It also has analog triggers, pads address and a total of 4 customizable buttons that we can assign to our whim. The joysticks are full size and under them we will have touch pads with capacitive functions. We will also have a 6-axis gyroscope.
The console is somewhat larger than the Nintendo Switch, since it will have dimensions of 298 x 117 x 49 millimeters and an approximate weight of 669 grams.
Hardware
The Steam Deck brain is its strong suit. Unlike other portable consoles, which use processors based on the ARM architecture, Steam has decided to bet on the desktop architecture lifelong.
Although it may seem a lie, this laptop carries inside a AMD processor with Zen 2 architecturei.e. a processor x86. The APU has a configuration of 4 cores and 8 threads of execution. It will run between 2.4 and 3.5 GHz. In the graphic section, the GPU will have the micro architecture RDNA 2. Its frequency varies between 1.0 and 1.6 GHz, obtaining a power of up to 1.6 Teraflops. The combined consumption of the entire APU reaches up to 15 W, while in idle it will consume about 4 watts. All three models of the console will have 16 gigabytes of LPDDR5 RAM.
Regarding storage, console capacity It will depend on the model we choose. The most basic will have a memory of 64 GB eMMC (Its interface is PCIe Gen 2 x1). The intermediate model will rise to a capacity of 256 GB and We will have this memory in an SSD with an NVME interface (PCIe Gen 3 x4). The more advanced model runs faster and has a capacity of 512 GB And it will use the same connection interface as the previous model.
All Steam Deck models have a card reader microSD UHS-I. They also all have a slot 2230 m.2But according to Valve, the idea is not for the end user to replace the memory disk. However, we imagine that, if they offer the port, it will be because we can expand the memory using that route.
Screen
The console will have a 7 inch touch screen and a resolution of 1280 by 800 pixels with a 16:10 aspect ratio. Unlike the last model of Nintendo Switch, we will not have an OLED screen in this model, but a panel with technology IPS LED of great quality. The brightness will be 400 nits and the 60 Hz refresh rate.
Performance and Battery
The battery Steam Deck has a capacity of 40 Whr, capable of giving a minimum of two hours of play and a maximum of eight. It is recharged by 45W transformer via the laptop’s USB-C cable.
Regarding the performance of the equipment, Valve ensures that its console is powerful enough to move the latest triple A titles on the market, something that will have to be thoroughly verified when they finally reach the market
Connectivity, and Audio / Video output
In the wireless section, Steam Deck has Bluetooth 5th and support for 2.4 and 5 GHz Wi-Fi.
The console also has Jack 3.5 millimeter, double microphone and stereo speakers. The wire USB-C from the console will allow to give an output using the standard DisplayPort 1.4, with a maximum resolution of 8K at 60 Hz or 4K at 60 Hz.
Software and Compatibility
According to Valve’s FAQ, Steam Deck runs the latest version of Steam OS 3.0, your operating system based on Arch Linux with KDE Plasma interface.
Steam Deck, of course, links to our Steam library. The technology capable of making games designed for Windows run on a Linux machine is Proton, the heart of Steam Play, which in just over 3 years has managed to bring more than 14,000 games to the penguin system. Therefore, we want to think that we can run almost any game in our library on the Steam Deck.
Dock
The Dock is a separately sold product that Allows you to turn the Steam Deck into a desktop console connecting it to our television or a monitor.
Unlike the Nintendo Switch, the dock it will simply be used to output video and audio to another device. We will not get better performance by having it connected. Of course, we can play at higher resolutions than the native screen built into the console.
The station will have several expansion ports, a USB 3.1 type A, two other USB type A 2.0 ports, an Ethernet port and output for DisplayPort 1.4 and HDMI 2.0.
Steam Deck Price
Steam Deck is sold at three settings different depending on their storage. The basic model of 64 GB with eMMC memory ok $ 399 and includes a sleeve to store the console.
The intermediate model is the one with a 256GB NVMe SSD and is priced at $ 529. In addition to the case, it will include a “Steam Community Bundle”, which so far is quite a surprise.
Finally, the variant top of the range is worth $ 649. Includes a SSD of 512 GB and its screen is anti-glare. In addition to the case and bundle, it will include an exclusive skin for the Steam OS system keyboard.
When is Steam Deck coming out?
In the initial announcement, Valve assured that the Steam Deck would be available on December 2021. However, chip supply issues and the amount of pre-orders the console has had have forced the company to delay launch to 2022.
Despite this, people who have already ordered their console should not receive it much later than February next year.
