The Nintendo Switch (OLED model) wasn't the "Pro" upgrade many expected it to be with 4K support and new internals but before its announcement, other handhelds aimed to take the role of the "Switch Pro". The AYA NEO and GPD Win 3 are among those devices shooting for that nickname since they are able to run recent AAA PC games on the go, given that they are handheld gaming PCs. Their efforts and popularity, although niche, enticed companies like Lenovo and Tencent to make similar concepts or patents; indicating that these indie companies might have more serious competition in the future.

It seems like this will indeed be the case and these handheld gaming PC manufacturers will need to brace themselves as Valve is itself entering this market with a Valve-branded handheld gaming PC. This news was actually reported back in May and today we have the official confirmation. In a Steam post today, Valve revealed the Steam Deck, an AMD-based handheld gaming PC that is expected to begin shipping in December 2021 in select regions.

The software giant partnered with AMD to create a custom APU for the handheld that is said to be "optimized for handheld gaming". "It is a Zen 2 + RDNA 2 powerhouse, delivering more than enough performance to run the latest AAA games in a very efficient power envelope," reads the announcement.

It will run on SteamOS 3.0 (Arch-based) and there will be several models of the Steam Deck, which differ on the storage capacity, with the base model starting at $399. However, every model will include a microSD slot for additional storage capacity. For more details about the models available and their price, refer to the image below:

You can find additional specs details in the images below (click/tap to enlarge):

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And just like the AYA NEO and GPD Win 3, the Steam Deck will also have a dock which will be sold separately. This accessory will provide ports for external displays, wired networking, USB peripherals, and power. More details about the dock's pricing will be announced at a later date but you can find some specs details in the thumbnail below:

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Valve says that the Steam Deck will start shipping this December to the United States, Canada, the European Union and the United Kingdom, with more regions coming in 2022. However, to be able to purchase one, you will need to book a paid reservation which will let you pre-order when the time comes. This reservation fee will also count towards the Steam Deck purchase price.

"The main reason for reservations is to ensure an orderly and fair ordering process for customers when Steam Deck inventory becomes available," writes Valve in the announcement FAQ. "The additional fee gives us a clearer signal of intent to purchase, which gives us better data to balance supply chain, inventory, and regional distribution leading up to launch."

Reservations for the Steam Deck will open Friday July 16th, 10am PDT. For more details about the new handheld gaming PC, head to the source link and official Steam Deck website linked below.

Are you interested in getting one?

SOURCE
Steam Deck Official Website

 

[GCS]

Just knowing it runs arch based distro is enough for me to buy it.

 

[Jiehfeng]

Yarr harr harr

 

[Deleted member 560282]

Yarr harr harr

View attachment 270016

So basically is a portable PC?

 

[Muskusrat]

Runs SteamOS 3.0, supposedly its now based on Arch Linux for some reason.
Game support thus relies on Linux and Proton support

According to the IGN hands-on you can play windows and linux game out of the box on it. And if you want to, you can install whatever you want (like Windows). It is a computer according to Valve.

 

[Jiehfeng]

So basically is a portable PC?

Yeah nothing new, I just find it funny since it's Steam themselves who's doing it who sells the games.

 

[GCS]

Now that steam is releasing a linux based console i am sure that more game devs will develop native linux games

 

[grey72]

Other than the base eMMC storage, I don't see anything about this. And even that is acceptable given the price.

 

[Blaze163]

I'm not up on PC gaming as I don't have the patience for settings and drivers and compatibility lists and an that shit. But isn't the whole point the ability to upgrade your rig and install custom stuff for a better experience? How exactly does this console do that? It's neat for capturing what Steam can do at the moment, sure. But this'll be outdated by the time it gets out of the box, surely?

 

[AkitoUF]

Imagine the hacking and emulation posibilities. But still, 64gb seems TOO low for $400. Will definitively wait for a price drop for the 512gb one. Consider the following: you CAN'T install Doom Eternal in the cheapest one.

 

[Jiehfeng]

I'm not up on PC gaming as I don't have the patience for settings and drivers and compatibility lists and an that shit. But isn't the whole point the ability to upgrade your rig and install custom stuff for a better experience? How exactly does this console do that? It's neat for capturing what Steam can do at the moment, sure. But this'll be outdated by the time it gets out of the box, surely?

Not a big issue as older systems can still play current games at lower settings. When the need really arises they can just release a revision.

 

[Ampersound]

It looks bulky, actually reminds me of the Wii U gamepad.
And I'm pretty concerned about the button placement here. The main buttons all seem to scrunched up at the top, because of those pads.

 

[grey72]

I'm not up on PC gaming as I don't have the patience for settings and drivers and compatibility lists and an that shit. But isn't the whole point the ability to upgrade your rig and install custom stuff for a better experience? How exactly does this console do that? It's neat for capturing what Steam can do at the moment, sure. But this'll be outdated by the time it gets out of the box, surely?

Running your own software to do whatever is a bigger draw than upgrades for PC IMO, and you get control down to the choice of OS with this device. And while extremely underpowered compared to anything with a discrete GPU, AFAIK it should be juuust powerful enough to run 95% of all games at lowest settings at 25-30fps, which is terrible but its the price you pay for portability.

 

[Kioku]

Windows can be installed on it. RDNA 2 and Zen 2 chips. Granted, this could still be in the ball park of PS4/XOne power. This is actually the first device of its kind that actually grabbed my interest.

 

[Jiehfeng]

Switch OLED preorders start today as well, coincidence?

 

[Deleted member 514389]

But how available will it be ?

Can I go into a store and buy it at some point ?
What about replacement parts ?
If this is a fad product that'll die soon...

 

[linkchidori]

This is amazing, I so hope to get one somehow!

Also this is probably great news in terms of competition. Maybe it'll help Nintendo try to make more powerful hardware in the future.

TBH i dont see Nintendo wanting to compete in any way, if this happens to be a threat they will probably just ignore it and focus on its own thing. I could even see them sticking to its failure rather than selling a console at a loss and with hardware they wont even use at its fullest.

 

[Jiehfeng]

TBH i dont see Nintendo wanting to compete in any way, if this happens to be a threat they will probably just ignore it and focus on its own thing. I could even see them sticking to its failure rather than selling a console at a loss and with hardware they wont even use at its fullest.

I wouldn't be so certain at least, now the Switch's advantage to having horrible AAA ports is thrown out of the picture with this being decently priced.

 

[GoldenBullet]

If it can run the latest games at 720p with 60fps, my switch is gonna be left sitting with the 3ds

 

[linkchidori]

I wouldn't be so certain at least, now the Switch's advantage to having horrible AAA ports is thrown out of the picture with this being decently priced.

I wouldn't be so certain at least, now the Switch's advantage to having horrible AAA ports is thrown out of the picture with this being decently priced.

Well, Nintendo doesnt really care much about third parties, thats why the Switch has its specs.

 

[Jayro]

Runs SteamOS 3.0, supposedly its now based on Arch Linux for some reason.
Game support thus relies on Linux and Proton support.

Apparently they said in a livestream that its not locked down and you can install Windows if you feel like it. Have no source except a friend watching a stream for that one.

Arch is a more "bare bones" OS that they can build up from, so it makes perfect sense to use it as the base for a gaming OS.