#Valve Announces Steam Deck Portable Console

Valve, the development house responsible for Steam, Half-Life, Team Fortress and Left 4 Dead has announced its own entry into portable gaming after nearly a decade of prototypes and concepts with the Steam Deck portable console. The Steam Deck is heavily inspired by the Nintendo Switch and also recalls the Sega Game Gear/Nomad with integrated controls that recall the Switch JoyCons, complete with dual analog sticks. However, the Steam Deck also includes the analog trackpads that were a cornerstone of the previously released Steam Controller and sized for thumb use.

Steam Deck with analog stick, action buttons, menu button and analog touchpad

The Steam Deck features the following specifications:

• CPU: Custom AMD Zen 2 processor  with integrated graphics (4 core/8 thread, 2.4-3.5GHz, up to 448 GFlops)
• Integrated GPU: 8 RDNA 2 CUs, 1.0-1.6GHz (up to 1.6 TFlops)
• 16 GB LPDDR5 RAM
• 1280 x 800px (16:10 aspect ratio)
• 7″ optically bonded LCD
• Bluetooth 5.0 (support for controllers, accessories and audio)
• Dual-band Wi-Fi radio, 2.4GHz and 5GHz, 2 x 2 MIMO, IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
• Built-in mic
• Optional dock with HDMI output, USB, and Ethernet ports

Rear of Steam Deck with rear “paddle triggers”

Steam Deck input diagram

Steam Deck dock example

The Steam Deck will be available in three different storage models, detailed below:

• $399.99 for 64GB internal storage
• $529.99 for 256GB SSD storage with “exclusive Steam profile bundle”
• $649.99 for 512 GB SSD storage and an anti-glare etched glass display

The Steam Deck will be made available initially through a paid reservation system, where those who pay for a spot to pre-order the console will be contacted for the opportunity to purchase the console ahead of its planned December release, once shipments are available to purchase.

Valve states that this system was the best compromise to ensure a fair opportunity for everyone who is interested in purchasing a console to do so, while attempting to minimize the impact of supply chains and distribution impacted in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Pre-order reservations will open on Friday, July 16th, 10am PDT and the minimum cost for a place in the pre-order queue is $5, which will go towards the final cost of the console.

SOURCE: Steam