A new challenger has emerged in the gaming hardware segment. Game distribution giant Valve today announced the launch of the $ 399 gaming portable steam deck designed to run PC games. The handheld (which echoes portable gaming rigs that have been portable for several years) has a seven-inch screen and runs on a quad-core Zen 2 CPU with AMD RDNA2 graphics and 16GB of RAM. The built-in storage can be expanded via microSD.
Naturally, the thing is custom-built for Valve’s wildly popular steam platform (it’s just named here). Users login to their Steam account and their library – and friends list – right there, ready to go. There is even a dedicated steam button. The system has been rumored for some time, but it is entering a rapidly evolving era for gaming.
The company hopes to surpass Nintendo’s Switch (OLED or not) graphical limitations when it comes to bridging gaps and other technical limitations as a result of cloud-based gaming by companies such as Microsoft. Nvidia Shield is also portable – although we haven’t heard much from this project.
A pair of trackpads and thumbsticks flanking the 1280 x 800 touchscreen. A built-in gyroscope also uses movement to control the gaming experience. There is a single USB-C port for charging, peripherals, and connection to a larger screen, while a 40Wh battery promises by the number of valves in 7-8 hours of gameplay. The system is now ready for preorder and shipping starts this December as the time for the holidays.
After rumors spread in May, Valve has now officially announced the Steam Deck, a handheld gaming PC that arrived later this year. As part of this month’s IGN First, IGN has an exclusive hand with Steam Deck, as well as an FAQ with Valve about the device, but here’s the information you need. The form factor of the steam deck is a bit like the big Nintendo Switch but with the power of the whole gaming PC.
It runs a modified version of Valve’s Stimos, complements both the Steam store and your Steam library with a new console-like interface for easy navigation, but it also provides access to an unlimited computer desktop where a third-party application can be installed. With steam games or launchers.
