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Valve’s Steam Deck in our hands

Switch-like Steam portable is coming this December


two people playing co-op with two Steam Deck units



The Steam Deck is a new handheld device from Valve for playing PC games on the go, the company announced Thursday. The Nintendo Switch-like device is set for release in December starting at $399.

Previously rumored as the “SteamPal,” the Steam Deck is a portable PC that’s slightly larger than the Nintendo Switch. It features a 7-inch touchscreen, two thumbsticks, a D-pad, and a four-button layout. There are also two trackpads — one on either side of the machine, under the thumbsticks — to allow for increased precision. The Steam Deck has eight triggers on its back: four on the device’s shoulders and four more where the ring and pinky fingers rest.

The Steam Deck will run games from players’ existing Steam libraries. Players will simply log into their account, and their friends and catalog should follow them onto the handheld. The Steam Deck is capable of running PC games on its own hardware, without the power of the cloud. Videos released by Valve show people using the Steam Deck to natively play games such as Baldur’s Gate 3, Crusader Kings 3, Disco Elysium, Hades, and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. Players can also purchase a dock that allows the Steam Deck to run on a TV.



Inside, the Steam Deck boasts an accelerated processing unit (APU) built by AMD. Its CPU is based on the company’s Zen 2 microarchitecture and tops out at 3.5 GHz. The GPU contains eight RDNA 2 compute units running at up to 1.6 GHz, delivering peak performance of 1.6 teraflops. The system packs 16 GB of RAM and a microSD card slot, allowing users to expand upon the built-in storage. The Steam Deck’s 7-inch screen is an LCD with a 16:10 aspect ratio and a 60 Hz refresh rate at a 720p resolution of 1280x800. The Steam Deck also features a dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi radio — it’s compatible with 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz networks — and Bluetooth 5.0 for controllers, accessories, and (unlike the Switch) audio.


At launch, the Steam Deck will be available in three models with different storage options. Valve says there are no performance differences between the three versions — aside from the speed of the flash memory, which will provide varying read and write speeds.

The $399 base model offers 64 GB of storage in the eMMC format. The next model up costs $529, and packs faster storage courtesy of a 256 GB PCIe 3.0 NVMe SSD; it also comes with an “exclusive Steam Community profile bundle.” The top-tier Steam Deck, at $649, includes a 512 GB NVMe SSD that Valve refers to as “high-speed,” although it is still a PCIe 3.0 drive. In addition, this model’s screen features “premium anti-glare etched glass.” The unit comes with an exclusive carrying case and exclusive virtual keyboard theme, on top of the cheaper models’ bonuses.

Steam users will be able to reserve any of the three Steam Deck models (for a fee) starting at 1 p.m. EDT on Friday, July 16 — as long as they made a purchase on the Steam Store at some point before June 2021. If not, they’ll have to wait until 48 hours later.
 
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venom

Lado-K-Lashkary
Mar 15, 2007
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Yar @iampasha apni series S mujhe bechnay k chakar mein hai :p JK. I would love to get an S but I sit around 6 feet away from 50 incher tv so I'm pretty sure the resolution is going to immediately bug me. Plus the limited storage on the S is an absolute deal breaker for me.

Between the 64GB version and the 256GB version, which one do you guys recommend ? Is the screen and faster storage worth the extra 130 bucks ? I might consider the 64gb version along with the series s given my budget.
 
Jun 5, 2009
1,625
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I received mine yesterday. Will be playing on it today after work.
I have bought a 512 GB Nvme to replace the 64 GB MMC xD. Total cost be about $480 with tax and the SSD. Let's hope replacing isn't hard. i also got a 512 GB SD card so it should be plenty of space.
 
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iampasha

Seasoned
Apr 4, 2013
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Yar @iampasha apni series S mujhe bechnay k chakar mein hai :p JK. I would love to get an S but I sit around 6 feet away from 50 incher tv so I'm pretty sure the resolution is going to immediately bug me. Plus the limited storage on the S is an absolute deal breaker for me.

Between the 64GB version and the 256GB version, which one do you guys recommend ? Is the screen and faster storage worth the extra 130 bucks ? I might consider the 64gb version along with the series s given my budget.
XD Mera series S sold hogia. For the steamdeck I would suggest spending the extra money and go for 256gb version but since you also need a console you can get a series S plus a 64gb deck and get a SD card later on for the deck because you'll gonna need it.

Series S will output 1080p/60 in most games, with respectable settings and most TV's do 1080p to 4k scaling just fine
 

iampasha

Seasoned
Apr 4, 2013
2,749
1,474
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28
Karachi
I received mine yesterday. Will be playing on it today after work.
I have bought a 512 GB Nvme to replace the 64 GB MMC xD. Total cost be about $480 with tax and the SSD. Let's hope replacing isn't hard. i also got a 512 GB SD card so it should be plenty of space.
Congrats, looking forward for your impressions
 
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Jun 5, 2009
1,625
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54
Between the 64GB version and the 256GB version, which one do you guys recommend ? Is the screen and faster storage worth the extra 130 bucks ? I might consider the 64gb version along with the series s given my budget.
Screen is the same afaik on both 64 and 256 GB. 512 GB has a different screen and it's only glass too not the screen itself.

I'd say go for 64 GB, you can always add a memory card or upgrade SSD for a little more down the line. Unless you care for the Steam profile, in that case get the 256 gb version.

If opening it and replacing the SSD is not your thing, you should opt for the 256 gb version too imo.
 
Jun 5, 2009
1,625
47
54
Congrats, looking forward for your impressions
Thanks buddy, opened it up yesterday and it isn't as heavy as i expected. It is pretty big (i expected it from the videos and such but being lightweight is good). It does feel like a Switch with Hori-grip joy cons. I haven't set it up yet but it looks very premium, the quality looks very very nice.
 
Jun 5, 2009
1,625
47
54
XD Mera series S sold hogia. For the steamdeck I would suggest spending the extra money and go for 256gb version but since you also need a console you can get a series S plus a 64gb deck and get a SD card later on for the deck because you'll gonna need it.

Series S will output 1080p/60 in most games, with respectable settings and most TV's do 1080p to 4k scaling just fine
How much did it sell for (Series S) if you don't mind me asking.
 
Jun 5, 2009
1,625
47
54
That's pretty good, considering it's $250 on sale rn with an extra controller. But then again Pakistan would charge import tax and whatnot.
 

Necrokiller

Expert
Apr 16, 2009
13,594
5,124
129
Yar @iampasha apni series S mujhe bechnay k chakar mein hai :p JK. I would love to get an S but I sit around 6 feet away from 50 incher tv so I'm pretty sure the resolution is going to immediately bug me. Plus the limited storage on the S is an absolute deal breaker for me.

Between the 64GB version and the 256GB version, which one do you guys recommend ? Is the screen and faster storage worth the extra 130 bucks ? I might consider the 64gb version along with the series s given my budget.
I would recommend 256GB version which will leave room open for dual-booting SteamOS and Windows if you want Game Pass on the Deck.
 

Necrokiller

Expert
Apr 16, 2009
13,594
5,124
129
I do think they've achieved what they set out to do which is to take PC gaming out of the bedroom, out of the office and you know basically take it anywhere and I think the capabilities of the Silicon have been vindicated just by some of the results we've seen.

it's been kind of eye-opening from that perspective and it outstrips my expectations tremendously so I think you know pat on the back to Valve for doing something really quite interesting here the sales have been phenomenal as well, well north of a million million units now which you know for a device you can't buy from Amazon or from a shop I think is is quite remarkable and audience reaction to it has been really good.

The other thing I like about it is that they have um they've embraced the kind of Hardcore options that we would want you know the 40 Hertz display update for example it was a master stroke

I just think it's really interesting what they're doing they're liberating PC gaming from Windows and I think that's really quite a remarkable achievement the fact that actually works as well as it does but yeah much more to come from steam deck
High praises from Richard on Steam Deck's first year. (y)
 
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Necrokiller

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Got the 64gb model with 512gb sd card. Playing games on High/Ultra and it's been fun to say the least.
Hooly sh*t at AC Origin's fidelity on a handheld.
Also try GRID 2 if you haven't. Looks and plays amazing on the Deck.

---

Dual booting Windows for Game Pass. 👌

 
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    faraany3k said:
    So while Playing Control, I found a journal which said that a bathroom is missing in Islamabad Beurue of Control. With Alan Wake and Control seems to be connected worlds. Even our city is in the universe as well. No wonder those Trail 5 and Trail 6 are haunted.
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    So while Playing Control, I found a journal which said that a bathroom is missing in Islamabad Beurue of Control. With Alan Wake and Control seems to be connected worlds. Even our city is in the universe as well. No wonder those Trail 5 and Trail 6 are haunted.
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    What is peoples obsession with Battle Royale genre. 6 minutes to find a match, 3 minutes to setup a match, 2 minutes to land, 10 minutes for scavanging maybe 2 3 gunfigts and its over. Multiplayer landscape is looking absolute dogshit.
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    What is peoples obsession with Battle Royale genre. 6 minutes to find a match, 3 minutes to setup a match, 2 minutes to land, 10 minutes for scavanging maybe 2 3 gunfigts and its over. Multiplayer landscape is looking absolute dogshit.
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    skip the villain arc
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    iampasha said:
    I usually stay away from animes. Vinland saga changed the way i look at my life, and my experiences within. I recommend every breathing human being to watch this animated masterpiece at least once fromstart to finish.
    After I watched it, I never felt like i watched a show. It was a friggin journey. I got way too attached to Thorfinn and seeing him grow up and find himself and get rid of all the negativity inside of him was just pure bliss.
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    EternalBlizzard said:
    Vinland Saga > Berserk
    I usually stay away from animes. Vinland saga changed the way i look at my life, and my experiences within. I recommend every breathing human being to watch this animated masterpiece at least once fromstart to finish.
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    Vinland Saga > Berserk
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    I absolutely hate parry and Sekiro made me love it, i hate sci fi and Mass Effect made me love it. This is the definition of genre defining experiences.
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    Forbidden West Complete Edition now available on your fav websites. And Nixxes showed Crapcom how it's done 👍
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    Even VRR can't rescue it 🥲
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    faraany3k faraany3k: I dont think games have looked any better since 2019 onwards and they are performing worse and...