Steam Deck 2 release date speculation

What’s the Steam Deck 2 launch date? Valve’s great, Linux-based handheld is sort of pretty much as good as you may anticipate a first-generation piece of {hardware} to be, although the query is now when a successor will arrive and what it’d enhance.

Valve might have already launched “one of the best handheld round” as we coined it in our Steam Deck review, however the firm is already exhausting at work placing collectively Steam Deck 2. This isn’t too shocking given how many individuals are clearly within the Deck. Time will inform, nonetheless, how a lot of an improve it’s going to provide and whether or not it could actually stand as much as extra highly effective opponents.

Steam Deck 2 launch date hypothesis

Our greatest estimate on the Steam Deck 2 launch date is 2025, as Valve designer Lawrence Yang just lately mentioned “a real next-gen Deck with a major bump in horsepower wouldn’t be for a number of years.” That mentioned, we might even see a refresh of the unique Steam Deck that includes improved battery life and a greater show within the interim.

The quote above comes from an interview on Rock Paper Shotgun.

Most handheld fanatics possible have already got a wishlist of options they’d prefer to see included within the firm’s subsequent system, and we reckon the Steam Deck 2 should be modular. That’s to not say Valve agrees, nevertheless it’d negate any want for a number of variations boasting completely different specs and traits.

Valve could also be maintaining the finer particulars of what it’s cooking up in its Washington places of work below strict lock and key. Nevertheless, we do have some concepts of what to anticipate from the Steam Deck 2 in comparison with its present era moveable powerhouse. Let’s take a look at the Steam Deck 2 rumors.

Steam Deck 2 value hypothesis

Gabe Newell beforehand described hitting the $399 USD / £349 MSRP of Steam Deck’s base mannequin as “painful”, so it’s attainable that Steam Deck 2 may price extra, particularly provided that the worth of supplies wanted to make PC elements continues to rise. Nevertheless, Valve might be able to offset the decrease revenue margins of entry-level Steam Deck 2 fashions by producing extra high-spec variants.

Talking with Edge magazine, Newell shared that the Deck’s “hottest SKU is the most costly one”. He says that the corporate is studying this concentrated demand as prospects saying, “We want an much more costly model of this, by way of horsepower capabilities or no matter.” So, we may see a premium model of Steam Deck 2 surpassing the present $649 USD / £569 GBP ceiling.

Steam Deck 2 specs rumors

There’s no official phrase or any substantial leaks surrounding Steam Deck 2 specs, however Valve has made some feedback about what it wish to enhance with future iterations of its handheld gaming PC.

In a latest interview, Valve says it needs Steam Deck 2 to feature better battery life and screen. Battery life may very well be a lot improved over the present Deck by growing the battery capability above 40Whr which might assist to deal with one of many core complaints about it.

In the meantime, an OLED or QD-OLED show would provide a lot larger colour accuracy over the present IPS LCD panel, whereas additionally permitting Valve to considerably scale back the borders surrounding the display screen.

Steam Deck 2 efficiency rumors

Till we get nearer to its launch date, there received’t be any official or leaked Steam Deck 2 efficiency benchmarks to pour over. As such, we hope on the very least to see Valve make enhancements to battery life and gaming efficiency in comparison with the present deck. Both means, enjoying videogames on a Steam Deck 2 ought to require much less guesswork, as extra Steam video games’ compatibility ranges must be documented.

If you happen to can’t look forward to Steam Deck 2 to launch and need to get extra from the first-gen console, take a look at the best Steam Deck accessories and seize your self a Steam Deck Dock with the intention to hook your handheld as much as a gaming monitor. That is our favourite Steam Deck Dock proper now: