Valve announced a new piece of gaming hardware that runs the entire Steam library, and it’s basically a Nintendo Switch for PC gaming. It’s called Steam Deck, and it’s launching this December, starting at $399.
The Steam Deck features a 7″ LCD touchscreen, which is bigger than the original Switch and the same size as the recently announced Switch (OLED model). It includes a D-pad, two thumbsticks, ABXY buttons, and two trackpads on either side of the screen. It looks a lot like the Switch, minus the detachable controllers, plus the trackpads, though it’s more powerful.
There’s even an optional dock to connect to monitors and televisions, essentially turning it into a non-streaming Steam Link (dock sold separately, details forthcoming).
The CPU is a Zen 2 4c/8t, 2.4-3.5GHz (up to 448 GFlops FP32), and the GPU features 8 RDNA 2 CUs, 1.0-1.6GHz (up to 1.6 TFlops FP32). All models include 16 GB LPDDR5 RAM (5500 MT/s), Bluetooth 5.0, 1280×800 resolution, and a micro SD card slot for expanded storage. The battery life is estimated between two and eight hours. Full tech specs can be found here.
Three different versions with different storage spaces and accessories will be available at launch. The two larger versions feature a solid state drive for faster load times.
Steam Deck 64GB ($399)
- 64GB eMMC internal storage
- Carrying case
Steam Deck 256GB ($529)
- 256GB NVMe SSD internal storage
- Carrying case
- Exclusive Steam profile bundle
Steam Deck 512GB ($649)
- 512GB NVMe SSD internal storage
- Premium anti-glare etched glass
- Exclusive carrying case
- Exclusive Steam profile bundle
- Exclusive virtual keyboard theme
Even the smallest model is pretty darn expensive, though technically still cheaper than a laptop. No gaming library can boast as much as Steam’s, and many gamers already have dozens if not hundreds of games in their Steam library.
Reservations begin tomorrow, July 16, but you’ll need to pay a $5 fee to save your spot in the virtual line to pre-order (the fee goes toward the sale price of the hardware). The Steam Deck will begin shipping in December 2021.
