Maschine on Steam Deck

One advantage of Bitwig Studio: its touchscreen implementation is very well done 😉

If you want my advice: my experience with an handheld and Maschine is that… in never use it…😂

Frankly I LARGELY prefer using it with my Surface Pro.

Although it could seem less “portable”… if you think about it, it is MORE portable (at least for me).

When I move around, I put my Maschine and the (very) flat Surface in a bag. Screen protected, no delicate things protruding (like the joysticks) to be careful of, no need for an ulterior carrying case increasing even more the size (indispensable if you want to put one of those devices in a bag without scratching the screen or, as said, breaking the joysticks)…

Add to that the BIG screen (compared to the one of an handheld) allowing to REALLY use touch to control things (although using touch with Maschine is not the best experience…).
If you put the Surface without the keyboard attached in front of the Maschine, it really feels like you are giving your Maschine a big update to its tiny screens. It still feels like you are using an instrument (instead of a computer, which was Maschine big strength), but with a big visual improvement.

Not to talk about the fact that you are using a real computer (available plugins, more processing power, more available space, able to read all file formats,…), which makes the experience even better than the Maschine+… by adding a few cm in your bag. And with other advantages respect the M+: the Surface will serve also as “battery” for the Maschine (no need to plug it to the wall like the M+) and, eventually, also as speakers (of course of low quality, since laptop speakers are never good… but when you want to do something fast without the need of big quality, they are there…)

Of course the discourse is different if you really plan to use it also to play games when on the move. In that case, bringing one device that can make you use your games and also your music programs is the things that gives it a plus.
But since I bought the Ally, I discovered that I really don’t use it so much (let’s say never ☺️) in mobility…

Yes… on paper I also was very intrigued by an handheld that allowed me to also make music (and in facts… I bought it…)… but in the end… I never use it… If I go to a friend to make music, Maschine and Surface in the bag… and that’s all I need (in a way more compact solution, imo). And in that way, I also have my DAW with me (Studio One, which between is the only other program I consider usable with touch inputs, together with the aforementioned Bitwig Studio).
Then I also add an (also very flat and tiny) iPad Pro (for REAL touch screen apps…thought to be used like that)…and anything I need is there.

Just my 2 cents… but I think all things to take in consideration 😉

Btw: if in some way I convinced you to take Surface in consideration… be careful and take infos: it seems the newest ones are not good for NI products (they are not friends with Snapdragons processors…)

Of course it depends on your needs.

If you are a score composer needing 150 tracks with 150 instruments, of course you could get into troubles.

For my needs, I use a Surface Pro 7 and I’m satisfied with it.

About touch, be careful about Windows touchscreens. I use touch to select things, change pages, open menus. Even because, as said, the experience with Maschine (and many other programs) can be defined as sub-optimal. The problem is not the touch capability of the screen per se, but the fact that they are not programs made to use with touch inputs. The touch “imitates” the click of a mouse (exception made only for the 2 mentioned, namely Studio One and Bitwig Studio). Using touch to control knobs or other more delicate tasks is barely achievable. Clunky, snapping,… not a good experience.
But having a touchscreen that allows you to interact with the program without the need of using a mouse is anyway valuable. Plus… the Surface has its own Surface pen that allows more precise tasks (like editing in the pianoroll). Or even the Surface Dial, that I use in conjunction with an app called Elephant that allows to use it to control any parameter that has been touched.

Way better to use an iPad with a midi controller app (as Touch OSC, Surface Builder or others… I use Loopy Pro because it allows me to build my controller surface but also gives me many other things). You can build your “controller” as you want and then midi learn its knobs, faders, XY pads and what else to what you want to control on the computer. Those iPad knobs, sliders, XY pads and what else are MADE and THOUGHT to be used with fingers. And that makes a huuuuuge difference.

If you don’t plan to use the handeld also for playing games, I don’t recommend buying one.
Way better a big, flat screen.

But… your needs/experience may vary

Don't worry, I'm in the research process. So whatever I get is always on me. ☺️ Not in a rush, just working out what I really want.

What you've done (and I really appreciate) is given me a different approach to consider that I hadn't thought about, and given me suggestions through your own experience.

With the MBP it's really the keyboard sticking out. I want the screen next to the MK3 on an tablet stand, so this could be a good solution.

Thanks for your ideas and the video link.