Valve has just unveiled the Steam Deck, a portable console that bears a remarkable resemblance to the Nintendo Switch. Could it be even better?
Valve, the video game developer, has just unveiled a new portable console named the Steam Deck, which packs the power of a gaming PC into a format very similar to a Nintendo Switch.
Introducing Steam Deck: powerful, portable PC gaming starting at $399. Designed by Valve, powered by Steam. Shipping December 2021.
— Steam (@Steam) July 15, 2021
Learn more at https://t.co/ZOTx3KUCVK and reserve yours tomorrow. #SteamDeck pic.twitter.com/jcgbaKfT9c
Already available to pre-order for its December 2021 release, and costing $399 (£349) at launch, the console has greatly enthused fans of portable gaming who seek something with a bit more punch than a smartphone or a Switch.
The Steam Deck will back a 4-core AMD Zen 2 CPU with 2.4-3.5GHz, twinned with an AMD RDNA 2 GPU 8 CUs at 1.0-1.6GHz that packs 1.8 Teraflops of power. Though it has 16GB of RAM, it offers performance of 720p at a maximum of 60fps, with baseline storage of 64GB. Of course it goes without saying that this performance doesn’t match that of flagship consoles like the PS5 and the Xbox Series X, but nonetheless it will tempt those who want to experience PC gaming on the go.
Related: Here are things you’ll love (and hate) about the Nintendo Switch OLED
This news comes just shortly after that of the Nintendo Switch OLED, which was widely considered to be a disappointment as Nintendo fans were hoping for a more muscular Pro model rather than just a screen upgrade. Could the Steam Deck, running full PC games but also delivering a similar portable experience, possibly trump Nintendo in its own speciality? That remains to be seen, especially as it will lack the exclusives that make Nintendo consoles such a fan favourite, while the much-awaited Pro version of the Switch could still make its debut next year.
Let us know whether you’d switch your Switch for the Steam Deck in our poll:
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