the best experience in Control, launch the game using DirectX 11 instead of DirectX 12. While DX12 supports ray tracing, it often causes stuttering on handheld hardware. DX11 provides a much smoother frame rate during intense combat scenes where particles and debris fill the screen.

How Control Scales Across Handheld Rivals

While the Steam Deck is the pioneer, other devices offer different perks for playing Control. If you prefer a larger, high-resolution screen to appreciate the eerie art style, the Lenovo handheld consoles provide a stunning display that makes the red hues of the Hiss really pop.

For those who want more raw power to push higher frame rates, the ASUS handheld range features the Z1 Extreme chip. This extra overhead allows you to play Control with higher texture settings. Meanwhile, the MSI handheld options use Intel’s XeSS upscaling technology. This helps maintain clarity even when the action gets chaotic.

Is it Worth Playing Handheld?

Absolutely. Control on Steam Deck feels like it was made for portable play. The mission-based structure fits perfectly into short sessions. Whether you are commuting or sitting through a power outage, the atmosphere remains immersive. You might lose some of the ray-traced reflections found on a high-end R30,000 desktop... but the trade-off for portability is worth every cent.

The controls are responsive, and the gyro aiming makes those precise headshots much easier. Just remember to keep your charger nearby. Control is a demanding title that will drain your battery in about two hours. 🚀

Ready to Take Your Library Mobile? Control on Steam Deck is just the beginning of your handheld journey. For the best prices in South Africa and the widest selection of portable powerhouses, we have you covered. Explore our range of handheld gaming consoles and never let loadshedding stop your progress again.