Valve has officially announced the new Steam Deck OLED. The device comes with a much-needed refresh to the popular handheld gaming machine, introducing the OLED display as one of the most notable highlights. That being said, the internal hardware of the device has not yet received any updates.
The OLED machine will still feature the same AMD APU as the first-generation Steam Deck that is available in the market. Valve announced that the new handheld is launching on Thursday, November 16, 2023, at 10 am PT, just in time before Black Friday and the holiday season.
The latest Steam Deck device follows the path of the Nintendo Switch. Last year, the Switch received a better-quality OLED refresh late last year. Similar to the Switch handheld, Valve’s own version brings a greater battery to support the display. Along with this comes the support for WiFi 6E, which is now lighter than ever seen before.
Introducing Steam Deck OLED. Featuring an HDR OLED screen, longer battery life, and faster downloads. Available November 16th.
Learn more at https://t.co/uVdBCpJVuX pic.twitter.com/W4YnimTqCL
— Steam Deck (@OnDeck) November 9, 2023
The new Steam Deck OLED will be available in two storage options, namely, 512GB and 1TB, which are priced at $549 and $649. Similarly, the vanilla versions of Deck with LCD displays are being greatly discounted at launch. The 64 GB edition is reduced from $399 to just $349.
On the other hand, the 256 GB option is enjoying a larger discount from $529 to just $399. The 512 GB is also being sold at just $449 from $649. Here are some features of the new Steam Deck OLED:
- 512GB NVMe SSD
- 1280 x 800 HDR OLED display
- 7.4″ Diagonal display size
- 6 nm APU
- Wi-Fi 6E
- 50Whr battery; 3-12 hrs of gameplay (content dependent)
- 45W Power supply with 2.5m cable
The battery capacity of the Steam Deck has been improved because of its bigger capacity cell. Valve is advertising the new device to go from 20% to 80% charge in as little as 45 minutes. Similarly, the audio system of the device has also been improved with louder speakers and better bass.
Fans react to Steam Deck OLED
Naturally, the fans are pleased to see the new Steam Deck OLED device. The launch post of the handheld device on the social media handles of Steam saw players pouring in a lot of appreciation and excitement for the device. A user named ‘Aquarius’ wrote, “damn, time to buy one I guess.”
damn, time to buy one i guess pic.twitter.com/CzB9p2N3sE
— Aquarius (@aquaismissing) November 9, 2023
Another user, ‘Glimmer/Dusk Shadow,’ expressed their excitement and willingness to own the new device, saying, “I guess I’m owning two steam decks, then.” Similarly, a user ‘8ucz3k’ wrote, “I would kill for a special edition 1TB with this design in Europe :/”
Just like users, the new machine is also receiving a lot of positive reviews from reviews alike. A gaming site, Gizmodo, writes, “The best way to describe Valve’s new Steam Deck OLED is that it’s the Steam Deck you’ve always wanted.”
Similarly, The Wahington Post describes the new Steam Deck OLED model as being better in just about every way but one. The reviews suggest that it is not a performance upgrade. Thus, users who are happy with last year’s version probably won’t need this, but its other benefits make it almost irresistible.