Valve is releasing a new Steam Deck this month. The new Steam Deck OLED is faster and has a larger screen and battery.
Nearly two years ago, in February 2022, Valve introduced the Steam Deck. The device follows the Nintendo Switch in that you can play games from your lap. What is unique, however, is that the gaming handheld runs a modified version of Linux and can therefore also play PC games. The device is quite popular, but is far from perfect. The Steam Deck OLED should be a better device in several aspects.
Steam Deck OLED
On the outside, the two devices appear virtually identical: the Steam Deck remains the same size and retains its trackpads, analog sticks, four-point push button, etc., all in the place you are used to. On the outside, the only difference is the screen: the new Steam Deck will have a slightly larger screen, measuring 7.4 inches, with support for HDR. Valve also uses OLED technology for this model, which should improve the color reproduction of the new console considerably. The maximum brightness of the screen also exceeds the 400 nits of the LCD screen, with up to 1000 nits in HDR displays. The maximum refresh rate of the new screen will also be increased to 90 Hz. The resolution of the screen remains the same, with 1280×800 pixels.
Some things would also change on the inside of the device. For example, the Steam Deck OLED will use a 6nm APU, while the original Steam Deck used a 7nm APU. This should make the system a lot more efficient, so you will also see extra battery life. The new Steam Deck OLED also gets a larger 50Wh battery, compared to 40Wh on the classic Steam Deck. This would give you between 3 and 12 hours of fun.
New prices
The classic Steam Deck, now called the ‘Steam Deck LCD’, is being partly phased out. The models with 64 GB and 512 GB storage are no longer being produced. Once the stock is exhausted, these devices are no longer available. The variant with 256 GB of storage space remains available, for a reduced price of 419 euros. The variants that will soon disappear now cost 369 and 469 euros respectively.
The Steam Deck OLED will be available from November 16, in two variants. Buyers can choose between a variant with 512 GB of storage space for 569 euros. The variant with 1 TB storage goes for 679 euros.
