Attention all PeeThee Master Race people, and well…errr…I guess…everyone else.
Valve has evidently decided to enter the realm of handheld gaming with their new device, the Steam Deck. Really? I’m sure you could’ve come up with a better name. Piston of Sparkplug jumps to mind…(*Kaas cackling sounds*)
The Steam Deck is a handheld device which basically looks and functions like a Nintendo Switch. Pricing starts at $400 and will release in December 2021, Valve announced.
This is what they had to say:
“We partnered with AMD to create Steam Deck’s custom APU, optimized for handheld gaming. It is a Zen 2 + RDNA 2 powerhouse, delivering more than enough performance to run the latest AAA games in a very efficient power envelope.”
Evidently the Steam Deck thumbsticks are designed for extended play sessions and the owner’s whole Steam library will be available when they log on. There is a dock (sold separately) to connect to TV’s and computer monitors.
It will have a 7” screen, which puts it on par with Nintendo’s OLED Switch, and just ahead of the Switch and Switch Lite when it comes to size. The controllers though are fixed.
Some tech specs for you techie types out there:
- CPU: Zen 2 4c/8t, 2.4-3.5GHz (up to 448 GFlops FP32)
- GPU: 8 RDNA 2 CUs, 1.0-1.6GHz (up to 1.6 TFlops FP32)
- 16 GB LPDDR5 RAM (5500 MT/s)
- 1280 x 800px (16:10 aspect ratio)
- 7″ optically bonded LCD
- Bluetooth 5.0 (support for controllers, accessories and audio)
- Wi-FiDual-band Wi-Fi radio, 2.4GHz and 5GHz, 2 x 2 MIMO, IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
Valve developer Pierre-Loup Griffais confirmed the Steam Deck will have a built in mic for Multiplayer sessions and the option to alter graphics.
Battery life seems to vary though. About 2-8 hours “depending on what you are doing”.
According to Griffais, you can play Portal 2 for four hours. If you limit the framerate to 30FPS, you can stretch it to 5-6 hours.
The Steam Deck runs the latest version of the SteamOS, and you will be able to install third party software and OS.
Current models are the following:
- $400 for 64GB internal storage
- $530 for 256GB SSD storage and “exclusive Steam Community profile bundle”
- $650 for 512 GB SSD storage and an “anti-glare etched glass” screen.
Well, there you have it.
What do you think? Mouth off in the comments as per usual and see if you can come up with a better name.
Last Updated: July 16, 2021
eXpZA
July 19, 2021 at 02:53
Saying “peethee” is super cringe. Please stop.
MonsterCheddar
July 19, 2021 at 04:58
LOL
Kenn Gibson
July 19, 2021 at 03:27
With import, VAT and markup et al. That’s gonna be about R16k for the top tier model. I want one but thats some money…..
setzor
July 21, 2021 at 01:42
Yeah I’d also buy one if it was reasonable but it’d be too rich for my taste
<< continues to play in african dust with sticks >>
Lu
July 19, 2021 at 05:10
Look the concept is awesome. But I can’t think of a situation I’d be in that I’d ever use one.
Golem XD
July 20, 2021 at 11:27
Definitely getting this if I can. I go to a boarding school so I can’t really bring my Xbox series S lol