Over a year after making portable gaming PCs a mainstream gadget, Valve has announced the next iteration of the Steam Deck.
With a release date set for November 16, the Steam Deck OLED will feature an enhanced OLED display, better audio, and a handful of quality-of-life improvements. It will also feature what looks to be a big boost in battery life, with Valve claiming an estimated 30 percent to 50 percent improvement over the launch version.
Steam Deck OLED model will be available in two storage configurations: 512GB and 1TB, which will cost $549 and $649, respectively. And just like its predecessor, Steam Deck OLED includes a microSD card slot. Pre-orders open next week.
Those who choose to upgrade will find a unit that ditches the LCD touchscreen display in favor of a 7.4-inch HDR OLED screen — a slight increase from the seven-inch display on the original model (but the dimensions for the handheld are unchanged from the original Steam Deck). As you can see in the images above, the Steam Deck OLED model has slightly smaller bezels than its predecessor.
The Steam Deck OLED's other big upgrade is its new 50Whr battery, which is an improvement from the 40Whr version found in the launch model. It's a standout addition for the new model, not the least because battery performance was a sore spot for the Steam Deck at launch, and Valve claims it will charge faster, too.
With Valve releasing two new SKUs to its Steam Deck lineup, the company confirmed that it is reducing the price of its LCD units. The company is planning to discontinue the 64GB and 512GB LCD models. Below are the new prices for the LCD models:
- 64GB Model - $349 (Previously $399)
- 256GB Model - $399 (Previously $529)
- 512GB - $449 (Previously $649)
No notable performance improvements for Steam Deck OLED
Despite the major upgrades, the new model does not offer improved performance. While the new OLED screen offers an increased 90Hz refresh rate, it still outputs at a native 1280x800 resolution.
As previous reports suggested, the Steam Deck OLED also includes a Wi-Fi 6E module that allows up to three times faster download speeds or better performance when playing games online, depending on the internet connectivity and router.
To be clear, this is not the Steam Deck 2. Valve has previously stated that a Steam Deck successor would not be released until at least 2025. However, the updated model does make some necessary improvements to the handheld PC gaming experience for Steam Deck, akin to the Nintendo Switch (OLED Model) released over two years ago.
While the form factor will remain the same, though, the new Steam Deck OLED will be about 30 grams lighter than its predecessor. It will also be cooler than the launch Steam Deck, which was known for running rather hot, thanks to updated thermals.
Valve is releasing a limited edition Steam Deck OLED
Those hoping for eclectic new colors will be disappointed, but Valve is releasing a limited edition Steam Deck OLED model featuring a stunning translucent design.
It's only available in a 1TB option, includes an exclusive design carrying case, and costs $30 more than the regular 1TB Steam Deck OLED at $679. The Limited Edition model is exclusive to consumers based in the US and Canada.
Otherwise, Valve is sticking with an all-black Steam Deck, with the only options to change the colors being through third-party backplates and skins, but Valve is not ruling out making additional colorways for the Steam Deck.
Valve told IGN in a recent interview that the team has "experimented with and thought about" other colorways and that it will see how customers "feel about" the Limited Edition model, but otherwise makes no promises about additional color variants.
For more on the Steam Deck OLED model, check out our comparisons piece stacking up the Steam Deck OLED with the original model and Nintendo Switch OLED. If you want to know our thoughts on the Steam Deck OLED, check out Bo Moore's full review.
Taylor is a Reporter at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.
