A detailed, extensive Steam Deck review has been requested by many of our readers globally, and finally, here we go! It’s been six long months since the Steam Deck 2022 arrived with a bang and it’s exSTEAMly on demand. For gamers worldwide, especially the ones who are crazy about PC games, it’s certainly ‘the stuff that dreams are made of!’ The ‘all-in-one portable PC gaming’ device ticks many of the boxes constructed by the global gaming community’s age-old expectations. It also fails to meet some of them at the same time. Here’s a joyride through the world of Steam Deck 2022.
The ‘all-in-one portable PC gaming’ device has already started to reach the gamers. [Image Credit: Steam Deck via Twitter]
Valve Steam Deck – The Ultimate Word in Handheld Gaming
Good things come to those who wait, and gamers had to deal with a prolonged wait as the launch of the Valve Steam Deck gaming console got delayed by a year for reasons related to the Covid-19 pandemic. Valve Corporation released this new-generation gaming device on February 22, 2022 amidst a sheer adrenaline rush, and the Steam engine continues to run riot across the leading social media platforms.
This is the first time in the history of virtual gaming that game nerds are getting the golden opportunity to experience the real PC games on a lightweight, portable, handheld device. The fact that the Steam Deck allows any PC software apart from running the in-built Steam OS, has made game freaks go absolutely wild with gusto to grab one. Steam Deck is drawing heaps of praise from the gaming community for an array of added perks alongside winning laurels like the Best Gaming Innovation in the Tom’s Guide Awards 2022. Let’s delve deeper into the immersive, real gaming journey, full of thrill and awe, named Steam Deck 2022.
Valve Steam Deck 2022 is the first handheld gaming device to run PC games. [Image Credit: Steam Deck via Twitter]
Valve Steam Deck: Specifications
There have been many failed attempts in the last couple of years to create the perfect handheld gaming device that would be capable of streaming the most popular PC games. At last, we have the never-like-before gaming machine, which is compatible with the leading PC games and gives the other gaming options a real run for their money. Here are the detailed specifications of this gaming wonder, covering every other segment.
- Display – Dubbed as the ‘world’s most powerful, full-featured gaming handheld device’, it comes with a giant (when compared to its close competitors) screen. The display is 7 inches long and is touch-sensitive in nature. You can easily type and swipe through the Steam UI effortlessly thanks to Deck’s capacitive multi-touch display. It comprises of an optically bonded IPS LCD for enhanced readability with a resolution of 1280 x 800px (16:10 aspect ratio), and a refresh rate of 60Hz. The display design is aided by the presence of an ambient light sensor and offers brightness of 400 nits typical.
- Controls and Input – The lightweight gaming console boasts of several gamepad controls in the form of – A B X Y buttons, D-pad, L & R analog triggers, L & R bumpers, View & Menu buttons, 4 x assignable grip buttons. It also has thumbsticks – 2 x full-size analog sticks with capacitive touch and HD haptics. You will also get 2 x 32.5mm square trackpads with haptic feedback of 55% better latency in comparison with the Steam Controller Pressure-sensitivity for configurable click strength. The 6-Axis IMU gyro has been incorporated in the scheme of things to facilitate you in aiming better.
- Processor – The Steam Deck 2022’s processor seems more than decent if not overpowering with 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) and APU power: 4-15W.
- RAM – Steam Deck’s latest version possesses 16 GB LPDDR5 on-board RAM (5500 MT/s quad 32-bit channels), which appears quite good considering the market standards.
- Storage – Storage – The three currently available variants of this brand-new gaming companion from Valve Corporation include 64 GB eMMC (PCIe Gen 2 x1), 256 GB NVMe SSD (PCIe Gen 3 x4 or PCIe Gen 3 x2*), and 512 GB high-speed NVMe SSD (PCIe Gen 3 x4 or PCIe Gen 3 x2*).
- Connectivity – Steam Deck’s latest version is enabled with Bluetooth 5.0 (support for controllers, accessories and audio) and dual-band Wi-Fi radio, 2.4GHz and 5GHz, 2 x 2 MIMO, IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac.
- Audio – Steam Deck has a stereo with embedded DSP to ensure an immersive listening experience. It comes with a dual microphone equipped with a 3.5mm stereo headphone / headset jack.
- Operating System – Steam OS 3.0 (Arch-based)
- Power – Valve’s all-new Steam Deck is crafted with a 45W USB Type-C PD3.0 power supply.
- Battery – With the 40Whr battery, Valve assures you 2 – 8 hours of gameplay, entirely depending upon your choice of games as the power consumption varies hugely from the 2D games to the latest AAA ones.
- Dimensions – 298mm x 117mm x 49mm
- Weight – Approx. 669 grams
Steam Deck is currently available in limited geographies including US and Canada. [Image Credit: Steam Deck via Twitter]
What’s Hot? – The Unique Features of the Valve Steam Deck
Among all the Steam Deck reviews available on the internet, one thing is common, that it’s the first of its kind. Here are some added perks of using the Valve Steam Deck 2022 –
- Comfortable grip, which take care of the slipping worries.
- Solid triggers mean that you can have a back seat while being fully immersed into new-age gaming.
- Nothing can surpass the joy of having joysticks as big as Xbox controllers, in a handheld gaming device.
- To a large extent, Steam Deck gives a gamer freedom by allowing them to change the configuration settings to their liking. Gamers around the world are really overjoyed about this particular aspect of the Steam Deck 2022 and this has been reflected in the endless Steam Deck reviews as well.
- Valve Steam Deck gaming fans are also happy about the fan too, which doesn’t make any noise but maintains the cool of the cool game-station.
- You can go retro by having a walk down memory lane – your Steam Deck can stream all the old games with whom you have many fond memories.
- This lightweight gaming console is gaining popularity due to its portability.
- Interestingly, the critically acclaimed Steam Deck 2022 is relatively cheaper than a PS5 or a Xbox.
Where to Buy Steam Deck?
You need to book this ideal gaming device from Valve Corporation’s official site itself. Presently, it’s available in limited regions that include US and Canada.
The Dock Station is slated to release later this year. It has to be bought separately. [Image Credit: Steam Deck]
Which Steam Deck Should I Buy?
Currently, there are three variations so far as the Steam Deck 2022 is concerned – 64GB, 256GB and 512GB. This decision totally depends on your specific requirements.
Is Steam Deck Better than Switch?
The Nintendo Switch made its official entry to the international gaming scene five years ago. To date, it’s very much sought-after by gamers across the globe. But the new Steam Deck appears to be out of the gaming universe. It has more buttons and, unlike the Nintendo Switch, will allow the previous as well as the upcoming games to run smoothly. Steam Deck comes with Linux, and you can also install Windows on the flagship high-end gaming device from the house of Valve. Though it needs to be seen if Steam Deck gets connected to the TV set courtesy of the dock (yet to arrive) with the same ease of a Switch. In a couple of Steam Deck reviews done by gaming experts, it has been pointed out that Steam’s performance downgrades considerably when it comes to the multiplayer arena. You can also enjoy the Epic games launcher in the Steam Deck, which is not compatible with the Switch.
