In an exciting move, a month before the Christmas holidays, Valve has just unveiled its latest innovation in portable gaming, Steam Deck OLED, as a successor and continuation of their successful Steam Deck handheld Linux gaming console.
Steam Deck OLED
This new addition to the Steam Deck family boasts a vivid 1280×800 HDR OLED display, offering brighter colors and deeper blacks for an enhanced gaming experience.
The new model is a qualitative upgrade of the previously available one, the main differences being a larger 7.4″ screen (7″ used in the original Steam Deck), an efficient 6 nm AMD APU (7 np used in the original Steam Deck), and the latest Wi-Fi 6E (Wi-Fi 5 used in the original Steam Deck) for three times faster downloads.
On top of that, the OLED version is more energy-efficient, packing a 50Whr battery that extends gameplay to 3-12 hours. Additionally, the device is lighter and cooler than its predecessor, thanks to a larger fan and improved thermals.
The table below shows the full hardware specifications of the new device.
| CPU | 6 nm AMD APU Zen 2 4c/8t, 2.4-3.5GHz |
| GPU | 8 RDNA 2 CUs, 1.6GHz |
| RAM | 16 GB LPDDR5 on-board |
| Storage | Steam Deck 512GB NVMe SSD Steam Deck 1TB NVMe SSD Both include a high-speed microSD card slot |
| Gamepad Controls | A B X Y buttons D-pad L & R analog triggers L & R bumpers View & Menu buttons 4 x assignable grip buttons |
| Thumbsticks | 2 x full-size analog sticks with capacitive touch |
| Haptics | HD haptics |
| Trackpads | 2 x 32.5mm square trackpads with haptic feedback Pressure-sensitivity for configurable click strength |
| Gyro | 6-Axis IMU |
| Display | 7,4″ 1280×800 HDR OLED with < 0.1 ms response time up to 90Hz refresh rate 1,000 nits peak brightness |
| Light Sensors | Dual ambient light sensor ALS |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth 5.3 Tri-band Wi-Fi 6E radio, 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz 2 x 2 MIMO, IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax |
| Audio | Stereo with embedded DSP 3.5mm stereo headphone / headset jack |
| Microphones | Dual microphone array |
| Expansions | microSD UHS-I support SD, SDXC, and SDHC USB3 gen 2 Display port over Type C; up to 8K @60Hz or 4K @120Hz |
| Operating System | SteamOS 3 (Arch Linux-based) |
| Size | 298mm x 117mm x 49mm |
| Weight | 640 grams |
The Steam Deck OLED will be available in 512GB and 1TB models, as the 1TB version features exclusive extras like a startup movie and a virtual keyboard theme.
Moreover, Valve also announced a Limited Edition colorway for the 1TB model, exclusive to the US and Canada. The device features an elegant semi-opaque black shell with striking red highlights on the joystick caps, screws, air intake, and exhaust vents.
Valve’s Steam Deck OLED comes with a 12-month standard limited warranty, and as an option, a docking station is available, sold separately for $79, for connecting to external displays and peripherals.
Price & Availability
The shipping is scheduled to start on November 16, alongside a price drop for the existing Steam Deck LCD models, which are being phased out and will be available until they are out of stock.
Regarding the price, the 512 GB Steam Deck OLED will retail for $549 and 1TB for $649. For detailed information, visit the manufacturer’s website.
