Steam Deck Is Valve’s Answer To The Switch, Out In December

Steam Deck is a new portable gaming device from Valve that basically looks and functions exactly like a Nintendo Switch. Models start at $400 and will be releasing December 2024, Valve announced today over on Steam.

“We partnered with AMD to create Steam Deck’s custom APU, optimized for handheld gaming. It is a Zen 2 + RDNA 2 powerhouse, delivering more than enough performance to run the latest AAA games in a very efficient power envelope,” the company writes. The Steam Deck thumbsticks are designed for “extended play sessions,” and owner’s entire Steam libraries will be available to the when they log on. There’s even a dock (sold separately) to connect to TVs and computer monitors.

Here are some tech specs:

• 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)
• 16 GB LPDDR5 RAM (5500 MT/s)
• 1280 x 800px (16:10 aspect ratio)
• 7″ optically bonded LCD
• Bluetooth 5.0 (support for controllers, accessories and audio)
• Wi-FiDual-band Wi-Fi radio, 2.4GHz and 5GHz, 2 x 2 MIMO, IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac

And here are the current models:

• $400 for 64GB internal storage
• $530 for 256GB SSD storage and “exclusive Steam Community profile bundle”
• $650 for 512 GB SSD storage and an “anti-glare etched glass” screen.

There’s a catch, however. To have an actual shot at getting one of these things when it releases you’ll need to pay Valve to reserve a spot in-line for pre-orders. “The main reason for reservations is to ensure an orderly and fair ordering process for customers when Steam Deck inventory becomes available,” Valve writes in an FAQ. “The additional fee gives us a clearer signal of intent to purchase, which gives us better data to balance supply chain, inventory, and regional distribution leading up to launch.” Fortunately, the reservation fee will go towards the total sale price of the hardware.

The news that Valve was working on a Switch-like portable was first reported back in May by Ars Technica.