The Steam Deck is a powerful piece of equipment.
The Steam Deck from Valve is what occurs when a Nintendo Switch and a PC are combined. Despite its resemblance to the Nintendo hybrid platform, the Steam Deck aims to bring PC gaming to a new level of portability.
A computer-based on the SteamOS and AMD’s unique CPU and graphics technology is Valve’s Steam Deck. In addition, it is said to be capable of running Windows 10 or Windows 11 in a portable form factor.
Valve Steam Deck specs
| Notes | |||
| Price | $399; $529; $649 | Same processor/RAM, different storage | |
| CPU/GPU | AMD Zen 2 + RDNA 2 APU | 4-core, 8-thread with 8 RDNA 2 compute units for GPU. CPU: 2.4 to 3.5GHz; GPU: 1.0 to 1.6GHz | |
| GPU Compute | 1TF to 1.6TF | ||
| RAM | 16GB LPDDR5 | ||
| Screen | 7″ 1280×800 LCD Display | 512GB model to include anti-glare etched glass | |
| Battery | 40-watt hour | 7-8 hours for 2D games/web browsing | |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth, USB Type-C, 3.5mm headphone jack | ||
| Storage | 64GB; 256GB; 512GB | 256GB and 512GB models will use faster NVMe SSD storage. 64GB will use eMMC. | |
| Expansion | Micro SD Card slot | ||
| OS | SteamOS | ||
| Max Power Draw | 20W (including display) | ||
| Other | Built-in microphone, ambient light sensor |
What we do know thus far regarding the Steam Deck from Valve is as follows:
On February 25, Steam launched the Steam Deck. Although the portable PC is easily accessible, and even if you put in a reservation, you may not get the Steam Deck until at least October, according to Valve.
All three types of Steam Deck are available. For $399, you can get a 64GB eMMC storage option with a carrying cover.
NVMe SSD storage, a carrying case, and a special Steam Community profile package will be included with the $529 middle-tier model, although we’re not completely sure what that is.
In addition to the 512GB of NVMe SSD storage, superior anti-glare etched glass and a distinctive carrying case, the most expensive model will cost $649 and come with a Steam Community profile package and a virtual keyboard theme exclusively.
design of a steam-powered platform
The chassis of the Steam Deck looks to be made of a matte black plastic shell with a design that is curiously similar to the Nintendo Switch.
Along with two analogue sticks and the main and secondary shoulder buttons is a typical A-B-X-Y button layout.
When pressed, it seems as if there is analogue compression on both the R2 and L2 shoulder buttons. While the Nintendo Switch has two-button shoulder controls, this does not.
In addition to the grips, there are extra macro buttons that may be programmed to perform specific purposes. Valve’s emblem and a vent to dissipate heat may be seen on the rear. USB-Type C connector, headphone jack, and volume controls are located at the top of the device.
Additionally, the Steam Deck has a unique feature: two flat touch pads on its front face, similar to the ones seen on the ill-fated Steam Controller of 2015. Two speaker grills may be seen close to the display. When playing on a portable, the gyro controls on the Steam Deck might make aiming simpler.
Additionally, Valve has confirmed that the Steam Deck will be sent with a complimentary carrying case, and it has published photographs of the final packaging to give us an idea of what the finished product will look like when it goes on sale.
Official CAD files for 3D printing Steam Deck shells have just been published by the firm. As a result, modders and third-party manufacturers will be able to design and produce an unlimited number of Steam Deck-compatible accessories and cases.
The Steam Deck’s display
In comparison to the OLED display on Nintendo’s Switch, the Steam Deck has a 7-inch 1280 x 800 resolution LCD touchscreen. In spite of this, OLED displays have a tendency to create more vivid colours and deeper blacks.
Battery life and performance of the Steam Deck
The Steam Deck is powered by an AMD CPU that has been “tuned for mobile gaming,” according to Valve. A Zen 2 + RDNA 2 architecture is used, which is identical to the Xbox Series X’s hardware. One of the minor differences between the Xbox Series X and the PS5 is RDNA 2, which might give Microsoft’s system an edge over the latter.
“more than enough performance to run the newest AAA titles in a highly efficient power envelope,” says Valve of this chip. At this point, I suppose we’ll have to wait and see how it holds up against games like Cyberpunk 2077. It’s safe to say that developers working with Steam Deck dev kits haven’t encountered many problems. So far, it’s been a piece of cake.
Unsurprisingly, Steam Deck is linked to Steam. With the help of Proton, everyone who buys a Steam Deck may rest easy knowing that practically all of their Steam library will be readily accessible.
Both 64GB of eMMC and 256/512GB of NVMe storage are available for the Steam Deck. Additional storage may be added via the microSD card slot.
A 40 watt-hour battery will power the gadget for “most games,” allowing for many hours of gameplay. 7 to 8 hours of battery life should be achievable with less intensive activities like as web surfing or light gaming.
Since “you may install third party applications and operating systems,” the FAQ says that a PC running Steam OS is what the Steam Deck is really all about. According to Valve, the Epic Games Store will be able to be installed on the Steam Deck since the operating system is Linux. An in-depth look at the Steam OS and Proton technologies that will enable the Steam Deck to run numerous Windows-only titles is available.
New details about the Steam Deck’s capabilities and limitations were unveiled by Valve at a recent developer event.
Even while the specifics haven’t been finalised, there’s a significant probability that iFixit will be selling new components for the Steam Deck, including batteries.
Compatibility with other Steam Deck games
Announcing the Steam Deck, the company said that “your Steam Library, wherever you go” will be possible thanks to the gadget. There are now just 16,000 games that are supported by the Steam Deck. Although sufficient, it falls short of the whole Steam Library collection.
In response to these concerns, Valve has launched the Steam Deck Compatibility initiative. The Steam Store’s “Verified,” “Playable,” “Unsupported,” or “Unknown” status will be applied to any titles accessible via the Steam Deck. For games that operate flawlessly on the Steam Deck right out of the box, there is Perfect, and for those that need a little work, there is Playable. If a game isn’t supported, it means it hasn’t been tested for compatibility with the Steam Deck.
Because of the news, Valve has already implemented the Steam Deck compatibility rating system throughout its entire catalogue of games. As of this writing, a total of 86 games have been tested and given a compatibility grade. However, given the extent of Steam’s game catalogue, it may still be some time before we know for sure which titles will be compatible on the future gadget.
Even yet, publishers are still responsible for ensuring that their titles run correctly or at all on Steam Deck natively. A variety of factors, including anti-cheat security concerns and lack of demand, have led Epic Games to clarify that Fortnite will not be available on Steam Deck.
For now, Bungie has confirmed that Destiny 2 will not be heading to the Steam platform. A ban will be issued to anybody who tries to go around this. Odd, given that there is a Stadia version of Destiny 2. (which is Linux-based like Steam OS).
Steam Deck’s windows
If you want to use the Steam Deck on Windows, Valve has published a set of Windows drivers that allow you to do so.
It’s best if you put your efforts on hold for the time being You can only listen to music by plugging in wireless earbuds, wireless headphones, or USB-C headphones since audio drivers are not currently available. Furthermore, since the Steam Deck does not yet support dual booting, the only way to use Windows on it is to uninstall the default operating system.
TPM also eliminates the need for Windows 11 installation. Do not forget, if you choose the Windows way, that Valve is “sadly unable to provide ‘Windows On Deck’ support.'”
The dock of the Steam Deck.
At the time of this writing, the docking attachment for the Steam Deck is not yet available. In the meanwhile, the Steam Deck can be plugged into an external display or TV, and it will have extra connections for connecting peripherals.
The USB-C connection on the Steam Deck may be used to connect additional devices if you have a suitable dongle.
View from the Steam Deck by Valve
The Steam Deck, a portable system that brings PC gaming to the palm of your hand, has earned a lot of praise so far. In spite of its small size, the machine’s performance looks to be above expectations.
Although it’s still a first-generation gadget, it’s clear that Valve intends to make improvements.
We’re still waiting to get our hands on a Steam Deck, but so far it’s looking like an interesting little gadget.