Surprise! Valve has announced a new Steam Deck and, double surprise, we have already reviewed it. It may not seem like a big change from the outside, but the Steam Deck OLED is a complete mid-cycle refresh for a machine that’s not even two years old. At the same time, Valve is also tweaking the configuration of its base model, making it a much more attractive option. Apologies to anyone who literally bought a Steam Deck yesterday.
At a press event ahead of the device’s launch, Valve product designer Greg Coomer called the new model "the definitive version of Steam Deck." He explained that the device contains many things that the company wanted to include in the launch of the LCD model but couldn’t, along with some additions based on community feedback.
As its name suggests, the Steam Deck OLED’s most notable upgrade is the display. The original Steam Deck had a 7-inch 800p LCD display running at 60Hz. The new model integrates a 7.4-inch OLED display into the same space, significantly reducing the bezels around the screen. The new panel runs at the same resolution, but with a refresh rate of up to 90 Hz. It’s also HDR, covering 110 percent of the P3 color space with a maximum brightness of 1,000 nits; the previous model maxed out at around 400 nits. Like all OLED screens, it has pure blacks and almost instant response times. As before, anti-glare etched glass is available, but only on the premium model.
The OLED Steam Deck has a scaled-down version of the same custom APU found in the original Steam Deck. The new APU is produced on a 6nm process, instead of the old 7nm process. Manufacturers often use shrink devices to improve performance or efficiency, and Valve has chosen the latter. The maximum frequency of both the GPU and CPU is identical between the LCD and OLED models, so for developers tuning their games for Steam Decks, they only have a single performance goal.
In addition to the more efficient processor, there is also a 25 percent larger battery with a capacity of 50 Wh, compared to the original’s 40 Wh. According to Valve, these changes combined result in a 30 to 50 percent increase in longevity between the two generations; the official claim about battery life is "from three to 12 hours." In our review, we measured a 62 percent increase in play time when playing hell on the OLED model vs. our original 18 month. (Batteries degrade over time, which explains why our gains were steeper.)
The new internal components make the Steam Deck OLED a little lighter and also cooler to the touch when gaming, helped by a slightly larger fan. Other improvements include support for Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3, along with a new set of antennas that will provide a better experience when using both at the same time. There’s also a redesigned power supply (now has a logo!) with a longer 2.5m cable that will charge the OLED model from 20 to 80 percent in “just 45 minutes.” The joysticks have also been made 1mm taller and the haptics of the touch panels are a little sharper.
The Steam Deck OLED starts at $549 and will replace all models in the range except the basic one. The immediate reality is a little confusing and a little complicated, but this, Valve says, will be the Steam Deck line going forward:
-
Steam Deck 256GB LCD Screen ($399)
-
512GB OLED Vapor Pad ($549)
-
1TB OLED Vapor Platform ($649)
As a result of the changes, the 64GB LCD Steam Deck (previously sold for $399) will drop to $349, and the 512GB LCD Steam Deck (previously $649) will drop to $499. Once Valve sells its inventory of both , those lines will be suspended. Valve says it will continue to support all LCD models with software updates.
So the long-term lineup starts at the same $399 price point, which the old LCD Steam Deck gets you, but with 256GB of storage instead of 64GB. The new advanced model costs $20 more at $549, but comes with an OLED display and the improvements described above, plus double the storage. The range still tops out at $649, but you get a lot more for your money: all the hardware upgrades, 1TB of storage instead of 512GB, and an improved carrying case that can fold out into a slimmer, smaller, and more compact case. easier to transport. fits in a bag. As mentioned, it also has the same anti-reflective etched glass as the outgoing 512GB LCD model.
Finally, there is also a limited edition version of the 1TB model, with a translucent case and a custom carrying case, which will retail for $679. We imagine the stock won’t last long, as it looks pretty radical:
While there are no concrete updates on future hardware developments, Valve engineer Pierre-Loup Griffais noted that as long as interest in portable gaming remains high, the company has "plans for successive generations of wearable devices." For now, Griffais explained, it is important for Valve that developers do not need "divide your attention" between different performance objectives.
When asked about the potential for future hardware, such as the return of the Steam Machine or an updated Steam Controller, there were no firm updates, but there appear to be some. something happening. Griffais agreed that allowing the Steam Deck to function as a hybrid living room console was a "side goal" of the team, noting that anything Valve does to improve SteamOS will benefit other devices. Coomer added that Valve is still working internally on "lots of controllers and prototypes." If SteamOS is used on larger screens, the team would want to augment that experience with better input options. "We don’t have any announcement about it, but that’s why we’re building prototypes and thinking about the future there." Coomer said.
Steam Deck OLED will be available to order on November 16 at 1 pm ET. Valve expects units to begin shipping as soon as orders start arriving. The updated price of the existing LCD models is already in force.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-steam-deck-oled-arrives-november-16-with-an-improved-screen-and-longer-battery-life-180032945.html ?src=rss
