It's a Linux handheld with software support and updates and it seems like it'll have it for a good while, being immutable is good for not fucking it (as long as you're cool with those limits) and the hardware specs are midlevel gaming PC in a decent (but big) form factor. You can run anything that'll run on a laptop/desktop of that spec. Seems like a pretty good device to give to a kid if you're familiar with Linux and can lock it down.

I got the top-of-the-line Steam Deck at launch, absolutely no regerts about missing the OLED. Hate the gyro controls so turned those off (though maybe Super Monkey Ball would be fun with that? IDK) and added thumbstick caps and another 1TB of storage. The case is excellent, traveled with it internationally and worked great for pirating movies/TV and gaming (Vampire Survivors is an excellent time waster, BTW)

Desktop mode is good. I don't really use it as a desktop per se but it's good when you need to set up displays, networking, VPNs, etc. Sure, you can use it like that, but I find the fact that it doesn't "remember" (i.e. list the last time you connected) connections like a regular, mutable Linux install would is kinda irritating (this is mostly aesthetic in my case because I only use a few connection, but if you regularly connect to similarly-named networks, I can imagine it's a hassle).

Piracy/Media consumption on the Steam Deck is first-class because it's all the power you need for most emulators and streaming through browsers is totally fine (but is locked at like 720 for most services). Haven't gone beyond Super Nintendo and Genesis but it handles Mode 7 graphics just fine. Don't have Plex but I think it'd work great w/ it

I feel like this will definitely help Linux adoption if kids really go for these over say a Switch - well cared for units will probably be good (and repairable) for a long while.