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Valve has unveiled the Steam Deck OLED model that boasts a vastly improved display and battery life among other benefits. The hardware revision starts at $549 with orders shipping on November 16, 2023. It’s now available to wish list on Steam, however, pre-orders are not currently available at this time.
There are a total of two new variants for the Steam Deck OLED models by capacity with a 512GB and new 1TB variant available for $549 and $649 respectively. Early adopters may also be able to pick up the Limited Edition 1TB bundle for $679 which ships in a black and red translucent shell.
The Steam Deck OLED model improves on the original LCD variant in more than just its panel tech hype, however, that’s because the display is also slightly larger at 7.4-inches diagonal with a 50Whr battery for up to 12 hours of playback. What’s more, there’s also Wi-Fi 6E support for the fastest and most consistent wireless connections building upon the previous Wi-Fi found in the base unit.
Without question, the Steam Deck OLED model is the superior version of Valve’s premiere portable PC line and these improvements are welcome quality of life upgrades. It can be thought of the same way that the Nintendo Switch OLED evolved the user experience of the Nintendo Switch base model, however, as the core processing power remains identical.
That’s because the Steam Deck OLED features the same 1280×800 native resolution instead of bumping things up to a larger and more conventional 1080p panel. This is likely done to ensure compatibility with the previous Steam Deck verified games without further complicating the system for consumers, however, Steam’s handheld PC does remain weaker than the likes of the ASUS ROG Ally and the the upcoming Lenovo Legion Go, at least on paper.
The next steps forward for the Steam Deck
What’s exciting with the incoming release of the Steam Deck OLED is that the base models have received a generous price drop, with the base OLED model now matching the price tag of the previous flagship of $549.
In contrast, the 64GB and 512GB LCD models are being phased out and replaced by the hardware manufacturer with a permanent price drop while stocks last. You can now pick up the previous LCD variants for a discounted price, with the 512GB seeing a particularly deep saving.
We’ll be bringing you all the must-know content on the Steam Deck OLED model over the next few days to help you get the best experience possible. With a much better screen and battery life, Valve has hit back against its competitors and stands to bring in a wealth of new adopters to play the line of hundreds of Deck Verified titles all in one place.
