Everything we know about Valve's new handheld gaming device Steam Deck:

Valve is getting into the handheld gaming business. The rumors were true and this year the Steam Deck is coming: a handheld device that can play any game in your Steam library. It essentially aims to be the Nintendo Switch for PC gaming, though Steam Deck can do a lot more than just play games.

That's because it's not a game console, it's actually a portable PC. According to Valve, you can plug it into a monitor or TV, install apps and software, use it to watch streaming videos, and install other game stores. What can be done?

The Steam deck will run on a newer version of SteamOS, Valve's Linux-based operating system, though you'll be able to play Windows games that don't have official Linux support, or even Valve's compatibility technology, Proton. Not there. Use. Uninstall SteamOS and just install Windows.

When is the Steam Deck release date?

Steam Deck will start shipping in December 2021. However, that doesn't mean you'll get it this year if you booked it, as the Steam Deck site is now showing "Expected Order Availability" for each version in the second quarter of 2022. decks in both UK and the US.

Interestingly, at least for the 512GB version, the ETA date has actually been pulled. Where reservations reached Q3 2022 almost immediately after going live, it has now been adjusted to Q2 2022.

However, this can vary depending on your region, but it may indicate either an error in an earlier estimated shipping date or that Valve has received more orders for higher-spec decks than it initially did. was considered in. And have now adjusted production priorities accordingly.

What's up with Steam Deck Reservations?

Currently, Steam decks can be reserved if you make a $5 (£4) deposit, although Steam's servers were immediately overwhelmed when the reservation page went online. Customers attempting to reserve a Steam deck encountered timeouts and error messages, and some who tried multiple times were told that "too many purchases in the last few hours" would result in a retry. . First they have to face delay.

Others were seeing messages that their Steam accounts were recently created to reserve Steam decks, although many people who have seen this message say they have had their Steam accounts for years (including members of PC Gamers). some employees).

A Steam deck cost of $5 dollars will accrue if you decide to place an order, however, it will be refunded to your $5 dollars if you change your mind and decide to cancel. "When inventory is available, customers will be notified to make reservations for their purchases," Valve says.

Steam Deck is currently only available to reserve for the US, UK, Canada, and EU. The reserved first steam deck will ship in December, but the expected fulfillment date has been extended to 2022 as reservations pile up.

How much does a steam deck cost?

The price of a Steam deck depends on which version you want, and there are three different versions based on storage size. steam deck cost:

• $399 for the 64GB version
• $529 for the 256GB version
• $649 for the 512GB version 

The more expensive versions of the Steam Deck feature faster NVMe SSD storage, while the cheaper Steam Deck is listed with a 64GB eMMC (embedded multi-media card) storage solution. All three versions will let you at least increase the storage space with a microSD card.

If you're planning on upgrading storage, you'll want to spend a little more cash on a faster microSD card for faster loading times. We're not sure how the expansion storage will work on the device just yet, but some microSD cards are going to feel extremely slow next to super-fast SSDs.

What are the Steam Deck specs?

Steam Deck specifications were revealed by Valve along with the console itself, which means we know everything about what lies beneath the console's 7-inch screen. Most important to PC gamers, the Steam Deck runs on AMD APUs, and one we haven't been able to see anywhere else yet. This chip is built around two major AMD architectures: Zen 2 and RDNA 2.

The Zen 2 architecture is the same as that found within the AMD Ryzen 3000 processor, and within the Steam deck are four Zen 2 cores, capable of eight threads, Steam Deck ready and waiting for your portable gaming needs.

The Steam Deck rDNA 2 architecture is behind the handheld PC's graphical grunt. The Steam Deck comes with 8 Compute Units (CU) for a total of 512 cores. That's not a huge amount—the Xbox Series S20 comes with rDNA 2CU—but it's enough to reach 720p without too much hassle.

As mentioned earlier, there are three different storage configurations for Steam Deck: 64GB, 256GB, and 512GB. Ideally, we'd all pick the 512GB model. Games are big, anything small is going to feel like a tight squeeze. It also has a faster NVMe SSD, allowing for more than 3,000MB/s of bandwidth. However, it really depends on Valve's choice of SSD. Speeds vary greatly between drives.

The 256GB model is equally fast and would be a suitable pick for those who want a little less storage space. As far as the 64GB model is concerned, we don't agree with it. Gaming PC It's built using an eMMC drive, which won't be able to match an NVMe SSD in terms of speed, but its absolute slim capacity is almost unimaginable for a gaming PC. Maybe as an indie machine, but then you might be better off buying a Nintendo Switch.

All three offer microSD for further expansion, and we suspect that the faster the microSD, the better for optimal game load times. Valve has decided on a 1280 x 800 display through which you will enjoy your game on the go. A 60Hz LCD panel with 400-nits of brightness isn't much to write home about in regards to the Stream Deck's touchscreen.

However, given that it's only 7-inches large, its drawbacks may not be immediately noticeable as one of the best gaming monitors out there.

Whether Steam Deck Finally, Valve recently corrected the RAM specification for Stream Deck or will Steam Deck actually be improved over the previously announced memory specification. We're now looking at 16GB quad-channel LPDDR5 at 5,500MT/s, rather than the dual-channel RAM I've listed earlier. That's a big deal for an APU-powered machine like this - the more memory bandwidth, the more.

Steam Deck Delivery Date How Do I Check My?

If you visit the Steam Deck Store page on the account in which you've made a Steam Deck reservation, you'll find the expected order availability listed below the Cancel button (don't press it). A word of warning, though: Some members of the PC Gamer team with reservations have yet to see an order availability update on the store page. We expect an update in the next few days, so stay tuned.

Does the Steam Deck have a kickstand?

It's a hard 'no' from Valve itself. However, in the press images, you can see the deck sitting on the dock, which raises the device at an angle so that you can see the screen. Whether this is the promised USB Type-C Deck Dock Valve is talking about pre-launch, or an off-the-shelf number we don't know yet.

What game will run on the Stream Deck?

Valve is talking about the game's performance on its new handheld gaming PC, saying "All the games we want to play are, in fact, the entire Steam library. We haven't really found anything we can do with it." can do it together." On the device." Can throw. t handle."

"We've achieved the level of performance that's really needed to run the latest generation of games without any problems." The fact that Valve has been testing the game on deck since last year without any problems suggests that perhaps SteamOS 3.0's update to Proton will allow for greater compatibility for Windows-based games on its Linux operating system.

Is the Steam Deck Bigger than the Nintendo Switch?

small eyes. For comparison, the Nintendo Switch (Standard Edition) is 9.4" x 4" x .55" and weighs just under a pound. So the Steam Deck is a few inches wide, the Stream Deck is a half-inch tall, and the Steam Deck is pretty thick. And it's a bit heavy.

Anything I should be concerned about?

Correct. Battery life isn't particularly stellar, Valve developer Pierre-Loup Griffs told IGN: "It's about 2-8 hours depending on what you're doing. At this point, you can run Portal 2 for up to four hours. If you limit it to 30 fps, you'll be playing for 5-6 hours."

That's not a long time for gaming without the device plugged in or recharging, and more demanding games will take a bigger toll on the battery than 2011's Portal 2. This can be a real issue if you want to take yours. Deck with you when traveling or if you are away from electrical outlets for a while.

Does the Steam Deck Come With a Dock Like the Nintendo Switch?

There is a dock, but it is sold separately. Like the Switch, there's a dock for the Steam Deck that will allow you to connect it to your TV or monitor. The USB Type-C dock will provide DisplayPort and HDMI outputs, an Ethernet adapter, and three USB inputs. However, the dock does not come with a Steam deck. Valve hasn't said yet how much the dock will cost or when it will be available to order.

Can I use the Steam Deck for more than just Steam games?

You can - potentially a lot more. Like your PC, Steam Deck aims to be an open platform. You can install Windows on Steam Deck and even another game storefront like the Epic Store (you probably have a plethora of free games in that library) or Xbox Game Pass. We don't really know how well non-Steam games will work on Steam Deck, but it's an exciting idea that you might be able to play games from your other libraries on Steam Deck too.

You can also completely erase SteamOS from the Steam deck and use it to run Windows, according to IGN, which has got some time with the device. "You can play pretty much anything you can play on PC," Pierre-Loup Griffais told IGN The Steam Deck.

You might even be able to get VR to work with the Steam Deck, though "we're not really optimizing performance," Griffis told IGN.