Valve’s Steam Deck: News & Updates

Valve has unveiled the Steam Deck, a handheld PC that bears a resemblance to the Nintendo Switch and comes with a 7″ screen. This remarkable device is set to be shipped in December, with a price tag of £349/$399 for the 64GB storage version. For those seeking more storage, there are additional options available. The 250GB SSD version is priced at £459/$529, while the 512GB SSD variant comes in at £569/$649.

The Steam Deck boasts an array of features. It includes two analogue sticks, two touch pads, analogue triggers, ABXY face buttons, four rear buttons, and gyro controls. Its specifications are truly impressive. It is equipped with a custom Zen 2 AMD processor, a USB-C port, and a microSD slot for convenient storage expansion. Valve asserts that the Steam Deck is spec’d to be comparable to a gaming laptop, with the capability to run the latest AAA games.

Valve is actively promoting the device, accompanied by videos showcasing it running games such as Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and Control. Naturally, your Steam library will be readily accessible. Moreover, as a PC and not part of a closed ecosystem, Valve emphasizes that users can install and utilize other PC software. “Browse the web, watch streaming video, handle your regular productivity tasks, install other game stores – the possibilities are endless,” Valve remarks.

For a comparison, the 7″ touchscreen of the Steam Deck is of the same size as the upcoming Switch OLED and larger than the 6.2″ screen of the base Switch. A separate dock will be made available to connect the Steam Deck to external displays, wired networking, USB peripherals, and power.

Paid reservations to purchase a Steam Deck will commence tomorrow, July 16th. Initially, it will be limited to one per customer for those with a Steam account who have made a purchase prior to June 2021. This is a move to thwart scalpers! For the rest of the users, paid reservations will open up 48 hours later, on Sunday, July 18th. Reservations are accessible to anyone in the US, Canada, EU, and UK. The reservation fee will be deducted from the overall purchase price and will be refunded if the reservation is cancelled.

We first caught wind of the Steam Deck earlier this year in a report that detailed a “Switch-like” handheld gaming PC slated for a launch later in 2021. Back then, it was referred to as “Steam Pal”, though unfortunately not as Gabe Boy.

“We believe that the Steam Deck offers people an additional means to enjoy the games they adore on a high-performance device at an excellent price,” stated Valve boss Gabe Newell today. “As a gamer, this is a product I have always desired. And as a game developer, it is the mobile device I have always longed for our partners.”

Here are the detailed specifications of the Steam Deck:

Compute

• Processor: AMD APU
• CPU: 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)
• APU power: 4 – 15W
• RAM: 16 GB LPDDR5 RAM (5500 MT/s)
• Storage: 64 GB eMMC (PCIe Gen 2 x1) or 256 GB NVMe SSD (PCIe Gen 3 x4) or 512 GB high-speed NVMe SSD (PCIe Gen 3 x4)
• All models include a high-speed microSD card slot

Controls and input

• Gamepad controls: A B X Y buttons, D-pad, L & R analogue triggers, L & R bumpers, View & Menu buttons, 4 x assignable grip buttons
• Thumbsticks: 2 x full-size analogue sticks with capacitive touch
• Haptics: HD haptics
• Trackpads: 2 x 32.5mm square trackpads with haptic feedback (55 percent better latency compared to Steam Controller, pressure-sensitivity for configurable click strength)
• Gyro: 6-Axis IMU

Display

• Resolution: 1280 x 800px (16:10 aspect ratio)
• Type: Optically bonded LCD for enhanced readability
• Display size: 7″ diagonal
• Brightness: 400 nits typical
• Refresh rate: 60Hz
• Touch enabled: Yes
• Sensors: Ambient light sensor

Connectivity

• Bluetooth: Bluetooth 5.0 (support for controllers, accessories, and audio)
• Wi-Fi: Dual-band Wi-Fi radio, 2.4GHz and 5GHz, 2 x 2 MIMO, IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac

Audio

• Channels: Stereo with an embedded DSP for an immersive listening experience
• Microphones: Dual microphone array
• Headphone / mic jack: 3.5mm stereo headphone / headset jack
• Digital: Multichannel audio via DisplayPort over USB-C, standard USB-C, or Bluetooth 5.0

Power

• Input: 45W USB Type-C PD3.0 power supply
• Battery: 40Whr battery. 2 – 8 hours of gameplay

Expansion

• microSD: UHS-I supports SD, SDXC, and SDHC
• External connectivity for controllers & displays: USB-C with DisplayPort 1.4 Alt-mode support; up to 8K @60Hz or 4K @120Hz, USB 3.2 Gen 2

Size and weight

• Size: 298mm x 117mm x 49mm
• Weight: Approximately 669 grams

Software

• Operating System: SteamOS 3.0 (Arch-based)
• Desktop: KDE Plasma

Official dock (sold separately)

• Peripherals: 1 x USB-A 3.1 Port, 2 x USB-A 2.0 Ports
• Networking: Ethernet
• External displays: DisplayPort 1.4, HDMI 2.0
• Power input: USB-C Power Delivery passthrough input
• Deck connection: 6″ USB-C captive cable with a low-profile 90° connector
• Size: 117mm x 29mm x 50.5mm
• Weight: Approximately 120 grams