It's no industry secret that handhelds have been making a comeback since the Nintendo Switch initially launched in March 2017. It took a while for others to get there, like Valve, Asus, PlayStation, Logitech, or AyaNeo, to name a few key players. After the Steam Deck was released in February 2022 to a very limited supply, it gained more traction than anyone initially expected. And now, with this refreshed OLED version, it sure looks like the sky is the limit for Valve.
If you wanted a Steam Deck when it first launched, you could have waited literally for months because of the supply chain constraints brought on by the silicon chip crisis that also tremendously affected the auto industry. Thank God that's over and done with.
Since then, the Steam Deck managed to get into the households of "multiple millions," as Valve designers Lawrence Yang and Pierre-Loup Griffais announced during an interview with The Verge publication. While they intentionally weren't clear with the number of sale units, it's safe to assume that the actual number hovers above the 2 million mark.
While the Steam Deck isn't as powerful and technologically advanced as other handhelds like the Asus Rog Ally, it still can't be beaten in terms of raw value. While a Rog Ally Z1 (which no one buys, to be honest) starts at $600, the Z1 Extreme, which is being pushed across all markets, costs $700.
The Steam Deck base model would have cost you only $400 with better battery life per watt. Granted, with only 64GB of storage, and at lower resolution and refresh rates, but even with an extra $100-memory-card or SSD, you would still be $100 "richer."
Photo: Valve
Fast forward to November 16, 2023, when Valve releases the new and improved Steam Deck model with an incredibly looking OLED screen and 50% more battery life than the original. This is a vast improvement, even though it didn't do all that much performance-wise. Some games see a 5-7 frames gain, which isn't something to scoff at.
The true jewel here is the OLED screen, which is 0.4 inches larger than the 1st generation Steam Deck, measuring 7.4 inches. The refresh rate also got a bump from 60hz to 90hz, which isn't wise to use in demanding games because it will drain the battery faster.
However, it's perfectly fine to take advantage of in 2D games like Dead Cells, Hollow Knight, Infernax, The Messenger, Katana Zero, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, etc.
The new OLED screen now supports HDR, which offers stunning colors and a better brightness level, up from 400 SDR nits to 600 SDR nits, with a peak brightness of 1,000 nits in HDR mode. This all depends on whether the game supports this feature, of course.
Photo: Valve
The crème de la crème for enthusiasts is the battery, which also got a bump from 40Wh to 50Wh. While it might not seem like much, together with the upgraded screen technology, this can raise the battery life by 50% in some cases.
For example, Digital Foundry tested Cyberpunk 2077 on both Steam Deck versions, and it turns out the newer model lasted an entire hour longer, which is insane. The battery did its job ok before, but no one ever called it "amazing" or "revolutionary." A game like Cyberpunk could drain your Deck from 100% to 0% in less than an hour and a half.
This means you can enjoy your favorite racing or vehicle-based games like never before on the go because they'll look absolutely gorgeous on the newer and slightly larger OLED screen. Not only that, but the Deck will also hold you much longer.
The RAM memory has also been buffed from 5500MT/s (mega transfers) to 6400MT/s. As I was saying earlier, Valve didn't upgrade the raw power of the APU (Accelerated Processing Unit) chip. But it went to town on other minor upgrades, making this the definitive Steam Deck.
Remember to look at the "Great on Deck" section on the Steam store before buying a game. You could end up with an unsupported title, only to ruin your excitement. It's no biggie if you do so because Steam has quite a commendable return policy if you bought a game by mistake and didn't play it.
Photo: Valve
I got the Batman Arkham series thinking it was "Great on Deck," but as it turns out, the joke was on me. After I hit the refund button, it took 1-3 days to get my $9 back.
However, remember to check your existing game list and see if they are already verified, like Lego 2K Drive, Disney Speedstorm, Asphalt 9: Legends, Wreckfest, Hot Wheels Unleashed 1 and 2 - Turbocharged, MX vs ATV Legends, Mad Max, Project Cars 3, Ride 4, Dirt 5, F1 22, Redout 2, Flatout 4: Total Insanity, and many, many more.
And no, unfortunately, some games like EA SPORTS WRC, Need for Speed Unbound, Dirt Rally 2.0, or Forza Motorsport have no official support, at least not yet.
The OLED models come in two configurations. The "cheapest" one is $549 with 512GB, while the 1TB model is $649. The good news is that the first iteration with 512GB drops from $649 to $449, and while stock lasts, the former 256GB model is now $399 from $529, and the 64GB is $349, down from $399.
Given the blatant superiority of the OLED version, I wouldn't recommend getting the standard one.
Codrin just loves American classics, from the 1940s and ‘50s, all the way to the muscle cars of the '60s and '70s. In his perfect world, we'll still see Hudsons and Road Runners roaming the streets for years to come (even in EV form, if that's what it takes to keep the aesthetic alive). Full profile
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