The Steam Deck
Valve came with news about the Steam Deck. A handheld device with the looks of a Nintendo Switch but the feature of a small PC.
The device has three different models with the price variating from €419,- to €679,- The cheapest model which costs €419,- has least amount of internal storage, 64GB and doesn’t work with SSD. Nevertheless, all models can operate with a SD-card. Even though the internal storage is supposed to work quicker footage IGN showed was al off the SD-card. The middle model costs €549,- and operates with internal SSD storage. The internal capacity for storage is 256 GB and as mentioned, has faster components than the cheapest version. It also provides entry to an exclusive Steam Community Profile bundle. The most expensive device which costs €679,- has (obviously) the best features. It doesn’t only have the fastest storage capability; it also has a Premium anti-glare etched glass.
All handheld devices are expected to be released in the first quarter of 2022 since the shipping (probably) starts in December. When you’ve received the Steam Deck and logged into it, the entire Steam Library pops up. All your games, collections and favourites are there and you can play on exactly where you’ve left them on your PC.
Hardware
When we dig deeper into the hardware, we are positively surprised. The Steam Deck has a 7-inch touchscreen and is equipped with the capacitive multi-touch display. The trackpads increase precision and variety. Some games that were not designed for handheld devices are easier to operate due to the trackpads. In combination with Giro makes aiming even easier on the device. ‘’ With an IMU and capacitive touch thumbsticks on-board, Deck helps you aim better. By physically positioning the device you can achieve more precision than using a thumbstick or trackpad alone.’’
Steam Deck also has built in speakers and a dual onboard microphone to make it possible to chat with your friends if you’re not in passion of an (good) headset. The device has a 40-watt-hour battery, which should guaranty multiple hours of playing time for most games. When playing lighter games, for example 2D games, the battery should life around 7 to 8 hours. The device can operate trough WiFi and your accessories can be connected through Bluetooth.
There is also a possibility to connect the Steam Deck on a monitor or TV. If you buy the Steam Dock, which is sold separately, it’s easier to connect to for example your TV. The dock has three usb-ports, two HDMI slots and 1 ethernet port.
Technical
Processor:
AMD APU
CPU: Zen 2 4c/8t, 2.4-3.5GHz (up to 448GFlops GF32)
GPU: 8 RDNA 2CUs, 1.0-1.6GHz (up to 1.6 TFlops FP32)
APU power: 4-15W
RAM
16GB LPDDR5 on-board RAM (5500 MT/s quad 32-bit channels)
Storage
64 GB Emmc (PCIe Gen 2 x1)
256 GB NVMe SSD (PCIe Gen 3 x4)
512 GB high-speed NVMe SSD (PCIe Gen 3×4)
All models use socketed 2230 m.2 modules (not intended for end-user replacement)
64 GB eMMC (PCIe Gen 2 x1)
256 GB NVMe SSD (PCIe Gen 3 x4)
512 GB high-speed NVMe SSD (PCIe Gen 3 x4)
All models use socketed 2230 m.2 modules (not intended for end-user replacement)
All models include high-speed microSD card slot
Controls and Input
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
55% 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 IPS 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 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: Approx. 669 grams
Software
Operating System: SteamOS 3.0 (Arch-based)
Desktop: KDE Plasma
Is it worth it?
The Steam Dock looks like a great device. Yes, the most expensive model is pricy. However, the handheld device is an absolute banger. What’s is maybe the best feature that it is an actual computer. So, you are not obligated to play only Steam games, but you can also download third party games. The Steam Dock will, once again, be released in the first quarter of 2022. We would advice to buy the middle priced model or the most expensive one since the internal capacity is way better. For further information about the Steam Dock check the official website or follow us as we keep you updated.