Valve’s refreshed Steam Deck came with a bounty of new features, so let’s break it all down and see what’s different about the upgraded handheld PC.
The handheld landscape has changed forever. With Valve wading into the market, it altered what people want from their gaming handhelds. Since then, Asus and Lenovo have released their own systems, while Ayaneo and the usual suspects like GPDWin have ramped up production to outmatch Valve.
However, from what we’ve discovered since we got hold of the Steam Deck, is that nothing compares. While the specs and performance might not be the top dollar anymore, with the 7840U and Z1 Extreme outpacing it, it still manages to be one of our favorite systems to play games on.
Now, since the launch of Steam Deck OLED, our admiration for the Valve handheld has only grown.
Where to buy the Steam Deck OLED
Similarly to the LCD models that came before it, the Steam Deck OLED is only available through Steam, Valve’s official storefront.
The Steam Deck OLED is available in two different variants, the 512GB and 1TB model. Each version of the upgraded PC gaming handheld will gain you a considerable amount of Steam Points, which can be later used to purchase start up movies.
For those not based in the US, the Steam Deck expanded into more regions with the help of Komodo. Through the Komodo website, the Steam Deck has since become available in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong.
Steam Deck OLED specs
Everything internally is nearly the same as before. Valve has stated that it won’t be upgrading the RDNA 2 processor anytime soon, or at least until there’s a definitive path to a worthy upgrade. However, this has been shrunk by 1nm.
The Steam OLED brings a plethora of upgrades to the table where physical hardware is concerned. This means a new screen, a bigger battery, and faster charging.
OLED screen
First up, there’s a new OLED panel included in the system. Steam Deck users already have a third-party mod, DeckHD, which increases color accuracy, and the benefit of the Steam Deck 3.5.5 update, which brought an adjustment to the color rendering for a warmer and brighter appearance on the system. However, including an OLED panel opens up a tonne of avenues for the way things look on screen.
The newly updated OLED display offers a richer color palette over the LCD panel inside the Steam Deck, with a heavy emphasis on contrast.
Valve has also sourced a 90Hz panel, so high refresh rates in certain titles is now attainable without having to dock the device.
Battery improvements
Then, one of the biggest complaints about the Steam Deck is the battery. Valve has listened and increased the size of the battery, along with the speed it charges at too. This has allowed us to reach over that hour or hour and a half mark without having to set the screen to a 40FPS/40Hz refresh rate in certain AAA games.
Weight and size
On top of all this, the device is now lighter but has remained the same size. You’ll also find that the screen is ‘bigger’ due to the reduced bezels around it.
Steam Deck vs Steam Deck OLED
| Spec | OLED | LCD |
|---|---|---|
| APU | Custom AMD Van Gogh (Aerith) | Custom AMD Van Gogh (Aerith) |
| Process | 6nm | 7nm |
| CPU architecture | AMD Zen 2 | AMD Zen 2 |
| CPU clock speed | 2.4 – 3.5GHz | 2.4 – 3.5GHz |
| Cores | Threads | 4 | 8 | 4 | 8 |
| GPU architecture | AMD RDNA 2 | AMD RDNA 2 |
| GPU clock speed | 1 – 1.6GHz | 1 – 1.6GHz |
| Stream processors | 512 | 512 |
| RAM | 16GB quad channel LPDDR5 @ 6400MT/s | 16GB quad channel LPDDR5 @ 5,500MT/s |
| Storage | 512GB NVMe | 1TB NVMe | 64GB eMMC | 256GB NVMe SSD | 512GB NVMe SSD |
| Display | 7.4-inch OLED touchscreen | 7-inch LCD touchscreen |
| Native resolution | 1280 x 800 | 1280 x 800 |
| Refresh rate | 90Hz | 60Hz |
| Audio | Stereo speakers, 3.5mm jack, dual mics | Stereo speakers, 3.5mm jack, dual mics |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6e, Bluetooth, 1x USB Type-C with DisplayPort 1.4 support | Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth, 1x USB Type-C with DisplayPort 1.4 support |
| Battery | 50Whr | 5,313mAh | 40Whr | 5,313mAh |
| Dimensions | 11.7 x 4.6 x 1.8-inch (298 x 117 x 49mm) | 11.7 x 4.6 x 1.8-inch (298 x 117 x 49mm) |
| Weight | 1.41lbs (640g) | 1.47lbs (669g) |
What’s new in the Steam Deck OLED?
Valve has handily listed everything that the Steam Deck OLED has changed to it:
Steam Deck OLED price
ValveValve is selling the Steam Deck OLED from $549 for the 51GB and $649 for the 1TB model. The limited edition version, when in stock, was available for $679.
The price increase is to be expected, as the new high refresh rate OLED and bigger battery are now included. However, LCD models are now being slashed in pricing as they’re phased out.
Gabe Newell, head of Valve, has stated that the original was aggressively priced and sold at a low price for a reason, despite the company taking a hit on it.
When does the Steam Deck OLED release?
ValveThe Steam Deck OLED was released on November 16, 2023.
Is the Steam Deck OLED the Steam Deck 2?
No, the Steam Deck OLED is not the Steam Deck 2. The next full upgrade is still a ways off according to Valve, who is waiting for a proper upgrade to hardware before committing to new hardware.
