In 2021, Valve threw the gaming world a curveball by announcing the Steam Deck, a handheld gaming device most similar to the Nintendo Switch, complete with features like a small screen and controls on the left and right-hand sides. We’ve heard a lot about this upcoming handheld beast, but what are the Steam Deck’s specs?
Fear not, friends. We’re here to answer this burning question.
What is the Steam Deck?
The Steam Deck is a portable console reminiscent of the Nintendo Switch but with more horsepower, which allows it to play PC games from the Steam library.
The Steam Deck is most similar to the Nintendo Switch, in both form factor and features – but the Deck competes with a few other consoles, too. It’s designed to be a modern handheld gaming console, rectangular in shape with your hands meant to grip the sides of the device, where the buttons are.
The main way that Valve wants people to use the Steam Deck is in handheld mode – using the inbuilt buttons, joysticks and triggers, Valve wants gamers to use the Steam Deck on the go or simply away from their main setup. It also features cloud capability for owned Steam games and MicroSD storage.
However, the Steam Deck can also be used when connected to a display. Much like the Nintendo Switch, the Steam Deck can be played on a monitor or TV. Unlike the Switch, you don’t need a special Dock to do this. Instead, the user simply needs to connect the USB-C port to the display of choice. It’s that simple.
What are the Steam Deck Specs?
This thing is packin’. Let’s break the Steam Deck specs down.
Compute & software
- Processor: AMD APU, CPU: Zen 2 4c/8t, 2.4-3.5GHz (up to 448 GFlops FP32), GPU: 8 RDNA 2 CUs, 1.0-1.6GHz (up to 1.6 TFlops FP32)
APU power: 4-15W - RAM: 16 GB LPDDR5 on-board RAM (5500 MT/s quad 32-bit channels)
- Storage: 64 GB eMMC (PCIe Gen 2 x1), 256 GB NVMe SSD (PCIe Gen 3 x4), 512 GB high-speed NVMe SSD (PCIe Gen 3 x4)
What else? All models use socketed 2230 m.2 modules (not intended for end-user replacement) and all models include high-speed microSD card slot - Operating system: SteamOS 3.0 (Arch-based)
- Desktop: KDE Plasma
Controls and Input
- Gamepad controls: A B X Y buttons, D-pad, L & R analog triggers, L & R bumpers, View & Menu buttons, 4 x assignable grip buttons
- Thumbsticks: 2 x full-size analog sticks with capacitive touch
- Haptics: HD haptics
- Trackpads: 2 x 32.5mm square trackpads with haptic feedback, 55 per cent better latency compared to Steam Controller, pressure-sensitivity for configurable click strength
- Gyro: 6-Axis IMU
Display
- Resolution: 1280 x 800px (16:10 aspect ratio)
- Type: optically bonded IPS LCD for enhanced readability
- Display size: 7-inch diagonal
- Brightness: 400 nits typical
- Refresh rate: 60Hz
- Touch enabled: yes
- Sensors: ambient light sensor
Size and Weight
- Size: 298mm x 117mm x 49mm
- Weight: approx. 669 grams
Connectivity
- Bluetooth: Bluetooth 5.0 (support for controllers, accessories and audio)
- Wi-Fi: Dual-band Wi-Fi radio, 2.4GHz and 5GHz, 2 x 2 MIMO, IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
Audio
- Channels: stereo with embedded DSP for an immersive listening experience
- Microphones: dual microphone array
- Headphone/mic jack: 3.5mm stereo headphone / headset jack
- Digital: multichannel audio via DisplayPort over USB-C, standard USB-C, or Bluetooth 5.0
Power
- Input: 45W USB Type-C PD3.0 power supply
- Battery: 40Whr battery. 2 – 8 hours of gameplay
Expansion
- microSD: UHS-I supports SD, SDXC and SDHC
- External connectivity for controllers & displays: USB-C with DisplayPort 1.4 Alt-mode support; up to 8K @60Hz or 4K @120Hz, USB 3.2 Gen 2
Steam Deck dock specs
The Steam Deck dock is sold separately, but here’s the specs, anyway:
Expansion & power
- Peripherals: 1 x USB-A 3.1 Port, 2 x USB-A 2.0 Ports
- Networking: Ethernet
- External displays: DisplayPort 1.4, HDMI 2.0
- Input: USB-C Power Delivery passthrough input
- Deck connection: 6-inch USB-C captive cable with low profile 90° connector
Size and Weight
- Size: 117mm x 29mm x 50.5mm
- Weight: Approx. 120 grams
What games can I play?
While we haven’t gone hands-on with Valve’s handheld just yet, we’ve gotten a glimpse at just how games will run on it and the features we can expect from the Steam Deck. We know that games run reasonably well on the technology, given hands-on previews that we’ve seen. Valve is in the process of verifying games for the Deck, we’ve got a running list of what you can expect to play over here.
Where can I get one?
It was originally supposed to ship by December of last year, but as a result of the global chip crunch, Valve pushed the release back by two months. It looks like the last of the delays, though, because Valve said it will start shipping consoles on February 28. But there’s a catch for those of us in Australia.
Through some online wizardry, it is in fact possible for an Australian to preorder a Steam Deck when it launches in the U.S.. You’ll need a VPN set to an American location – after setting this, the order page should unlock and you should be able to preorder when stock becomes available. It’s best to fully understand what that might mean for small things like access and charging and big things like your consumer protections and warranties. Oh, and the cost, too.
Otherwise, just wait and look at the Steam Deck specs in awe.