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I, like many others, have been calling for a Steam Deck OLED ever since laying eyes, and ultimately palms, on the unique Steam Deck. Valve has since answered these calls after which some, taking the chance to not solely improve the gaming handheld’s show but additionally enhance it in a myriad of different methods too. These enhancements come collectively in an undeniably transformative trend, making it tough to return to or justify shopping for the unique Steam Deck.
For the previous week, I’ve been placing the Steam Deck OLED via its paces. In that point, the standard of its display screen, higher lasting battery life, and different enhancements have helped to rekindle my appreciation for the gadget and the best Steam Deck games you may play on it. Nevertheless, whereas this can be the perfect model of Valve’s handheld we’re more likely to see for an extended whereas, just a few points maintain it again from being a virtually good moveable PC.
Why you may belief our recommendation ✔ At PCGamesN, our consultants spend hours testing {hardware}, video games, and VPNs. We share sincere, unbiased opinions that will help you purchase the perfect. Discover out how we test.
Professionals:
- OLED panel transforms the gaming expertise
- Significantly improved battery life
- Cooler and quieter than Steam Deck LCD
Cons:
- APU efficiency stays principally unchanged
- Isn’t out there with lower than 512GB of storage
- SteamOS nonetheless has just a few annoying quirks
Steam Deck OLED specs
Whereas the Steam Deck OLED specs share some similarities with the unique mannequin – herein known as the Steam Deck LCD – there are a shocking variety of variations between the 2 fashions.
| Steam Deck OLED | Steam Deck LCD | |
| CPU | AMD Zen 2 (4 cores / 8 threads) (6nm) | AMD Zen 2 (4 cores / 8 threads) (7nm) |
| GPU | AMD RDNA 2 (8 CUs) | AMD RDNA 2 (8 CUs) |
| RAM | 16GB LPDDR5 (6,400MT/s) | 16GB LPDDR5 (5,500MT/s) |
| Show | 7.4-inch OLED (1280 x 800 / 90Hz / HDR) | 7.0-inch IPS (1280 x 800 / 60Hz) |
| Battery | 50WHr | 40WHr |
| Storage | 512GB NVMe SSD 1TB NVMe SSD |
64GB eMMC 256GB NVMe SSD 512GB NVMe SSD |
| Weight | 640g | 669g |
| Dimension | 298mm x 117mm x 49mm | 298mm x 117mm x 49mm |
Naturally, the obvious high quality separating the Steam Deck OLED and Steam Deck LCD from each other is their display screen, however this extends previous panel know-how. The show on the previous is 0.4-inches bigger and boasts a boosted refresh price of 90Hz, along with supporting HDR.
Underneath the chassis, in the meantime, the Steam Deck OLED packs the next capability 50WHr battery, in addition to an APU designed and manufactured with a extra environment friendly 6nm course of. Each of those upgrades contribute to much-improved battery life, with the OLED panel additionally offering a further effectivity increase versus the earlier LCD resolution.
Valve has additionally decked out the Steam Deck OLED with quicker 6,400MT/s RAM, however the firm has left the CPU and GPU configuration of its APU unchanged. As such, you’ll must proceed ready for the Steam Deck 2 for any important uplifts in efficiency.
In placing collectively these refreshed internals, Valve has adjusted the structure of parts contained in the Steam Deck OLED, creating room for a beefier cooling setup. This in flip makes it a lot quieter and cooler below load than the Steam Deck LCD.
Steam Deck OLED design
At a look, the Steam Deck OLED design seems an identical to the Steam Deck LCD, with each fashions sharing the very same dimensions. On nearer inspection, nevertheless, there are some things that characterize the 2 gadgets.
As an illustration, there are small issues just like the Steam Deck OLED choosing a darkish grey shade scheme for its buttons and thumbsticks, rather than the off-white Steam Deck LCD. It’s not fully devoid of aptitude, nevertheless, with Valve portray the ability button with a splash of orange.
Probably the most notable distinction between the Steam Deck OLED and LCD, although, is weight. The 29g that separates the 2 moveable PCs has a surprisingly massive impact on how snug every of them are to carry, notably for lengthy intervals of time.
Lastly, selecting up the 1TB Steam Deck OLED will even internet you a brand new carrying case. It includes a Velcro strap, along with the zipper, for better piece of thoughts that your Deck is tucked away safely and snugly. The liner inside this case can be detachable, permitting you to shove it into your backpack with out it taking over as a lot area.
Steam Deck OLED show
There’s merely no different handheld on the market that competes with the Steam Deck OLED show, with its high quality being so excessive that it even places a number of the best gaming monitors to disgrace. Every part bar decision has seen a large uptick in high quality, together with colours, distinction, response instances, viewing angles, and extra.
Video games look gorgeous in each SDR and HDR on the Steam Deck OLED, with its show’s inky blacks offering sensational distinction in opposition to the colourful spectrum of colours it could actually produce. They really feel higher than they ever did on the Steam Deck LCD, too, due to the much-improved response time (<0.1ms) and 90Hz refresh price. These two components particularly make taking part in FPS video games like Left 4 Useless 2 on the Deck far more pleasurable.
The bigger 7.4-inch panel, mixed with smaller bezels, additionally supplies a better sense of immersion in additional cinematic single-player titles. It additionally makes studying textual content on the Steam Deck a contact simpler, however this naturally varies from recreation to recreation.
Steam Deck OLED battery
Valve has made important strides in boosting the Steam Deck OLED battery versus the Steam Deck LCD. Whereas the bigger 50WHr battery and array of effectivity financial savings all contribute to an extended battery life, it’s truthfully a bit mind-boggling how a lot better it’s.
Whereas the Steam Deck LCD lasts for one hour and fifty minutes in our gaming exams, the Steam Deck OLED musters a whopping three hours and twenty-six minutes, when each gadgets are capped to 60 frames per second. Even then, the brand new mannequin clocks in at two hours and fourteen minutes with a 90fps cap.
Higher nonetheless, you may anticipate to squeeze the identical quantity of playtime from the Steam Deck OLED no matter whether or not you’re taking part in video games in SDR or HDR. The gadget additionally expenses quicker too, taking simply 45 minutes to replenish from 20% to 80%.
Steam Deck OLED efficiency
On condition that the APU contained in the Steam Deck OLED is sort of an identical to the one powering the Steam Deck LCD, save for effectivity, there’s no tangible efficiency distinction between the 2. At greatest, you may anticipate just a few additional frames right here and there in some video games, nevertheless it’s nothing earth-shattering.
This locations the Steam Deck OLED considerably behind the curve of extra highly effective handhelds, armed with more moderen and succesful {hardware}. It additionally leaves some current releases, like Returnal, fully out of attain. To be clear, this was and stays the case for the Steam Deck LCD too.
Finally, although, this weak point is far simpler to swallow given what number of video games are playable on the Steam Deck OLED. Each Proton and SteamOS have come a good distance since our unique Steam Deck review, with a a lot better stage of help for video games new and previous. Even so, it’s nonetheless not fairly the seamless expertise it needs to be, with miscategorized video games, continued cumbersome points with third-party launchers, and the wealth of titles nonetheless but to obtain a compatibility score from Valve.
Regardless of these shortcomings, SteamOS nonetheless supplies probably the most handy, console-like expertise out there on a handheld PC. It’s clearly the higher possibility versus Home windows 10 or 11 and solely continues to get higher with every passing week via fixed updates from Valve.
Steam Deck OLED value
Steam Deck OLED pricing begins at $449 for the 512GB mannequin, leaping as much as $649 for the 1TB model. There’s additionally a Restricted Version Steam Deck OLED out there for $680, however inventory is extraordinarily restricted and is unique to North America.
Each the Steam Deck OLED 512GB and 1TB are set to exchange the 256GB and 512GB LCD fashions, respectively. Whereas the latter of the unique handhelds is ready to be discontinued, the previous will change the 64GB model at $399. Because the 64GB and 512GB fashions are phased out, they are often picked up at a reduction whereas shares final.
Do you have to purchase the Steam Deck OLED?
Sure. The Steam Deck OLED is the perfect model of Valve’s handheld, offering a extra refined and premium gaming expertise versus the LCD mannequin. It’s additionally higher worth than the likes of the Asus ROG Ally or Lenovo Legion Go, costing a lot much less and packing a show that blows all of the competitors away.
The unfavorable qualities of the Steam Deck OLED are few and albeit minor, to the purpose that each one however those that should have the best ranges of efficiency ought to be capable to brush them apart. Simply keep in mind that SteamOS can take a bit getting used to in case you’re solely conversant in Home windows.
As somebody that’s loved spending the previous yr taking part in every kind of video games on my Steam Deck LCD, it’s onerous to not get caught up within the pleasure surrounding the Steam Deck OLED. In brief, it’s a triumph, an enormous success, it’s onerous to overstate my satisfaction, and I can’t wait to see what Valve has in retailer for the Steam Deck 2.
Steam Deck OLED alternate options
If the Steam Deck OLED isn’t the proper handheld for you, try a few of our alternate suggestions:
Steam Deck LCD
Whereas the Steam Deck OLED could also be the perfect model of Valve’s handheld, the Steam Deck LCD nonetheless has loads to supply. Video games carry out nearly identically on the 2 fashions, and the Steam Deck LCD does carry a cheaper price tag.
Asus ROG Ally
The Asus ROG Ally is extra highly effective than the Steam Deck OLED, however this stage of efficiency carries the next asking value. It additionally makes use of Home windows 11 as its working system, fairly than SteamOS.
Steam Deck OLED
The Steam Deck OLED is the perfect handheld PC in the marketplace as we speak. Its display screen is a sight to behold because it breathes new life into video games new and previous alike. Whereas it does fall behind in efficiency versus its competitors, the quantity on supply right here for its value supplies unbeatable worth.
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