Valve has today announced the brand new Steam Deck OLED model with some great sounding upgrades inside so here's the details.
This is the same basics as the original Steam Deck models but comes with an HDR OLED screen, a longer lasting 50Whr battery, faster WiFi, and a slew of tweaks and improvements across the board. Valve say the HDR OLED was "designed from the ground up for gaming", gives you "30-50% longer battery life", has WiFi 6E and gives improved thermals with a bigger fan while being 5% lighter than the original models. Oh, the OLED screen is also bigger at 7.4" (from 7.0") and goes up to 90Hz!
It will also come with a brand new carrying case for the 1TB models that has a removable liner, better touch-screen, easier repairs with Torx type screws that go into metal threads, so no messing up the structural integrity and Valve say the internal components are "now easier to access, and Steam Deck OLED replacement parts will be coming to iFixit soon". Even the APU was upgraded to 6nm for better efficiency, and the memory was updated to 6400 MT/s, improving latency and power management.
Not just that, you're also getting lower-priced models with the original LCD screen.
- Steam Deck 256GB LCD: Now $399 / £349 (effective immediately)
- Steam Deck 512GB OLED: $549 / £479
- Steam Deck 1TB OLED: $649 / £569
- Steam Deck 1TB OLED Limited Edition (translucent colorway): $679 (US/Canada only)
Steam Deck OLED will be available November 16th at 10 AM Pacific / 6PM UTC in USA, Canada, United Kingdom, and European Union, as well as Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Hong Kong via KOMODO.
However, the 64GB and 512GB LCD models are now being phased-out so they have a permanent discount until they are gone so while supplies last (prices effective immediately):
- Steam Deck 64GB LCD: Now $349 / £309
- Steam Deck 512GB LCD: Now $449 / £389
Direct Link
In their tech specs, it even mentions it has "support for wake from Bluetooth controllers", which I'm sure will be exciting to anyone who plans to regularly dock it.
The Docking Station is now priced at $79 / £69.
See more on the Steam Deck Store and the refreshed Steam Deck Website.
I do have a review unit on the way, which is supposed to arrive today. So stay tuned for my thoughts and comparisons on it. Exciting times to be a Linux gaming fan!
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
Mohandevir Nov 10, 2023
Quoting: EikeThis was a joke regarding expectations of gamers always wanting more.
So true!!! Never satisfied!
Quoting: MohandevirFor my part, all that's missing is USB4 support and an egpu docking station.
Read: self-mockery.
Last edited by Mohandevir on 10 November 2023 at 3:17 pm UTC
Last edited by x_wing on 10 November 2023 at 3:41 pm UTC
mattaraxia Nov 10, 2023
Quoting: ArehandoroCan the original Steam be upgraded with this new OLED? Can the new battery be installed on the original?
If the answer to both is no, even if by sending to Valve in case they don’t provide the parts to other vendors, I’m rather unhappy with this. Too early for a revision.
Edit: I just saw the HDR screen doesn’t fit in the old one.
I really don't get this reasoning, essentially being mad someone gets something newer.
It's basically been two years. An eternity for devices like this. I'd be mad if they *didn't* switch to using more power efficient chips at least, it's a good thing.
Mohandevir Nov 10, 2023
Quoting: Purple Library GuyQuoting: BlackBloodRumYeah, looks plausible.Quoting: Purple Library GuyI wonder how that works, actually. Is the whole thing just 0.4" bigger overall, or was there space around the edge of the existing screen that could be moved into so the device is the same size just with a bigger hole for the screen, or somewhere in between? Did they need to shift the controls any?The screen had a large border:
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/HwNrva8kmRp6DvT5pzYbBY.jpg
My guess is they just used some of that space.
Yeah. From what I heard (Linus Tech Tips), they achieved it by shrinking the bezels. The overall size of the screen is unchanged. So, the original SD's screen might be upgradable. Let's wait and see...
In the Gamers Nexus video on it touches on this with a "statement" from a avlave engineer saying it isnt possible to swap in the OLED screen to a non OLED model; see at below timestamp:
https://youtu.be/nfulSFtsH0c?t=486
Mohandevir Nov 10, 2023
Quoting: Cmdr_IrasQuoting: MohandevirYeah. From what I heard (Linus Tech Tips), they achieved it by shrinking the bezels. The overall size of the screen is unchanged. So, the original SD's screen might be upgradable. Let's wait and see...
In the Gamers Nexus video on it touches on this with a "statement" from a avlave engineer saying it isnt possible to swap in the OLED screen to a non OLED model; see at below timestamp:
https://youtu.be/nfulSFtsH0c?t=486
Damn! Not that it matters to me. I wouldn't embark on that journey. But for those who would like to...
Last edited by Mohandevir on 10 November 2023 at 5:07 pm UTC
Quoting: MohandevirWow! Awesome!
Can we expect the ram speed boost to give a couple of additional fps?
Yes, just a couple. Digital Foundry did a review of the unit and confirmed this.
Mohandevir Nov 10, 2023
Quoting: sarmadQuoting: MohandevirWow! Awesome!
Can we expect the ram speed boost to give a couple of additional fps?
Yes, just a couple. Digital Foundry did a review of the unit and confirmed this.
Just a couple is already good. This couple of FPS will probably make some games more enjoyable, when in the 25-30-35fps range.
Edit: Around 5% to 8% better, in average, depending on games. From 2 to 5 fps. I heard right? Not bad. I'll take them. It aligns with some videos I found, when I searched for the performance difference between DDR4-3200 & DDR4-2666, couple of months ago.
Last edited by Mohandevir on 10 November 2023 at 6:41 pm UTC
Quoting: elmapulvalve will think twice before they launch the deck 2, after all , tey dont know how to count to 3Oh trust me they know, we got SteamOS 3 when the Deck first launched after all ;)
Quoting: PenglingQuoting: F.UltraWhere does the pain come from? I understand that OLED usually have higher brightness, but since that is a setting I guess that we are talking about something else?Eyestrain and migraines. I'm told that OLEDs flicker like CRTs did (I had the same problem with those - LCDs were a godsend!), which would both explain it and suggest that it can't be avoided.
Ah, was about to ask if you had the same issues with CRTs. Yes OLED:s "flicker" to control brightness so I can see why that might be an issue, probably different from model to model since the frequency of the flicker differs and once the frequency goes high enough I suspect that the issue should go away from sensitive people (the current issue is that the frequency is just above the detectable threshold and not way above, prob to save on power).
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