** HERE COMES A NEW CHALLENGER **
Hot of the presses, Valve today announced the Steam Deck – a mobile handheld gaming device with which to catch up on your Steam library on the go starting at $399.
Steam Deck is a powerful all-in-one portable PC. With a custom processor developed in cooperation with AMD, Steam Deck is comparable to a gaming laptop with the ability to run the latest AAA games. Your Steam library will be on Deck to play games wherever and whenever you want. Steam Deck is also an open PC, adding the ability to install any software or connect with any hardware.
That last part adds a bit of intrigue to us here – we’re wondering how we can trick it out for it to double as a mobile PC in addition to just something that can play our Steam games. Naturally this is going to be something that streams your games from your PC wherever you happen to be. It’s WiFi and Bluetooth ready, but how cool would it be with an optional 5G radio for the truly hardcore?
“We think Steam Deck gives people another way to play the games they love on a high-performance device at a great price,” says Valve founder Gabe Newell. “As a gamer, this is a product I’ve always wanted. And as a game developer, it’s the mobile device I’ve always wanted for our partners.”
There are increased storage options available for $529 and $649 and reservations are open tomorrow July 16th at 10 AM PDT; shipping is slated to start in December 2021.
Here’s some details from Valve on the specs:
- Powerful, custom APU developed with AMD
- Optimized for hand-held gaming
- Full-sized controls
- 7″ touchscreen
- WiFi and Bluetooth ready
- USB-C port for accessories
- microSD slot for storage expansion
- 3 different storage options available
The control scheme also takes advantage of built-in gyro, so it will be able to pull a bit of motion into your game. Other features you run on your PC like access to the Steam store and social will still be part of the experience.
We’re pretty excited to get our hands on it, and in the meantime you can reserve yours and get more details at their official website: www.steamdeck.com
