Valve has finally announced the new Steam Deck even after saying not to expect one for years, and it is amazing. The new Steam Deck is not just the regular Steam Deck 2 but is called Steam Deck OLED. Valve has also revealed the price of the portable gaming PC, which comes in two models. The handheld will start shipping on November 16, with pre-orders open next week.
Valve Announces Steam Deck OLED: Everything You Need To Know
Steam Deck OLED is an upgraded version of the Steam Deck and is improving in every major aspect, from battery to display and other quality-of-life improvements. The handheld has a larger screen, better battery, faster downloads with better Wi-Fi, and more. Steam Deck OLED starts at $549 for the 512 GB model and costs $649 for the 1 TB model.
Valve has termed the OLED handheld as the “first handheld with HDR OLED,” with its 7.4-inch, 90Hz, 1,000-nit screen. Steam Deck OLED has also been upgraded in terms of cooling with a bigger and cooler fan and updated thermals.
The device also weighs 5% lighter than the launch version. It features Wi-Fi 6E for 2-3 times faster downloads with its new 6GHz connectivity, updated Bluetooth module, USB-C port, and a microSD card slot just like the launch version.
The handheld has also got a big boost in battery and has 30-50% more battery life than the original handheld with the 50-watt-per-hour battery. The battery is a very significant improvement as the majority of the players had complaints about the short battery life, and Valve has also equipped the handheld with a faster charging rate. The dimensions of the new device are unchanged, but the screen size has gone up from 7 to 7.4 inches.
Steam Deck OLED is the best upgraded version of the original handheld and with it, Valve has also reduced the prices of the original device. The Steam Deck now costs $349 for the 64 GB Model, $399 for the 256 GB Model, and $449 for the 512 GB model. However, despite everything, the handheld is not faster, and Valve is sticking to its plans for not making a faster device for a few years.
Valve is also releasing a limited-edition 1 TB model for the new handheld with a translucent design, which is priced at $679, $30 more than the regular model. The limited-edition handheld is exclusive to consumers in the United States and Canada.
The reviews for Steam Deck OLED have already started pouring in, and they are overwhelmingly positive. The handheld is getting praise for its longer battery life and performance, among several other things. Although the handheld is not any more powerful than the original, it runs amazingly with the same level of performance, using less power and staying cooler.
The touchpad and touchscreen are also more responsive now, and it’s easy to use the on-screen keyboard and small buttons. IGN‘s Bo Moore has rated the handheld 9/10 calling it amazing and more than meets the eye. In his review of the handheld, Moore stated:
The Steam Deck OLED brings a fantastic, vibrant screen to Valve’s handheld gaming PC, but its most impressive upgrade is the much-improved battery life.
Combined with all its other small but altogether significant improvements, not to mention more storage at the same price, and it’s enough to tempt even current Steam Deck owners into upgrading.
The Verge‘s Sean Hollister also has only positive things to say about the new handheld and called it the best console revision. Hollister praised the new handheld, saying,
“A new screen, a pile of improvements, and better pricing make this everything the original should have been.”
He added that the new device has fixed all the issues with the launch version and is an overhaul.
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