Valve Steam Deck OLED

A device for the PC Master Race, designed as a response to the Nintendo Switch.

After years of experimenting with the Steam Machine series of small desktop computers (not to be confused with the new Steam Machine) and Steam Controllers (not to be confused with the new Steam Controller), Valve released a portable gaming computer in 2022, based on an AMD chip and its proprietary SteamOS operating system.

A high-quality built-in controller, excellent components, a lightweight and user-friendly system integrated with Steam - the largest game distribution platform - and a reasonable price have been key to this device's market success. Although the Deck is considerably larger and heavier than the Switch, it performs surprisingly well as a portable PC. Whilst similar niche designs from companies such as GPD had existed years earlier, Valve has shown that it is possible to bring such a product to the mass market. Gazing on with envy, manufacturers of (let's be honest, dreadful) gaming laptops began to imitate the Steam Deck's design - some more successfully (Lenovo) and others less so (MSI).

In 2023, Valve launched the new version of the Deck shown here, featuring a slightly larger battery, a slightly improved cooling system, newer wireless connectivity standards and an AMD chipset. Oh, and (unfortunately) an OLED display too. The new model was sold for quite some time as a "premium option" alongside the original model, which had an IPS screen. Much like Nintendo did.

If one is really determined, it is possible to install any operating system here instead of SteamOS, even Microsoft Windows. Valve provides drivers for the latter on its website, although it points out that the experience is not as good as with the original software.

Specifications: