Last week, in the discussion about Nintendo’s new Switch model, I mentioned the rumors that Valve was working on their own version of a handheld gaming machine, and today, we have our confirmation. The Steam Deck is a handheld gaming PC that looks like a bulkier big brother to the Nintendo Switch. The system runs a version of SteamOS, which will give Steam a more console gaming user interface. And along with being able to play your favorite PC games on the go, you can also plug the system into a display using the system’s USB-C port and use it as a gaming PC.
The Steam Deck has a 7-in LCD screen that is 1280×800 resolution. The system has a custom AMD APU 4-core and 8-thread CPU, 8 RDNA 2 compute units for GPU, and 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM. The system will boast a full-sized controller, with thumbsticks and triggers as expected, but it also has trackpads for increased precision in FPS games. The feature list doesn’t end there. Steam Deck will also have built-in WiFi and Bluetooth, stereo speakers, expandable storage via microSD card slot, and fast suspend/resume. And all that is powered by a 40Wh battery that can reportedly last up to 8 hours.
The system will also be accompanied by a wide range of accessories that will be sold separately including an official dock, which will let you plug the system into an external display. The dock will let you charge the system, plug-in peripherals like keyboard and mouse, and hardwire internet via Ethernet port to have faster speeds.
Valve’s Steam Deck will start shipping in December and will be available at three price points for each of its models. The base model comes in at $399 and will have 64GB eMMC internal storage and also come with a carrying case. The $529 model will have 256GB NVMe SSD internal storage and come with the carrying case and an exclusive Steam Community profile bundle. The high-end $649 model will have 512GB of NVMe SSD storage, premium anti-glare etched glass, a special carrying case, a Steam Community profile bundle, and a virtual keyboard theme. Despite the difference in storage, Valve promises that there is no difference in framerates and graphical output between the models. If you want to see first impressions of the system in action, IGN has already had some face time with the console and you can see their article here. If you are already convinced about the Steam Deck, go to the official Steam Deck site to reserve one for yourself starting tomorrow.
