I’ve cherished handheld gaming for so long as I can keep in mind, however issues have not often been pretty much as good for gaming-on-the-go as in 2023. Although my favourite handheld total remains to be the Nintendo Swap, the OLED Steam Deck from Valve has gained me over with its options and efficiency, and its expansive sport library. Of all of the gaming handheld units that arrived this 12 months, the Steam Deck OLED is my favourite by far.
Handheld gaming consoles have been again on the rise these days, not simply with the Nintendo Swap, indie handhelds and the PlayStation Portal, however in PC gaming too, with Home windows choices just like the Asus Rog Ally and the Lenovo Legion Go. The brand new OLED Steam Deck is a refreshed model of the year-plus-old Steam Deck, with a bigger OLED show that appears nice. It begins at $549, whereas the unique LCD-based fashions stay on sale, beginning at $349.
Though the OLED mannequin is not a lot completely different when it comes to graphics efficiency than the primary Steam Deck, the continued enhancements throughout the board — in new {hardware} and continued OS upgrades — have added as much as so much. Certain, it is a handheld that appears like a mini-surfboard. Nevertheless it’s a lot enjoyable to make use of. Valve additionally made the value extra engaging, decreasing the LCD Steam Deck costs and making the OLED mannequin primarily the identical worth because the midrange LCD Steam Decks earlier than.
8.3
Valve Steam Deck OLED
Like
Vibrant HDR OLED show
Runs many Steam video games properly
Wonderful controls, improved haptics
Higher battery life
Do not like
Giant measurement
Does not have detachable controllers
Some Steam video games do not run on it
Display can typically really feel small for some video games
Enhancements in every single place
Evaluating the brand new OLED Steam Deck to the unique, I noticed some clear benefits. The brand new Steam Deck has a 7.4-inch HDR OLED show that, whereas nonetheless sporting the identical 1,200×800-pixel decision, seems to be way more vivid and colourful. Enjoying video games on the OLED Steam Deck offers me the identical feeling I’ve taking part in on the Nintendo Swap OLED: I do not need to return to the unique and its LCD display. The bigger show on a equally sized chassis additionally means a sleeker, thinner body bezel.
The Steam Deck OLED is available in a brand new onerous case that has a detachable interior softer case. It is like two circumstances now.
Scott Stein/CNET
The brand new OLED Steam Deck additionally has a bigger battery, which boasts as much as 50% extra battery life. I have not but skilled what that truly provides as much as in on a regular basis use, however the information is welcome. Much more surprisingly, the hand held is a bit lighter. Storage configurations have been boosted too: There’s now a 1TB Steam Deck choice, along with a 512GB mannequin. The 512GB model is $549, whereas the 1TB model is $649 — which is fairly incredible, since these had been principally the costs of the Steam Deck higher-config fashions beforehand. $649 now nets you twice the storage, an OLED show, a greater battery and plenty of different enhancements.
Watch this: Steam Deck OLED vs. Lenovo Legion Go: Decide a Handheld Gaming PC
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Valve is promoting earlier LCD fashions at a reduction going ahead, with a lot of the financial savings on higher-end configurations. The 64GB model drops to $349 ($50 off), the 256GB mannequin is now $399 ($130 off) and the 512GB mannequin is $449 ($200 off).
There’s additionally a elaborate limited-edition clear 1TB OLED mannequin, too, for $679, which seems to be good, however it’s the identical {hardware} because the $649 1TB OLED mannequin.
The brand new energy adapter has an extended wire (good).
Scott Stein/CNET
Valve added plenty of different tune-ups to the Steam Deck within the new mannequin: a stunning quantity, in truth. The laundry listing is in depth:
A 7.4-inch, HDR OLED show (1,200×800-pixel decision); most 1,000-nit brightness in HDR; 90Hz max refresh.Sooner-response touchscreen.Higher haptics on the Steam Deck and touchpads.Analog sticks have improved grip.50Whr battery (up from 40WHr).About an oz. lighter.Wi-Fi 6E.Extra power-efficient AMD APU processor (6nm as an alternative of 7nm).Bluetooth 5.3 (controllers can get up Steam Deck).Louder audio system.Microphone and headphones can be utilized without delay.Longer cost cable, sooner charging (45 minutes for 20% to 80% charge-up) and a cost LED on the Deck.Bigger followers, promising higher cooling.Modified interior design and screws for simpler repairability.Included onerous case now has smaller journey shell case inside for simpler bag matches.
What I’ve observed essentially the most up to now, other than the show, are the touchscreen enhancements. The unique Steam Deck was fantastic, however the responsiveness now feels higher, nearer to that of a telephone or pill. The touchpad haptics are improved: The haptic “clicks” now really feel much more like a standard on a regular basis touchpad click on, much less clearly a vibrational impact.
The 1TB OLED mannequin nonetheless has a matte-glass display, which to my eyes makes video games pop slightly extra. It is an important show, and the Steam Deck OLED would’ve been a welcome improve only for that alone.
I really like that the general “console” really feel of the Steam Deck simply feels higher now. And I admire the included onerous case’s new interior gentle case. You possibly can pull the onerous case off now and simply journey with a lighter shell case as an alternative.
The Steam Deck nonetheless helps microSD playing cards to broaden storage additional, and there is nonetheless 16GB of RAM on board. This is not a “Steam Deck 2,” however when it comes to its total upgrades it appears like a Steam Deck 1.5.
The brand new Steam Deck OLED (high) versus the unique Steam Deck LCD. You’ll be able to’t admire the OLED show in a photograph, however discover that the bezels are smaller and the display is bigger on the OLED mannequin.
Scott Stein/CNET
Steam Deck OLED vs. the Home windows handheld competitors
The Steam Deck nonetheless feels large to carry and use, however it’s not as large as some rivals. The Lenovo Legion Go is very large compared, with an excellent greater and higher-res 8.8-inch show, and detachable controllers.
Some great benefits of Home windows-based gaming handhelds is you’ll be able to run all of Home windows simply on them, together with Microsoft’s Sport Go and streaming choices, along with Steam. Steam Decks run their very own Linux-based OS that is optimized completely to Steam gaming, though they’re hackable in case you have the curiosity or endurance. Out of the field, the Steam Deck feels rather more like a whole console expertise, although not all Steam video games play on Steam Deck.
These new updates and the value not having elevated is welcome information for anybody who’s searching for one. I do not know if it is advisable to improve from an unique Steam Deck simply to get these modifications, however the collective enhancements look to make this a must-buy choice over the LCD fashions, in case you have the price range.
The Lenovo Legion Go (backside) versus the OLED show Steam Deck: The Legion Go has the bigger display, however the Steam Deck is way smaller and lighter, and has a extra handheld-polished OS for Steam sport help.
Scott Stein/CNET
Falling in love with Steam Deck
Over the previous few weeks because the new Steam Deck’s launch, I’ve cherished how enjoyable it’s to play PC video games on the go as I do with the Swap. I used to be late to utilizing the Steam Deck, however I did begin with an LCD mannequin earlier this 12 months, so I am used to the concept. In the event you’ve by no means gamed on one earlier than, and you already know you just like the Nintendo Swap, think about it an identical proposition, however slightly extra funky and PC-like with its updates and deeper flexibility in software program.
However, the Steam Deck’s software program flexibility is a trade-off for what’s extra of an rigid {hardware} design than a Swap. For example, the Swap might be docked (and the dock is included) and has removable controllers and a kickstand. The Steam Deck is dock-compatible, however it’s offered individually, and its controllers are mounted, and it would not have a kickstand. That handheld-only mode of taking part in is basically fantastic, however the Swap (not the Swap Lite, in fact) is a TV-or-handheld proposition proper out of the field.
Docking a Steam Deck presents all kinds of extras. You should utilize a mouse and a keyboard and hook up with a monitor and use it like a daily PC. You’ll be able to sideload stuff and tinker with betas, although actually, I have not even gone there but. I am utilizing it solely with Valve’s Steam retailer and library, and that is greater than sufficient for me… for now.
I say this as a result of, other than the brand new OLED Steam Deck as a product, Steam Deck as a platform by itself is incredible. You possibly can get monetary savings and simply get the LCD mannequin, however I might say go together with the OLED one for its varied upgrades, particularly show and battery life. Present LCD Steam Deck homeowners do not want the OLED improve, although I am certain the temptation is robust.
I ought to emphasize that the Steam Deck is large. Sufficiently big that it is slightly onerous to journey with, though the thinner interior case that is now included with the OLED Steam Deck does make it a extra moveable factor to tuck in a backpack.
Battery life: Fairly fantastic
I’ve performed video games all through lazy afternoons and downloaded numerous video games on the OLED Steam Deck, and battery life has by no means appeared prefer it was dipping too low. It feels shorter than that of the newer OLED Nintendo Swap, however most likely higher than that of the unique Swap. I admire that the Steam Deck’s fan is fairly quiet, too, and charging up for some time by way of USB-C is not an excessive amount of of a trouble. In comparison with the Lenovo Legion Go, which burned via battery life extraordinarily quick, it feels precisely the place I might need to be for a handheld with this measurement and energy.
The way forward for handhelds
Nintendo is probably going making ready a Swap successor for subsequent 12 months, firms like Sony are exploring streaming-based handheld equipment just like the PlayStation Portal, and PC {hardware} producers are dabbling in Home windows-based handhelds just like the Lenovo Legion Go and Asus ROG Ally. So, the way forward for handheld gaming has by no means regarded brighter. Within the heart of that, for me proper now, is the Steam Deck.
Valve’s dedication to creating advanced video games work on the go, and making the hand held expertise enjoyable and nonthreatening, opens doorways for the place Home windows handhelds ought to goal their designs. This additionally factors to the place Nintendo must go; the Steam Deck’s processing energy is sufficient to play Elden Ring or Cyberpunk 2077, which is what I would like in a Swap 2. The identical goes for the Steam Deck’s wonderful controls, which have a no-compromise really feel and the identical efficiency you’d anticipate from any next-gen console controller. The OLED mannequin’s haptics are even higher, and I actually like its trackpads.
The Steam Deck ought to get removable controllers (please) and a kickstand, sometime, and I might like an excellent bigger 1080p display so I may see tiny textual content a bit extra clearly up shut. Nonetheless, for now, it is one among my favourite gaming handhelds, although I do not understand how typically I will actually take it on the transcend my home. For journey, I am nonetheless into the Nintendo Swap (or, the Panic Playdate). It is large, for certain, however I hold choosing it up, searching the Steam retailer for gross sales, and seeing what else I can uncover. That is the truest signal that this factor is nice… and now, even higher.
Valve has already made me a believer in PC handheld gaming, and the Steam Deck’s enhancements elevate it on the proper time, as PC gaming feels much more conscious of the hand held panorama. Valve has beforehand steered {that a} true Steam Deck 2 will not be round for some time, so within the meantime this seems to be like your greatest wager.