Steam Deck OLED Revealed: More than just a screen upgrade

Completely out of the blue, Valve has just revealed the Steam Deck OLED, a new model that is not quite the Steam Deck 2 many were expecting, but introduces a gorgeous OLED display along with a number of other significant upgrades.

The base Steam Deck model (256GB) will retain its current LCD screen and overall build, while the 512GB and 1TB models will be getting the OLED treatment.

The new 7.4-inch HDR OLED screen is slightly larger than the original and features a higher refresh rate of 90Hz, with 1000 nits of peak brightness. In addition to the new display, the Steam Deck OLED will have a bigger 50Wh battery (increased from 40Wh) and more efficient APU, which should deliver a 50 percent increase in battery life, according to Valve.

On the connectivity front, the handheld now packs a new Wi-FI 6E module for faster download speeds and Bluetooth 5.3 for more stable connections, further coverage and lower power consumption.

Other improvements include better thermal performance, a 5% reduction in its total weight and redesigned trackpads for increased precision.

In addition to the standard models, the lineup will also include a striking new limited edition variant in a dark grey translucent shell with orange accents throughout.

The Steam Deck OLED starts shipping November 16th in the US and Canada. You can check out Valve’s teaser video below, and visit their website for more details on the handheld.