Valve has announced a new gaming handheld PC device, called Steam Deck. Steam Deck is basically a portable mini PC, featuring an AMD Zen 2, 16GB of DDR5 and an RDNA 2 GPU.
Here are the full specs of Steam Deck:
- CPU: AMD Zen 2 4c/8t, 2.4-3.5GHz (up to 448 GFlops FP32)
- GPU: 8 RDNA 2 CUs, 1.0-1.6GHz (up to 1.6 TFlops FP32)
- RAM: 16 GB DDR5
- Storage: 64GB, 256GB, 512GB versions; expandable with MicroSD cards
- Display: 7″ diagonal, 1280×800 (16:10), 60Hz LCD touchscreen
- Audio: Stereo speakers that “pack a punch,” says Valve, 3.5mm stereo jack, dual mics, multichannel USB-C/Bluetooth output
- Controls: Two analog sticks with capacitive touch, D-pad, face buttons, analog triggers, bumpers, assignable grip buttons, “view” and “menu” buttons, gyro
- Trackpads: There’s two of them, and Valve says that they have “55% better latency compared to Steam Controller.”
- Wireless connectivity: Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
- Wired connectivity: USB-C with DisplayPort 1.4 Alt-mode support; up to 8K @60Hz or 4K @120Hz, USB 3.2 Gen 2
- Battery: 40Whr, “2-8 hours of gameplay”
- Size: 11.7″ x 4.6″ x 1.8″ (298mm x 117mm x 49mm)
- Weight: Approximately 1.47 lbs (669 grams)
According to Valve, there will be three versions of Steam Deck. The first entry will be priced at $399 and will come with 64GB of storage. The second entry will have 256GB NVMe SSD storage and will cost $529. Lastly, the high-end model will have 512GB of high-speed NVME SSD storage, an anti-glare etched glass, and will cost $649.
Valve has stated that Steam Deck will support all PC launchers and that PC gamers can do anything they want with it. This means that, if you want, you can even remove the SteamOS and install Windows 10.
Valve will release Steam Deck in Fall 2021!
John is the founder and Editor in Chief at DSOGaming. He is a PC gaming fan and highly supports the modding and indie communities. Before creating DSOGaming, John worked on numerous gaming websites. While he is a die-hard PC gamer, his gaming roots can be found on consoles. John loved – and still does – the 16-bit consoles, and considers SNES to be one of the best consoles. Still, the PC platform won him over consoles. That was mainly due to 3DFX and its iconic dedicated 3D accelerator graphics card, Voodoo 2. John has also written a higher degree thesis on the “The Evolution of PC graphics cards.”
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RIP shitendo switch
Haha, this won’t do jack to the Switch honestly.
The only Valve hardware that “failed” was the Steam Machine. Everything else has been successful and critically acclaimed.
switch doesnt let you have one game in it due to low storage space.
With The CEMU emulator, it will be the perfect Switch 2
yeah im tempted to sell my switch and just use the switch emulator on it. hoping it can run switch emulated games pretty well.
Its probobly too weak for the more demanding switch games.
This might be the emulation handheld king a lot of people are looking for. Plus you don’t have to buy any new games for it since you already own them.
I do wonder how easy it is going to be run non steam games and software on steam OS though.
I mean if you have to remove steam OS and install windows just to get GOG games and other software on it that kind of kills it for me.
Another big potential downpoint is the controller ergonomics. The touchpads look like they take up most space and you have to reach for the thumbsticks.
Well it is Linux at the end of the day, you may need a seperate launcher for non Steam titles to call DXVK if using SteamOS.
With this device Valve start open war against Microsoft. They want to show that Windows is not necessary to run games on PC. MS will be forced to defend against this threat. For MS gaming on Windows is very important for future of whole company
I bet that MS will remove own games from Steam after Valve open fire against Windows. MS can’t sell own games on Steam like when Valve fight against Windows. They will respond.
Meh. Pass. Not interested in playing my pc games in 720p.
“if you want, you can even remove the SteamOS and install Windows 10”
It all depends on drivers. Installation of AMD drivers are blocked on unsupported devices. A lot of notebooks with AMD GPU are not supported by generic AMD drivers and require drivers released by notebook vendor. Even if someone install GPU drivers then there is a lot more drivers on such hardware like motherboard, IO, network, touchscreen and more.
Valve will support only drivers for Steam OS. Windows drivers for this hardware will be real nightmare just like with older Steam Machines
Ooh! Did not think about this in the excitement. I guess it’s not gonna work as a portable PC then.
Try to install AMD drivers on most notebooks or NUC devices. AMD installer will show error about unsupported device with message that you need drivers released by device vendor. But this is only beginning. How you find Windows drivers for touchscreen used by this device? What about all outer drivers?
Is your warranty still valid if you use Windows with some random drivers? It will be very risky to remove Steam OS from this device. Valve should release two versions: Steam OS and Windows. With full support, warranty and drivers
Even if you find some generic drivers for GPU and some homebrew drivers for touchscreen and two touchpads then it is just beginning. Is your warranty still valid if you use Windows with some random drivers?
It will be very risky to remove Steam OS from this device. Valve should release two versions: Steam OS and Windows. With full support, warranty and drivers
I loled a little at this.
wouldn’t take it even for free.
This is the only console I will buy. PCMR FTW
Windows or any os its your choise. you can run it all. its a PC
I can’t really complain much when it comes to the pricing because it is setting a new standard that we haven’t seen before in the PC handheld market, which is currently a niche one. Compared to the GPD Win 3 you’re essentially paying half the price (albeit with half the storage capability).
And even when you compare it to the Switch I would only be spending a little under £70 more for the base product that provides visual fidelity akin to PS4/Xbox One, whereas the Switch rivals that of the PS3/Xbox 360. And most PC gamers already having a huge backlog ready to go so it’s a no brainer.
The LCD screen is a bit of a let down, especially when you consider how old the PS Vita is which has an OLED display. My guess is that with all the implementations they included that they had to cutdown on something like that to keep the price range somewhat appealing.
Fair points but the storage architecture shouldn’t be an issue for you if you plan to buy the most expensive tier which replaces that eMMC for an NVMe.
Some of these hardware specs are beyond me but it’s worth noting that BotW is an open world game whereas GoW is linear. It’d be a lot more fair to compare it to something like Beyonetta even though that’s available to other systems as well. Perhaps Beyonetta 3 if that ever comes out.
Well, the system has been designed for other manufacturers to take advantage of it so maybe we’ll see other variants some time in the future. So features like an OLED display or removable battery, higher resolution, etc. may not be completely ruled out in the not too distant future hopefully.
Even I hope to see an increased adoption rate for the Linux OS due to its open nature, which guarantees a more user friendly environment. But I’m not exactly sure the success of this device will translate into users becoming more interested in the platform. It just entirely depends on how well Valve can convince people into trying it out. Steam Deck will be shipping the latest installment of SteamOS with Proton expecting to have major updates along the way so maybe it’ll be a success, who knows.
They’re saying you can install Windows without problems so let’s wait and see.
it really doesnt matter because the storage space is pathetic, you get to play one maybe two games at best.
You can just purchase 1TB SD card or something if you plan to download so many games at once. Dunno why people are having such high expectations over a device that can fit in a small backpack.
Just buy an SSD for a handheld?.. You just accept anything they give to you I see.
Who said anything about an SSD? I said an SD card since there’s an available slot underneath the device. Obviously it would have been awesome if it just included a 1 TB model but 512 GB seems reasonable enough when you compare it to something like a Switch that only offers 32 GB eMMC.
It really depends on what you plan to utilise it for. I don’t plan to download all the latest games simultaneously so that’s why I’m not as bothered as you are.
It makes me wonder how the price of thing would be if they just decided to go with all the features you mentioned. Valve already said the low cost of it did hurt them, not sure by how much though. If they went all out with the latest technology the entry price may just throw so many people off.
And I’m not exactly sure what the is issue when it comes to backwards compatibility. If that’s one of Linux’s biggest barriers in gaming then I don’t see why people wouldn’t wanna dual boot. That’s what I plan to do since I have a bunch of games purchased on other stores besides Steam and I’m aware that Proton only works with Steam licences. Wine is another solution but I’m not sure if it works with every title or on all platforms.
Do we actually know how hot the system can get on extreme loads? Because that’s not something we should assume at this point. I own a Switch and even with it’s slim form factor the system only ever gets hot when it’s charging or perhaps running a demanding game. The vents on the Deck look similar to the Switch and I would imagine both internal and external heating wouldn’t be much of an issue since it has an ergonomic form factor. We have to wait and see for the actual test bench once it’s out. The same case the specific SSD they chose to go with and how well applications run through external storage.
Indeed. It’s pretty much a walled garden feature on Steam which is unfortunate. But I did read on a GOG thread that they’re likely expanding it beyond that to allow non-Steam games to make use of its functionality? Not sure if I read it right. I just don’t see why Valve would even bother unless they’re genuinely passionate to drive more people onto Linux OS.
That’s pretty cool. Still, you’re unable to upgrade anything, but since it is running the latest SSD component that saves it from any major bottlenecking issues in the long run. Let’s just hope their success leads to them into offering improved model versions in the near future.
Are you actually playing any games if you honestly need to have 4 tb of storage to install them? Why? Why do you need 74 games installed at once?
what are those numbers you pulled out of your a*s? Cheaper version is 500gb.
hey remember when they made those steamboxes? What happened to those?
“They got replaced by this”
ok but they also had this steam controller with that “Very innovative” touchpad control system that was allegedly better than thumbsticks. So what happened to that? How come this one has thumbsticks?
Steam Machine was Valve first attempt at opening their branch into making hardware products so you’d expect them to make mistakes and hopefully learn from it. The touch pads on the Steam Deck are an iteration of their past versions which were utilised in both the Steam and Index controllers. They said this time it’s a greater improvement. We’ll just have to wait and see.
They obviously added two thumbsticks as well as two touch pads for the convenience of those who wanna mix and match or if some users prefer to use one over the other. It’s about giving the users various controlling inputs. That’s what makes this hardware standout from the Switch.
I dont think it will be a success but the price is very good its agressively competitive
Because it’s a handheld, I get the breeze of nostalgia, but who is it for?
From the responses I’m seeing it’s attracting a lot of Switch users who grew tiresome of waiting for the Switch Pro, especially after the announcement of the OLED version. I’m also seeing people who were interested in PC gaming for a while but didn’t know where to start and see this as a great entry point. I guess there’s no specific target audience for it but those are the vocal ones I’m seeing at the moment.
Some people on one of the IT blogs I read said that this is actually as capable as an entry level gaming PC. I looked at the specs again and chuckled a little, shaking my head.
Probably has no problem running any game thrown with the low screen resolution
You want your games to look like a Gameboy or PS1 in 2021? I am kinda convinced nobody wants to.
You want your games to look like a Gameboy or PS1 in 2021? I am kinda convinced nobody wants to.
Well what is an entry level gaming PC? That’s the issue a lot of newcomers seem to have when they wanna get into whole scene. And I doubt many experienced PC gamers would easily agree on an ideal spec. If this system struggles to play all the latest entries like Cyberpunk at the lowest settings then yeah it’s a problem.
Depends how many compromises in quality you want to make. Obviously if you have consoles with 8C/16T, anything lower will be a problem down the line if you want to have at least a console quality experience. You can game on 720p, sure, but that is like watching VHS in 2021. Retro.
Which is why those who are on the fence or have no clue on how the thing runs need to wait until there’s a comprehensive overview. Sounds like a great device to play the latest entries on the go but it’s a whole ‘nother story once plugged onto a 50+ inch 4K display.
How is a LCD panel something bad? You prefer OLED? I won’t buy a screen that can burn itself thanks.
Battery is not weak, this “console” has 8~10 times the power of the Switch.
Soldered SSD is a bad thing indeed, but it’s a PC, so you will have external pendrives, hdds and a lot more.
Plus you can just buy a portable charger for a cheap price if you expect to be gaming for hours. I’m surprised people don’t even consider these things.
I agree about the battery design, they should have gone with the more conventional method but only if they’re guaranteed to last longer than the proprietary designs used nowadays by most companies.
I can’t comment on the longevity of the battery but if they can only last a year or two on consistent usage of demanding applications then yeah it’s worth bringing into the discussion. The thing is it doesn’t seem to be the main concern when it comes to any mobile device from what I gather. I’m sure the majority of Switch, Vita, etc. userbase haven’t come across that issue on a large scale yet.
Also it’s worth noting that you are deliberately trying to cause the device to have a short lifespan if you’re purposefully trying to overclock it.
The true successor to PSP. And this can run everything Windows can!
PSVita is true one.
“Linux based Steam OS means a powerful pocket PC”
Steam Deck is not a pocket device – it is size of 13″ notebook. With additional case this will be nearly size of 14″ notebook
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/71e12719f644064a6285fee30aa28433470b64939fc5a0b0e2e1e7d483e5b91c.jpg
Isn’t this the dude that promotes Microsoft like they are gods, yet they can’t even make a dev of Windows 11 without the clock messing up the taskbar?
This is…actually the first message you write that is fully readable and understandable! HOLY F*CK!!! I didn’t know you were capable of this!
Congratulations!!
Hahahaha well said
Noob question as i haven’t tried it yet but do cracked games work on Linux fine using proton or something?
I have MX Linux on my spare laptop and it basically saved it from death and i love that OS to death and i’m thinking about just installing it on my main machine.
I’ll take a look thanks
Dude i wanted to let you know that POP OS and Proton with Lutris pretty much plays everything including cracked games in fact this is sad to report but its easier to play cracked ubisoft games and EA games then it is to play the actual copy’s you buy!
For real had nothing but issues until i just said eff it and used the cracked ones lol now its perfect.
512gb need to be the first entry. ffs GTA5 alone is 95gb.
If you’re playing GTA5 8 years after release, the problem is you.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/6b9e5b0eb64df2727598e0b3209173f417e67dd96e866bed5c363b3bfe6418c6.jpg
I still play GTA 3 and GTA 4.
I think it’s open system and you can install anything you want even cracked games and emulators the only downside i see is the storage specially the 1st entry 64gb?! for what?
Looks cool. But when I play games, I am at my computer. When I’m not at my computer… im usually doing things to take a break from games. So… yeah I’d never use this if I had it.
can probably run any game on it just fine with the low screen resolution.
Asus should just make a standalone with windows
Valve does what Nintendon’t.
PSVita > This.