For those who like gaming on the go but have yet to get yourself a Steam Deck, there is some good news. Valve has prepared a new Steam Deck that comes with a massive improvement in the form of a 7.4-inch OLED panel, promising to deliver even better picture quality than before.
The new model, which costs US$549 for the 512GB NVMe variant and goes on sale on 16 November at 1 PM EST, will have a screen that supports 1,280 x 800 resolution, making it possible for contrast-rich HDR at a peak of 1,000 nits, as well as a boosted refresh rate of 90 Hz. Talk about a smooth experience on the go.
Other than the new OLED screen, this new Steam Deck doesn’t actually provide many improvements over the original offering, with the performance set to be on the same level. What it has, however, is a lighter footprint, along with other small tweaks and changes. Despite having a bigger 50 Whr battery that brings 30 to 50% more battery life, the portable platform is actually 30 grams lighter.
The Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capabilities of the new Steam Deck are also upgraded, so players can finally utilise Wi-Fi 6E for faster downloads. The new Bluetooth 5.3 support also allows remote boot-up via Bluetooth, and has better connectivity when it is docked. Even the audio codecs are benefitting, with support for more high-quality and low latency types. Valve also stated that the new Steam Deck OLED brings improved, higher fidelity haptics, and the trackpads have better edge detection. The speakers are also louder and boast improved bass.
For those worrying about storage capacity, there is a 1TB NVMe option that goes for US$649 together with an anti-glare etched glass-covered screen. For US$679, players in the US and Canada can also get their hands on a limited edition that has 1TB of storage and a nice translucent case with red accents.
The reveal of the Steam Deck OLED will see a price reduction on all existing models available now. If you are not hoping to get the newer OLED ones, the current models are also worth checking out.
Jake is a full-time trophy hunter and achievement gatherer on consoles, and part-time Steam Sale victim. He has a thing for Batman and awesome statues, and running out of space for both. Send help.
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