Surprise! Valve has announced a new Steam Deck and — double surprise — we’ve already reviewed it. It might not look like a big change from the outside, but the Steam Deck OLED is a thorough mid-cycle refresh of a machine that’s not even two years old. At the same time, Valve is also adjusting the configuration of its entry-level model, making it a far more compelling option. Apologies to anyone who literally bought a Steam Deck yesterday.
At an event held for press prior to the device’s launch, Greg Coomer, a product designer at Valve, called the new model “the definitive version of the Steam Deck.” He explained that the device contains many things the company wanted to include at the LCD model’s launch but wasn’t able to, along with some additions based on community feedback.
Upgrades
As its name suggests, the most noticeable upgrade to the Steam Deck OLED is the display. The original Steam Deck had a 7-inch 800p LCD running at 60Hz. The new model squeezes a 7.4-inch OLED screen into the same space, significantly shrinking the bezels around the display. The new panel runs at the same resolution, but with a refresh rate of up to 90Hz. It’s also HDR, covering 110 percent of the P3 color space with a peak brightness of 1,000 nits — the old model maxed out at around 400 nits. Like all OLED screens, it has pure blacks and near-instantaneous response times. As before, anti-glare etched glass is available, but only on the premium model.
The Steam Deck OLED has a die-shrunk version of the same custom APU found in the original Steam Deck. The new APU is produced on a 6nm process, rather than the older 7nm process. Manufacturers typically use die-shrinks to either improve performance or efficiency, and Valve has chosen the latter. The max frequency of both the GPU and CPU are identical between the LCD and OLED models, so for developers tuning their games for Steam Decks, they only have a single performance target.
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In concert with the more-efficient processor, there’s also a 25 percent larger battery with a 50Whr capacity, compared to the original’s 40Whr. According to Valve, these changes combined result in a 30-50 percent increase in longevity between the two generations — the official battery life claim is “three to 12 hours.” In our review, we measured a playtime increase of 62 percent when playing Hades on the OLED model versus our 18-month-old original.
The new internals make the Steam Deck OLED marginally lighter, and also cooler to the touch when playing games, aided by a slightly larger fan. Other improvements include support for both Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3, together with a new antenna array that will give a better experience when using both at the same time. There’s also a reworked power supply (it has a logo now!) with a longer 2.5m cable that will charge the OLED model from 20 to 80 percent in “as little as 45 minutes.” The thumbsticks have also been made 1mm taller, and the touch pads’ haptics are slightly sharper.
Pricing and availability
The Steam Deck OLED starts at $549, and will replace all but the entry-level model in the range. The immediate reality is a bit of a mess and a little complicated, but this, Valve says, will be the Steam Deck line-up moving forward:
256GB Steam Deck LCD ($399)
512GB Steam Deck OLED ($549)
1TB Steam Deck OLED ($649)
As a result of the changes, the 64GB LCD Steam Deck (previously sold at $399) will drop to $349, and the 512GB LCD (previously $649) will drop to $499. Once Valve sells through its inventory of both, those lines will be discontinued. Valve says it will continue to support all LCD models with software updates.
Final thoughts
While there are no concrete updates on future hardware developments, Valve engineer Pierre-Loup Griffais noted that, so long as interest in handheld gaming remains high, the company has “plans for successive generations of handhelds.” For now, Griffais explained, it’s important to Valve that developers don’t need to “split their attention” between different performance targets.
The Steam Deck OLED will be available to order on November 16th at 1 PM ET. Valve expects units to begin shipping as soon as orders start to roll in. The updated pricing on the existing LCD models is already in effect.
At the event held for press prior to the device’s launch, Greg Coomer, a product designer at Valve, called the new model “the definitive version of the Steam Deck.” He explained that the device contains many features the company wanted to include at the LCD model’s launch but wasn’t able to, along with some additions based on community feedback.
The Steam Deck OLED is a significant upgrade, featuring a 7.4-inch OLED screen with a refresh rate of up to 90Hz and HDR capabilities. The device comes with a die-shrunk custom APU produced on a 6nm process, offering improved efficiency. The battery has been enlarged by 25 percent, providing a 30-50% increase in longevity compared to the original model. The new model also offers support for Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3, along with a new antenna array for improved performance. The thumbsticks have also been made taller, and the touch pads’ haptics are sharper.
The Steam Deck OLED pricing now starts at $549, replacing all but the entry-level model in the range. The lineup will feature 256GB Steam Deck LCD ($399), 512GB Steam Deck OLED ($549), and 1TB Steam Deck OLED ($649). The 64GB LCD Steam Deck (previously sold at $399) will now be available at $349, and the 512GB LCD (previously $649) will be reduced to $499.
In conclusion, the Steam Deck OLED offers significant upgrades in various aspects, offering an enhanced gaming experience. Valve assures that future generations of handheld devices are in the pipeline, and the company is also exploring the potential of an updated Steam Controller. With the Steam Deck OLED set to be available on November 16th, Valve hopes to meet the growing demand for handheld gaming devices.
