What is the Steam Deck?
The Steam Deck is Valve’s latest foray into the gaming hardware space. With its focus on portability and the ability to play any game from the Steam library, the Steam Deck is essentially a handheld gaming PC. Gabe Newell, Valve’s co-founder, has emphasized the company’s dedication to ensuring the device’s compatibility with the entire Steam catalog. Demonstrations have already shown that it can handle demanding AAA titles, with games like “Control” and “Jedi Fallen Order” being playable on it.
One concern that has been raised by tech analysts involves the Steam Deck’s operating system. Running on a version of SteamOS based on Linux, there are questions about its compatibility with the vast range of Steam games. Valve, however, is confident in their Proton bridging software’s ability to simplify the game porting process for developers, which should alleviate these concerns.
Steam Deck Specifications
The Steam Deck is powered by a custom AMD chip, featuring a Zen 2 CPU and an RDNA 2 GPU, comparable in power to the Xbox Series S but with more RAM at 16 GB. It boasts a 7-inch LCD touchscreen, suitable for both gameplay and menu navigation. The device’s size is noteworthy, being larger than a Nintendo Switch, and includes additional features like touchpads, programmable paddles, and a 3.5 mm headphone jack.
There will be three versions of the Steam Deck, differing only in storage capacity: 64 GB, 256 GB, and 512 GB, all with identical performance specs.
Docking the Steam Deck
Valve has also designed a dock for the Steam Deck, enabling it to connect to TVs and monitors. The dock, which is sold separately, includes HDMI and DisplayPort outputs, USB ports for peripherals, and an ethernet port. It’s designed as a simple stand with a USB-C connection, minimizing the risk of scratching the device. This setup aims to make the Steam Deck a viable alternative to a gaming laptop.
Release and Pricing
The initial release of the Steam Deck is targeted for December 2021, with the earliest reservations expected to be fulfilled by mid to late 2022. Reserving a Steam Deck requires a $5 deposit on Steam, with the 64 GB model priced at $399, the 256 GB model at $530, and the 512 GB model at $650.
The Steam Deck represents Valve’s continued commitment to innovation in the gaming hardware market, and it could potentially be a game-changer in the realm of portable gaming devices.
